Opinions on the Roland CB-100 1x12 combo (bass cube, 100 watts)

It's a nice amp. I've got one and have been using one for good few years now. It's got a lot more features than I use and it sounds pretty nice. The power on it is not bad, but it may not be enough in certain situations. In big band jazz is generally not enough. I've played with drummers before where the drummer alone was overpowering me through this amp. However, with a tame group this amp does just fine in small gigs. But then again, the onboard D.I. is really nice so if you have P.A. support, this amp can technically get you through anything.

Oh, and a couple of extra notes: this amp is built like a tank, so it's not actually as light as you might expect. Also: be careful with the jacks. I've had to dig out the input twice now because I let it get unscrewed from the plate on top. I guess this goes for all amps, but when you go to take this amp apart, the "head" only slides out a little bit. Thus, digging it out is a pain in the ass.

There are a few other options out there in the same price range, so try before you buy and if it blows your skirt up, go for it. I'm not a big "modeling amp" fan, so I might be tempted to steer some time in the future towards something with bigger power and better sound but the same price range.

I luv it! I been using one for around a year & a half now. Gr8 options (presets) + like the reverb too as for the other effects offered on it-I still use my DOD Flanger. The 12" is a coaxial-gr8 range! A very good value- I've had many combo amps over my 31 years of playing-GK's SWR Polytone's Carvin Peavey's Fender's Acoustic and Yorkville -The Roland is the best of the lot! I run either a 1-12 extension or 1-15 depending when in mid(150-300)-to large size(300-1000+) venues-small settings (1-150 people)stands alone. The amp is a bit heavy,though top quality. 100 watts plenty strong enough to drive an extension cab. w/ no problems.

4-Bang'er said:

I luv it! I been using one for around a year & a half now. Gr8 options (presets) + like the reverb too as for the other effects offered on it-I still use my DOD Flanger. The 12" is a coaxial-gr8 range! A very good value- I've had many combo amps over my 31 years of playing-GK's SWR Polytone's Carvin Peavey's Fender's Acoustic and Yorkville -The Roland is the best of the lot! I run either a 1-12 extension or 1-15 depending when in mid(150-300)-to large size(300-1000+) venues-small settings (1-150 people)stands alone. The amp is a bit heavy,though top quality. 100 watts plenty strong enough to drive an extension cab. w/ no problems.

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This is interesting!

Its a great amp.

I use a Roland Cube 100 for rehearsals and small gigs and often wondered how much difference adding an extension speaker would make.

I was under the impression that the extra speaker didn't add any more watts, instead splitting the available power between the two ie 50w/50w.

My question is; does the extra speaker make a noticable difference in volume? I have an Eminence DeltaliteII and a sheet of ply lying around just waiting for something to do....

I bought one three years ago purely to use for practice. My big rig is a Markbass head on an SWR 1-15 cab.

I brought the Roland to a very small gig and quickly realized that it would work on bigger gigs. I have down about 20-25 gigs with it and I've very very satisfied with it. I've used it in the same room as I used an Ampeg B100 and it is a far better sounding amp than the Ampeg. I used the Ampeg three times and hated everytime. Mud.

I use the Flanger on a cover of Purple Rain. Beyond that, I keep it flat and the normal setting and don't use the modelling at all.

Best to keep it on the floor. You'll get good bottom end that way. I've done small 80-100 bars with a very loud drummer with no issues. I really like it.

I have let a guitarist use it as a guitar amp, using the Bassman setting. Dialing in a bit of reverb and a tough of chorus, he sounds like he's using an old Fender Bassman. We have plugged small 6 channel mixer with three mics, a touch of the reverb and using the amp as a small PA. In both of those situations, it sounded as good as an applicable guitar amp or small PA. That's a versatile bass amp.

It's very versatile. Impressively rugged. A little too heavy at 0130 in the morning with the car parked four blocks away from a gig.

