Perhaps you could buy a head and cab, buying one of them at the store with your coupon, and buying the other used on Craigslist. For instance, you could buy a BL600 which normally goes for $300, but it would cost you $100 and then you'd have $350 left which can get you a pretty nice cabinet on Craigslist. Or, you could buy a new cab and a used head.
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300 watts loud enough for band?
- Thread starter williamk
- Start date
If I buy a marshall head, can I plug it any 4X10 cab I buy? Are there any mixes of brands that don't fit?
I've played through a Hartke 410-XL since the mid-90s and would trade it for no other.
$350 seems a bit high for used... However, IF it's an XL (NOT a Transporter) and IF it's from the mid-90s (later ones aren't as good), and IF it's in good shape then it is a good buy cause those cabs don't come on the market very often. Just also budget for a back brace cause they weigh in at just under 100 lbs.
A Hartke 410-XL will give you all the speaker area you need to cut through any drummer and guitarist, and you may not even need 300 watts to do it.
$350 seems a bit high for used... However, IF it's an XL (NOT a Transporter) and IF it's from the mid-90s (later ones aren't as good), and IF it's in good shape then it is a good buy cause those cabs don't come on the market very often. Just also budget for a back brace cause they weigh in at just under 100 lbs.
A Hartke 410-XL will give you all the speaker area you need to cut through any drummer and guitarist, and you may not even need 300 watts to do it.
Well, it all depends on big your venue is, but 300watts was certainly loud enough back in the day when the biggest amp I could find only had 300watts. I managed to keep up with guitarist using the same Marshall stacks they use today.
Except................"back in the day" you were not using that 300 watts to push a small 2X10.
Most here are in agreement that 300 watts is sufficient. However, what speakers he is going to run will make all the difference.
I'll assume this is a shot at me.
I just think you take a pretty unusual attitude compared to most TB'ers. Most of them say ultimately that you should use your ears, try lots of amps and get the one that YOU like the best. You seem to like to tell people "if you get that one you like the best, you'll be sorry! You better listen to someone you don't even know on the interwebs!" It just seems like a nasty attitude to take towards other TB'ers who really all have the same goal, to get their own individual desired tone. I didn't like it when you acted that way towards me, and I took note when you wrote the same things to the OP here.
FYI, I'm very happy with my Marshall amp, the fact that YOU don't care for the amp has nothing to do with ME, so you can stop holding your breath for the "I told you so" that isn't coming.
To the OP though: lots of people have said you can probably do better for $700 and I'll agree with that. If you are going to spend $700 you've got some other good options. But, if that Marshall is the sound for you for sure, you can find those at a fraction of that price used, I saw one recently for $500 and I bet you can do better even.
This is well said and is probably the first post to really address the original question. +1
You need to match the impedance of your head and your cab, there is a stickied FAQ thread about this at the top of the forum.
I think it depends entirely on the specific head and cabs you use.
I use a GK BL600 most of the time, into two Avatar 2-10s, and it gets loud as HELL. The little BL600 is a loud mofo.
If I need more power I also have a Sansamp / power amp setup to use. All my gear was bought used on the cheap, except the BL600 which I got a great deal on.
I use a GK BL600 most of the time, into two Avatar 2-10s, and it gets loud as HELL. The little BL600 is a loud mofo.
If I need more power I also have a Sansamp / power amp setup to use. All my gear was bought used on the cheap, except the BL600 which I got a great deal on.
I'll assume this is a shot at me.
I just think you take a pretty unusual attitude compared to most TB'ers. Most of them say ultimately that you should use your ears, try lots of amps and get the one that YOU like the best. You seem to like to tell people "if you get that one you like the best, you'll be sorry! You better listen to someone you don't even know on the interwebs!" It just seems like a nasty attitude to take towards other TB'ers who really all have the same goal, to get their own individual desired tone. I didn't like it when you acted that way towards me, and I took note when you wrote the same things to the OP here.
FYI, I'm very happy with my Marshall amp, the fact that YOU don't care for the amp has nothing to do with ME, so you can stop holding your breath for the "I told you so" that isn't coming.
