VOLUME : Line 6 LowDown Studio 110 vs Roland Cube Bass 100

Inconnu · #1 10-23-2010, 08:30 AM

Hi !

I'm thinking of getting a new practice amp I could also bring to a very occasional small band jam. I tried both of these amps, and regardless of the speaker size and power rating differences, I wonder which actually sounded louder... or if they where equivalent. Any idea ?

The Line 6 is way cheaper, smaller, and has just the features I need...

Rip Topaz · #2 10-23-2010, 08:38 AM

Sounds like a no-brainer to me. Get the Line6. It's a great amp.

SteveC · #3 10-23-2010, 09:13 AM

Yep, a no-brainer. Get the Roland. They are great amps. I think it sounds much better/bigger than the Line 6. I gigged a Roland for a while so if there is potential to gig, for sure the Roland. You could maybe gig the Line 6 if you had PA support.

voodoobassist · #4 10-23-2010, 09:21 AM

I'll chime in for the Roland as well. I've used it and a Bag End 15 coupled with my Aggy 500sc at my last few gigs for a "small rig". In the past I used it as a stand alone for monitoring with the line out going to FOH. A very under rated and overlooked amp IMHO.

EDIT, BTW, I got my Cube 100 for right at $200 used, look around a bit and they can be found for a very reasonable price.

Pickebass · #5 10-23-2010, 11:25 AM

Love the lowdown. Great practice amp and a good DI. Definite need PA support to gig, but I take it to practice with a drummer, sax, singer and guitar player (who is using the roland guitar cube) and it's fills the room up at practice. Granted, everyone understands that you don't have to practice at 150 decibels!

Adam Bomb · #6 10-23-2010, 11:31 AM

I had to choose between those two amps. I love my Studio 110. Love the sound(s). And the Cube doesn't seem nearly so portable. That said, *if* the Cube is louder, you might want to look into the Cube a bit more. You didn't seem so sure that it was louder, but with a bigger speaker and extension cab possibilities, it likely is at least potentially louder. (I don't think the wattage difference, by itself, would even be audible.) I'm not really trying to gig or even jam much with my Studio 110.

It's only a no-brainer if you know which one you want.

A little bit of very subjective data.

--Bomb

Fergie Fulton · #7 10-23-2010, 12:04 PM

Good call on amps for a showdown.
I am a 110 user and have been since it came out.
I use it for recording mainly, and have never had its performance questioned in that situation other than how great it is and how much does one cost. As it is line 6 the amp models are great, but as usual you can shape them and save your settings. Size is great very portable, DI out is great, never really need a DI box, ground lift will cure any buzz.
Most recent situation with it was last weekend at BBC Madia Vale recording a live session for The Paul Jones show, and again it handled the session with flying colours. DI in the back one mike on the front and off we go.

In live situations house engineers love it and it handled all the situations i've used it in, with the aid of monitors, which is usually the case with large venues, the larger the venue the more and bigger the monitoring, so less on stage is more in these situations to let the PA and engineers have control.

The Cube 100 i have never used, but i was a fan of the old cube, but i am familiar with COSM modelling and it is great,
Most Roland stuff i have came across has always be quality so i would have no doubts the Cube 100 is the same, but it would need a user to confirm that

Inconnu · #8 10-23-2010, 08:50 PM

Nice replies... going in both directions... I can see why I am... going in both directions.

What I noticed in my reflection is that I get two Line 6 Studio 110 for the price of 1 and a half Roland Cube Bass 100... and get one and a half of the power rating... in two 10 inch speakers... In other words, the maths aren't helping much here when it comes to comparing watts vs. price...

I compared the Roland to the Line 6 LowDown Ld150 first, but I A-Bed the Ld150 and the Studio 110 and was stunned by how the 110 had more punch and almost the same apparent loudness then the 150... So the LD150 was disqualified... and the studio 110 vs cube debate came back in my head.

