TC BH250 + Cabs - Will this work for me?

IPYF · #1 01-17-2013, 04:05 PM

I've been having gear sads recently because my current GK rig is just not portable and my current Cab/Head combo is not working for me at all.

I've got a wild idea that I think could be ok but I'm concerned that in actual fact I might just be punching a massive hole clean through my foot.

Currently I'm running a GK1001 into a Trace 410. I had a thread recently where I was looking to upgrade from the trace to a better cabinet but I think I might have had a brainwave and I need to get some advice to see whether what I'm thinking will actually work.

At present my biggest problem is my Cab and Head are not portable and I'm living in a much tighter arrangement then I used to be. Additionally I've got a much smaller car than I used to have.

I've been looking at the BH250 for a while and I like it quite a lot because it's really simple and I'm mostly an idiot who can't get a good tone. I also really like the Toneprint because it adds a lot of versatility. I've done the mathematics and If I sell my Gallien Krueger and my Trace cab I will end up with more than enough money to buy a BH250, a BC410 AND an BC210.

This will provide me with all the portability I require, essentially allowing me to take the 210 and head home with me each night after rehearsal but I'm really badly scared that I won't be loud enough. I've read here quite a bit that the BH250 is actually pretty loud; but I can't see any way that it would be able to compete with the 700w powerhouse I already own. I know I would essentially have 2 more sensitive cabs then I already own, plus an extra 2 drivers than I would normally have but is it enough? The other option would be to buy a pair of 410s but that greatly reduces the appeal of getting a more portable setup.

Can anyone advise? Has anyone worked a BH250 with 2 cabs with a really loud and heavy low-tuned band before. Am I going to miss my GK? Is this a really stupid idea?

IPYF · #2 01-17-2013, 04:28 PM

Actually. I've got this all wrong. The BC410 only comes in 4 ohm it seems.

Since this won't work this option is right out. 2x210s will be far quieter than what I currently have and I can't afford the RS series. Serves me right for not researching properly before opening my stupid yap.
Seems foolish that their 410 only comes in 4 ohm but I get why they did it. But it does stop you building a cheap 610 or 810 stack out of their gear which disappoints me greatly.

Is there any chance 2 of the BC212s would be competitive stacked vertically?

Downunderwonder · #3 01-17-2013, 05:21 PM

Competitive with what? By rights it should annihilate the 1048H. Yet my Trace stuff pisses on new gear supposedly higher rated.

Still 4x12 is a lot of speaker. Even 250w should bury the stage, after that you're in the company of dual fridge users.

I still reckon you should be importing drivers and building uber cabs.

IPYF · #4 01-17-2013, 05:36 PM

I'd absolutely love to have a boutique big rig under my gk but life says no unfortunately. It's just not practical for what I'm actually doing.

But at this stage I want something I can use at home as well as live and The TC would achieve that I think; if it's going to be loud enough.

In a perfect world TC would make an 8ohm 610 and I'd be able to add on a 210 and have a fridge for the rehearsal studio and a little rig for home.

By competitive I mean am I going to turn up to the rehearsal studio, plug in the new amp and the new 212 cabs and listen to myself dissolve into the background with the master on the head goosed. If that happened I'd probably light the place on fire.

Downunderwonder · #5 01-17-2013, 05:41 PM

Nope, 8 ohm 6x10 would get 1/3 of its capacity before the 2x10 was maxed out.

IPYF · #6 01-17-2013, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

Nope, 8 ohm 6x10 would get 1/3 of its capacity before the 2x10 was maxed out.

So essentially a hypothetical 610 would be louder on its own?

I've seen guys around town use 410s + an extra 210 to great effect. I slightly assumed there that a 610+ a 210 would be louder overall just simply due to speaker area alone.

Wouldn't the added room volume from the extra speakers negate the need to turn the entire unit up loud enough to max the 210 though?

Downunderwonder · #7 01-17-2013, 06:10 PM

snap. 4x10 gains a smidge and the extra two on top gets some speaker into your ear.

For 6x10 sensitivity goes up but potential total loudness goes down.

Shardik · #8 02-01-2013, 12:12 AM

I'd give it a try. If it is still not loud enough, you could actually do a Y-connect to two TH250s (they are not THAT pricey), and even get the flexibility of mxing different tones on the different cabs.

But really: Doubling the amp power means a difference of 3dB at the best. I think the cabinets and speaker elements loudness limitations will kick in before the amp runs out of power.

It is important to understand the limits of your cabs. That the speakers can handle a certain power doesn't mean that it has a linear increase in the air movement as you increase the power from the amp up to that max rating. I think the cabinet manufacturers are very often not providing the necessary specs for their cabinets. I think at least power handling, sensitivity, frequency response and nominal impedance should be given. TC is no better in this respect (at least from what I can tell from their home page specifications).

IPYF · #9 02-01-2013, 05:48 PM

Thanks for the advice. I decided in the end that this was a bit of a stupid idea, perpetuated by the fact that I really like the idea of the Toneprint feature.

Stepping down from a 750w amp to a 250w amp is not going to be a good move for me, especially since there's so much conjecture as to how loud the BH250 actually is. I think I'll just keep plugging away as is for the moment and then once I'm done with my overseas gallivanting this year I'll put in an order for a Barefaced Super Twelve.