Avatar or Carvin cab??

[Jim11895]

Hey. I'm looking for a pair of 210 Neo cabs. I plan on using a GB Streamliner 900 to drive them. How do Avatar and Carvin stack up against each other? Are there any other cabs/manufacturers in this price range I should look at? Or for the price of a pair of 210's, plus shipping, should I throw in a few more bucks and go with one 4-ohm GB neo 212?

Also, the SL900 has speakon outputs, and the Avatar cab has standard inputs. Any problem with that?

Thanks in advance for helping me out.

[RCCollins]

No problem with the lack of speakons unless speakon outs is really important to you.

Avatar and Carvin cabs are in a similar price-quality range IMO, but I don't see much point in stacking 210s, so I'd consider the GB neo 212 (or perhaps avatar or carvin 212s).

[mikeddd]

Are you buying the Avatar's used? Currently sold B210s have a single Speakon and dual 1/4" inputs like all Avatar's. Going with two, 210s gives you a lot of flexibility. Smaller gigs you use only one. Bigger gigs you stack them vertically and get great coverage and monitoring ability.

[jtc_hunter]

I run 2 Avatar Sb 112 neos and tune Bb Eb Ab Db. My "Bb" string is fabulous through this setup.

[Jim11895]

Originally Posted by mikeddd

Are you buying the Avatar's used? Currently sold B210s have a single Speakon and dual 1/4" inputs like all Avatar's. Going with two, 210s gives you a lot of flexibility. Smaller gigs you use only one. Bigger gigs you stack them vertically and get great coverage and monitoring ability.

Thats what has me thinking about two 210's - flexibility, easy handling, etc. I went to the Avatar website and I might be wrong but I do not recall them specifying speakon inputs. I know the Genz Benz website mentions that speakons are preferred when using higher powered amps, so I wasn't sure if standard jacks on the cabs would be OK. I'm assuming they do make speakon-to-1/4 inch cables??

[mikeddd]

The B210 Neo features two American made Eminence Deltalite ten inch bass speakers and a Foster Horn Tweeter. These custom designed Eminence Neodymium tens are made just for Avatar and have a Neodymium magnet for weight reduction, extended cone travel (Xmax) for improved low end and a lightweight die cast aluminum basket for extra rigidity. These Neo tens also have a lower frequency response than our previous Award winning B210 delta cab. Each Deltalite ten is rated at 250 watts RMS so the cab is rated at 500 watts RMS total. The cab is made from superior 18mm 13 PLY voidless Baltic Birch PLYWOOD with rabbet and dado interlocking side joints for extreme strength.

The Foster high frequency compression horn tweeter is the most popular tweeter used by some of the best companies in the business. The cab uses the new full 12 db mylar crossover network for both the tweeter and bass speaker sections for a more accurate response and for better power handling. The tweeter volume control allows you to turn the tweeter up for larger rooms or to turn the tweeter down for smaller rooms.

The cabinet is covered in black carpet, has protective corners, large recessed steel bar handles, full face steel diamond pattern expanded metal grill, front slot port, rear steel input panel with one Speakon connector and dual 1/4 inch in/out jacks. All three jacks on the back panel are wired together in parallel so you can go in or out of any of them for maximum flexibility when connecting this cab to amps or to other speaker cabs

It's there. But 1/4" to Speakon cables are easily available (or made). Speakon really is a superior connector. After you get used to it, you won't want to use 1/4" speaker cables anymore. Many folks are very happy with a dual 210 setup.

[Jim11895]

Originally Posted by mikeddd

It's there. But 1/4" to Speakon cables are easily available (or made). Speakon really is a superior connector. After you get used to it, you won't want to use 1/4" speaker cables anymore. Many folks are very happy with a dual 210 setup.

Wow, guess I better learn to read!!! Thanks man.

[shoot-r]

Originally Posted by Jim11895

Hey. I'm looking for a pair of 210 Neo cabs. I plan on using a GB Streamliner 900 to drive them. How do Avatar and Carvin stack up against each other? Are there any other cabs/manufacturers in this price range I should look at? Or for the price of a pair of 210's, plus shipping, should I throw in a few more bucks and go with one 4-ohm GB neo 212?

Also, the SL900 has speakon outputs, and the Avatar cab has standard inputs. Any problem with that?

Thanks in advance for helping me out.

I'm gigging two, roughfully 1 year old, Avatar 210 Neo cabinets set-up as a vertical 410, they both have 1/4" inputs and Speakons.

Avatar's 210 Neo cabinets to Carvins 210 Neo cabinets IMHO is a toss up.
The Avatar uses custom x-max Eminence drivers in a 16.5" deep cabinet to achieve their lows, Carvin uses off the shelf Eminence drivers in a deeper/bigger cabinet to achieve their lows. Both manufacturers use a front, shelf ported design.
The Avatars will cost you less and will probably be alittle easier to move around. The Carvin's, (I believe), have a return policy if you don't like them, Avatar does not.