I'm thinking a good idea might be to get the Line 6 Studio 110 and, if needed, get a second one and run it in stereo (I have a stereo output pedal on my board that'll do it without any problem)... But would 2 Line 6 Studio 110 sound louder then one Roland Cube Bass 100 with a small extension cab?

Adam Bomb · #9 10-23-2010, 10:22 PM

Don't know the answer to that. Or if 2 Studio 110s would cost more or less than a Cube + cab. But I have been tempted to buy a second one. My last pedal is in stereo too. I doubt I will do it, but I have thought that would be a sweet and small rig.

I've thought about buying a Cube, too. Will almost certainly get the one that runs on batteries. That's probably my Christmas present to myself.

--Bomb

bassyRyan · #10 10-23-2010, 10:31 PM

The Studio110 has the loudest 75watts I've ever heard. Excellent, quality amp. My only gripe would be that there is no real "flat" setting. But the b-15 setting sounds great and the synth is one of the best I have ever heard.

SteveC · #11 10-23-2010, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Bomb

?..Cube + cab...

This is misleading. The Cube has an extension speaker jack on it, but it isn't like other amps where you get more watts/power with an extension cab. All it does is split the 100 watts between the 2 cabs. Not sure why Roland did that.

Lowtonejoe · #12 10-24-2010, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

This is misleading. The Cube has an extension speaker jack on it, but it isn't like other amps where you get more watts/power with an extension cab. All it does is split the 100 watts between the 2 cabs. Not sure why Roland did that.

What they did was set up the extension speaker jack in series with the internal speaker instead of the typical parallel setup.

The reason for this is that the amp is rated for 8 ohms or greater...and in parallel you would bring the impedance down to 4 ohms (adding an 8 ohm extension) which is below the amps rating.

The upside of running in series is that you can use 4 or 8 ohm cabs. Plus you have the advantage of more cone surface being moved which to me sounds better and is a little louder...depending on the cab you use.

The downside is that you don't get the typical power increase that you normally would in parallel.

Below is a pic of mine with the Bag End S15-CUS plugged in. It's big, fat and LOUD...for 100w!

Joe.

gregoire1 · #13 10-24-2010, 06:23 AM

I've always considered adding a powered cab to make my studio 110 gigable. I've also noticed that if you roll off the lows a little, it'll get quite loud!

Adam Bomb · #14 10-24-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregoire1

I've always considered adding a powered cab to make my studio 110 gigable.

Ooooh ...

*GAS*

--Bomb

Barry Clark · #15 11-13-2010, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowtonejoe

It's big, fat and LOUD...for 100w!

Playing in a rockband loud?

I am strongly considering looking into this combo and getting an extension cab. The reason for it is I have the Cube 80x guitar amp and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

I have heard demos of the CB-100 and it sounds great but have yet to hear one with me playing through it.

Lowtonejoe · #16 11-13-2010, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry Clark

Playing in a rockband loud?

I am strongly considering looking into this combo and getting an extension cab. The reason for it is I have the Cube 80x guitar amp and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT.

I have heard demos of the CB-100 and it sounds great but have yet to hear one with me playing through it.

In my experience,unless you are playing at relatively low volumes (which can be done), 100w typically isn't enough for a rock band regardless of cab size, unless you are using a 2x15 or 8x10.

I have practiced with it in a rock setting and it did work but felt much more comfortable with 350w into a single 15.

Where it excels is in a small room/lounge/cafe'.

YMMV.

Joe.

Barry Clark · #17 11-14-2010, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lowtonejoe

In my experience,unless you are playing at relatively low volumes (which can be done), 100w typically isn't enough for a rock band regardless of cab size, unless you are using a 2x15 or 8x10.

I have practiced with it in a rock setting and it did work but felt much more comfortable with 350w into a single 15.

Where it excels is in a small room/lounge/cafe'.

YMMV.

Joe.

Yeah. That's kinda what I fingered. Looks like it will be the MB500 and a couple of 2x12's for me.

Thanks for the input!