Second cab

[klem.gote]

Hi all,

I have a AI Contra into a Wizzy 10, and I'm very happy with it for 95% of my gigs, but on occasion I wish I had a little more sound. Have considered adding a Wizzy 12 for those occasions, but have wondered if adding another 10 would also give me what I want. Love the sound and size of the 10, but maybe for those louder gigs I'd want to add the 12. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

[andy6126]

I'm really not answering your question but am curious...I've taken the opposite route; EA amp and AI cab. Does the Wizzy have two speaker connectors so you can add another cab? My issue is I can't add a cab as the EA head has one speaker connector just as the AI Cab. I don't know that I'll need the extra cab but the option would be nice.

[tornadobass]

I started with a Wizzy 12 and a Clarus amp. Eventually got a second Wizzy 12...when both are used together, they cover my electric blues gigs easily. Then I got a Wizzy 10, which covers all my restaurant gigs on EUB by itself. Most recently, I got a Micro 300 amp that I've been favoring over the Clarus, although both are great amps from excellent companies. (When will this gear madness stop!?)

To address your question, I think you'd find more versatility from adding a Wizzy 12. On its own, the 12 has more bottom and more apparent volume and might cover what you're after for those few gigs where the 10 doesn't quite cut it. If you combine a 10 and 12, you'll cover all the rest of your gigs. That combination provides the depth of the 12 and the clarity of the 10.

On the used gear market, either cab seems to be going for around $350 or so, so price shouldn't make much difference.

[klem.gote]

Hey Tornado, thanks for that. What you said is pretty much what I've been thinking all along. The reason I started thinking about a second 10 is because I have a friend who's thinking about unloading one, before that I was pretty much set on a 12. You've pretty much helped me stay on that course.

Andy, both my Wizzy 10 and Clarus head have 2 speaker connectors, both are Speakons.

[trowaclown]

Mixing driver sizes... Bill F. should pop by anytime to comment about it. Isn't the general consensus that matching driver sizes will give you better coupling etc? You can also stack them vertically for better dispersion. This is, of course, in contrast to mixing drivers and causing potential phase issues etc.

[klem.gote]

Originally Posted by trowaclown

Mixing driver sizes... Bill F. should pop by anytime to comment about it. Isn't the general consensus that matching driver sizes will give you better coupling etc? You can also stack them vertically for better dispersion. This is, of course, in contrast to mixing drivers and causing potential phase issues etc.

Well, having never been too much of a gear guy those are issues I really don't know much about. If anyone could explain it a little bit I'd really appreciate it. I'd hate to run into unexpected problems that I know nothing about!!!

Thanks

[tornadobass]

Theory is one thing...my ears tell me that combining a Wizzy 10 and a Wizzy 12 works fine

[jon3673]

Let me pass along my experience. I play a 5 string upright and lower frequency response (volume) is extremely important in my amplified environment. The frequency of the bass E string is 41Hz. the frequency of my lo B is 31Hz.
It appears that the frequency response of your Whizy 10 is 45 Hz to 5.5 kHz; the Whizy 12 is 45 Hz to 12 kHz. This means that, in the best case situation, you would probably have to raise your bass knob level to obtain a flat response for your ax (and perhaps raise your treble when using the Whizy 10 cabinet). I suspect that the Whizy 12 is a much better sounding cabinet.
A few years back, I was playing in a room that had very limited stage space and was forced to find a way to reduce my footprint. I accomplished this by placing a down facing 12” speaker in the base of a music stand that was in front of me, which allowed me to do away with my 18” forward facing speaker (that I really needed for my lo B); which was behind me. As we all know, lower frequencies (like a bass) travel along the floor and higher frequencies (like a guitar or horn) are higher in the air. Therefore, when placing a bass speaker downward, the efficiency increases by about 50%! The only reason that I did not use a 10” speaker was that I could find a prebuilt cabinet for a 12” speaker. (The frequency response of this 12” speaker is about 25 Hz to 2000 Hz)
This worked ok, but it did lack real good response on my highs. However, I was able later on to add an Acoustic Image Contra EX cabinet on a small landing up off the stage and behind me. (The frequency response of this cabinet is 30 Hz to 20 kHz). This made a big difference on my overall sound, and certainly helped my high end. It also allowed me to have my amp on absolute flat response!
Normally, in small clubs I can use my stand alone AI Contra with no problem and, when I have to perform with big bands in large rooms, or auditoriums, I use the AI EX cabinet. And, I have my AI amp on absolutely flat response, which means that the only thing I ever have to move is the volume control. (Well, sometimes I have to move my finger up or down a little on the neck, depending on the room temperature or how close I’m actually listening . . . . . . no . . . . we will not talk about sobriety!)
I think that the only thing that could be better than this arrangement might me to use the AI Ten2 for those situations that require a lot more front projection.
However, now having said that; perhaps you should consider using an AI Ten2 EX driven by your Contra as your main rig, because you should find that it will now cover 100%, and then add your Whizy 10 for those extremely small situations that require 110%.

[klem.gote]

Well I can't say I completely understand all the technical issues. My more minimal thinking was that adding the 12 to my setup would give me more volume, a little more bottom end maybe. I had no idea about "phase" issues and all of that. Then when I started thinking about adding a second 10 it seemed it might be like using a 2x10 cab (I could be way off base there), which I know a lot of players like. I just know that when I push my single 10 a little too hard I lose the nice tone I get at lower volumes. But thanks for all the input!!

[all_grown_up]

Originally Posted by klem.gote

Well I can't say I completely understand all the technical issues. My more minimal thinking was that adding the 12 to my setup would give me more volume, a little more bottom end maybe. I had no idea about "phase" issues and all of that. Then when I started thinking about adding a second 10 it seemed it might be like using a 2x10 cab (I could be way off base there), which I know a lot of players like. I just know that when I push my single 10 a little too hard I lose the nice tone I get at lower volumes. But thanks for all the input!!

I have a couple Wizzy 10s, I got them because they are really light. Sometimes one is not enough but but two of them together and everything changes. The whole seems to be greater than the sum of the parts. Better bass and plenty of volume. That said I just got an AI 2/10 ex which I prefer the sound of.

[hofner]

i played a long time using 12 and 1O" combined for more deep and projection till i tried two 1O", and sound is definitively better like that...
for little clubs i uses only one 10 and i adds the second if i need more sound..
It sounded that the benefit of the 12" was not so hearable in fact...(markbass cab)

[klem.gote]

Well, a lot of good info here, I appreciate it!! I may have a chance to try a second 10 soon before buying it, that just might help me make up my mind. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm looking for from a second cab, if the second 10 does it then that's what I'll do. Thanks to all!!