Pick my new Gallien Krueger NEO cab configuration! :)

[mouthmw]

Hey guys, after thinking a lot (and trying out a borrowed Ampeg 410HLF for a gig - worst gig ever), I decided to use GK NEO cabs with my 700RB II amp. That way I can finally use the bi amp feature, and kind of have a nice full GK rig, after using only Ampeg cabs on gigs (SVT 810E).

The poll seemed like an easiest way to get your opinions and votes. I kinda want to settle on NEO becase I read great things about them, and they're light and portable (exactly why I sold my 810 Ampeg).

I play in a loud (loud as hell) hard rock power trio band (guitar, bass, drums and occassionally harmonica) - Led Zep, Hendrix, Wolfmother, Jet, etc.

I have to compete with a very loud drummer (loudest I ever played with) and a very loud guitarist (Orange Rockerverb 50W + Marshall 412 box). Suffice to say, Ampeg 410HLF failed horribly on yesterday's gig, and all it came out was muddy low end, no mids and occasional clanky high end (not a big fan of cranking the tweeter). The guitarist ate me alive, and only time I was able to really hear myself was when he wasn't playing.

So let's see your votes and possibly reasons.
I kind of feel the GK NEO 212 cabs are their most popular around here, but I guess I'll see.

EDIT: I noticed pairing 2 cabs that are not the same is not too recommended, but some seem to use 2 different ones. Norm Stockton for example, uses 115 and 212.

[Peg_legs]

If Amazon still has the 2x12 on sale, I would get a pair of those. Otherwise, a pair of 4x10s or a pair of 2x10s would be my choice.

[mouthmw]

Can't order Amazon I'm afraid, would lose way too much with customs and tax. I can only buy local, and those should all be available in the store.

[Tunaman]

I love my 115 115 stack, just enough low end, portable & can stand on their own if need be. The 10s in the NEO series are a little too high end sizzle for me. 112 just a little too small to be a 1 cab show with a 5 string. The NEO 412 I have is awesome, tough to move though & I wouldn't mix cabs for phasing issues (I've had phasing issues & they suck the life from the tone).

[mouthmw]

Is the 115 115 tight low end, and tight tone all around?
Because the thing I mostly hated about Ampeg 410HLF is how flabby low end was (and hollow scooped tone).

[Tunaman]

Very tight, every NEO cab is. My epifani is flabby & I switched it out today to my GK to get the lows tight. Try the 212 as well if you can.

I find I have to cut mids a bit vs the Epifani as there is a lot of mid presence in the NEO series.

These are very aggressive cabs that are meant to stand out in all parts of the range, lows, upper mids & highs.

[Slowgypsy]

Remember... amp settings are important to punching through the mix. With the RB700, low mids are your friend.

That said, I've owned that amp for years, and have a pair of GK Neo 112's and 212's. For outdoor festival type stuff I'll bring the 212's to push max air. But for indoor things, I find a pair of 112's to be punchy as heck and with the right instrument, amp settings, etc... the bass line can easily march right up to the front of the mix. Just my $.02

[mouthmw]

I love the low mids on my RB700, but nothing helped the 410HLF. I tried taming the bass, upping the low mids and taming the high mids and treble, but that's just not a punchy cab. I didn't go much over 12 o clock though, I never liked the result of over upping a frequency. I usually love my 700 somewhat flat (12 o').

I'm surprised to see a lot of 212 votes in here. Do you guys really think a single 212 cab would suffice in my loud hard rock setting? 2 of those I can dig, but I really doubt 1 would be enough. You haven't heard my guitarist..

Also, it'd be nice for those who voted other to post what they'd recommend. Unless it's one of those "get X, not GK".

[tombowlus]

I normally agree that you are better off to stack two similar cabs, but I have to say, after comparing a bunch of different GK cab combinations, for a "big rig" I really liked the Neo410 with the Neo212-II. For a medium sized rig, the Neo212-II/Neo112-II is very very good (and this setup breaks with the common advice of not sending equal power into a 1 by X plus a 2 by X cab - but once again, it works!). For a smaller rig, I like two Neo112-II's.

[KalTM]

I use the Neo 412 and love it. Very good pair with the 700rb or 1001rb If you don't like bigger cabs than I would go with 2 x 212.

