8x10 carvin cab

shaboda · #1 12-28-2010, 09:34 PM

I have tried finding some posts regarding the Carvin 8x10 cabs... anyone using them out there? They look like they are a great deal new.... but are they worth it? I have been thinking about selling my Ampeg 4x10 cabs to get one 8x10 cab, but looking to move away from Ampeg. Any real world opinions on these cabs are appreciated

christw · #2 12-28-2010, 09:47 PM

Why do you want to get rid of the Ampegs? What amp and basses are you using and what tone are you striving for? What do you hope to accomplish with the Carvin?

eastcoasteddie · #3 12-28-2010, 10:02 PM

There have been a few threads that pop up about these 8x10's.

As far as reviews, theyv'e been pretty good. Pro's are that they are lighter than the Ampeg 8x10 and far less expensive.

I see they offer it Neo's now. Might be even better than the PS10 version..! Definitely worth checking out.

Vintage Guy · #4 12-28-2010, 10:07 PM

I have an older Carvin RL810. I run either a Carvin Redline 600,or 1000 watt head through it. Sounds great,and does not weight too much. Mostly use it for outdoors,or bigger inside venues.

JimmyM · #5 12-28-2010, 10:25 PM

it's a good enough cab but i think the more expensive brands blow it off the map. better than the acoustic 810, not as good as the ampeg.

shaboda · #6 12-28-2010, 10:53 PM

I tried an ampeg 8x10 recently, and honestly... I wasnt impressed. I guess I expected it to blow me outta the water, and it didn't. It sounded like my (2) 4x10's... which I guess isnt a surprise!!!.. but I guess after all these years of having my four ampeg cabs, (two 4x10s and two 1x15's) they dont grab me anymore... and i thought the almighty fridge would blow me away and it didnt... it sounded the same.... so now i think maybe i just have grown away from the sound of the ampeg cabinet voicing.... and maybe i need to go to a different brand and style.... I loved the gk 4x12, but $1000 for a cabinet, is a hard pill for me to swallow... and when I saw the carvin 8x10 it looked like an option, especially because of the price.... but havent heard many reviews on them.

Laurent · #7 12-28-2010, 11:01 PM

I have tried this cab in a store setting. It was OK but I did not care for it. I remember it as kind of dry and aggressive. It did not have the warmth of an Ampeg. Note the Ampeg 810 is sealed and this cab is ported so they are different animals. If you need sheer volume this cab will do it. If you are looking at an Ampeg type tone, I would recommend you look at the Traynor 810. It's a sealed cab and it sounded a little bit more modern than an Ampeg and a little less flashy than a Bergantion NV810. They are pretty well priced too.

Laurent · #8 12-28-2010, 11:08 PM

I might add that for $499 for an 810 the Carvins are really well priced if you play large venue and need that kind of volume. Otherwise, I like their neo 410 a lot better, (the BRX10.4NEO). People will throw me under a bus for saying that, but that cab reminded me of the neo 410 Bergantino tone wise. It's a modern, very articulate sounding cab.

JimmyM · #9 12-28-2010, 11:20 PM

well whatever you get, it always pays to spend a little extra for quality. you're right...two 410he's stacked might as well be a fridge. it's my sound, but it's not for everyone.

canadian*eh · #10 12-28-2010, 11:38 PM

Well I dont know about the carvin...but since i see Jimmy putting in a good word for Ampeg I guess it is time for me to do my SWR pitch!!

...lol Just Picked up an SWR Megoliath 810 here a few weeks back...cause i got tired of packing around my 2 Goliath 410's...and yeah man she is a killer cab will knock you off your feet!!!...If the carvin if half the cab she is for the price i am sure you will not be disappointed. I find it has way more bottom end then the 2 410's had....I know the guys in my band could tell a big difference...not only do you hear the B string But man you Feel it!!! Big time!! I love them big cabs...in a world were everyone else is down sizing to these small lil 112 neo cab micro head stuff...i am just going bigger....and Loving it!!! All the Best Man!! Cheers Mate!!~Elliot

Floyd Eye · #11 12-29-2010, 04:06 AM

The Carvins are OK for the price. Get The BRX Neos.

Vietnamese Ampegs are nowhere near as bad ass as older US made models.

Just my opinion.

shaboda · #12 12-29-2010, 06:06 AM

I agree - the 4x10s always seemed to lack REAL bottom.. and maybe thats why i am just looking for a change. Whats the power handling on the swr 8x10?

Quote:

Originally Posted by canadian*eh

Well I dont know about the carvin...but since i see Jimmy putting in a good word for Ampeg I guess it is time for me to do my SWR pitch!!

...lol Just Picked up an SWR Megoliath 810 here a few weeks back...cause i got tired of packing around my 2 Goliath 410's...and yeah man she is a killer cab will knock you off your feet!!!...If the carvin if half the cab she is for the price i am sure you will not be disappointed. I find it has way more bottom end then the 2 410's had....I know the guys in my band could tell a big difference...not only do you hear the B string But man you Feel it!!! Big time!! I love them big cabs...in a world were everyone else is down sizing to these small lil 112 neo cab micro head stuff...i am just going bigger....and Loving it!!! All the Best Man!! Cheers Mate!!~Elliot

shaboda · #13 12-29-2010, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Vietnamese Ampegs are nowhere near as bad ass as older US made models.

Just my opinion.

