1x12 Cabinet Shootout: GK Neo vs. Aguilar DB12 vs. Hartke Hydrive HX112 (w/ TH500)

[SpinyNorman]

I'm in the process of selling off my big rigs, and downsizing to a mini stack (Aguilar Tone Hammer 500). Unfortunately, I've accumulated more 1x12's than I've sold big cabinets, so I'm running out of room! I did sell my Ampeg 610HLF this weekend, so I'm making progress.

In the past few weeks, I've obtained a Genz Benz Focus 112, an Aguilar DB112, a Hartke HyDrive HX112, and a GK Neo 112. There are a few more on my short list, including Baer, Bergantino, and Epifani, but I purchased what was available at a reasonable cost on the used market as they became available.

This afternoon I put the GK, Aguilar, and Hartke through a "blind" test. I set the cabinets up next to each other out in the open of my large loft (4 feet from the wall) with the horn on top, and twisted 3 same length speaker cables together with the amp-ends labeled A, B, and C. I randomly plugged a cable into each cabinet, and started the test with cable A plugged into the TH500.

The TH500 had the following settings: Gain 11 (o'clock), Drive 1, Bass 1, Mid 2, Mid Freq 10, Treble 2. I was attempting to get a middy sound, while dialing back the bass a bit with the drive control.

The bass was a Fender Custom Shop '59 Reissue (sunburst w/ maple neck).

I did not adjust the tone controls on the amp throughout the test. As such, there was definitely differences between the cabinets. I'm fairly certain that if I adjusted the tone for each amp I could get them to sound very similar.

I was trying to get what I consider a classic P-bass tone. I played Pink Floyd's "Money" and "Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)", The Pretender's "Mystery Achievement" and "My City Was Gone", Pink's "Funhouse", Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing", and a handful of other moldies.

There were times when I thought I knew which cabinet I was using. However, at other times I was questioning myself.

The results:

Cabinet A had the biggest low end and an aggressive midrange. It had a more forward sound than the other two, and I'd say it was more "hi-fi".

Cabinet B was very balanced, but lacked the low end of Cabinet A. Playing a G note on the low E didn't have anywhere near the impact of Cabinet A. The mids were sweet, and not as aggressive as Cabinet A.

Cabinet C was a bit disappointing. It was a solid performer, but nothing really jumped out. I would say it was the "muddiest" of the bunch.

Conclusion:

Let me start by saying that any of the three would make a decent choice. As noted, if I played around with the tone controls, I'm sure I could easily change the tone of each cabinet.

I was torn between cabinets A and B. Cabinet A was flashier, like the high school cheerleading captain. She'd make you happy for a while, but her lack of sophistication would probably wear on you after a while. Dialing back the mids on the TH500 would probably help tame the sizzle.

Cabinet B lacked sizzle, but was smooth and balanced. Like the girl next door, this is probably the cabinet you should marry. I was a bit surprised by the low end. I think bumping up the bass control to 2 might have helped.

Cabinet C was like, well, let's not go there. It performed well, but the other 2 stood out more.

I'm guessing that most of you have figured out which cabinet was which by now. If not, 'A' was the GK Neo, 'B' was the DB112, and 'C' was the Hartke. My original guess was correct. There's no mistaking the midrange on a GK.

A quick note on the form-factors. I like the Hartke cabinet the best. It's not as deep as the DB112, and not as wide as the GK. The GK is too wide IMHO, and the Aguilar too deep. I don't know why the DB112 doesn't have a 2nd set of feet on the side like the Baer ML112, especially given that the handle is on the side.

[bedroommuso]

Kudos! Very informative thread, and excellent use of blind testing! We need more sorts of comparisons like these...

It's probably not surprising that the more expensive cabs outperformed the Hartke. I feel from reading some threads on there, that if you're going to rely on a 1x12" then quality really matters. Having said that, and putting the rhetoric question out there - I wonder with the equivalent cabs but in 1x15" (e.g. GK Neo, Hartke HX) if the difference would be less pronounced?

Nevertheless, looking forward to watching you accumulate some more cabs to test - and I especially like how you are accumulating them as they pop up on the used market. With the amount of used stuff flying around, I think many of us (including myself) keep watch for potential gems that appear for sale used.