In my view, it lacks the sexiness of current small light class D stuff out there. Sure, I want it. The Promethean with an extension 1-10 might be a future rig if I sold all, and I might do that. Because, today, I'm just not using the Markbass because the small Roland is doing everything I need. This really surprises me because I still believe that at a minimum, I need 200+ watts and a minimum 1-15 speaker. The Roland continues to prove me wrong.

It's a really good little unit. Roland did a good job with one.

guylewis said:

This is interesting!

I was under the impression that the extra speaker didn't add any more watts, instead splitting the available power between the two ie 50w/50w.

My question is; does the extra speaker make a noticable difference in volume? I have an Eminence DeltaliteII and a sheet of ply lying around just waiting for something to do....

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You're understanding is correct. It will not boost the power if you add a cab. I have plugged my SWR Basic 2-Way into it and it doesn't get quieter. It moves more air and sounds fuller.

So I'd build a cab for it check it out. Alternatively, take down to a music store and stack it on a cab and see for yourself.

I had one for about 1 years.
For me it was not so good.Too much weught for only 100 watt,some not useful simulation and the most important thing hiss even at low volume.
I sold it without regrets

They have two of these at my college, I'm not a fan though, too many options, I find it hard to get a good tone, I also find that it sounds too smooth, even if you turn the gain up.
But thats just to my ears, I suggest that you go to your local Roland dealer and try one out, who knows, it could be your dream amp.

Mark

It's not my dream amp. It can sound a little choked. But, look at the size of it. It's a compromise between size, features, portability.

My Markbass rig sounds better, as it should. It's bigger and has a more open sound. But, I'm at a point where small, portable, getting good sound and having surprising volume potential at a reasonable price point are really attractive features.

no, it may sound ok...but it has absolutely 0% durability. my advice also would be get a stack of any size, they just seem to sound better

blockopastorius said:

no, it may sound ok...but it has absolutely 0% durability. my advice also would be get a stack of any size, they just seem to sound better

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What do you mean by 0% durability?

I have one and every time I play with it I surprise myself with giving it the credit it deserves. When I read about all the new light heads I get gas all the way, but while playing this little fellow - whether it is with the upright or the electric bass - I always have to admit that it really sounds good.

Two minus points:
- Input jack (Tommy el Gato mentioned the digging thing)
- built-in noisegate

I use it always in the superflat mode, with everything flattened. Sometimes it evokes a loughter when I give an upright solo with one of the effects. It's fun to mess around with
I like a defined tone with clear low end and great definition. Playing it at higher volumes the sound gets a kind of a natural compression (of the speaker) that really makes it thick sounding. The onboard compressor is just stupid.

Too heavy? Come on, it isn't even 20kg...

Excellent amp! I still have fond memories of doing a Beatles tribute gig using the 'Bassman' setting. It sounded very authentic. If you can lift it, you'll love it!

bmc said:

You're understanding is correct. It will not boost the power if you add a cab. I have plugged my SWR Basic 2-Way into it and it doesn't get quieter. It moves more air and sounds fuller.

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That's exactly my experience adding extension cabs to my Cube: it sounds fuller, but not much louder. I believe adding an extension cab "splits" the amp, so you get two 50 watt amps at four ohms. (The schematic even indicates two power amps.) So, the only way to keep it at or near full power is to use a four ohm extension, and I've always used eight ohm cabs. With a high sensitivity four ohm extension, with decent cone area, you should get a volume increase. (A Schroeder Mini 12 would be sweet.) Ideally, Roland would introduce a powered 1x12 extension specifically for the Cube, like the D-BASS 115x for the D-BASS combos. I'd probably buy it.

I feel exactly like some of you other Cube users: the new ultra lightweight stuff is mighty tempting, but the Cube is so versatile, and so great for its modest power rating and size that it's difficult to give up. I still haven't gigged with mine, but with reasonable PA support I easily could. And mine has been rock solid reliable for almost five years, with regular use.

I've also tried it as a guitar amp, and it sounds great with my Strat. I couldn't believe it.

The models seem accurate too. I recently played a rock musical using an Ampeg B100R, which is supposed to produce a vintage Portaflex type tone. I really liked it, which started the GAS cycle. One night when I returned from rehearsal, I plugged into the Cube and set it to the "Flip-Top" Ampeg model. It sounded almost exactly like the B100R, and the Ampeg GAS disappeared instantly.

