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Are SLM era cabs really that bad??

chubrocker

chubrocker

May 6, 2006
643
1
KCMO
#1
I'm wanting a new cab and am looking mainly at Ampeg 610HLF and 810E, but I am only finding SLM era cabs near my area. All the comments here make me steer away. Warranted advice? My main gripe is not real plywood, but should I just stay clear entirely due to being inferior overall?
 
#2
My 610HLF is from May of '06, and i've been using it for 4 years solid with no problems at all. It is possible that mine is from the chipboard era, but as i was told, if it's never in a flood i should be ok. hahaha.. But seriously, it's a great cab, but is sonically different from the 810. For my ears you need to stand away from the 610 about 10-15 feet to really hear what it's doing as opposed to the 810. 810 = more punch, 610HLF = more bottom end. The front ports on the 610HLF seem to disperse the low frequencies more than the sealed, punchy 810. IME at least..

Having used both for some years, i have to say i like the 610HLF. Easier on the back and sounds great. YMMV tho...
 
#3
People don't like them because their muddy and built with MDF. I bought my 810e new in 2000 still use it still love it and now i have 2. And you can get them around $400 they are a fine cab. People say the vietnam-present are better with birch ply and different drivers but i've never had a single problem with mine.
 
#4
I'm fine with either. I'm more concerned with quality of product. I don't have the time and money to seek out a variety of cabs from multiple cities, etc. The GC locally only has newer models in stock. 810 and 610s come up very rarely. I found a local-ish 810E (silver front!) in travel case for great price. It's USA made, so I'm sure its SLM.

I'm just concerned about dropping $800 on an inferior product overall. But, I also wonder if my ears will pick up the nuances like some on this forum. Many comments make me fear even considering a SLM era cab. I play in hard rock band--will I really notice the difference from these era of cabs??
 
#5
Are they really that muddy? Can you EQ it out?

ampegfuzz said:
People don't like them because their muddy and built with MDF. I bought my 810e new in 2000 still use it still love it and now i have 2. And you can get them around $400 they are a fine cab. People say the vietnam-present are better with birch ply and different drivers but i've never had a single problem with mine.
Click to expand...
 
#8
Hmmm... my 610HLF is SLM and not muddy. you don't need to crank the up the "bass" to make it sound good. It is designed to have a lower frequency than the 810 therefore you do not need to add that much bass. I play rock, reggae, metal (hell even some bluegrass when i'm really feelin it) and it works for everything. I run the settings on MY 800RB "flat" with a slight treble cut and a slight low mid boost. Tweeter off. If i need high twinkle, you add some tweeter. easy as that.

I too was questioning my purchase (like i said i've owned/gigged/toured with it for 4 years) after reading some comments, but to each his own. If have never once had a soundguy tell me my rig was muddy. Again, you have to be about 10-15 feet away from it, so i bet you by being in GC and standing 5 feet in front of the cab you will in no way hear how clear it really is, especially at "stage" volume.
 
#10
On the flipside, some people comment on the current ones as being too thin or too bright. I've tested out some 410HLF and 810Es made by SLM and preferred by flatback. They are not that bad, but the flatbacks are THAT good, packed with a ton of punch.
 
#11
They aren't that bad.
IMO-They sound way better than some of the low cost alternatives, in the sub-$500 category. You can usually find'em (SLM-era 810E)for $500 or less and comparing them to the GC-Acoustic B810 or GK 810GLX(both around $500-$600 new), the SLM era cabs win by a landslide.
 
#13
chubrocker said:
So only the SLM era has the "slanted" backs?
Click to expand...

Nope. Ampeg stopped making the squarebacks sometime mid 70's (I think?). So every 810 You're gonna find made from then till now is gonna have the slanted top and bottom corners on the back. I have never owned/transported a squareback, but from what I've heard the slanted back design is easier to move because of the towel bar and wheels on the bottom edge. Just move'em like a set of handtrucks.
 
#20
I wouldn't say "muddy" as much as it sounds darker on the whole. From what I can tell it sounds more like a mid shift than any thing. I have an 06 8x10 and compared to the newer ones it sounds like it has more low mids in it. It doesn't sound bad, it just sounds different.

As far as EQing it out, you can to an extent, but its still obvious that there is a different set of speakers in there.
 

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