Ag cabs: 4ohm vs 8, GS vs DB, SVT 2 head

[StuartV]

I've searched and read what I can find. But, the search function requires words that are 3 characters or more, so searching for GS and DB doesn't work. And the Aguilar Owner's Club threads are both around 1,000 posts each....

I'm looking for a cab (or 2) to go with the Ampeg SVT 2 Pro that I expect to be acquiring this weekend. My purchases are based on the best-sounding (to me, of course) rig I've ever tried out, which was an SVT-CL through an SVT-410HLF (which I liked much better than the 410HE or HEN - can't remember which - that was sitting next to it).

I was figuring on just picking up a 410HLF to go with the new amp. They seem to be a dime a dozen right now for $500 or less in mint condition. But, then a buddy of mine, who is much more a bass gear head than I am suggested that, if I like the 410HLF, I should really consider a 210 and a 115. He plays an SVT II (non-pro) and has an Aguilar 410 and an Aguilar 212.

So I started looking around, particularly at Aguilar cabs.

Q1) The Aggie cabs I'm looking at seem to come in 4ohm and 8ohm options. What are the pros/cons of that? Either one should work fine with an SVT 2 Pro, right? Will either one be louder than the other? Do they just offer the 8 ohm versions for people who want to use 2 in parallel with an amp that is not 2 ohm stable? I think the SVT 2 Pro is 2 ohm stable, so is there a reason why I should look for 4 ohm cabs or is there no downside to 8 ohm cabs? I assume if I went with all 8 ohm cabs, I would have the option to add, say, 2 more 8 ohm cabs of whatever configuration later, if I ever had a reason to have a ridiculously monstrous rig (saying, playing over a space shuttle launch, or opening for Hotblack Desiato and Disaster Area)...

Q2) I've found some stuff about the DB versus GS series that basically just says the DB series is more mid-rangey and more "vintage" sounding. What I would really like to know is, is either series more likely to give me the tone that I liked so much in the SVT-CL/SVT-410HLF rig I tried out? The HLF just seemed to have a warm, FAT bottom end that was "it" for me. "The" sound a bass should have (in my little world).

TIA for any help you guys are willing to offer!!

[StuartV]

ps. while I'm on the subject of combining cabs and ohms.... I also have a Peavey BAM210 which supports using an extension cab. The owner's manual says the minimum external enclosure impedance is 4 ohms. Is there a reason that I should specifically use a 4 ohm enclosure, or will an 8 ohm enclosure work fine with the Peavey? (you can probably figure out how this relates to my question above...) Will the 4 vs 8 on the extension cab make a noticeable difference in the relative volume from the BAM internal speakers versus the volume coming from the extension cab speakers?

[JimmyM]

1. svt's are designed to work at 4 or 2 ohms, not 8. you can, however, use two 8 ohm cabs for a total of 4 ohms. i highly recommend not mixing 8 and 4 ohm cabs. the power distribution between them will be unequal.

2. got no idea

however, i will add that i think the idea of a 210/115 rig is based on looks more than practicality. a 410hlf will go way lower than almost every 115 out there, and as high or higher than any 210. aggie cabs are great, but as you said, you can get 410hlf's cheap these days.

[JustOpenYourMind]

Hi,

The GS cabs sound very modern and scooped, if you want to sound like marcus miller, it's the way to go.

DB cabs sound more vintage and are probably closer to what you want in term of tone.

If you know nothing about amps and ohms, please read the fact as it is very very important.

I must say to you that the SVT-CL and SVT-2 don't do 8 ohm cabs, they need to ''see'' a two or a four ohm load.

So, in your case, you should buy 4 ohm cabs,

One cab will give you a four ohm load and two cabs will give you a 2 ohm load so either way you'll be fine.

Don't use an 8 ohm cab with an ampeg all tube head...

[StuartV]

Thanks for the info. I didn't realize the SVT won't drive 8 ohms! Very good to know!

I am not completely ignorant of the basics. I did pass 3 semesters of college physics in the MechE track. :-) I'm just not sure, in the real world, what practical difference it makes on whether a cab is 4 or 8 ohms (assuming the amp could handle either).

Is there any SIMPLE way to use an 8 ohm cab with an SVT? E.g. an adapter that parallels in an 8 ohm load, so the amp would "see" only 4 ohms? Or, maybe a simple conversion to change an Aggie 8 ohm cab to 4 ohms?

[StuartV]

Jimmy,

I looked around for specs and the HLF says it's rated down to 28Hz. The Aguilar 115 spec I found said 32Hz. Of course, specs from different manufacturers are not usually apples to apples.... But, these certainly seem to support what you're saying. Hmmmmm....

[StuartV]

Oh, and my friend's suggestion on the 210/115 combo was actually partly based ON practicality. The thinking was that I could use just the 210 (or, I suppose, just the 115) for some stuff, and not have to haul the whole 410 everywhere.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by StuartV

Oh, and my friend's suggestion on the 210/115 combo was actually partly based ON practicality. The thinking was that I could use just the 210 (or, I suppose, just the 115) for some stuff, and not have to haul the whole 410 everywhere.

if you're going to do that, i highly recommend matching them, ie, two 210's or two 115's. matched cabs always sound better imho.