I have heard this from other people.... and here i thought the american made stuff was better then stuff put out by Loud? (ok Jimmy: Insert response here)

canadian*eh · #14 12-29-2010, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaboda

I agree - the 4x10s always seemed to lack REAL bottom.. and maybe thats why i am just looking for a change. Whats the power handling on the swr 8x10?

It says it's handling power is 1200 watt's RMS and that it put's out 100 dB SPL @ 1W1M (-3dB @ 37 Hz & 13 kHz)!! In the end it is only numbers and it is not until you give a real world try out that you will see if it is true or not...I mean ask Jimmym he says that his ampeg 810 kicks pretty good and it starts dropping off at 58 or so Hz....It is all in the ear of the listener. But i will say that the Megoliath does seam to live up to is ratings...i could tell in the lower notes that she has more Sub like qualities..it is pretty amazing really!! I still do have a 410 for the small stuff and it does kick pretty good...but man that 810 CRUSHES!!! All the best Cheer Mate!!~Elliot

Mo'Phat · #15 12-29-2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurent

I have tried this cab in a store setting. It was OK but I did not care for it. I remember it as kind of dry and aggressive. It did not have the warmth of an Ampeg.

That could be the biggest problem. If you tried it in the Carvin store, the test room is pretty small and completely dead. All of the cabs I've ever tried in there sound like studio monitors (which, to me, isn't a true reflection of how they'll sound in a venue).

For the aggressive aspect, the Carvin 810 has a horn that is right at your ears when you're sitting down, and it is piercing. Turning the horn way down will help.

It's a solid 810. I'd opt for the neo version, turn the horn down and hit it with a B1500 or B2000 and baby, you got a stew going.

jeff7bass · #16 12-29-2010, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurent

I might add that for $499 for an 810 the Carvins are really well priced if you play large venue and need that kind of volume. Otherwise, I like their neo 410 a lot better, (the BRX10.4NEO). People will throw me under a bus for saying that, but that cab reminded me of the neo 410 Bergantino tone wise. It's a modern, very articulate sounding cab.

I agree about the BRX10.4, but the Carvin 810 is a good cab, especially for that price. 8x10's need plenty of volume to sound good IMO. The tend to sound flat until you hit the sweet spot with the volume knob. This is true for Ampegs also.

christw · #17 12-29-2010, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaboda

I loved the gk 4x12, but $1000 for a cabinet, is a hard pill for me to swallow... and when I saw the carvin 8x10 it looked like an option, especially because of the price.... but havent heard many reviews on them.

Believe me, it's much cheaper to get what you love than to keep swapping cheaper stuff that'll never really satisfy you. Don't forget, BUY USED. It's much cheaper. Check the TB classifieds! I only buy gear these days if I can resell it for what I paid for it or more. It's been working great!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

well whatever you get, it always pays to spend a little extra for quality. you're right...two 410he's stacked might as well be a fridge. it's my sound, but it's not for everyone.

+1

I have nothing to say bad about the big Carvins but I have no experience with them. Their smaller cabs (210s) don't sound bad. They just don't have a ton of character that makes me go "Oh, this stands out!" I grew away from the Ampeg tone pretty quickly as well. Check out some Genz Benz cabs too. I turned to them when dissatisfied with my Ampeg and haven't looked back. Although, if I can clear out my beat up 810E, I'll also bring in a GK 212.

Floyd Eye · #18 12-29-2010, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaboda

I have heard this from other people.... and here i thought the american made stuff was better then stuff put out by Loud? (ok Jimmy: Insert response here)

I think you misread my post. That is, in my opinion, the Vietnamese Ampeg stuff is crap, comparably speaking.

JimmyM · #19 12-29-2010, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

I think you misread my post. That is, in my opinion, the Vietnamese Ampeg stuff is crap, comparably speaking.

that is where you would be wrong, floyd. i did a lot of research into the ampeg 810 cabs of various years, and found out a lot of different things that leads me to say that the vietnamese and korean cabs loud makes now are as good sounding and well built as the best of the slm stuff (early-mid 90's).

and in the case of cabs made from 98-05, they are much better. loud uses birch plywood and eminences made in china that sound like the older eminences of the early slm cabs. the slm cabs of that era used osb, a type of chipboard/strandboard, whatever you want to call it, and in 2000 (i have this info straight from eminence), they changed cone suppliers because they started having problems with cones getting damaged. these new cones, imho, reduced the treble output by a large margin.

really easy to say the foreign made ampeg stuff is crap just on the basis of them moving. but honestly, it makes me think you don't have much experience with ampegs of previous manufacturers. i've played them all many times. other than my super early vintage rig, i'd just as soon have a new svt vr/810e as any other svt rigs that any company who owned ampeg has produced. there were some qc problems with heads back when the former head idiot of loud ran it, but since this new team came into place, i don't see nearly as many problems as i used to with new ampeg stuff. and even with the qc problems, the stuff they put out back then that worked sounded great.

that's my opinion and you can take it for what it is, but i will say that i didn't come to this conclusion just because i like ampeg. i actually put time and research into it.

RNV · #20 12-31-2010, 07:27 AM

I think the Carvin BRX 410 is one of the best 410 cabs out there, especially for the money. The Carvin 810 isn't the BRX design, but it is ported and has a big bottom. The reason Jimmy's Ampeg 810 roll off around 58Hz is because it a sealed cab. I'm a Carvin supporter to the extent that Jimmy is an Ampeg support, and like him I appreciate what other companies have to offer. I think for the cash of the new Carvin 810 with the warranty and their excellent return policy, even if you just don't like it return it no questions asked, you have to at least give it a try.