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Ampeg classic 410 VS GK NEO410

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by jsingles, Jun 23, 2008.

  1. Jun 23, 2008 #1
    jsingles

    jsingles

    Aug 30, 2007
    Lowell/Amesbury Massachusetts
    Right.. so I require a 410 cab to put on top of my GK 115 cab.

    I am not made of money, so my budget is limited to around 600-700 dollars...

    The other part of the equation is that my head puts out 500 watts at 4 ohms (both cabinets will be 8 ohms, thus they will each be recieving 250 watts of power with this head)

    250 watts into my 115, sure fine, great, but 250 watts into a 410 cabinet??(and this is at least until i upgrade to a more powerful head in the future) This leads me to believe that using a 410 with a particularly HIGH RMS wattage rating will not produce the best sound and might cause some unwanted clipping that I definitly dont want. so, I am ruling out 410's with ridiculous power raterings, (ratings of nearing 1000)

    the ampeg classic 410 has a rating of 500 watts, which I feel pretty comfortable about putting 250 watts into. it costs around 600 dollars, It sounds pretty damn good for the price range, and so its a good candidate for me...

    I also have noticed the GK neo 410 though...
    NOW, this cab costs a little bit more, and has a wattage rating of 800 watts, which might leave it hungry for a little more power than 250 continuous watts. The lower weight is also nice. This cab is also sturdier than the ampeg cab, and would match with my gk 115 (OCD people like me care that the two cabs match)

    what to do??

    thoughts on this decision? perhaps suggestions of other 410 cabs I am overlooking? (remember, until I upgrade my head, the cab will only be receiving 250 watts of power, and I do not want to spend a whole ton of money on a cabinet at this time either... and also before somebody asks, yes I have tried a 210 with this 115, but I sold it because I was not happy with the performance of the 210.. (it was a hartke 2.5xl.))

    :help: thanks to anyone with advice.
     
  2. Jun 23, 2008 #2
    projectMalamute

    projectMalamute

    Jan 9, 2008
    Westfield, MA, USA
    I've got a SVT410HE, one of the made in the USA ones. Mostly just sits in a corner, but that's just because I prefer my ancient SWR stuff. I'm just down the pike from you, PM me if you want to borrow the thing and try it out for a week or so.
     
  3. Jun 23, 2008 #3
    jsingles

    jsingles

    Aug 30, 2007
    Lowell/Amesbury Massachusetts
    how does the 410he handle the low B?
     
  4. Jun 24, 2008 #4
    chicago_mike

    chicago_mike

    Oct 9, 2007
    Chicago - LA - Rome - Dallas
    Endorsing Artist : Genz Benz
    It doesnt, kind of. I was testing various 410's tonight because I blew up a new Acoustic 410 and a GK 410, 3 days from eachother...

    The new NEO 410 from GK is killer. PERIOD. I plan to pick one up after my tour wich will pay for one. I tried the Peavey Tour 410, GK NEO, Ampeg Classic, and the HLF, and a GK Gold Line....ANd compared to ampeg 115 and a peavey tour 115 as well...

    The NEO is the best, most even, deep, clear and punchy sounding of them all. I used my bass head wich is an SM900 (swr) and used various 5 strings including my own. I easily spent a couple hours at GC tonight.

    My Rating ( Tone / Power Handling before farting )

    1. GK NEO
    2. Peavey Tour
    3 Ampeg HLF
    4 AMpeg Classic
    5 BLX GK
    6 Gold Line GK
    7 Acoustic 410, wich the speakers look like 'realistic' speakers from back in the day
     
  5. Jun 24, 2008 #5
    jsingles

    jsingles

    Aug 30, 2007
    Lowell/Amesbury Massachusetts
    you say that classic 410 doesnt handle the B string?
     
  6. Jun 24, 2008 #6
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    Using a high-rated cab with a low-wattage amp is fine. It won't damage anything and it will work fine. However, I have a thing about high-rated cabs where I think the speakers suffer for being built so heavy duty, so I gravitate toward low to medium handling speakers. I've been told it's illogical to believe that, but I do.
     
  7. Jun 24, 2008 #7
    jsingles

    jsingles

    Aug 30, 2007
    Lowell/Amesbury Massachusetts
    thanks jimmy, I guess what scares me is the super high ratings of some of the 410's I am seeing.

    I was thinking about an avatar 410, but the 1000 watt rating made me wonder if 250 watts to power it was a bad idea.

    I am interested in the 410he still, but I am hearing alot of mixed reviews about it. that it apparently lacks alot in low end, and will fart out very quickly. troublesome :\

    where will the hunt for a 410 take me?
     
  8. Jun 24, 2008 #8
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    Straight to the depths of hell and back again, that's where it'll take you!!

    I don't know...I like the 410HE. I didn't get to crank it when I've used it on my gigs, but I'm pretty sure it could handle some stuff.
     
  9. Jun 24, 2008 #9
    jsingles

    jsingles

    Aug 30, 2007
    Lowell/Amesbury Massachusetts
    hopefully I can test drive one with my rig.

    all I know is that my 115 isnt going to cut it by itself, and short from selling the 115 and getting something completely different, a nice 410 is up my ally.
     
  10. Jun 24, 2008 #10
    chicago_mike

    chicago_mike

    Oct 9, 2007
    Chicago - LA - Rome - Dallas
    Endorsing Artist : Genz Benz
    I didnt like how it handled the B on my bass. I also tried a modulus 5 and 6 and while at lower volumes it handled it..Im running the 900 in mono and pretty much have that amp dimed..at that point there is breakup, not from the swr, but the classic 410.
     
  11. Jun 24, 2008 #11
    JimmyM

    JimmyM Supporting Member

    Apr 11, 2005
    Apopka, FL
    Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
    Mono bridged or a single channel?
     
  12. Jun 24, 2008 #12
    chicago_mike

    chicago_mike

    Oct 9, 2007
    Chicago - LA - Rome - Dallas
    Endorsing Artist : Genz Benz
    how clean is the 250 watts?
     
  13. Jun 24, 2008 #13
    jsingles

    jsingles

    Aug 30, 2007
    Lowell/Amesbury Massachusetts
    any recommendations to me, given my situation? I have a hartke HA5500 head.. though I planned to upgrade to something nicer after I secured a better cab situation
     
  14. Jun 24, 2008 #14
    chicago_mike

    chicago_mike

    Oct 9, 2007
    Chicago - LA - Rome - Dallas
    Endorsing Artist : Genz Benz
    bridged. I will say this on the ampegs behalf..4 string punchy assed rock...yeah it does that with meat and ass.
     
  15. Jun 24, 2008 #15
    chicago_mike

    chicago_mike

    Oct 9, 2007
    Chicago - LA - Rome - Dallas
    Endorsing Artist : Genz Benz
    the 5500, well, 250 a side? If it can do mono, that might be your best bet there.

    lets see lets see...I would run mono if you can and get a better 410. Yeah you might peak the 5500. But, you can always use the built in comp to help quiet the peaks and spikes. Its not perfect, but it should work and not cost you cab and head money.

    The issue is speaker efficiency. My dad played with a sunn 2000s and the jbl 4520 2x15 scoop and a slant plate..his preamp was a moog parametric eq. So he was maybe puching 120 watts...but he never had the amp past 3....try to do that with the sunn head and a 800watt 410...not gonna happen.

    And, realistically, ask yourself how often will you use both the 115 and 410...if its not often enough, get a 410 that can do the gig without extra cabinet help. Yeah its money, but its money well spent. Resale value will also be better.

    Sorry for the long winded post.. =)