2x10" vs 1x12" bass combo amp

[Timothy DeHan]

Is there any advantage to a bass combo amp with 2x10" speakers vs 1x12" speaker?

Thanks

 

[Element Zero]

Different cab tuning. Slightly different freq response.

 

[basscooker]

210 will generally displace more air than 1x12, so perceived volume per watt of power will likely favor the 210.

 

[Downunderwonder]

You generally get more exercise carrying the 210.

 

[Joe Lonsdale]

The smaller the speaker, the quicker they can move so they tend to reproduce higher frequencies better and therefore sound 'punchier'. Larger speakers can sound sluggish - deep but slower to react. I prefer 10" speakers personally. I played through 5" speakers the other day which sounded INCREDIBLE. My current cab has 12's which I don't particularly like.

 

[basscooker]

I need some popcorn

 

[Sparkl]

210 will displace more air, likely get lower in frequency, be a tad more responsive, and have a worse dispersion if the speakers are arranged horizontally.

The 210 should get louder. That's about it.

 

[buldog5151bass]

WHUCH 210 and WHICH 112? Without knowing that, the only possible comment is that all things being equal, the greater speaker area will push more air.

 

[ctmullins]

The smaller the speaker, the quicker they can move so they tend to reproduce higher frequencies better and therefore sound 'punchier'. Larger speakers can sound sluggish - deep but slower to react. I prefer 10" speakers personally. I played through 5" speakers the other day which sounded INCREDIBLE. My current cab has 12's which I don't particularly like.

That’s a common misperception, often presented and rebutted here.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

The smaller the speaker, the quicker they can move so they tend to reproduce higher frequencies better and therefore sound 'punchier'. Larger speakers can sound sluggish - deep but slower to react....

Myth

 

[Joe Lonsdale]

Myth

Explain?

 

[Coolhandjjl]

It always depends on the drivers and the cab design.

In have a Mesa Walkabout Scout 12". There are undoubtedly 210 combos out there that my WA will bury.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Explain?

Do about 10 years of research and consult with musicians, engineers & designers. Then get back to us after doing such.

 

[nilorius]

I like 12'' = more punch.

 

[40Hz]

Explain?

Speakers are designed for specific mechanical characteristics. You can design large speakers with a quick response and smaller ones to be slower. And the frequency range isn’t determined solely by the size of the cone. We’ve come a long way from the 70s where the rule of thumb was: small is tight and punchy and big is round and deep.

Then there’s the matter of the cab design - which has a huge effect on the final sound qualities you hear since the speakers and the cab form an integral sound producing unit. A good cab design can (within reason) make a so-so speaker sound better, while a poorly designed or inappropriately paired one can make a premium quality speaker sound like garbage. In some cases an inappropriate cab design can even contribute to premature speaker failure.

When it comes to speakers it’s best not to assume anything based on appearances. You can go research the actual specs on the data sheets the manufacturers almost always provide for their products. No need for guesswork.

 

[Joe Lonsdale]

Do about 10 years of research and consult with musicians, engineers & designers. Then get back to us after doing such.

Are you being snarky? Don't be snarky. Just be kind and clear and straightforward. I've been a full-time music maker for 20+ years and my experience is that big speakers are bassy and sluggish, smaller speakers are punchy-er.

 

[ezstep]

To the original question - no, there isn't. It depends on what you want out of it. 2x10's might be better, or 1x12 might be better. It's your choice.

Personally, if I were buying a combo, I would go with the 1x12 because of the portability. YMMV.

 

[ctmullins]

Are you being snarky? Don't be snarky. Just be kind and clear and straightforward. I've been a full-time music maker for 20+ years and my experience is that big speakers are bassy and sluggish, smaller speakers are punchy-er.

That used to be true years ago. Driver technology has matured since then, so those generalizations are no longer applicable.

 

[40Hz]

Are you being snarky? Don't be snarky. Just be kind and clear and straightforward. I've been a full-time music maker for 20+ years and my experience is that big speakers are bassy and sluggish, smaller speakers are punchy-er.

I’ve been playing for 40+ years, and back in the day you’d be right. But the new gear we have has changed the game. Most modern 2x10 and 4x10 cabs have a much lower frequency range than your average old school 15 cab unless it’s designed to be a subwoofer cab. I have an Acoustic 301 with an 18 Cerwin-Vega that you’d think would be as bassy as it gets. But it’s actually pretty midrangey and not at all sluggish sounding whereas my little 2x10 Goliath Jr. authoritatively hits lows the 301 can’t begin to touch.

tl:dr - It’s not just about speaker size any more. Speaker designers haven't just been sitting on their hands the last 20 years.

 

[klokker]

Are you being snarky? Don't be snarky. Just be kind and clear and straightforward. I've been a full-time music maker for 20+ years and my experience is that big speakers are bassy and sluggish, smaller speakers are punchy-er.

I'm no expert, but it's my understanding and experience that what you're saying can be true or not depending on the speaker/cab design. The answer is that it depends.

I can make the comment that on this forum what you're saying is regarded to be pretty much false. My experience is that you can't make the generalization that 15's are bassier and more sluggish than 10's. Some are some aren't.

Hey it's a forum, everybody can dump in what they think.