Adding a 15” cab

[raven135]

I have an LH500 and an HD410. Buying another 410 affords certain flexibility but I don’t think I need all that.

IF buying new…

the 115 is $20 more than the 410.

Is adding an HD115 enough of a difference in sound quality/presence to justify spending the extra $20ish for the 115 over the 410?

 

[raven135]

Or would the 210 option be worth a look?

 

[eriky4003]

Actually, if it's only $20 more, stick with the 4x10. Mixing cabs is a crapshoot and you can look at this way - you have a cab with a 15" or another with 40" (
4x10) speaker. Which do you feel will be louder? There are plenty of threads on mixing cabs and the 4x10 + 1x15 was seen as bad.

 

[raven135]

I think overall the 410 would be louder, just curious on the potential tonal difference. I have seen the other threads on mixing cab sizes. Thought process was that if they’re the same make, then maybe compatibly wouldn’t be an issue…

 

[abarson]

I think overall the 410 would be louder, just curious on the potential tonal difference. I have seen the other threads on mixing cab sizes. Thought process was that if they’re the same make, then maybe compatibly wouldn’t be an issue…

To be more exact, if the manufacturer designed the speakers to work together, they usually will. But this has really only been the case in recent history.

 

[B-string]

This really has been beaten pretty well. It has very little to do with manufacturer's intent and more to do with the different ways the different physical drivers (speakers) behave when driven. A 410's combined drivers will never behave like a single or dual 15" and single 15" or dual 15" will never behave the same physical way 4 10" driven together will. Electrically or sonically an overextending 15" trying to keep up with 4 10" coasting along can be "the same". Both have their strengths by themselves, but the weaknesses are what combines.
Your mileage my vary, some like the miss-match.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Depending on how something is designed, it CAN work...but the variables in this circumstance are:
- How much wattage are you putting into both cabs at once?
- What is your EQ set to?
- Using anything that could mask your ability to hear "bad" breakup? (Fuzz, OD, Distortion, etc.)

The 410 handles 1000w RMS and the 115 does 500w RMS. We're talking HALF the power handling in "hard numbers", as presented by the MFG. Even if we take the subtleties of power dispersion and frequency response out of the discussion, it's going to be a mismatch in terms of what each can handle. Not to be snarky, but would a 6x10 and 2x10 or 1x12 pairing work, as long as they are from the same line by the MFG? Not trying to dive far into reductio ad absurdum, but just to say it's not always the best school of thought with cab mixing.

If the 4x10 is cheaper, you're not missing a thing. You'll likely get plenty of lows pairing two 4x10s together anyhow, so no worries there. Everyone's eardrums will be bleeding and eyeballs exploding when you crank those two cabs up

 

[FugaziBomb]

Is adding an HD115 enough of a difference in sound quality/presence to justify spending the extra $20ish for the 115 over the 410?

I wouldn't bother with a 1x15. Chances are it's not gonna keep up with the 4x10. There's a misconception that bigger drivers will sound a certain way compared to 10s. The driver is only a single part of a larger equation that is the cabinet on a whole. If you like the 410 you're rocking, just add a second one of them, it'll probably get you better results than cab mixing. Been there, done that, learned my lesson.

 

[elpancho]

I was in the same boat a few years and thought I needed the 15, getting another 410 was the best decision I ever made. I had to sell the 15.

 

[Deleted member 365158]

I was running a 15 and 4-10 combo for a while and I thought it was the best rig I’ve ever had… it was but then I bought another 4-10 that the specs matched my other 4-10 but a LOT lighter. I was sooooo wrong about my 15–4-10 combo, the 2x 4-10 just blows it away in response, clarity and versatility. The bonus is that I use the lighter cab for most gigs and it rocks on its own!!

 

[6thplanet]

4-10, hands down.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

No love for 2, 1x15 cabs today? Some SWR SOB's locally, have caught my eye. Have not heard them yet but I sold my 8x10 recently and am seriously considering these because they can be handled easily.

 

[agedhorse]

It depends very much on the intent and skill of the designer.

For low frequencies, the electro-acoustic model does not care about the individual driver sizes, just the total area of each scenario. There is a difference in the high frequency model, but that’s a different discussion.

 

[raven135]

Currently I’m using an LH500, the HD410 can handle that all day and the 115 should be able to handle it.

I bought the 410 for expansion options later and was looking for opinions on adding the HD115 to that equation (or an HD210, which is also rated at 500 watts).

If I go with another HD410, I’ll have 2 X 1000 watt capable cabinets that I’m only pushing 500 watts into…but will have plenty of expansion options!

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

[coy garcia]

I've always liked the sound of my 15 alone over my 410...I liked the combo 115,410 best....it's subjective.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Ignore the Mixed cab taboos espoused by the old wives' club.
I've not done a 4x10 + 1x15, but I did gig for several years with a 2x10 and a 1x15. Adding a 1x15 to the 2x10 really filled out the sound.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I have an LH500 and an HD410. Buying another 410 affords certain flexibility but I don’t think I need all that.

IF buying new…

the 115 is $20 more than the 410.

Is adding an HD115 enough of a difference in sound quality/presence to justify spending the extra $20ish for the 115 over the 410?

I would only buy a 1x15 if I was going to use it instead of the 4x10 for smaller gigs not to run with the 4x10. If I needed more sound or power, I’d get a second 4x10.

But that's just me