Jayce Bass
Registered User
Registered: March 2008
Location: www.myspace.com/progressrocks
Posts: 195
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Review Date: Fri January 30, 2009
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: $400.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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excellent dynamics, no crossover, good value, fairly manuverable
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Cons:
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heavy, not bi-ampable, no hf driver, no neutrik connection
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I purchased this enclosure about a year ago. I have had the opportunity to gig with it many times. I'll try to give as unbiased a review as I can.
I had been gigging with a Peavey 115 BlackWidow. Most everyone has played through one of these dinosaurs and has a pretty good idea what I was used to. I used a Berhinger 3500 for a head, then upgraded to a GK1001rbII for a little more headroom. I found that the 115 just couldn't take that kind of power and started looking at 810 enclosures. Listened and played through Ampeg, Peavey, David Eden, SWR, etc. I found a heck of a deal on this cab...quite by accident and haven't looked back.
To begin with, the speakers are aluminum. Think "Hartke". But cheeper. I removed the speakers to check out the motor structure and cabinet bracing. Cabinet is well braced and solid. Motor structure appears the same as the higher end RBX line, and slightly larger than the BLX line. These speakers were tested against comparable Celestions and blew 'em away in terms of power handling. The speakers have an outstanding frequency range. I've hooked up this cabinet to my synth, and it works quite well full range. Slap and pop styles ring almost as true as bells. A good guestimation would be to around 7Khz on the upper range. Low B is rock solid with no noticable loss in volume or increase in distortion. This cabinet is much louder in the low notes than any 215 cab ive played through. I play at around 60%-70% volume through my 1001RBII during shows and can hear no audible distortion at all ,(except what I dial in myself).
You can literally "Shake the walls" with this one.
Moving this cabinet isn't the easiest chore, but it's not that difficult, considering it's a small sacrafice for the sound. It has built in casters, a kickplate and a couple of nylon "slide" strips on the back of the cabinet. You can pull it up and slide it down stairs. It helps to have a large vehicle to transport. My 4 door blazer could haul 2 of these with room for basses and a rack system (if the rear seats are down).
The effeciency is about what I expected. While not super effecient, it doesn't take a 5000watt crown to power it, either. GK could probably work on this and get it up to 102db or so if they wanted to.... Doubt they will take the time on this line, though.
I really don't miss having the bi-amp feature on this cab. The full range drivers play high enough to make up for not having a tweet. There is also no crossover to steal any system power. The addition of a hf driver to enable bi-amping would be nice...just to get full power out of your GK amp....not because it's needed.
Style wise, It's BUTT Ugly with its nasty spray paint looking gold cones. I've thought about just sprayin' painting 'em black...too much work, though. I don't know what GK was thinking, other than..."Berhinger sure sells alot of gold colored speakers..." Though they're both gold, there is no comparison in quality between the two. The GK's sealed cabinet provides a "punch" and a unique tone that is hard to duplicate. The power handling is certainly superior as well. I've played this cabinet hard for a year, and it hasn't complained at all.
I play in a 4pc band with 2 guitarists. Each has his own halfstack. It's nice knowing that if they get too loud, I can get louder! No seriously, the guitarists and drummer enjoy this cab as much as I do. They like being able to hear me wherever I set up on stage. The soundman likes the fact that he can either run me through board or not...depending on the venue. It's nice not NEEDING p.a. support, but having it there as an option.
I found my brand new cab at a musicians friend warehouse for $399. There was a small scratch in the grill paint at the very bottom (about 1" long). I still don't notice it to this day, and it has more scratches than that now, anyway.... Deals like this come along once in a while....just keep yer eyes open
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Gallien-Krueger Club #388....
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sheeeesh! They must make good stuff...
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www.myspace.com/progressrocks
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