Looking for a cab - small, loud with some nice lows, is it possible?

K

Kokosowy

Nov 28, 2019
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#1
Hi there!

For some time I was using at home my Warwick BC80 combo which was quite nice in overall. After some time I started some music activities for local youths at our town community centre. Unfortunately Warwick BC80 can't get though drums or guitars so I need to change it for something else. Other participant has a spare Fender Rumble 100 which was much better, however its older version which weights a ton and we don't have any dedicated place there for our stuff, we can't leave our equipment at community centre, every two weeks we need to mount and dismount everything including carrying everything the stairs..

I think I'm really into head + cab right now. I think I would like to get a Hartke HA3500 for a head, but I'm not sure about a cab. 410 would be great but this is definitely too huge and heavy so there's no go for that. I think 210 would be fine but I heard 210 lacks some lows and I'm definitely a low-bass fan. I know I can have 210+115 setup but this is just another brick to carry over places. Regarding just single 115 can be too muddy and too slow.

Can you please suggest a 210 cab that could still have some pretty good low-freq capabilities? Or you have any other suggestions that still are OK regarding mobility? DI and mixer for now I'd say no for two reasons - we don't have any reliable "stage" monitors and because at home I'd also like to have a head + cab. :)

Thanks!
K
 
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#6
There's a number of boutique cabs that will fit the bill . Expensive , but well worth it . I looked at quite a number before settling on Bergantino . I went modular and picked up a single twelve and two ten cabinets . Lightweight and modular . I was also looking at Aguilar , Genzler , Mesa , Traynor , GK , Markbass and Ampeg at the time . And am really happy I went Bergantino .
 
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#8
I'd suggest you give a listen to the Mesa Subway 1-15 and 2-10 cabs. Either one will do the job, as I understand your description in the thread starter post; they differ somewhat in their native voicing. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how articulate and clear the 1-15 is.

I've been using Subway gear since the line was first introduced, and overall it's the best live amplification I've had in (gasp) 50 years of gigging.
 
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#9
If you're looking at the HA 3500, I'd suggest the Hartke HD 112, maybe 2! :woot:

Then again, I'm running the HA 5500 with a GB Fearless F115, and it's neither muddy nor slow. ;)

HA 5500.JPG
 
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#11
The new Berg NXT series is likely the best out there. Jim was in partnership with Celestion on the design of a totally new generation of Neo Speakers. And it is a proprietary with Berg.

The NXT 212 is the real killer, dual twelves, 49 lbs.... 104 db sensitivity.
They also make an NXT 210 if you want dual 10s, 35 lbs .... 99 db sensitivity.

Either way, probably the best cabs in the Neo market today.

2020 Winter NAMM Show Awards
 
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#12
Kokosowy said:
Hi there!

For some time I was using at home my Warwick BC80 combo which was quite nice in overall. After some time I started some music activities for local youths at our town community centre. Unfortunately Warwick BC80 can't get though drums or guitars so I need to change it for something else. Other participant has a spare Fender Rumble 100 which was much better, however its older version which weights a ton and we don't have any dedicated place there for our stuff, we can't leave our equipment at community centre, every two weeks we need to mount and dismount everything including carrying everything the stairs..

I think I'm really into head + cab right now. I think I would like to get a Hartke HA3500 for a head, but I'm not sure about a cab. 410 would be great but this is definitely too huge and heavy so there's no go for that. I think 210 would be fine but I heard 210 lacks some lows and I'm definitely a low-bass fan. I know I can have 210+115 setup but this is just another brick to carry over places. Regarding just single 115 can be too muddy and too slow.

Can you please suggest a 210 cab that could still have some pretty good low-freq capabilities? Or you have any other suggestions that still are OK regarding mobility? DI and mixer for now I'd say no for two reasons - we don't have any reliable "stage" monitors and because at home I'd also like to have a head + cab. :)

Thanks!
K
Click to expand...
2x12 cab would be perfect. Smaller than a 410, and they get just about as loud. Head, about 500w. Although, 350w would probably be just fine for you.
 
