Extension Cab Dilemma

Russell L · #1 04-04-2011, 10:20 AM

Well, I want another cab for my Markbass CMD 121H combo. It's a single 12" with 300w at 8 ohms. The cab is bigger than the other Markbass single twelve combo, and does pretty good on pumping some low end with decent volume, but sometimes I want a fuller sound. I'd like to stay with Markbass cabs, for one because I like them, and for two, I'd like the rig to look coherent. They're not cheap, of course, but I don't mind.

So, my choices are:

121H Traveler cab--one 12" in a box the same as my combo. There's no crossover, so this one makes sense in that regard. So, then I'd be at 500w with two 12"s.

Standard 102HF--two 10s in a front-ported cab. The cab looks bigger, but it's front ported, see? So, 500w into one 12" and two 10"s. Hm.

Traveler 151P--one 15" in a decent-sized cab, not too small. Again, no crossover (should I get one?). I'm used to 15"s in the past. This one's getting heavy, though, for me. I don't want anything over 45 lbs. for sure. 40 or less, preferably. (Hey, I'm old, ok?).

There are also smaller versions of each, but maybe the bigger cabs in these will make a better difference. Again, I don't mind the price (I just got a ton of calls for gigs and my calendar is filling so much that I may have to start turning down gigs, I can't believe it). I'd like to get the smallest, lightest thing that will get the job done. But, I DO NOT want to come up short. Most of the gigs will be in medium-sized venues, some outdoors, some in ballrom-sized venues. Sometimes there will be PA support, sometimes not. Music is rock, beach, other pop from the past, a little jazz. One band is a large horn band (PA support always).

Whatcha'll think? Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Selta · #2 04-04-2011, 10:30 AM

If it were me, I'd get the matching 121H cab.

Russell L · #3 04-04-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

If it were me, I'd get the matching 121H cab.

Thanks, Ray, Ive been leaning toward that all along, but just haven't made up my mind. The two 10"s or 15" are more cone area, but I don't know if it really matters.

Russell L · #4 04-04-2011, 01:02 PM

Replying to get my thread back up. Anyone else got a suggestion for me?

chokeslam512 · #5 04-04-2011, 01:05 PM

Only what the other responder said. The matching 12's will not only look good, they will sound good as well. More cone are is not necessarily a good thing if you believe in phase cancelation.

Russell L · #6 04-04-2011, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chokeslam512

Only what the other responder said. The matching 12's will not only look good, they will sound good as well. More cone are is not necessarily a good thing if you believe in phase cancelation.

Thanks for that, pal. I hadn't thought about phase cancellation.

silky smoove · #7 04-04-2011, 01:23 PM

Out of those choices I would definitely go with the matching 12 as well. The internal volume of the two cabinets might not be identical since one is a combo, but everything is likely to be more similar with that than any of the other options you've laid out.

Does Markbass have a specific cab marketed as an extension cab for that combo?

chokeslam512 · #8 04-04-2011, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell L

Thanks for that, pal. I hadn't thought about phase cancellation.

Yeah, don't take my word for it, I use a 115 and a 212. I still think it sounds good, but it looks weird. If I had the money I would get another of each of my cabs and have two separate rigs. I tend to be a little OCD when I have the money... not so much when I'm broke. The Markbass Super Synth Demo on youtube is done with the same setup you are talking about getting and it looks and sounds fantastic. I'll expect pics once you make the buy!

GrowlerBox · #9 04-04-2011, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chokeslam512

... if you believe in phase cancelation.

Hardly a matter for belief. It's been recognised ever since someone dropped two pebbles in a pond.

chokeslam512 · #10 04-04-2011, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrowlerBox

Hardly a matter for belief. It's been recognised ever since someone dropped two pebbles in a pond.

Sarcasm something something inflection something something text something etc.

GrowlerBox · #11 04-04-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chokeslam512

Sarcasm something something inflection something something text something etc.

Fair enough. Not always easy to detect, and you wouldn't have been alone on TB if you had considered it such a matter.

Mea culpa.

greenboy · #12 04-04-2011, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrowlerBox

Hardly a matter for belief. It's been recognised ever since someone dropped two pebbles in a pond.

chokeslam512 · #13 04-04-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrowlerBox

Fair enough. Not always easy to detect, and you wouldn't have been alone on TB if you had considered it such a matter.

Mea culpa.

No worries, we're good.

kraigo · #14 04-04-2011, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

If it were me, I'd get the matching 121H cab.

+1

Power handling will be nice and even between the two cabs.

KO

Russell L · #15 04-04-2011, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silky smoove

Out of those choices I would definitely go with the matching 12 as well. The internal volume of the two cabinets might not be identical since one is a combo, but everything is likely to be more similar with that than any of the other options you've laid out.

Does Markbass have a specific cab marketed as an extension cab for that combo?

Nah, they don't specify a particular cab for my combo, BUT, the dimensions of the cab we're talking about are nearly identical with my combo, but, of course, some room is taken up in the combo by the head. That particular cab was voted best bass cab by someone at a meeting, might be some Italian thing, I forget. It's highly praised by acoustic bass players as well. I wish my amp and the cab were front ported, but then they'd be bigger (or have less internal volume). The reason is, sometime's venues are cramped and it's not always convenient to keep the rear port very far from the wall. Oh well.

Mercy, another gig date just came in. I have five in April now. Each month is starting to look that way fast. Woohoo!

Thanks for all the replies guys. I agree with you all about the selection. I just needed to hear it from someone other than myself.

JimmyM · #16 04-04-2011, 10:18 PM

port location is immaterial...it's the size of the cab and the port tuning that matters.

Russell L · #17 04-05-2011, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

port location is immaterial...it's the size of the cab and the port tuning that matters.

Yeah, that's true. What I mean, though, is that you still need to keep a rear port a bit away from a wall. They say two feet, but I don't know if it matters how far or if it has ANY effect on your sound being close. I realize that you shouldn't choke the port, though. Man, last Friday things were so tight that my amp was about a foot from the wall. I tilted it, though. I must say that this Markbass seems to be tuned well, best I can tell.