Powered Bass Cabs?

[Uncle Walt]

Has anyone had a chance to actually do a shootout of any powered bass cabs?

I currently run a Kemper Stage and have a Quad Cortex on the way. I love the Kemper and have tons of great profiles but I'm not in love with my powered speaker setup. I started out using FRFR PA speakers, I tried 12"s and 15"s from several manufacturers but none of them "felt" like an actual bass cab. I now have a Bergantino IP112/EX112 setup which is nice and sounds pretty great but even though the DSP is supposed to make the response flat, it still imparts a lot of "cab" to the profiles. I think that is part of why it "feels" more like a bass rig than the PA stuff. The problem is, when I spend a bunch of time dialing in a tone on my headphones and studio monitors, it doesn't sound the same through my live rig. It's close but there is def some high-end roll-off and a little boxiness. What I'd like to find is a compromise between transparency and unnatural feeling. Does that even exist?

I've been looking at an Accugroove wedgie, Barefaced FR800, and a Wayne Jones 210. Does anyone have any feedback on any of those choices, how they stack up against the Berg IP series or other suggestions I haven't considered?

 

[mothra2]

The Jones is unreal IMO .... very 'live' sounding for lack of a better term, with lots of feel. Crosses at like 3.8k so plenty of those 10's in the sound, and stout lows. Just needs a good Pre with XLR out.

 

[tombowlus]

I own a number of powered cabs, but have not done a shootout. I can give you some compare/contrast notes, if you like. Here are the powered cabs I currently own:

Acoustic Image Flex Cab
Barefaced FR800
Bergantino IP112
Bergantino IP153
Bergantino IP212
Bergantino IP310
ISP Technologies Bass Vector 115
Wayne Jones WJ110 pair (one powered, one slave)

I did also review the powered Wayne Jones 2x10, and I own a pair of Wayne's older (passive) WJ210's and a pair of the newer (passive) WJ210's. I also own several powered monitor wedges, which can function quite well as bass rigs, too.

What qualities/features are you looking for?

 

[tombowlus]

Here are links to some of the reviews I have published on some of these:

Barefaced FR800

Acoustic Image Flex System

Wayne Jones WJ210 and WJ110

 

[Uncle Walt]

Here are links to some of the reviews I have published on some of these:

Barefaced FR800

Acoustic Image Flex System

Wayne Jones WJ210 and WJ110

This is awesome!!! Thank you.

 

[Stinga1990]

Did you try the Yamaha DXR15 during your trial of powered speakers? That's what I use, nails the amp in a room feel when fed a good impulse response. None of the other 15s cut it, as you probably noticed, the Yamaha is a bit of an outlier.

 

[SixtyCycleHum]

Powered cabinets? You mean combos?

just a joke.

Here is another +1 for the Yamaha DXR15. It can get pretty fierce.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I spend a bunch of time dialing in a tone on my headphones and studio monitors, it doesn't sound the same through my live rig. It's close

I hear you and tried that a long time ago and learned to compartmentalize those 2. 'It's close' is better than I achieved. If you succeed please let me know

Not knowing your Headphones, Studio Monitors, ancillary equipment and room acoustics which are particular to only you; not to mention room acoustics at future or present Gig's your may be asking the impossible.

So speculation is the best you can get from TB.

 

[chadds]

Powered cabinets? You mean combos?

just a joke.

Don’t make me come over there!

 

[chadds]

Love Bergantino IPs. Neutral palate that exposes the best of preamps and the limitations of preamps. With good pre choosing I found the best bass amps I’ve ever wanted. Capable of doing the greats from the past while being contemporary. (Sunns, Ampegs, Acoustics etc.)

Something unique is that IPs can be played as quietly as an acoustic guitar and sound as full and present as when you’re drowning out drummers. If you need to.

 

[chadds]

It can’t sound closer than close. Direct is missing room reflection jumping people, dancing honeys, how you play when you hear the aforementioned stuff. So be okay with your album sound and your live. Just think. Your fans have your recordings and your burning live sound. It’s more not less.

 

[Stinga1990]

Powered cabinets? You mean combos?

just a joke.

Here is another +1 for the Yamaha DXR15. It can get pretty fierce.

About time someone else on here agrees that the Yamy is a good choice. It even amplifies a low b with as much authority as a comparable bass amp. I used it to carry a room with no pa support last weekend and it worked great.

 

[ftbtx]

Did you try the Yamaha DXR15 during your trial of powered speakers? That's what I use, nails the amp in a room feel when fed a good impulse response. None of the other 15s cut it, as you probably noticed, the Yamaha is a bit of an outlier.

What do you use to feed the IR?

 

[Stinga1990]

What do you use to feed the IR?

My current preamp is a shiftline Olympic MKS III.

 

[Snert]

Here is another +1 for the Yamaha DXR15. It can get pretty fierce.

About time someone else on here agrees that the Yamy is a good choice. It even amplifies a low b with as much authority as a comparable bass amp. I used it to carry a room with no pa support last weekend and it worked great.

Interesting gents. I've considered one of these myself. I might try one in a few weeks post move when I'm in the smoke next. I don't need to carry big levels and one of these on a stand plus whatever modeller I decide on might just suit everything but the coffee house gig.

 

[Uncle Walt]

My current preamp is a shiftline Olympic MKS III.

I'll have to checkout the Yammy 15.

Here a link to my Olympic hex repo if you're interested
Cab & Amp Hex Files for Shiftline Olympic - Google Drive

Shift Line - Olympic MkIII Tube Bass Preamp

 

[mothra2]

Wane Jones Powered …

 

[Stinga1990]

Interesting gents. I've considered one of these myself. I might try one in a few weeks post move when I'm in the smoke next. I don't need to carry big levels and one of these on a stand plus whatever modeller I decide on might just suit everything but the coffee house gig.

Hope it works for you as well as it has for me. It can carry a small room with no support. Have already tested it in this capacity.

 

[Stinga1990]

I'll have to checkout the Yammy 15.

Here a link to my Olympic hex repo if you're interested
Cab & Amp Hex Files for Shiftline Olympic - Google Drive

Shift Line - Olympic MkIII Tube Bass Preamp

Nice, I'll check those out when I get my laptop working again. You should find the Yamaha very different to what you've tried so far. It takes impulses very well and the feel in the room is at least as good as a small 300w 115 combo.

 

[Jack]

I can confirm that the Barefaced solution is an amazing option. In the end though I started using my small rig so much that I sold the BF stack and now just use the qsc. There are large outdoor gigs where I do miss it, but few and far between.