[StuartV]

You don't think a 115 would fill out the bottom end in a way that a 210 would not be able to?

I still think I'm leaning towards just a plain old, simple 4 ohm 410 setup....

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by StuartV

You don't think a 115 would fill out the bottom end in a way that a 210 would not be able to?

again, that's buying based on looks over function. the 115 has a bigger speaker so people automatically assume it will go lower. but with modern porting methods and new advances in speaker design, that's not always the case. plus with mismatched cabs, you invite potential phasing issues to eat away at your sound.

I still think I'm leaning towards just a plain old, simple 4 ohm 410 setup....

well, that's a matter of personal taste, but it's probably the path of least resistance.

[StuartV]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

again, that's buying based on looks over function. the 115 has a bigger speaker so people automatically assume it will go lower. but with modern porting methods and new advances in speaker design, that's not always the case.

Understood. But, when you're talking about speakers in the same model series, from the same manufacturer, it seems reasonable to think they would use the same design technology, and so, reasonable to expect that a bigger speaker would go deeper.

And, in fact, according the specs I found, the 210 is rated to play down to 41Hz, and the 115, down to 32Hz.

And, all technology and design considered, I would still always expect 10s to work better than a 15 for reproducing the higher end of the bass guitar audio palette.

That's why I was thinking that, at least in the specific case of Aguilar GS series, a 210 + a 115 might work well and give a better bottom end sound than two 210s (and give better upper end sound than two 115s).

[JimiLL]

Originally Posted by StuartV

Understood. But, when you're talking about speakers in the same model series, from the same manufacturer, it seems reasonable to think they would use the same design technology, and so, reasonable to expect that a bigger speaker would go deeper.

And, in fact, according the specs I found, the 210 is rated to play down to 41Hz, and the 115, down to 32Hz.

And, all technology and design considered, I would still always expect 10s to work better than a 15 for reproducing the higher end of the bass guitar audio palette.

That's why I was thinking that, at least in the specific case of Aguilar GS series, a 210 + a 115 might work well and give a better bottom end sound than two 210s (and give better upper end sound than two 115s).

sounds good to me....

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by StuartV

Understood. But, when you're talking about speakers in the same model series, from the same manufacturer, it seems reasonable to think they would use the same design technology, and so, reasonable to expect that a bigger speaker would go deeper.

And, in fact, according the specs I found, the 210 is rated to play down to 41Hz, and the 115, down to 32Hz.

And, all technology and design considered, I would still always expect 10s to work better than a 15 for reproducing the higher end of the bass guitar audio palette.

That's why I was thinking that, at least in the specific case of Aguilar GS series, a 210 + a 115 might work well and give a better bottom end sound than two 210s (and give better upper end sound than two 115s).

well everything you said is possible, i suppose. and i would expect two different aggie cabs to work better together than two different brands. but when using mismatched cabs, it's always a case by case basis whereas with matching cabs you can be assured they will work well together.

[arjune]

What business do you have down in the 32Hz range?

My vote goes to the two 210 setup. Not only will they sound great (and low) together, you'll have the benefit of vertical stacking! What's not to love?

As far as GS vs DB goes, my GS410 goes from punchy and awesome to pants flappingly deep with just a pinch of bass from my EQ. Haven't had the chance to hear an A/B with a DB410 though. I'm sure that they're great too.

[StuartV]

Well, at the end of the day, the specs don't mean anything to me. It's the sound. But like I said at the top, the sound I've heard that I liked best is the SVT-410HLF. I thought it had a huge bottom that I loved. I haven't heard the Aguilar 210 or 115 individually or together. I was really just noting that the 210 is rated to 41Hz, the 115, to 32Hz, and the 410HLF to 28Hz. So, just using specs to get an idea of what I might expect, the specs suggest that I might get closer to the fat bottom sound of the 410HLF with a 210/115 combo than with a 2x210 combo.

Obviously, there's no substitute for trying them. I was just asking since the 410HLF is pretty ubiquitous. I thought maybe somebody might have played the 410HLF and the Aguilar 210/115 combo and been able to give me some real-world info on how they compare.

[StuartV]

Nobody has any idea on my earlier question:

Is there any SIMPLE way to use an 8 ohm cab with an SVT? E.g. an adapter that parallels in an 8 ohm load, so the amp would "see" only 4 ohms? Or, maybe a simple conversion to change an Aggie 8 ohm cab to 4 ohms?

An adapter to make an 8ohm cab work as a 4 ohm doesn't seem like it would be hard or expensive. Maybe even as simple as a 1/4" TS plug with an 8ohm resister soldered between the connectors and then plugged into the second jack on the speaker?

I'm (obviously) no electrical engineer, so there's probably something basic I'm missing here....

I'm waiting for somebody to tell me that my "simple" solution would have so much current going through it that it would melt the resistor, or that it would, essentially, be wasting half my amp's power as heat being dissipated from the aforementioned resistor. Or some other reason why I'm a total bonehead... :-)

[JimmyM]

there is no simple way to do it either way, sorry. a 4 ohm cab can be wired to be 16 ohms, but not 8.