anyone play a TC BC208 cab?

[pcake]

i loooove their 2x8 combo. i found the combo didn't have harsh highs or mids, and you could dial in a fairly vintage, smooth sound. i played at least 2 dozen basses through the combo, and they all sounded good to me. so i asked a TC rep if the BC208 cab had the same speakers and basic engineering. the reply was "it's pretty close".

so is it? anyone know?

 

[Redbrangus]

...the reply was "it's pretty close".

That sounds like a cop-out answer from a guy who doesn't actually know, IMHO.

I have a BG-208 and the BQ-500 amp. (I did what the government wanted with some of my stimulus money -- I put it back into the economy. ) I bought it to have something small for my little acoustic/electric guitar trio and it does the job well enough, but I'm not especially fussy about a bass sound. The drivers in it are Turbosound -- also a Music Tribe company -- and it's difficult to imagine they're putting different drivers in two products that perform almost exactly the same function. But like that other guy, I don't actually KNOW. I would think if you like the combo, you'll like the cab.

 

[pcake]

That sounds like a cop-out answer from a guy who doesn't actually know, IMHO.

I have a BG-208 and the BQ-500 amp. (I did what the government wanted with some of my stimulus money -- I put it back into the economy. ) I bought it to have something small for my little acoustic/electric guitar trio and it does the job well enough, but I'm not especially fussy about a bass sound. The drivers in it are Turbosound -- also a Music Tribe company -- and it's difficult to imagine they're putting different drivers in two products that perform almost exactly the same function. But like that other guy, I don't actually KNOW. I would think if you like the combo, you'll like the cab.

it sounded like a cop-out to me, too. either he didn't know - he claimed to have played both - or he didn't want to risk it coming back at him.

BG-208? do you mean a BC-208 or is that a cab i don't know? and yeah, it seems like it wouldn't be worthwhile for them to create a second cab set-up. and its small footprint would work so well for me.

i had a BQ250. it was a whopping $150, and when i sold my hartke LH500, it got me through.

 

[Mr. Business]

I have not tried the combo, but I have 2 of the cabs for a small modular setup. They’re very impressive for their size and coin. I power mine with a Genzler Magellan 350. I would also say the highs and mids are not harsh. I would assume they use the same drivers, but I can’t say for sure.

 

[Redbrangus]

BG-208? do you mean a BC-208 or is that a cab i don't know?

No, you're right, it's BC.... a senior moment.

I have the input panel out right now trying to figure what the best way to install an NL-4 (or maybe two) would be. It's semi-dopey to me that they sell amps that have only Speakons and a cab that only has quarter-phones. On that subject, I'd recommend you get a proper adaptor cable rather than use the plug-in adaptor.

 

[InkCow]

I haven’t played the combo, but I have the cab. I use it with my Warwick Gnome. Like @Redbrangus I’m also not hugely precious about “my sound”. It sounds fine. It’s not a particularly deep sounding cabinet, but I think it sits in the mix pretty well. It’s probably not the best “bedroom tone”, which is funny since it’s basically the size and weight (maybe smaller and lighter!) than a “practice amp”. I’ve read some reviews that called it “boxy” sounding and I don’t know that I necessarily disagree with that, but I also don’t know that if it’s a pejorative in the context of describing this cab’s sound.

Anyway, I like it. I’m seriously considering getting another one to have a stack, but my preference would be something that was naturally deeper to complement it. Maybe another 2x8 would have this effect, but it seems like a 1x12 would be exactly what I’m looking for.

 

[InkCow]

I do have to say that the idea of being to easily carry a full stack, one cab in each hand, with my 2 pound head in the pocket of my gig bag nine blocks to the venue down the street is super appealing and makes me much more tolerant to how it might sound. That the stack would be less than $600 is icing on the cake, honestly.

 

[Redbrangus]

Hey @pcake - This discussion shamed me into finally finishing the NL4 conversion on my BC-208. Before I put it back together, I realized I could take a pic of the driver for you. I guess this is only useful if you're willing to take your combo apart enough to check the part number on the speaker, but here it is if you want it.

 

[pcake]

Hey @pcake - This discussion shamed me into finally finishing the NL4 conversion on my BC-208. Before I put it back together, I realized I could take a pic of the driver for you. I guess this is only useful if you're willing to take your combo apart enough to check the part number on the speaker, but here it is if you want it.
View attachment 4951988

that's very kind of you, but i don't own the combo. i spent many visits to west l.a. GC playing it. but maybe there's a way to find out. so far, the TC reps aren't exactly helping, but i could ask them directly for the part number of the speaker.

btw, how do you like the cab?

and if you don't mind, what's an NL4 conversion?

