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2x10 or 2x12 lightweight neo cab

#21
Well I'll vote for 210.

Smaller, lighter, easier to store and move. Better for small stages. Better for home. Better for our cramped rehearsal room. With bass I've only used three sizes of cab - 108, 210, 215. The smaller speakers sound clearer and sharper to me and the 215 was no louder just less responsive.
 
#23
image.jpeg
og61pbass said:
2 212 cabs stacked!!!
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That's the way I roll. And seriously, OP, breaking it down to one cab is more than enough and very satisfying as well.
 
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#25
tallboybass said:
FYI, 2x10" = 157.08 sq. in. - and - 2x12" = 226.2 sq. in.
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This is the bottom line. Assuming cab sizes were equal, a 210 will have to work 50% (ish) harder to equal the air moved by a 212.

A cab that is not working hard can focus on producing a better tone and handle peaks better. Unless you look at specialists like Barefaced most commercially available cabs will be in the same ball park so the bigger the cone area the more headroom (volume and tone) you'll get.

A 212 will always be a larger cab, so would always be my choice for a 1 cab solution. My CN212 was the best cab I'd used in years. I'm now gigging 2 Barefaced 112 SC cabs. They are a different story altogether.
 
#29
FWIW, from a purely practical perspective, I have never needed more stage volume than a competent 2x10 produces. You have to decide what tone you're after, and seek brands and designs that provide that tone. Unless you're working with junk, volume is a given.
 
#30
chris_b said:
This is the bottom line. Assuming cab sizes were equal, a 210 will have to work 50% (ish) harder to equal the air moved by a 212.

A cab that is not working hard can focus on producing a better tone and handle peaks better. Unless you look at specialists like Barefaced most commercially available cabs will be in the same ball park so the bigger the cone area the more headroom (volume and tone) you'll get.

A 212 will always be a larger cab, so would always be my choice for a 1 cab solution. My CN212 was the best cab I'd used in years. I'm now gigging 2 Barefaced 112 SC cabs. They are a different story altogether.
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Hey @chris_b I'm now gigging the one cab version of your rig, the SuperTwin, and I agree 100%, total game changer!

But this statement by @dincz "You need to pump out cubic inches, not square inches." is more to the point. It's mostly about displacement and that would require more details, something we're not going to get from the OP.
 
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#32
Genz Benz 212 neo X. I play mostly small to medium clubs. It's more than enough for this type venue, and if I played a bigger venue, I'd depend of FOH to handle the rest. I have a Peavey Maxx preamp and use one side of a QSC PLX-1600 to drive it. Great tone, and it handles the low B of my Lakland Skyline Jerry Scheff 5er very nicely. I don't think the 210 would handle it as well, and for the relatively minor cost difference and relatively minor size difference the 212 just makes sense.

As an aside, the reason I bought this cabinet originally was that I was looking for something lighter and easier to move than the 410 I was using. I'm 57 now, I think I was 52 or 53 when I bought it. I got tired of lugging a 410 around. Age will do that to you. But getting old beats the hell out of the alternative.
 
#33
AstroSonic said:
These statements are correct. It would be nice if a performance evaluation were as simple as comparing speaker sizes, but it's not; not even close. Not only is there inconsistency within brands with respect to bass performance, but also in efficiency, tone and portability. Tone is not just bass performance (driver/cab alignment and maximum displacement); the mids, and to a lesser extent, the highs are important factors. To get meaningful comments, you'll need to provide us with your tonal preferences, typical venue size, typical volume levels, the head to be used, portability requirements (weight & size limits) and budget. Again, a theoretical comparison of cab merit based on driver size is pointless. You are clearly trying to figure something out - perhaps to make a cab purchase, and you have taken the time to pose a question here on TB. Perhaps if you provide more information, we can help frame the question better.
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tallboybass said:
Hey @chris_b I'm now gigging the one cab version of your rig, the SuperTwin, and I agree 100%, total game changer!

But this statement by @dincz "You need to pump out cubic inches, not square inches." is more to the point. It's mostly about displacement and that would require more details, something we're not going to get from the OP.
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Yeah, I was trying to stay away from brand wars. That is why I did not mention the head I have or what cabs I was looking at. I will say the head does support 2 ohm loads, so I can do 2 2x12 cabs or 2 2x10 cabs, regardless of ratings..the 2x12 is 4 ohm, the 2x10 is 8 - so I'm covered either way.

I do appreciate all the feedback.
 
#35
2x12 without a doubt. As others have interjected on their ownership, I'll say a Berg CN212 is my next cab purchase.

Pros:
I find most decent 2x12's have a nice balanced tone that can get low/dark and/or get snappy as long as you don't mind throwing a bit of EQ at them (just don't over do it). There are some that won't cooperate one way or the other, but the same thing can also be said about most of the cabs from that same MFR.

There are some that aren't much bigger in overall size as a 2x10.

Some 2x12's aren't much more expensive than a 2x10, more bang for your buck. (Way cheaper than 2 * 1x12's)


Cons:
A few 2x12's come in a box that is almost or the same size as a 4x10.

Same goes for weight.

You won't be as "cool" on TB going with a 2x12 instead of a pair of 1x12's or even 1x10's. ;)
 
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#36
Hounddog409 said:
Yeah, I was trying to stay away from brand wars. That is why I did not mention the head I have or what cabs I was looking at. I will say the head does support 2 ohm loads, so I can do 2 2x12 cabs or 2 2x10 cabs, regardless of ratings..the 2x12 is 4 ohm, the 2x10 is 8 - so I'm covered either way.

I do appreciate all the feedback.
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The fact that you're going to use 2 cabs makes the 210 a more viable option. Still, you won't get any useful info until we know which ones we're talking about. ;)
 
#37
tallboybass said:
The fact that you're going to use 2 cabs makes the 210 a more viable option. Still, you won't get any useful info until we know which ones we're talking about. ;)
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Again, odds are with the same brand and line of cab, the 12s will give you more volume. Anything else is entirely dependent on brand.
 
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#38
if low size and weight are of upmost importance i'd go 10's for obvious reasons. I went 12's cos my cn212 with 112 on top gets a lot closer to ear height than 3 10's will. also worth considering. entities such as genzler and fearful don't offer 10's (OK Fearless do and genzler may get around to it). not sure exactly what that means but it must mean something
 
#39
How about a cab with 1 10" and 1 12"? That was my Schroeder... ;)

The OP question really oversimplifies the process. 10's don't have a universal tone different than 12's - though a specific 2x10 can sound very different than a specific 2x12. And a 2x10 could be heavier than a 2x12 - but if comparing from the same manufacturer, the only thing different from a 2x10 and a 2x12 will be size and possibly volume potential.

I'd choose the 2x12 in this silly game, bc I have a car that holds big cabs.

(One of my stacks is a matching set of a 2x10 combo on top of a 2x12 extension cab.)
 
#40
I have a Dr. Bass 2x12 that is very nice and inexpensive on the used market.
I have a GB Neox 2x12 that I like better.
Both are capable of clean and loud and have had no problems with 2 guitars, keys, and drums with no PA support.
 

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