Markbass cabs - front and rear ported

[rtz]

thoughts on mixing 104hf and a 104hr?
Should a stack be mixed with rear ported & front ported?

[KJung]

I don't think port location per se is an issue at all. The issue is will two cabs that are voiced quite differently sound OK together. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes the answer is no.

If you have the luxury to plan your purchased a bit, the optimum way to do this IMO and IME is:

a) Find a cab you like (tone, size, weight, max volume, etc.).

b) Determine is one cab will be enough for you. If it is a large cab like a 410, and you are using a moderately powered solid state head (for example, the LMIII, since we are talking Markbass), getting that cab in 4ohms MIGHT result in just enough additional volume and open low end to serve as a wonderful, lightweight stand-alone option without having the cost and additional size weight of a second cab.

c) If you need a second cab, then purchase the first one in 8ohm configuration and add a second identical cab. There will be no surprises tonally, and you will have a wonderful modular rig for small and larger gigs, that will give you a very consistent tone.


If you have a cab that you feel has some tonal issues and you are trying to balance that out by adding a second very different sounding cab, you are in a pure 'guesswork' situation that I try to avoid myself.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by rtz

thoughts on mixing 104hf and a 104hr?
Should a stack be mixed with rear ported & front ported?

They shouldn't be mixed because they have different frequency responses. Port location doesn't matter. The smaller cabs are rear ported because there's no room for ports on the front.

[rtz]

Love this forum, getting different thoughts on things.

This is direct from markbass.it - notice the last sentence....


The HF (front-ported) and HR (rear-ported) models have a different character of bottom end due to the location of the ports (also called reflexes). Front-ported cabinets are physically larger, and are generally preferred on bigger stages, venues where the bass doesn't go through the PA, and in musical situations where you want big, full, round bottom end. The HR (rear-ported) models tend to have a tighter, more controlled bottom end. They tend to be preferred in situations where the bass sound is needed to be punchy and focused, with more emphasis on melody and detail, for example in pop, jazz fusion, etc. When using two cabinets, many players choose to use one HR and one HF cabinet.

[JFN]

I've played both, and I own three of the front ported Markbass 4x10's. The front ported seems a bit more aggressive and seems to project better, while going a little deeper. I have stacked two of them together as well and it is just insane loud with my Markbass SD1200. I would also suggest that if you are going pair them up, consider using like cabs.

John

[MuzikMan]

Originally Posted by rtz

Love this forum, getting different thoughts on things.

This is direct from markbass.it - notice the last sentence....


The HF (front-ported) and HR (rear-ported) models have a different character of bottom end due to the location of the ports (also called reflexes). Front-ported cabinets are physically larger, and are generally preferred on bigger stages, venues where the bass doesn't go through the PA, and in musical situations where you want big, full, round bottom end. The HR (rear-ported) models tend to have a tighter, more controlled bottom end. They tend to be preferred in situations where the bass sound is needed to be punchy and focused, with more emphasis on melody and detail, for example in pop, jazz fusion, etc. When using two cabinets, many players choose to use one HR and one HF cabinet.

This is obviously written by the marketing department and not the engineering department. Notice that it states that people use the combination. They never say that it is a good idea! (It might be, it might not be)

[KJung]

Originally Posted by rtz

Love this forum, getting different thoughts on things.

This is direct from markbass.it - notice the last sentence....


The HF (front-ported) and HR (rear-ported) models have a different character of bottom end due to the location of the ports (also called reflexes). Front-ported cabinets are physically larger, and are generally preferred on bigger stages, venues where the bass doesn't go through the PA, and in musical situations where you want big, full, round bottom end. The HR (rear-ported) models tend to have a tighter, more controlled bottom end. They tend to be preferred in situations where the bass sound is needed to be punchy and focused, with more emphasis on melody and detail, for example in pop, jazz fusion, etc. When using two cabinets, many players choose to use one HR and one HF cabinet.

Sloppy language by the Marketing department. As Bill states, a small cab with a bunch of drivers crammed into it tends to emphasize the upper bass. The ports were put in the back due to there being no place to put them in the front, and/or to keep the cab size small (a valid reason for rear porting).

So, they are accurate (from my hearing these two cabs) that the smaller box (I assume using the same drivers) has less bass extension and hence a 'tigher/punchier tone'. I like that model much better than the larger MB 410 myself.

That doesn't mean that the combination won't sound good, it will just be a bit unpredictable versus just doubling up either cab (which will give you more volume and a bit more low end, but the same basic tone).

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by JFN

The front ported seems a bit more aggressive and seems to project better, while going a little deeper.

Of course, the former because the drivers are higher/closer to ear level, the latter because the cab is larger.

This is obviously written by the marketing department and not the engineering department.

+100.

[will33]

Originally Posted by rtz

Love this forum, getting different thoughts on things.

This is direct from markbass.it - notice the last sentence....


The HF (front-ported) and HR (rear-ported) models have a different character of bottom end due to the location of the ports (also called reflexes). Front-ported cabinets are physically larger, and are generally preferred on bigger stages, venues where the bass doesn't go through the PA, and in musical situations where you want big, full, round bottom end. The HR (rear-ported) models tend to have a tighter, more controlled bottom end. They tend to be preferred in situations where the bass sound is needed to be punchy and focused, with more emphasis on melody and detail, for example in pop, jazz fusion, etc. When using two cabinets, many players choose to use one HR and one HF cabinet.

The first sentence is the one that's totally out of whack from a technical standpoint. The rest aren't technical in any way, just sound descriptions/opinions.

[dmusic148]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

They shouldn't be mixed because they have different frequency responses. Port location doesn't matter. The smaller cabs are rear ported because there's no room for ports on the front.

This is all true. I can only tell you about my experience, with a Goliath II(rear ported) and III(front shelf ported), which do have noticeably but not radically different response curves. I've used them stacked many times, and they sound 'fine' together, to my ear. Sure, it's technically incorrect to do so, but the result was just honky-dory in my case. YMMV.

[RickenBoogie]

The thing is, virtually ANY 2 cabs combined will sound better than either alone, because of the increased volume of air being pushed out. But, if you carefully A/B a mixed pair next to a matched pair, the difference will astound you.

[rtz]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

The thing is, virtually ANY 2 cabs combined will sound better than either alone, because of the increased volume of air being pushed out. But, if you carefully A/B a mixed pair next to a matched pair, the difference will astound you.

Sounds like consensus is matched cabs only. Now to figure out which one?


Running these with Carvin bx1500. Any thoughts on that combination?

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by rtz

Sounds like consensus is matched cabs only. Now to figure out which one?

Ask Ashdown for SPL charts so you know what you're getting. Don't hold your breath, though.

Running these with Carvin bx1500. Any thoughts on that combination?

Since SPL charts don't exist there's only one way to know. You have to try them.

[B-string]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

Ask Ashdown for SPL charts so you know what you're getting. Don't hold your breath, though.

Since SPL charts don't exist there's only one way to know. You have to try them.

Ashdown makes Markbass?

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by B-string

Ashdown makes Markbass?

My mistake, forgot which we were discussing.
That's what comes of posting while watching Saturday Night Live, and trying to remember what it was like when it used to be funny.
Markbass doesn't have charts either, though, that much I am sure of.

[B-string]

I hear ya. Weekend news is usually the only bright spot now.
To cop an old SNL: Oooooo Noooooo