 

[Redbrangus]

Oops.... I thought I remembered from another thread that you had a BG-250 combo. Well anyway, you've got half the pieces to the puzzle.

I modified the input connector dish to have a couple of Speakon NL4 connectors in parallel to the quarter-phone inputs. Here's a pic of the result, but I not particularly proud of the job. It ain't especially pretty, but it'll work. I've fabricated countless input panels in aluminum or steel, but this may have been my first one made out of ABS plastic.

I like the cab well enough -- I agree that it might sound a little boxy, but it's EQ-able. I'm with @InkCow in that I'm a bit more tolerant of the sound because of the form factor and the price. I went ahead and put two Speakons on it, in anticipation of adding a second cab, but I'm not sure I'll get one -- I don't really need two cabs for the purposes I bought this for. I might just get a second one because they're so cheap; at some point they'll probably be discontinued or updated and then no longer available.

 

[InkCow]

Oops.... I thought I remembered from another thread that you had a BG-250 combo. Well anyway, you've got half the pieces to the puzzle.

I modified the input connector dish to have a couple of Speakon NL4 connectors in parallel to the quarter-phone inputs. Here's a pic of the result, but I not particularly proud of the job. It ain't especially pretty, but it'll work. I've fabricated countless input panels in aluminum or steel, but this may have been my first one made out of ABS plastic.

I like the cab well enough -- I agree that it might sound a little boxy, but it's EQ-able. I'm with @InkCow in that I'm a bit more tolerant of the sound because of the form factor and the price. I went ahead and put two Speakons on it, in anticipation of adding a second cab, but I'm not sure I'll get one -- I don't really need two cabs for the purposes I bought this for. I might just get a second one because they're so cheap; at some point they'll probably be discontinued or updated and then no longer available.

View attachment 4952485

That’s a smart mod. Do the 1/4” plugs still work or did these replace them?

 

[Redbrangus]

My original plan had been to just replace the quarter-phones, but when I got into it, I realized there was room enough for both sets of connectors. So yeah, they're all in parallel now.

 

[Marcus Araz]

Oops.... I thought I remembered from another thread that you had a BG-250 combo. Well anyway, you've got half the pieces to the puzzle.

I modified the input connector dish to have a couple of Speakon NL4 connectors in parallel to the quarter-phone inputs. Here's a pic of the result, but I not particularly proud of the job. It ain't especially pretty, but it'll work. I've fabricated countless input panels in aluminum or steel, but this may have been my first one made out of ABS plastic.

I like the cab well enough -- I agree that it might sound a little boxy, but it's EQ-able. I'm with @InkCow in that I'm a bit more tolerant of the sound because of the form factor and the price. I went ahead and put two Speakons on it, in anticipation of adding a second cab, but I'm not sure I'll get one -- I don't really need two cabs for the purposes I bought this for. I might just get a second one because they're so cheap; at some point they'll probably be discontinued or updated and then no longer available.

View attachment 4952485

Hello friend, I am about to do the same modification as well, are the panel mount Speakon connectors 2-pole or 4-pole?

 

[Redbrangus]

I used the NL4, 4-pole connectors and I would advise doing that. The panel-mount 4-pole will accept the 2-pole connector, but the 2-pole panel mount does NOT accept the 4-pole, cable-end connector, so the 4-pole, NL4 connector is more universal. Use the first pair of terminals, +1 & -1, and ignore the second pair -- don't parallel them with the first pair.

Edit: BTW, I did go ahead and spring for a second BC-208, and I converted that one too. Naturally, it was quicker and easier the second time around.

 

[Marcus Araz]

Neutrik NLT4MPXX Chassis connector speakON favorable buying at our...

Are these okay? I didn't get the unit yet, I will simply paralel the 1/4 jacks right?

 

[Redbrangus]

Hmmm... I've actually never seen that connector before, but I don't see why it wouldn't work -- they're all compatible. However, I'd use the regular old NL4MP(*); they have a rectangular mounting flange that leaves the screw mounting holes a little farther from the edge of the larger mounting hole. Given that the material is ABS plastic, I think that's probably slightly more secure. I enlarged the screw holes slightly so they would accept our American #6 hardware -- if you're in Europe you'll have easier access to the proper metric hardware -- sized M3, IIRC. Absolutely do use 'through' hardware (nuts and bolts) with flat, countersunk screw heads, and I used both flat washers and lock-washers on the backside. You CAN mount the Speakons from the back, so just the connector body shows, and I considered doing that because it looks better (IMO), but I decided the countersunk screw holes in the connector flange would hold up better than countersinking new holes in the ABS plastic input panel on the cab. If you back-mount the connector, the mounting screws HAVE to be countersunk or you can't insert and turn the mating connector properly. (Learned this the hard way. )

(*) I see the NL4MP has been superseded by a new part number, NL4MPXX. I imagine there are still plenty of the older ones in the supply chain, but I don't know that -- I haven't bought any Speakons since before the pandemic. But the standard NL4MP or MPXX should be fine, and probably easier to source than that metal shell one.