When I was auditioning 210 cabinets for the vertical 410 idea, I was able to A/B 14 other manufacturers 210 cabs against the Avatar 210, unfortunately a Carvin 210 wasn't one I came across.
When sound, quality componets, build quality, and price are considered, "for me", the Avatars were the best choice.

[BassmanPaul]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

, but I don't see much point in stacking 210s,

Why? A pair of stacked 2x10s is a very versatile speaker system.

[Jim11895]

Originally Posted by shoot-r

I'm gigging two, roughfully 1 year old, Avatar 210 Neo cabinets set-up as a vertical 410, they both have 1/4" inputs and Speakons.

Avatar's 210 Neo cabinets to Carvins 210 Neo cabinets IMHO is a toss up.
The Avatar uses custom x-max Eminence drivers in a 16.5" deep cabinet to achieve their lows, Carvin uses off the shelf Eminence drivers in a deeper/bigger cabinet to achieve their lows. Both manufacturers use a front, shelf ported design.
The Avatars will cost you less and will probably be alittle easier to move around. The Carvin's, (I believe), have a return policy if you don't like them, Avatar does not.

When I was auditioning 210 cabinets for the vertical 410 idea, I was able to A/B 14 other manufacturers 210 cabs against the Avatar 210, unfortunately a Carvin 210 wasn't one I came across.
When sound, quality componets, build quality, and price are considered, "for me", the Avatars were the best choice.

Great info. Thanks.

[shoot-r]

Originally Posted by RCCollins

but I don't see much point in stacking 210s

(This is per BillF, T.B. sound and speaker guru...)
A vertical stacked 410 will give you better mids dispersion across the stage, better projection, and less phase issues than a standard configured 410.
It'll give you the height/hearing advantage of a 810 cabinet, (top speaker up higher and closer to your ears), but with a smaller foot-print on stage than a 810 cabinet.
You can use one cabinet for rehearsals/small gigs, both when more volume and coverage is needed.
Down side of two 210's, it's more expensive to buy two 210's than it is a standard configured 410 cabinet.

[JB36]

At some point I' m going to pickup a pair of 2x10s for a vertical stack. I've looked at both and will probably go with the Avatars. The Carvin's are 4 ohm which means your head needs run at 2. This is great for the Carvin heads which can do this. I'm also not so sure they will stack vertically safely without the notched covers on the corners.

[lomo]

I totally agree with the modularity and sense of 2 vertically stacked 210s, but you'd be making a mistake if you didn't consider the Avatar TB153. They make an outstanding pair......really!

[DjDave]

Last week I a/b'd 3 cabs. 2 of them I've owned for awhile. One was an 810 SVT and the other an Eden 410xlt. Well I love them both but one is too big and heavy and the other just too heavy. I wanted something light and small with a big sound. A friend of mine had 8 avatar cabs and he sold me the 410 for $300. The best $300 bucks I've ever spent! I put all 3 side by side and played out of each at a flat setting on an Eden 550. I played the Eden cab. Next the SVT and then the avatar. I could not believe my ears!! The tone I've been looking for all my life!! AND I couldn't believe how much huger it sounded than the SVT! Do not get anything BUT the Avatar!!

[Jim11895]

Originally Posted by DjDave

Last week I a/b'd 3 cabs. 2 of them I've owned for awhile. One was an 810 SVT and the other an Eden 410xlt. Well I love them both but one is too big and heavy and the other just too heavy. I wanted something light and small with a big sound. A friend of mine had 8 avatar cabs and he sold me the 410 for $300. The best $300 bucks I've ever spent! I put all 3 side by side and played out of each at a flat setting on an Eden 550. I played the Eden cab. Next the SVT and then the avatar. I could not believe my ears!! The tone I've been looking for all my life!! AND I couldn't believe how much huger it sounded than the SVT! Do not get anything BUT the Avatar!!

What a great review, especially since I pulled the trigger on a pair of B210's about 30 minutes before rechecking this thread!! I know that tone is in the ear of the beholder, and I know that buying any gear without trying it first is a leap of faith. But, the price (and weight) was right, the reviews are solid, and I don't have the time to do my own real-world comparisons. So for the price, I don't think I can go wrong. Thanks to all for your excellent insights and comments. Can't wait to get my new cabs, hopefully this Friday or Saturday.

[DjDave]

I know you are going to LOVE them!! I wanna know how it goes.I also wanted to add that after trying the 3 cabs out, I sold my Eden and SVT the next day on Craigs list. No regrets whatsoever! I cannot say enough about how amazing these cabs are!

[Jim11895]

Originally Posted by DjDave

I know you are going to LOVE them!! I wanna know how it goes.I also wanted to add that after trying the 3 cabs out, I sold my Eden and SVT the next day on Craigs list. No regrets whatsoever! I cannot say enough about how amazing these cabs are!

I'll be driving the cabs with a new GB Streamliner 900, which is supposedly shipping my way this Wednesday or Thursday. My current rig is pretty entry-level, and it's too heavy to lug around. I'll definitely post a review.