small cab for ROCK (2x10 or 1x15) is it possible?

wahrocker · #1 09-24-2010, 08:59 AM

hi
I need a small cab (4ohm) to play medium-loud rock music
My amp is MB R500 (500w 4ohm)
I expect good sensitivity and bottom
what do you advice?

mike_v_s · #2 09-24-2010, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahrocker

hi
I need a small cab (4ohm) to play medium-loud rock music
My amp is MB R500 (500w 4ohm)
I expect god sensitivity and bottom
what do you advice?

Finding a 4 ohm 1x15 is going to be difficult. Even so, I'd recommend the Bag End S-15. It's 8 ohms, but the advantage in increased sensitivity will more than make up for the amount of wattage. It's voiced more for "cut" than low bass, but that's what you'd want if you're looking for a one cabinet solution in a rock setting. That stated, whether or not one cabinet will work for you highly depends on what you consider "medium-loud" to be.

Mike

MikeyB · #3 09-24-2010, 09:05 AM

I have a MarkBass F1 @ 500 watts.

I use (2) AE210s. I don't run in the PA, and it works for indoor clubs/pubs, but is marginal for outside parties.

Any bigger gig and I go in the PA.

Ferret · #4 09-24-2010, 09:05 AM

Just an opinion but the 210 will be louder as you are moving more air but more bottom from the 15. Why a small if playing med to loud? What about both a 210 and 15, certainly have enough power to do that.

**NOLA Bass** · #5 09-24-2010, 09:19 AM

Maybe a 2-12" would be best if you want something smaller than a 4-10" but loud enough to hang in a medium/loud rock band.

RNV · #6 09-24-2010, 09:19 AM

Carvin BRX210 is 4 ohms and the Carvin BR115N-4 is 4 Ohms as well. I would go with the BRX though.

Mr. Pickles · #7 09-24-2010, 09:25 AM

The Avatar B210 Neo worked fairly well in a rock setting. I fed it 500 watts at 4ohms. I'm not sure of the sensitivity rating offhand, but I would say it needed the wattage to really open up.

A 4 ohm 212 would be ideal for a single cab for rock music solution, IMO.

TrevorOfDoom · #8 09-24-2010, 09:41 AM

i use the Bag End S15L for everything, but it kills for rock! very accurate and warm, with a nice bottom. i bet it'll pair up great with your MB.

TripleDouble · #9 09-24-2010, 09:53 AM

If it helps, I use an 8ohm Aguilar 212 with a 700rbii in a "medium-loud band" (Twin + AC30, 3 vocals, fairly loud drummer but not painful), and it does just fine. Speaker sensitivity is really more important than ohms from my experience, when it comes to volume. A 4ohm speaker would sound a little more open, but total volume change would be pretty marginal.

wahrocker · #10 09-24-2010, 10:15 AM

I tried Mesa 2x12, and I was not happy
I do not like sound 12 "
Acme Low B-2 is a good choice?

NineSpine · #11 09-24-2010, 10:17 AM

There's no "12" sound, just like there is no "10" or "15" sound. If you didn't like the 12 you tried, you should try others, because a 212 sounds really ideal for you.

mike_v_s · #12 09-24-2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahrocker

I tried Mesa 2x12, and I was not happy
I do not like sound 12 "
Acme Low B-2 is a good choice?

Great sounding cabinet, but it is too inefficient to play what I would consider medium loud.

Mike

Fretlessboy · #13 09-24-2010, 01:01 PM

TRY AN uBER210...THAT WITH A 500WATT @ 8 OHMS HEAD SHOUOD GET IT DONE A VERY BIG WAY. i WISH YOU WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BORROW ONE.

gastric · #14 09-24-2010, 01:37 PM

I use a Mesa PowerHouse 2x12. That's it. Works great for small clubs without PA support. If I needed more, I'd add a second one of those cabs. They're fairly light and easy to move thanks to the manly casters. Even my 5 year old daughter can effortlessly roll it around the house.

Windreaper · #15 09-24-2010, 01:41 PM

Do you have PA support? Pretty much any decent cab is sufficient for stage monitoring but you'll need more speakers (two vertically stacked 2x10 or 1x15 cabs minimum, I'd say) if you need to cover the audience. A Kappalite 3015 in a smallish vented box (or a horn-loaded 12", but it wouldn't be exactly bass heavy, more like low mids) might do the trick as far as portable solutions go. Don't worry about finding a 4ohm cab btw. Your head should produce about 300 watts into 8ohms nominal which would in most cases leave you displacement (speaker excursion) limited way before thermal (watts).

RickenBoogie · #16 09-24-2010, 05:08 PM

I agree, a 2x12 is what you're looking for. And also, it's true, just because you didn't like the one 2x12 you played, that means nothing. Try some others. I really like the GB Uber 212, and you might also. The 2x10 or 15 choices are just not enough for a rock band as a stand alone cab.

wahrocker · #17 09-25-2010, 02:21 AM

hmmm ... you say 2x12
GB Neox-212T or GK 212 Neo will be ok?

bgavin · #18 09-25-2010, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahrocker

hi
I need a small cab (4ohm) to play medium-loud rock music
My amp is MB R500 (500w 4ohm)
I expect good sensitivity and bottom
what do you advice?

Good sensitivity and bottom are mutually exclusive with a small cabinet.

Small, Loud, Low. Pick any two.
My suggestion: give up bottom, take Small and Loud.
Examples are Eden D210-XLT, or similar.

sincity · #19 09-25-2010, 10:16 AM

Eden 2x10 XST (500 watt / 4 Ohm)

Dr. Bass 1560 (600 watt / 4 Ohm) Used, of course.

Used my Dr. Bass 1560 as a stand alone on an outdoor gig and at a large club recently with my Ampeg SVT 7 Pro.

Projects very well.

BassmanPaul · #20 09-25-2010, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wahrocker

hi
I need a small cab (4ohm) to play medium-loud rock music
My amp is MB R500 (500w 4ohm)
I expect good sensitivity and bottom
what do you advice?

Your quote mentions the three "wants" of bass cabinet designers: Small, Efficient and Low. You can have any two but until we learn how to bend the rules of physics you can't have all three. Andy Lewis's Acmes are small and go very low but he gave up efficiency to achieve that.

Paul