RS410 or RS210 As a standalone

[Farley]

I was perusing the TC thread and wasn't able to necessarily find what I was looking for. . .

Has anyone used the RS410 cab as a standalone with a 5string passive bass? Or, how does the RS210 handle a low B? With prices falling on the RS410 I can pick one up for the same price of the 210 but the 410 doesn't appear to get the same amount of recognition, or "play" if you will, as the 210.

I play mainly small/medium sized venues very rarely with PA support - luckily the band is not particularly loud. I like the idea of only having the one 210 but wondering if it will be enough for what I need

Thanks for any/all responses.

[MingusBass]

I am trying to decide the same thing right now. I already have two RS112 cabs, but I was thinking about picking up a RS410 since they just lowered the prices, and the fact I can use three RS cabs with my Staccato'51. I would imagine that the RS410 should sound really great with a passive 5 string.

The reason you don't see them mentioned as much is because until recently they were not as affordable, they are fairly heavy at 82 lbs and because they are only offered in 8 ohms. That being said, they are now a great value and I would imagine for a lot of people, they would work great as a stand-alone cab option.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by Farley

I was perusing the TC thread and wasn't able to necessarily find what I was looking for. . .

Has anyone used the RS410 cab as a standalone with a 5string passive bass? Or, how does the RS210 handle a low B? With prices falling on the RS410 I can pick one up for the same price of the 210 but the 410 doesn't appear to get the same amount of recognition, or "play" if you will, as the 210.

I play mainly small/medium sized venues very rarely with PA support - luckily the band is not particularly loud. I like the idea of only having the one 210 but wondering if it will be enough for what I need

Thanks for any/all responses.

The RS210 will put out as much sound and handle the B string as well as the vast majority of 210's. It is tight down low (not deeply voiced), but IMO, that makes for a good, punchy B string tone. It is high SPL due to its mid present voicing, and the coax tweeter is absolutely beautiful. I have a few clips of it on my Youtube site with various heads. It is a great form factor (vertical... so small... doesn't take much space, and the top coax driver is a bit closer to your ears). Most micro heads, putting out the typical 250-300 watts into 8ohms) can drive it to full volume.

I put rubber feet on the bottom of mine to make it a bit more stable and to keep the bottom from getting so chewed up with that rather fragile finish... the padded cover is a must. Very good cab, and a GREAT cab for the money. Probably my favorite 210.

Only you can decide if any 210 will provide the volume you need though.

The RS410 is 8ohm and heavy, which are two pretty big strikes against it, and IMO, why they are now going on 'fire sale'.

[drpepper]

.02 If physically managing the 410 isn't an issue, that's what I'd do. That price is just too good to pass up. OTOH, I just have a hard time with the idea of a single RS210 cutting it. I believe my situation is kind of on the loud side though, so my perspective is colored. I mix and match, and I regularly use my RS212 standalone for practice. I've just never tried a 210 standalone, but as I think about it, how far apart can the 210 and 212 be? I'll have to try a 210 by itself tonight at practice. Our drummer will put it to the test.

[ErnieD]

I just got mine delivered at my door this afternoon. Online store, B stock or something, looks brand new. Specs say 38lbs, after unpacking it I weighed it on my home digi-scale. I think my scale is usually about 2lbs shy of true; cab came in at 43.6lbs.

I was gonna try it stand alone at rehearsal tonite but was canceled. I tried it in my livingroom with MarkBass F1, Skyline Joe Osborne 5 passive jazz w/Sadowsky flats. The cab sounds very nice, loud and handled the B string notes well. It felt abit tight in the low, low notes. I'm thinking it might open up with use, or maybe its just voiced that way. But no farting out even when I gave bass a few good thumps/pops, nice tone overall. Sorry can't describe it better in any technical terms.

I tried it next to my modded Eden D210T cab, single front port that has Em Deltalite 2510 II drivers. That Eden cab is 500 watts @ 4 ohms and has always impressed me with the lows it can handle and the volume it puts out with LMII or F1 heads. I've used that Eden cab stand alone at house party gigs, outdoor patio/pool parties and always with one of my 5 string basses.

The RS210 seemed smoother toned, even nicer lows than the Eden cab while in my livingroom. I had the tweeter dial at 9:00 and 12:00, still very smooth and even tone, could not notice any change really. I always run the tweet at 9:00 or less on the Eden cab or it can get harsh.