By the way, at 38 pounds, I really don't think it's that heavy.

Here's my original review after I'd had the Cube for a few months. It's post #23:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=228865&highlight=roland+cube+review+swr&page=2

bmc said:

You're understanding is correct. It will not boost the power if you add a cab. I have plugged my SWR Basic 2-Way into it and it doesn't get quieter. It moves more air and sounds fuller.

So I'd build a cab for it check it out. Alternatively, take down to a music store and stack it on a cab and see for yourself.

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It connects the ext. cab in SERIES instead of the usual PARALLEL, so a high-efficiency 4 ohm cab would get the most out of it.

Thanks for the comments.

One of the local shops has a Yamaha BBT110S cab sitting like an orphan in the corner of the shop. They are also Roland dealers. So I might pop down and get them to stack them and try it out. Visually, it will fit as they are roughly the same width. If the Yamaha is considered an efficient speaker (and please...anyone chime in here to confirm this), it might not be a bad sounding little rig.

If it works out, the big rig, that never gets used, might go on the block.

you might wanna check the roland db-500 bass amp.

i have one, i love it. 160watts. small combo. great lows.

aledeville said:

Too heavy? Come on, it isn't even 20kg...

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for 100 watt (not real) nowadays is heavy.
My markbass microbass weight 1/5 and is louder

tallboybass said:

It connects the ext. cab in SERIES instead of the usual PARALLEL, so a high-efficiency 4 ohm cab would get the most out of it.

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I took this advice and threw my Roland in the car on Saturday to go to a local store that has a new Yamaha BBT110S cab.

I stacked the Roland on top of it. Perfect fit. I grabbed some active Fender Jazz off the wall, since I play my Sadowsky in active mode.

I sat about fifteen feet away from the amp to see if there would be a difference. I told the sales guy to plug it in when I said so. So, I tooled around with the combo on its own and then signaled him to plug in the cab. The sound difference was stunning to say the least. The bottom end just filled out so much. It was very impressive. I've been running the Roland into my SWR Basic 2-Way for sometime. It's 8ohms and it never really did anything for me. Now, those tests were in a basement. Yes, the added speaker filled out the room. But I have to say that the little 4 ohm Yamaha sounded better. I will acknowledge that the room was different. But, it now has me planning on picking up the cab and using it with the Roland.

I could easily sell all of my amps and get a nice TC rig. But I have to say that the flexibility of Roland is a really attractive feature. I can use the Roland and the Yamaha cab as a little PA for rehearsing.

Anyhow, thanks Tallboybass for the suggestion. It worked as you suggested.

It's been 10 years since the last comment but: To someone who has found one of these for sale and is wondering whether to buy it: I've had mine for seven years as of October 2020. I use it for string bass and electric bass. I play in low-volume level bands, jazz mostly, or Brazilian, in restaurants or cafes. This amp doesn't have a lot of low-end response so it can't keep up with a heavy-handed drummer, but in other contexts is comes through surprisingly well. It has a sweet clear sound that works great for soloing on electric. Perhaps that's due to the digital signal processing ("FFP" and "COSM") and/or the coaxial speaker. It has always been reliable. Heavy, but bulletproof. It has pro-grade features for tapping a signal from the XLR jack in the back, with a pre-/post-EQ selector. The line-out level is controlled with the Gain knob, so you can set your signal level out to the board and still modulate your on-stage monitoring level with the Volume knob. The extension speaker jack is useful too, as described by others. In my experience this amp doesn't compare well with others in the music store due to the limited low-end response. For example the MarkBass CMD 121P has tons more bottom and is lighter too. But you need to hear an amp in context with other instruments to appreciate its tonal quality. Low-end response isn't everything, as long as your bandmates can hear you somewhere between the kick drum and the guitar. See if you can take it to a rehearsal before committing to the purchase. I always set mine up on a milk crate to reduce the boominess. For playing outside I always try to set up next to a wall.