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#13
Kokosowy said:
I think I'm really into head + cab right now. I think I would like to get a Hartke HA3500 for a head, but I'm not sure about a cab. 410 would be great but this is definitely too huge and heavy so there's no go for that. I think 210 would be fine but I heard 210 lacks some lows and I'm definitely a low-bass fan. I know I can have 210+115 setup but this is just another brick to carry over places. Regarding just single 115 can be too muddy and too slow.

:)

Thanks!
K
Click to expand...

No on both counts...don't dismiss these options on false pretenses. Not sure what your second-hand market looks like but I'd aim for a newer generation 2 x 12 which = volume + tonal character + portability. I use a 3 X 10 which comes in just under the 50 lb wire and meets the other requirements. Shameless plug: I have a spare if you live close by (...doubtful). I also use Acme 2 X 10's but they're heavy and you'll probably need two as they're notoriously inefficient as a trade-off for the full spectrum response. Not my first choice if paired with a Hartke HA3500.

Riis
 
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#14
Kokosowy said:
Hi there!

For some time I was using at home my Warwick BC80 combo which was quite nice in overall. After some time I started some music activities for local youths at our town community centre. Unfortunately Warwick BC80 can't get though drums or guitars so I need to change it for something else. Other participant has a spare Fender Rumble 100 which was much better, however its older version which weights a ton and we don't have any dedicated place there for our stuff, we can't leave our equipment at community centre, every two weeks we need to mount and dismount everything including carrying everything the stairs..

I think I'm really into head + cab right now. I think I would like to get a Hartke HA3500 for a head, but I'm not sure about a cab. 410 would be great but this is definitely too huge and heavy so there's no go for that. I think 210 would be fine but I heard 210 lacks some lows and I'm definitely a low-bass fan. I know I can have 210+115 setup but this is just another brick to carry over places. Regarding just single 115 can be too muddy and too slow.

Can you please suggest a 210 cab that could still have some pretty good low-freq capabilities? Or you have any other suggestions that still are OK regarding mobility? DI and mixer for now I'd say no for two reasons - we don't have any reliable "stage" monitors and because at home I'd also like to have a head + cab. :)

Thanks!
K
Click to expand...
Here's some 212s available. If you can find a TC K212 cab on reverb or whatever, they are amazing. I had two of them. They crank! But, discontinued. Oh well. The RS212s are great too. Look around on google.

Screenshot_20200802-084048_Samsung Internet.jpg
Screenshot_20200802-084102_Samsung Internet.jpg
Screenshot_20200802-084125_Samsung Internet.jpg
Screenshot_20200802-084135_Samsung Internet.jpg
 
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#15
How small? How loud? How much low end? I'd also add these requirements, great tone, very light and serious one cab solution.

I'd check the Barefaced club and see what people say about the Super Compact and Big Baby 2. These are 112 cabs that will give you at least as much as some of the 210/115 rigs you are looking at, and in the case of the BB2, more.

Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club
 
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#16
Efficiency, low frequency extension, and small size all trade off - you'll never get all 3 in one package - it's just the Physics of the device. If you want something that's efficient (aka loud), and has decent lows down to the fundamentals on your E string, thats a PA subwoofer, and it will be large - much larger than a bass guitar cabinet. I will say, though, that playing through PA's with good subwoofers (I get to do that on a fairly regular basis) is something you should experience. Anyone that says you don't need 40Hz response (30 Hz for a 5 string), or that it just makes mud....hasn't played through a rig with well designed subs.

Cabinets made for bass guitar usually sacrifice low frequency extension to keep the size reasonable - they are (very) rolled off at 40 Hz. The Acme's are an an exception - they trade off efficiency for better low frequency extension in a reasonable sized package.

The venerable SVT, as big as it is, doesn't go down to 40 Hz (later ported version address this somewhat). The original sealed version (80 Hz rolloff) uses woofers that are actually not very efficient on their own, either - they need the mutual coupling of 16 drivers (you were supposed to use 2 cabinets on the first version) to get to decent efficiency. If you make a cabinet with one or two of those drivers, it would be relatively inefficient.
 
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