[SpinyNorman]

Originally Posted by bedroommuso

Nevertheless, looking forward to watching you accumulate some more cabs to test - and I especially like how you are accumulating them as they pop up on the used market. With the amount of used stuff flying around, I think many of us (including myself) keep watch for potential gems that appear for sale used.

Yes, I'm sure the cabs will continue to pile up. With 14' ceilings, I have room for a few more. I'd like to get my hands on a Berg HD112, but they're so new, I haven't seen one yet on the used market. I may have to pick up an HT112, even though they're a bit different tonally.

At some point, I will have to consider flipping a few of them back on the market. The GB Focus will likely be the first to go. I left it out of the shootout because I thought it was the weakest of the three.

[abarson]

I'm confused: in the second paragraph you mention a Genz Benz Focus 112, but it's nowhere in the review. Did you mean the GK instead?

[kai_ski]

Originally Posted by abarson

I'm confused: in the second paragraph you mention a Genz Benz Focus 112, but it's nowhere in the review. Did you mean the GK instead?

it didn't make the cut for the comparison.

Spiny, I'm curious what changes you made to bring the low mids on the db112 to match the GK NEO?

[iriegnome]

How are your cabs priced?

[blindrabbit]

Originally Posted by bedroommuso

Kudos! Very informative thread, and excellent use of blind testing! We need more sorts of comparisons like these...

I couldn't agree more. This is the kind of review/test that is actually useful and helpful. I think if more people tested "blind" like this, we would have such a different perspective on gear and what was "good" or not. There is a such a tendency out there to listen and feel with one's eyes, as opposed to ears and hands.

I hope to see more reviews and comparisons like this one come out in the future!

[B-string]

Originally Posted by iriegnome

How are your cabs priced?

They are all used cabs so far. Used prices will vary widely.

[DWBass]

Good review. I use 2 GK Neo112's and they work great for me for the most part. But sometimes it depends on what I play through them. My Fender with full Bart compliment absolutely kills! As well as my SUB Ray4. However, my Lakland (with Nordie Big Splits and US Bart pre) is lacking something. I don't get the same high end snap (when set flat). That bass sounds way better when I use a 4x10 cab.

[abarson]

Originally Posted by kai_ski

it didn't make the cut for the comparison.

Are you saying that the Focus was so inferior it didn't warrant being included? If so, what disqualified it? I liked the one I heard recently.

[kai_ski]

Originally Posted by abarson

Are you saying that the Focus was so inferior it didn't warrant being included? If so, what disqualified it? I liked the one I heard recently.

It has nothing to do with what I think. I was just trying to clear up your confusion. Read the thread man!

Originally Posted by SpinyNorman

Yes, I'm sure the cabs will continue to pile up. With 14' ceilings, I have room for a few more. I'd like to get my hands on a Berg HD112, but they're so new, I haven't seen one yet on the used market. I may have to pick up an HT112, even though they're a bit different tonally.

At some point, I will have to consider flipping a few of them back on the market. The GB Focus will likely be the first to go. I left it out of the shootout because I thought it was the weakest of the three.

[SpinyNorman]

Originally Posted by kai_ski

it didn't make the cut for the comparison.

Spiny, I'm curious what changes you made to bring the low mids on the db112 to match the GK NEO?

Correct, I pretty much ruled out the GB Focus, as it doesn't handle the B string on the 5 string very well. Also, I didn't have a 4th speaker cable available.

As I noted I didn't adjust the tone controls during the test, so the DB112 never got the same level of mids as the GK Neo. I'm hoping to rerun the test, albeit not "blind", and adjust the tone controls to try to match the cabinets. I have a hunch that the GK is still going to be a more aggressive cabinet.

Basically, this wasn't exactly a fair test. If a cabinet can be "tuned" with a small tweak to the tone controls, it's not really a fault of the cabinet. However, it's difficult to do a blind test while fiddling with the knobs.

[SpinyNorman]

Originally Posted by B-string

They are all used cabs so far. Used prices will vary widely.

Yup. I picked up a pair of GB Focus 112's on Ebay for $440 + shipping. The Hartke was purchased from a fellow TBer for $289 shipped. Likewise, the GK was a TB purchase for $299 shipped.

