What's difference between GK 212MBE and 212 NEO

gjbassist · #1 01-18-2012, 03:21 PM

Why the price difference for two cabinets that have basically the same specs? Both have neo speakers and handle 600 watts. But the MBE is lighter and costs less. Is the weight savings of the MBE made up by cheaper materials/construction? Sorry if this has been covered before but I'm new to GK and just trying to figure out what route to go with a cabinet to pair with the 1001RBII.

JHAz · #2 01-18-2012, 04:11 PM

same drivers, different cabs. Much different treble reproducers, if that's important to you. The NEO cabs are larger and will allow the system to play louder, lower. IDK about other aspects of comparative cabinetwork. FWIW, a member here, Scott (Iforgothislastname) went through this with, IIRC, the 210 versionss. First got the MB combo, but could not get happy with it. Ended up going with separates and is happy, last I saw, with the NEO speakers and outboard amp that has the same power section as the MB210. The MB (Same size as MB cabs) didn't give him enough heft/output, but the NEO does.

Now, for me, I've only gotten to take my MB210 combo into the wild one time, at a smallish (250 people?) place [east of KC] that's maybe a little tougher than average because of odd shapes and an elevated seating section, and I was perfectly happy with the sound I heard on stage and that I heard in the room when a friend sat in on bass. Alas, I keep getting guitar opportunities not bass opportunities, so the GK probably will go up for sale soon to help scratch a hollowbody itch. But I'm not going to sell my bass. Don't want to be without a bass again, even if I don't have a way to really crank it.

**B-string** · #3 01-18-2012, 04:18 PM

The NEO cabs use a dynamic horn tweeter, a crossover and can accept the G-K Biamp feature (as well as cab size differences). The MBE has no crossover, a piezo horn and will not use the G-K Biamp feature.

gjbassist · #4 01-18-2012, 04:26 PM

Thanks for that info B-string! I just read some reviews of both on the MF and GC websites. There were some less than stellar reviews of the MBE cabinet due to sound issues and overall quality of the cabinet. The Neo on the other hand had all five star reviews. Based on that and the fact I want the ability to use the biamp feature I'm gonna go with the Neo.

**B-string** · #5 01-18-2012, 04:34 PM

Good plan

**lowendfriend** · #6 01-18-2012, 04:34 PM

I believe the MBE's use cheaper wood on the cab as well. The Neo is poplar IIRC and bigger and a better match acoustically.

The MBE's came out after I bought a Neo, but I had a similar decision between the Neo 212-II and the Mesa PowerHouse 212. The Neo 212-II met my needs for weight and sonic power at a more reasonable price/weight. If the MBE had been available, I think it would have been a step down lower than I wanted to go particularly on sound.

The bi-amp feature is a nice match with the 700RB-II amp head as well.

**B-string** · #7 01-18-2012, 04:38 PM

Same grade Poplar plywood in both from what I have heard.

Daniel Piper · #8 01-18-2012, 07:05 PM

Neos= All round acceptance as a high quality line of cabinets. VERY few complaints here on TB about sound/quality

MBEs= Very small very light cabinets that have drawn love from some, absolute ire from others for their lack of damping/bracing and (potentially) boomy low end. Hersh tweet too.

But they work for some so YMMV.

I own Neo cabs and love them.
I WOULDNT want to go any lighter.

**lowendfriend** · #9 01-18-2012, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Piper

Neos= All round acceptance as a high quality line of cabinets. VERY few complaints here on TB about sound/quality

MBEs= Very small very light cabinets that have drawn love from some, absolute ire from others for their lack of damping/bracing and (potentially) boomy low end. Hersh tweet too.

But they work for some so YMMV.

I own Neo cabs and love them.
I WOULDNT want to go any lighter.

Thumbs up on this!