What cabinet can you recommend

rydogk · #1 08-23-2011, 01:01 PM

Hey, Guys I just began playing bass in a band with some friends and I recently got a portaflex 500 head, What size cabinet should I look into getting? 1x 15, 4x10's, We play garage rock stuff and if we decide to play out it would be small bar and club type stuff. How much wattage do I need from a cabinet to be loud enough? thanks guys

u84six · #2 08-23-2011, 02:03 PM

500w seems about right for small gigs. Cab wise, and what I'm learning, is that generally the more speakers you have the more volume you'll get. Some cabs can be spec'd out pretty nicely and don't require a lot of speakers to get a lot of volume (see Avatar TB153, Accugroove, fEARful, Barefaced, ACME, and there are others). Some people start with 410s and then add a 115 if they need the extra bottom for a gig. I think most Ampeg fans go with 610s or 810s though, but those cabs are heavier and can be a pain to transport if you don't have access to the right vehicle.

Good luck!
<no expert>

p.s. you also need to understand your band member's equipment as well. Does your guitar player play with a stack of cabs? Is your drummer a very hard hitter? Sometimes even 500w with one cab won't be enough, depending on how they play.

**jlepre** · #3 08-23-2011, 02:05 PM

410...JMHO

tdub0199 · #4 08-23-2011, 02:06 PM

410....

Alex1984 · #5 08-23-2011, 05:21 PM

410. I love EV and old Mesa stuff. SWR makes nice cabs too, and Eden.

OzzyGreg · #6 08-23-2011, 10:02 PM

.
2 x 12" gets my vote.

(Almost) the best of both worlds.

Greg

rodl2005 · #7 08-23-2011, 11:15 PM

2 of the PF115s would be cool

lokikallas · #8 08-23-2011, 11:20 PM

410. I personally recommend ampeg 410hlf.

rydogk · #9 08-25-2011, 06:32 AM

thanks for the imput guys, the guitarist plays through a fender deville amp I think like 45-50watts, and plays without distortion, thanks again

Liam Wald · #10 08-25-2011, 06:40 AM

It is really best to get the cabinet that you like. That's my recommendation.

Seriously... why are so many posts on this forum from people asking others what they should do? Do some people just like being told what to do? I don't get it. I hate it when others tell me what to do.
But then, I like to have my own opinion.

5port · #11 08-25-2011, 06:58 AM

I deff have the same thought as Liam above many times.

As the OP can tell most people are using 4X10s these days.

Having said that I like to use a 2X10 over a 1X15 on most gigs.

EricssonB · #12 08-25-2011, 07:12 AM

215, of course.

A single 15" has slightly more speaker area than 410, and it's all about pushing air.

greenboy · #13 08-25-2011, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricssonB

A single 15" has slightly more speaker area than 410

Do tell. Really. Whip out the math.

Chef FourString · #14 08-25-2011, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

Do tell. Really. Whip out the math.

PHYSICS FIGHT!!!

EricssonB · #15 08-25-2011, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenboy

Do tell. Really. Whip out the math.

Good point.

*A 215'd be bigger than a 410.

What pushes more air...?

(Awww, Greenboy is calling me out??? Not fair!)

Jools4001 · #16 08-25-2011, 07:24 AM

Only one recomendation from me...see my sig....

Unfortunately, you can't get them anymore, so build yourself a fEarful 15/6

carl h. · #17 08-25-2011, 07:33 AM

Here's what I did. A single SVT15e for small gigs, a 410SVT classic for mid sized gigs, and a 2nd 410 for bigger gigs. Mixing a 15 and a 410 isn't a great idea, even though lots of players do it. (Run a 410 and a 15 side by side powered by a 2 channel amp and you will understand.)

I use a PF500 to power these combinations and have a bigger pre/power for bigger gigs.

BassmanPaul · #18 08-25-2011, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by u84six

Some people start with 410s and then add a 115 if they need the extra bottom for a gig.

A bad pairing for an incorrect reason. No 1x15 will keep up with a 4x10 and will fail in the attempt.

The thought that a bigger cone equals better lows is a myth.

u84six · #19 08-25-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liam Wald

It is really best to get the cabinet that you like. That's my recommendation.

Seriously... why are so many posts on this forum from people asking others what they should do? Do some people just like being told what to do? I don't get it. I hate it when others tell me what to do.
But then, I like to have my own opinion.

Here's a few reasons:

If you read the post, he says that he just started playing with a band and only has an amp head.

Second, maybe there are no stores in his area where he can try different types of cabs.

Also, this is a public forum that was built for people with the same interests to share their knowledge (or lack of) . Maybe he doesn't know what is louder, a 410 or a 115, and found that coming to this forum and asking the question was the best place to find the answer before making an investment.

Lastly, what I don't understand are people who hi-jack other people's threads and respond with no useful answer or any attempt to answer the OP at all. What's worse, asking a question in a related forum or being totally useless?

jungleheat · #20 08-25-2011, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

A bad pairing for an incorrect reason. No 1x15 will keep up with a 4x10 and will fail in the attempt.

The thought that a bigger cone equals better lows is a myth.

Please let us know how you do with your 2" subwoofer company.

Cabs are pretty subjective, it really just depends on what sounds good to you and fits your budget. Personally I like 2 15s or a 15 with 2 or 4 10s. 4 10s alone would never be my first choice for anything really. But some people love it. And mixing is fine, don't listen to these guys. There are phase problems any time you have more than 1 sound source in any room that's not infinite space. Reflections bounce around the room and then come back together with varying cancellations in different locations. The sound of an electric guitar is what it is because the speakers take a dive after 5-7k. In other words, sometimes "strange" frequency response, phasing, etc... can actually create MORE desireable tones. I've been experimenting with using multiple guitar setups simultaneously for years and usually the more different the setups, the better they complement each other because each one tends to fill in the gaps of the other. There might be phase issues but you're going to have phase issues just having your rig in a room. So unless you exclusively play those coveted hot air balloon gigs, don't worry too much about that stuff if you are liking the sound of 2 cabs together.

Also, while higher power ratings are nice to have in a cab, 500W is way more than "small gigs". To me, small gig would range from maybe a bass and acoustic guitar coffee shop thing up to a fairly quiet to moderately loud rock band with electric guitars, which means anywhere from 50w to about 300 or so. 400-750 is more like medium to large gigs, and anything about 750 is definitely pretty large/loud. People underestimate watts all the time. 5 or 10 watts through a "full size" (pair of 10 or 12" 3 way floor speakers) will probably hurt your ears. 50w would be deafening. Since bass is focused mostly in the low range, you need more power, but power mainly equates to headroom rather than volume.

Anyway, judging from "portaflex 500" I would guess your head is 500w or less (they almost ALWAYS round up), so any 500 or 600w cab should be fine to match with your head. But if you dont actually play that loud and know how to stay within the limits of your equipment, you could probably get away with 300-400 or so.