Need something a little bigger

Ogbassist · #1 11-29-2012, 07:18 PM

Hey guys!

So i've been playing with my band a while. A while back i bought this cab.

http://www.ampeg.com/products/b/b410hlf/index.html

I'm running it with the portaflex 500.

http://www.ampeg.com/products/portaflex/pf-500/

While jamming, I usually turn it up a good ways...gain is set to where the limit red light comes on a tab when i really dig into my bass or start slapping.. I feel as if i'm pushing this cab to its limits. I was wanting something a little louder and was thinking about getting the SVT classic 4x10HLF

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/ampli...s-bass-cabinet

I've read a bunch of reviews on it and from what I hear its a great cab with lots of low end. I was wondering what you guys think about it?? Too much cab for my head? Upgrade from current cab to classic hlf won't be that noticeable? Just looking for some input really is all. Thanks guys. Rock on

bolophonic · #2 11-29-2012, 07:28 PM

You can never have too much cab. I had the 410HLF with an SVT-350 and it was a good rig, but it didn't suit me at all. I never tried another head with that cab, but I felt like it was always lost in the mix. If you try one and like it, then it might be the one for you.

Ogbassist · #3 11-29-2012, 07:51 PM

You can never have too much cab

This being said, my neighbor has an 8x10 for sale for pretty cheap. If it works well (i will test it) would that even work with my head?

Tuned · #4 11-29-2012, 07:56 PM

I don't like Ampeg cabs, it's like they're designed so everyone hears you except yourself. Excessive low end is overrated too. Try raising the cab up waist high on something and turning the low end down. You don't have to blow everyone off stage to hear what you're doing that way. I love my SWR 4x10 for that, always clearer than any Ampeg cab I've had to use. Traynor cabs are pretty good for that as well, little cheaper.

Tuned · #5 11-29-2012, 08:04 PM

You can drive the 8x10 well with a PF500, but they're one of the worst examples of what I'm talking about. Four 10's focused on the torso can only be topped by another four 10's focused on the torso. Adding four 10's focused at your knees only makes everyone else turn up, then you need more focused at your torso, but that turns up the ones at your knees as well, so everyone turns up even more...

Gearhead17 · #6 11-29-2012, 08:09 PM

Although it's mainly a budget piece of gear, I believe you can get a little more out of it. Where are your knobs set on the bass and the Portaflex 500? You might be pushing too much low end and not enough midrange. This is a recipe to get yourself lost in the mix. The other idea is to tilt this cabinet towards your ears or get it on a stand.

The SVT 410hlf is a low end monster coupled with ok midrange and not much growl in the upper mids. For cutting through, I think it is a poor choice. For heavy low end uses, it's wonderful. For me though, it was completely useless since it lacked a lot of midrange in the 500-800hz zone.

old man t · #7 11-29-2012, 08:12 PM

I agree you can never have too much cab, and a 8x10 will always pump. Have you ever used a tube head before with your current setup?
I have used ampeg and swr heads before but they never had that little something that hit the spot regardless how loud.
I purchased a traynor YBA300 and i have not looked back. I run a mesa 2x10 & 1x15 and it pumps with great sound

Ogbassist · #8 11-29-2012, 08:15 PM

I have the treble up to about 3 o' clock, mid to about 5 o' clock bass a 12 o' clock. I have ultra low/high off. Gain is about 6 o' clock. i can't get past 7ish on the master knob before speakers start farting. When they do, i turn the bass down to about 9-10 o'clock. I guess i'm just one of those people that is never happy :/ before I got this rig, i had a crate 50w that was glitchy, couldn't keep it at a single volume. you'd think i would be happy with what i got heh

Ogbassist · #9 11-29-2012, 08:18 PM

I can't afford a tube head.

I know im gonna get asked if i cant afford tube head how can i afford an 8x10. my neighbor selling one for 200 bucks. im gonna make sure it works good before i buy it obviously, the outside just looks like its been thru better days.

scottfeldstein · #10 11-29-2012, 10:27 PM

I just don't care for 410 cabs--and I own one! They have too much of their power down around your ankles. Either get it up off the floor, angle it upward, or get a more vertical rig.