To the OP though: lots of people have said you can probably do better for $700 and I'll agree with that. If you are going to spend $700 you've got some other good options. But, if that Marshall is the sound for you for sure, you can find those at a fraction of that price used, I saw one recently for $500 and I bet you can do better even.
Truthfully, I don't much care what you like or don't like about me - FWIW, I've played through amps by pretty much every major manufacturer, and average around 70+ gigs per year - when I offer advice, it's because my actual real world experience backs what I'm offering - and ultimately, I'm trying to help - or else, I wouldn't bother... In the end, I don't care whether anyone takes that advice or not - it's their loss, not mine...
Offhand, I'd say you're miffed at me because I dissed your favorite amp - but I don't really know, nor care... *Most* experienced bassists have already found out that Marshall sucks at bass amplification - I'm sorry if that bothers you, but it is what it is...
Regarding the OP - any idiot reading what he's posted can see he's focused on the Marshall name - most likely, because he digs their guitar amps... BTW, I really like Marshall amps *for guitar* - I've owned a few, and the guitarist in my main band uses a DSL 50, and I think it sounds great...
My posts merely reflected the above - nothing more, nothing less...
- georgestrings
Yeah, Rickenboogie's answer is correct.
I like the idea of a Combo with another extension speaker...The Combo will be fine for many applications, but when you need to add more sound, you get another extension speaker (at 8 ohms likely) for those larger gigs.
Thats what I do anyways...works for me.
billfitzmaurice
Commercial User
- Sep 15, 2004
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- Owner, Bill Fitzmaurice Loudspeaker Design
I played one of these last year through my gk neo 212 and 112...... it rocked. Serious rig right there. I also think the BL600 is one of the best values on the market right now when it comes to new gear. You could do that head and an Avatar 212 for 700 bucks. Add another cab as you save up some more dough, and you'll be set for a long time.
ok ok new question then:
Since I really like the Marshall sound, I can buy a new Marshall bass head and get a used 4X10 cab to pair with. What brand makes a cheap but good sounding 4X10 cab?
Oh and I don't really know what it means, but the head is 300w at 2ohms and 450w at 4 ohms (or vice-versa) so...don't know it helps, but that's it.
Since I really like the Marshall sound, I can buy a new Marshall bass head and get a used 4X10 cab to pair with. What brand makes a cheap but good sounding 4X10 cab?
Oh and I don't really know what it means, but the head is 300w at 2ohms and 450w at 4 ohms (or vice-versa) so...don't know it helps, but that's it.
There's no problem with the combo either, as long as you get another 210 or 115 as an extension. That will be cheaper than buying the head and 2 separate cabs, and allow you the flexibility of having a small and a larger rig. The advantage of a head and cabs is that although it costs more, there's even more flexibility. The moral is that 4 10 inch speakers will be enough, and that the amount of speaker area (in general) is more important than the power output of the head, within reason. The fact that the yhead is stable at 2 Ohms means that you could have as many as 4, 8-Ohm cabs hooked up to it, which would give a total of 2 Ohms. The 4 largest 8 Ohm cabs will give you the loudest volume attainable with that head. I strongly recommend you stick with 8 Ohm cabs for max flexibility.
Lets get really down to basics here. The sound you hear starts with your hands, your Bass (I hope you used your own bass to audition the Marshall), the amp (which every maker "flavors" in their own way), further "flavored" by the speaker cab (many differences there also) and finially the room you are playing in.
To your question on a 410 cab, Avatar also makes a good 410 cab (but they don't sound like a Marshall cab, they can in certain rooms).
If you are now overloaded with options and questions....welcome to the never-ending search for tone
Avatar 4x10, go to www.avatarspeakers.com
Look around for a used, non-neo cab, you can get them pretty cheap and avatar warrany's their stuff pretty well.
That avatar new is as cheap as some name brand cabs used...
Like everyone has said before, the 300 watts will work, but if you don't have efficient speakers or the amount of speakers to make the best of the 300 watts you have available, then you will be another frustrated bass player on stage like me! My 600 watt head is not enough with just my 2x10 cab. Or even with my 18 as they are not efficient enough to carry the 600 watts without distorting and farting out. Good luck dude!
