Nothing. I'm happy with the PF115's. But a little birdie told me that expansion may be happening...I guess we'll see in a couple weeks
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Ampeg Portaflex PF-115HE vs. PF-210HE
- Thread starter terribilino
- Start date
JimmyM said:Nothing. I'm happy with the PF115's. But a little birdie told me that expansion may be happening...I guess we'll see in a couple weeks
What??
Has anyone tried plugging the Pf500 into both a 210 and a 115 to make one big stack? I ordered a Pf500 to power my 810, but I really dig the look and convenience of the Portaflex stacks I've seen pictures of and in the near future am considering getting one 115 and one 210 to plug the Pf500 into. Thoughts?
That's what I was thinking, yeah. What doesn't make sense to me is how you're not supposed to mix cabs, and yet not just does t often sound better, but some companies build cabs for heads to mix them.
I play through a Littlemark 2 head and 2 TC Electronic 210 cabs. Today I went to try out some Fender Jazz basses and I played them through an Ampeg combo. I didn't pay attention to the model but it said it was 100 watts and I think it was 115 cab. Long story short. I thought the tone was truly fantastic. Albeit, I was in an isolated room and I did not hear it in the mix of a band but still. Anyway, can the PF 500 sound the same through the TC cabs or would you only get the Ampeg "Tone" from an Ampeg Head and Cabs?
Companies will build and market anything they think will sell.
Here's the mixing cabs thing in a nutshell:
If you mix cabs, you can create phasing issues, where in a mix, most notes will sound normal, some notes will sound a lot louder, and some notes will be quieter. This won't happen when you use identical cabs with identical speakers. The amount mixed cabs will phase will vary from none if the phase relationships are the same to a lot of phasing when they're opposite, and anything in between. How can you know if mixed cabs will work together without trying them? You can't. The results are unpredictable, and trying them is the only way to know, whereas matching cabs are a sure thing.
The idea that mixing cabs gives you the "brightness and snappiness of 10"s with the bigger low end of 15"s" is BS and based entirely on looks. Don't believe me? Check out the Ampeg SVT 410HLF, a 410 cab that goes lower than any cab with 15"s that I've ever heard. Yes, a lot of the time you will see cabs where the 10"s version doesn't go as low as the 15"s version, but that's a manufacturer's design decision, not any hard and fast rule. And no matter what size speakers they use, the vast majority of bass cabs are full range cabs that don't need a cab with different size speakers to compliment their frequency range. But manufacturers are more than happy to present their cabs like it's a good idea to mix them because most bassists' engineering knowledge is entirely based on looks, and they want to sell cabs.
Now do the PF210 and PF115 work well together? Juan Alderete seemed to think so on his summer tour with The Mars Volta opening for Soundgarden, as do a handful of folks on here who bought both. Me, I play it safe. If one cab sounds good to me, two of the same cab will sound twice as good. So I went with the PF115's.
Thanks, Jimmy M. I've seen you a bunch on these forums, always with a good bit of into. That makes a lot of sense, and I see the problems with the phasing issues. I knew Juan Alderete did that, and I got the idea from watching him explain his rig. I'm a 15" guy, so I'd probably go the 115 route like you have. What do you think of the two 115s and pf500 together? Thanks!
Haven't tried them with the PF500, but they rock very well with the PF350 that I have, and the PF500 is a super head IMHO.
Alright, thanks. I'll probably go that route when it comes time for getting some new cabinets for the new head.
Care to elaborate (pleaseNothing. I'm happy with the PF115's. But a little birdie told me that expansion may be happening...I guess we'll see in a couple weeks
)?
I'm planning to get the PF500 this week and one of the flip tops. I've been sold on the 10's for years and haven't had a 15 cab in a long time. This thread has me rethinking.
The reason I went to 10's was I could hear them better on stage compared to the 15's. That being said, there seems to be some thump loss near the back of the room (that's what a PA's for). On the other hand I had a hard time hearing the 15's clearly on stage but they seem to thump the wall in the back of the club overly well.
I play through a Genz 6.0/210 combo currently and love it
!!! I'm getting the PF becuase it has a little dirtier sound (ampegy tone) for practice and some gigging (never giving up the Genz, Thx Jeff.) I've heard the PF210/PF500 and they sound great in front of the stage.
I haven't heard the PF115, I'm sure it sound great too, any feed back on the thought of stage clarity and thump factors as to speaker configuration?
The reason I went to 10's was I could hear them better on stage compared to the 15's. That being said, there seems to be some thump loss near the back of the room (that's what a PA's for). On the other hand I had a hard time hearing the 15's clearly on stage but they seem to thump the wall in the back of the club overly well.
I play through a Genz 6.0/210 combo currently and love it
!!! I'm getting the PF becuase it has a little dirtier sound (ampegy tone) for practice and some gigging (never giving up the Genz, Thx Jeff.) I've heard the PF210/PF500 and they sound great in front of the stage. I haven't heard the PF115, I'm sure it sound great too, any feed back on the thought of stage clarity and thump factors as to speaker configuration?
The PF210 and PF115 sound very similar to me except the PF115 goes a little lower on the low end. Never sat them down side by side to compare them, but as far as I can tell, there's not many differences except for that.I'm planning to get the PF500 this week and one of the flip tops. I've been sold on the 10's for years and haven't had a 15 cab in a long time. This thread has me rethinking.
The reason I went to 10's was I could hear them better on stage compared to the 15's. That being said, there seems to be some thump loss near the back of the room (that's what a PA's for). On the other hand I had a hard time hearing the 15's clearly on stage but they seem to thump the wall in the back of the club overly well.
I play through a Genz 6.0/210 combo currently and love it
I haven't heard the PF115, I'm sure it sound great too, any feed back on the thought of stage clarity and thump factors as to speaker configuration?
I know nothing to elaborate on. They ended up not coming out with any new cabs at NAMM. They are working on some, though.Care to elaborate (please
Cant speak for the 2x10, but my PF500 and two PF115 cabs brings a smile to my dial. Actually, so does just using one cab! This is a rig I will keep until I drop.
so you haven't had any rattling issues with your cabs?
I keep on getting ready to pull the trigger then I read about a bad speaker or a bunch of different folks with rattles.
I understand everything has their problems.
but then the price drop... so that made me think they are phasing them out or at least getting something newer soon.
I keep on getting ready to pull the trigger then I read about a bad speaker or a bunch of different folks with rattles.
I understand everything has their problems.
but then the price drop... so that made me think they are phasing them out or at least getting something newer soon.
I was talking to an Ampeg rep today an yelling him how much I loved my pf500. He told me that I might be very excited with some "developments in that line" in the next few weeks. Without saying much he was suggesting new cabs. Just FYI.
Price drops happen. The idea that those cabs are in danger of being discontinued doesn't make much sense since they sell very well.
As for rattles, I have two PF115's and neither cab has ever rattled. Are there things on them that can potentially rattle? Sure. But the worst of it is the wheels and they easily pop out. The latches are solid, though. Way improved over the original latches from B-15's.