And you might still need more speakers/cabs. But to get the most out of the one you got, angle it and/or get it up off the ground.

adivin · #11 11-29-2012, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

I just don't care for 410 cabs--and I own one! They have too much of their power down around your ankles. Either get it up off the floor, angle it upward, or get a more vertical rig.

And you might still need more speakers/cabs. But to get the most out of the one you got, angle it and/or get it up off the ground.

+1 my Über 410 kills about 20" off the ground.

JimmyM · #12 11-30-2012, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuned

You can drive the 8x10 well with a PF500, but they're one of the worst examples of what I'm talking about. Four 10's focused on the torso can only be topped by another four 10's focused on the torso. Adding four 10's focused at your knees only makes everyone else turn up, then you need more focused at your torso, but that turns up the ones at your knees as well, so everyone turns up even more...

Says you. Definitely not the typical experience.

LiquidMidnight · #13 11-30-2012, 12:43 AM

I'm going to actually disagree with a statement made a couple of times in this thread and say that, yes, in some situations having too much cabinet can be a bad thing.

I've been in situations where I've been playing through a very efficient 4x10 with my amp on around 1 or 1.5 and my stage volume has been too loud (and this was in a band that had a reputation for being loud). Turning my amp down anymore would have effectively taken it back before that threshold where you can get any meaningful note sustain out of your amp. Luckily, I could usually find a way around that problem, such as using the amp's active pad.

Playing through an equivalent 6x10 or 8x10 would have been a nightmare for the FOH mix.

VincentGrim · #14 11-30-2012, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Says you. Definitely not the typical experience.

It's a shame you can't "like" comments on Talkbass like you can on facebook.

Blair101 · #15 11-30-2012, 07:18 AM

GK NEO412. With the right amp you will literally push everyone else off of the stage.

Blair101 · #16 11-30-2012, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blair101

GK NEO412. With the right amp you will literally push everyone else off of the stage.

I not kidding about the extreme volume and push you can get out of the NEO412, but it also sounds great at much more reasonable stage levels. And you won't get the dreaded "honk" that most 410's get at the upper level if their limits.

vgbob · #17 11-30-2012, 08:24 AM

You might have a couple of problems. The b410hlf is rated at
400 watts, so not quite enough for your amp. Plus you're almost clipping the amp if the limiter light is on. An SVT 410 hlf is an 8 ohm cab, so you're more than likely going to really clip the amp trying to push it. One thing you might want to check is whether the cab is working properly. When I bought my b410hlf one of the drivers was defective, so I wasn't getting all the output from it.

vgbob · #18 11-30-2012, 08:28 AM

Sorry, I misspoke the SVT410hlf is 4 ohms, not many of the Ampeg cabs are. So, that would be a good match. Just that
you still may run out of headroom on the amp.

**CL400Peavey** · #19 11-30-2012, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vgbob

You might have a couple of problems. The b410hlf is rated at
400 watts, so not quite enough for your amp. Plus you're almost clipping the amp if the limiter light is on. An SVT 410 hlf is an 8 ohm cab, so you're more than likely going to really clip the amp trying to push it. One thing you might want to check is whether the cab is working properly. When I bought my b410hlf one of the drivers was defective, so I wasn't getting all the output from it.

The SVT 410 HLF is a 4 Ohm cab.

Grateful · #20 11-30-2012, 08:43 AM

I own a PF-500 and an SVT4. I used to own a SVT 410HLF that I drove with an SVT7.

Personally, I liked the lows in that cab and the tone for what I was doing (Classic Rock, mostly). I hated the ergonomics and logistics of moving it around. As you know, it's a 2-wheeler, and tilts back for transport. The problem is that the center of gravity is kinda out-of-whack, and it either leans forward, wants to fall backwards, or caused me (6') to hunch to get it in the right mobile position. It's a heavy, but righteous cab.

Here's where I lose most people...when I sold the HLF I picked up a used Carvin 10.4Neo. It's inexpensive, easy to move around, rolls on 4 casters and is built like a tank. It will take whatever the SVT4 will dish out and seems to be transparent without the neo 'honk' that Neo-cabs sometimes have.

I'm using the SVT4/410 for gigs, and the PF-500 for rehearsals (w/an 810e) and smaller gigs. I'll be picking up a 10.2 Neo to either make a small-gig rig with the PF-500 or a big-gig rig on top of the 410 with the SVT4.