[335guy]

I picked up the NEO212 because of it's size, power handling and weight. Plus I got it for $399 from Amazon. It is a good cab. and well built. One thing to know is the low freq response varies from one NEO to another. The 4 x 10 goes the lowest @ 30 Hz. The 8 x 10 is next @ 36 Hz, the 115 in next @ 45 Hz. And the 12's are @ 51, 53 and 54 Hz. If you're using a 5 string, you may not get as much low end if you chose a 12" model as compared to the 4 x 10. I actually would have preferred the 4 x 10 over the 212, except for the weight and the cost difference. The 212 sounds very good, especially in the low mids. And it gets loud. I found out I had to increase the lows on my Ampeg head more than I thought I would. And I still miss the ultra lows. The 212 just isn't tuned to go real low. So it really depends on how you play,and what you want your bass to sound like. I compared the 4 x 10 to the 212 in a store, and I preferred the punchy low end of the 4 x 10 better. But if you don't need that extra low end, you maybe fine with the 12's, or the 15. Seeing that a low E on a 4 string bass has a fundamental of around 40 Hz, I find it odd that GK tuned their 12's to not go as low as that. I have a 31 band eq that I'm going to hookup to my head and see if my 212 will go lower than the rated 53 Hz.

[mouthmw]

Interesting point 335 guy! I play a passive 4 string jazz, and I like my low end punchy and tight, not overwhelming. We tune half step down.

[Tunaman]

Those freq ratings in Hz, man I gotta call BS on that. If you notice the 412 is rated at like 52 hz & the 410 at 30 hz

You go ahead & put those together & tell me which one goes lower. It not close, its the 412. Its RIDICULOUSLY thunderous when you want that.

[jelwood]

I have the neo 412 and would recommend that to you. But...if you are tired of the guitarist pushing you around, get two neo 410's...oh baby...

[fourfinger]

In my experience, "Loud as Hell" and "Biamp" never went well together. [ I am assuming you mean splitting the signal frequencies via powered crossover, pre-power amp section, which is the old-fashioned definition of biamping. I gave up on biamping so many years ago, the term might mean something slightly different now; technology improves over time. ]

I first tried to biamp 2x10 cab with a 4x10, and also tried 2x10 with a 1x15, and with a 2x10 and 1x18.

It was ALWAYS muddy. Too muddy to be heard properly when it got loud.

I tried it with various manufacturers products, but never tried GK back then.

I think it is a better idea to divide your power equally, full range, into two identical cabs.

So, I would say go without the biamp option, and instead go full range into any of these: pair of 2x12, or pair of 4x10 or pair of 1x15.

If any of the above are not available in 8-ohm cabinets, skip that option, you need 8-ohm.

[sigam68]

I have a 700rbii with a neo 412 and it is a killer combo i would recomend that or a 2x212 just in case you want the portability which is what i'm looking to do. Either way I don't think you can go wrong

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by fourfinger

In my experience, "Loud as Hell" and "Biamp" never went well together. [ I am assuming you mean splitting the signal frequencies via powered crossover, pre-power amp section, which is the old-fashioned definition of biamping. I gave up on biamping so many years ago, the term might mean something slightly different now; technology improves over time.

I'm sure he's referring to GK's own proprietary bi-amp capability, available on every RB amp model they make. Not the same thing as you mean...

MM

[MysticMichael]

mouthmw, I think the 2x12 + 2x12 combination is the one you want. My only concern about using them with an 700RB-II would be that you won't have much headroom. But by all accounts, since you'll have to really crank it in order to keep up, you will have serious amounts of growl and snarl - which may be just what the doctor ordered for a loud, aggressive power trio.

If not, if you really want or need some headroom, consider getting a 1001RB-II to go with those new cabs. Probably a cleaner overall tone at comparable SPL, but power and headroom like crazy!

Either way, I reckon you can't lose. The good news is that GK gear is surprisingly affordable. With some disciplined budgeting, you could readily pick up that pair of Neo 2x12 cabs and a new 1001RB-II amp head - which would allow you some very nice flexibility to mix and match for various playing scenarios. That's what I would do were I in your shoes...

MM

[mouthmw]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

I'm sure he's referring to GK's own proprietary bi-amp capability, available on every RB amp model they make. Not the same thing as you mean...

MM

Yes, that's exactly what I meant. Their tweeter bi-amp option.

[mouthmw]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

mouthmw, I think the 2x12 + 2x12 combination is the one you want. My only concern about using them with an 700RB-II would be that you won't have much headroom.

I was thinking about the possible headroom problem.
If I'm using my 700RB II with 2 cabs, does the 480W go equally divided in those two? (240 W into each cab?)