The DB112 was purchased new from Amazon using a TB special link that was floating around in December. I paid $540, knowing that a) the Aguilar gear generally holds its value, and b) that I'd probably wind up with a pair of them as my permanent stack. However, I'm kind of digging the GK Neo at the moment.

Is it fair comparing a $650 retail cabinet against a $400 retail cabinet? Probably not. However, the GK is not a bad choice if you're looking to save a few bucks.

[SpinyNorman]

Originally Posted by abarson

Are you saying that the Focus was so inferior it didn't warrant being included? If so, what disqualified it? I liked the one I heard recently.

Well, for starters I didn't have a 4th speaker cable.

Seriously, the cabinet didn't handle my 5 string particularly well, so I don't see myself hanging on to it. It's a very nice cabinet for the money I paid ($220), but its long term prospects are dim given the competition.

That said, since this was a "blind" test, I should give it a fair shake and test it against the Aguilar or GK.

Since I live in a condo, and my neighbors can hear me fairly well, these shoot-outs have got to drive them nuts. I mean, how many times would you want to hear "Money" in one afternoon?

[ERIC31]

I'd love to see some pics of this test if you have them. =)

[ljazz]

Love my gk neo112's ..... both series 1..... and a much nicer form factor than the series 2's. A little bit taller, a little less wide, but a touch heavier. I've been running them with the horns off, and pushing them with a '90 400rb. I'm floored by the tone I'm getting out of this little rig (also running a CS '59 P, but with rosewood board). Nice and "throaty" down low.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by SpinyNorman

Well, for starters I didn't have a 4th speaker cable.

Seriously, the cabinet didn't handle my 5 string particularly well, so I don't see myself hanging on to it. It's a very nice cabinet for the money I paid ($220), but its long term prospects are dim given the competition.

That said, since this was a "blind" test, I should give it a fair shake and test it against the Aguilar or GK.

Since I live in a condo, and my neighbors can hear me fairly well, these shoot-outs have got to drive them nuts. I mean, how many times would you want to hear "Money" in one afternoon?

Nice comparisons, and your findings match my experience with these cabs (including that the Focus is not really in the same league as these others). One small 12 I'm impressed with though is the updated Genz Shuttle 112. With their recent change to Faital drivers, that little cab sits nicely between the warm, fat, organic DB112 and the wide, aggressive, sizzly GK112. Really impressive little box if you get a chance to try one. Very lightweight, nice kick-back deal on the bottom of the cab, very warm, natural sounding top end.

I remember the Hartke as sounding OK but weighing even more than the DB112 if I'm remembering correctly.

I would think the upcoming Berg CN112 will also be a very nice option for those looking for an evenly voiced, articulate uber lightweight 112.

[basss]

I've been gigging with the GK neo 112 for a while now but don't have experience with the other cabs you tried. The GK sounds much better on the gig than it does in the bedroom IMO. The deep lows and extra highs don't sound as extreme in a dense mix and help to make the cab sound big and open at high volumes. This cab takes eq well and it's easy to dial back the lows and highs when they are not needed.

[SpinyNorman]

Originally Posted by ERIC31

I'd love to see some pics of this test if you have them. =)

Unfortunately, I tore the setup down after I finished the test. The cabs were more-or-less in the middle of the room, and I'd kill myself tripping over them in the middle of the night when I go to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

[SpinyNorman]

Originally Posted by KJung

Nice comparisons, and your findings match my experience with these cabs (including that the Focus is not really in the same league as these others). One small 12 I'm impressed with though is the updated Genz Shuttle 112. With their recent change to Faital drivers, that little cab sits nicely between the warm, fat, organic DB112 and the wide, aggressive, sizzly GK112. Really impressive little box if you get a chance to try one. Very lightweight, nice kick-back deal on the bottom of the cab, very warm, natural sounding top end.

I remember the Hartke as sounding OK but weighing even more than the DB112 if I'm remembering correctly.

I would think the upcoming Berg CN112 will also be a very nice option for those looking for an evenly voiced, articulate uber lightweight 112.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll add the GB Shuttle to my list.

The Hartke is 30 lbs, whereas the DB112 is 45 lbs. The Hartke is also more compact.

With the arrival of the CN112, I'm hoping that a few HD112's become available on the used market.