Edit: Oh yeah, just parallel the new connectors along with the existing quarter-phones. My memory's fuzzy on it now, but I seem to remember there was a blue wire and a red wire, and red was the '+'. It would be advisable to confirm that, though.

 

[Marcus Araz]

I think this one is the one you used Neutrik NL4MPXX Chassis connector speakON favorable buying at our ...

the only difference is the one I sent above is the metal version, more robust. And also the mounting screws are a bit more distant from the center. Plastic one is much cheaper for sure. I will decide later. Many thank you for the help.

Lastly, I used to have two pieces of RS112 cabinets, which I am pairing with BH800 and the RS112 are really powerful but some frequencies are missing. Thus I sold one RS112 and I bought the BC208. I will use the BC208 for smaller venues and pair with RS12 for larger venues. Both are 200w. Do you think it is better to get two BC208s instead of having one BC208 and one RS112?

 

[Redbrangus]

I think this one is the one you used Neutrik NL4MPXX Chassis connector speakON favorable buying at our ...

the only difference is the one I sent above is the metal version, more robust. And also the mounting screws are a bit more distant from the center. Plastic one is much cheaper for sure. I will decide later. Many thank you for the help.

Lastly, I used to have two pieces of RS112 cabinets, which I am pairing with BH800 and the RS112 are really powerful but some frequencies are missing. Thus I sold one RS112 and I bought the BC208. I will use the BC208 for smaller venues and pair with RS12 for larger venues. Both are 200w. Do you think it is better to get two BC208s instead of having one BC208 and one RS112?

Yep, that's the one. The metal shell version probably IS more durable, but the glass-reinforced thermoplastic of the standard one is still very rugged. The shell isn't really the potential failure point, but rather it's the interface and the mounting to the supporting surface, IMO. Given that you're mounting to a non-durable ABS plastic surface, I feel like a metal shell is a bit of overkill. But as I said, I don't see any reason NOT to use the NLT4 version. Given that you're only buying a few, the difference in cost isn't very important, I wouldn't think. If the metal shell version does have the screw holes further from the center, and thus from the edge of the mounting hole, that would definitely be an advantage -- that is very much a potential failure point, especially when dealing with plastics. And four screws would be much better than the two that the plastic one has. Hey, you've convinced me. Of course, I had trouble getting just TWO screw holes per connector in the right place, so I'd probably have no hope of getting all four right -- witness the evidence in the picture I posted earlier. I did do better on the second one.

I really don't have much experience with the RS-series cabs, so I can't offer much of an opinion about the combination of the two. Generally speaking, I'm not enthusiastic about using a "cafeteria plan" (mixing and matching different cabs) to achieve a sonic result, but that doesn't mean it can't work. I'm actually a little surprised that a pair of RS112's wasn't satisfactory; what frequency range was lacking? If you're thinking the 208 cab might help compensate for deficiencies in the upper range, it might not be the solution you're looking for. I don't find the high end of the BC-208 to be particularly brilliant -- it's somewhat darker than the Elf 208 I've played on, for instance. Darker might not be exactly the right word, but just 'less bright'. Of course it's all subjective anyway, so here's the old 'YMMV'.

 

[Marcus Araz]

Thank you for your comments, I plan to drill the larger hole first, place the panel connector, align them and mark the screw holes. I can use a 3D printer to design a guide if necessary, but it sounds like an overkill for now. I will share my progress here with you.

The RS112 has a tweeter and a treble level pot at the back of the unit, but some mid frequencies are missing. You can hear the absence of those frequencies when playing with the band. When you play alone, it sounds decent but when playing with a band, somehow those mid-frequencies are gone. I will try the BC208 and if I feel something similar then I will blame the BH800 amplifier

 

[Redbrangus]

That sounds like a plan. I suppose I could have put a bit more effort into the job for a better result, but the sloped and rounded sides of the inset input panel complicated keeping everything square and aligned. In any case, it's on the back panel where it's almost never seen, so I don't sweat it too much.

It's just my opinion, but I wouldn't be too quick to blame the amp if that speaker combination doesn't perform to your satisfaction.