I then hooked up my newest setup, Crown Drivecore XLS1500 power amp w/Alembic F-1X pre into the RS210 and UL410-II cabs as a 610 setup. To me the UL410 just makes the RS210 sound even more tight in the low end but I wasn't totally surprised by this. And I was keeping the channel volume knob rather low into the RS210, in case it requires some break in time.

I like to use a modular 610 setup for larger gigs where I can send lower volume into a 210 for my ears and send more volume into a 410. I have a outdoor gig this Saturday afternoon, will the rear ported RS210 ( w/UL410) be a bad idea outside with no walls around me?

[KJung]

Should be no issue. A correctly designed rear port should behave no differently than a front ported cab.

[drpepper]

I tried a single RS210 last night at practice and it seemed fine at first, but it soon felt like it got swallowed up. It had little feel or bottom relative to a pair or my RS212. I guess I could have tried to simply turn it up a little to see what would have happened, but I felt like I was already pushing it and nothing was going to make it more full. I'd have to say it looks like an RS212 is significantly more capable as a standalone than an RS210.

While I'm satisfied, I'll admit that my "testing" was not comprehensive, especially without trying them side by side.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by drpepper

I tried a single RS210 last night at practice and it seemed fine at first, but it soon felt like it got swallowed up. It had little feel or bottom relative to a pair or my RS212. I guess I could have tried to simply turn it up a little to see what would have happened, but I felt like I was already pushing it and nothing was going to make it more full. I'd have to say it looks like an RS212 is significantly more capable as a standalone than an RS210.

While I'm satisfied, I'll admit that my "testing" was not comprehensive, especially without trying them side by side.

A 210 is only a 210, even a good one. Cutting both the number of drivers in half and the wattage almost in half from your full rig is going to be quite a difference.

[drpepper]

Originally Posted by KJung

A 210 is only a 210, even a good one. Cutting both the number of drivers in half and the wattage almost in half from your full rig is going to be quite a difference.

Right, but that's not to say that I couldn't have ended up pleasantly surprised that my belief that a single RS210 wouldn't "cut it" at my band's practice was mistaken.

That's what I was trying to learn. That wasn't the case for me, so I'll continue using the 212 at practice. I don't know if or how much that helps to inform the op's decision, the way that volumes and desire for bottom vary.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by drpepper

Right, but that's not to say that I couldn't have ended up pleasantly surprised that my belief that a single RS210 wouldn't "cut it" at my band's practice was mistaken.

That's what I was trying to learn. That wasn't the case for me, so I'll continue using the 212 at practice. I don't know if or how much that helps to inform the op's decision, the way that volumes and desire for bottom vary.

+1 all the way. I was just more commenting than anything. There is quite a difference in max SPL between most 210's and most 212's... bigger box, more cone area, higher xmax, higher power handling, slightly lower tuning for a bigger low end, etc., etc., etc.

[ErnieD]

Thanks Ken for that reply about my "outside rear ported cab" issue I asked about. Gonna try it with a 410 or 212 cab at tomorrows outdoor gig.

And drpepper, at least now, if you choose to, you have a very nice 210/212 vert-stacked rig, that's fairly light, def slim-tallish setup that should sound great. Im kinda on a lookout for another RS210 now myself for that slim vert stack. Gonna see how this RS210 works with my GB Neox 212T.

[drpepper]

Originally Posted by ErnieD

And drpepper, at least now, if you choose to, you have a very nice 210/212 vert-stacked rig, that's fairly light, def slim-tallish setup that should sound great. Im kinda on a lookout for another RS210 now myself for that slim vert stack. Gonna see how this RS210 works with my GB Neox 212T.

Actually, I have two RS210's and one RS212. I like to use all three horizontal stack...overkill for the kinds of gigs I play, but hey it sounds good.

When I go with two cabinets, I go with the 210's. I just have these untested beliefs. I like to think that the 210 pair up nicely for a consistent, tight sound. Two 210's definitely give plenty of bottom, so that pairing sounds good too.

Maybe I'll try the 210/212 vertical stack next gig.

[Farley]

Thanks for all the replies. This helps me narrow down my search for a new amp/cab. I have to say, from what I've heard, I do very much like the way these cabs are voiced. They don't appear to be too transparent, ala Acme. . . Which isn't a bad thing, I personally like a little bit of color to my sound

KJung - I checked out yout youtube vids. Nice sound indeed!