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Avatar cabs

pappabass

pappabass

Inactive
May 19, 2006
2,575
3,311
Alabama !! Roll Tide
#1
What are your thoughts on Avatar cabs? Looking at the sb112 cab. I had been looking at hartke hd112 someone mentioned Avatar. I am looking at eventually running a 1-12 or 2-12 setup depending on gig size. Moving away from 1-15 cab due to weight and size. But the Avatar is 46 lbs. A little more than I wanted. Hartke is in the 30's
 
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#2
I just bought the SB126 Avatar.
Yes, it is a bit heavy and I'm a bit old...

Avatar is designed by Eminence and constructed by Dave & Crew at Avatar in No. Idaho.
They are correctly tuned for the driver being used.
Construction quality is straight forward, simple and sturdy.

Mine was ordered with a COTS Delta 12LFa 12" bass driver.
The optional neo drivers are proprietary OEM specs for Avatar, so a COTS replacement won't be an exact match.

I wanted a modest, "right now" cab for rehearsal or small venues.
It gets old hauling the big rig around with everything else.

I needed more of a full range cab, because I use it for either bass or keys/synths.
One can roll their own with 12mm baltic birch, brace accordingly, yada-yada to save some weight... but this is a lot of effort and tooling.

At this price point, you are not going to get hand-tailored crossovers exactly matched to the drivers in use.
These are just "speakers in boxes".
Well made, correctly tuned, and entirely suitable.
 
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#3
I've been playing Avatar cabs almost exclusively for about 12 years now – including an SB112 Neo. I think it's 44 lbs. There are plenty of lighter options out there, but I wanted something that sounded great, was built in the U.S., and was backed by good customer service...and Avatar fit the bill nicely. In recent years, when hauling two cabs, I've found the Rock N Roller Cart – which I first heard about from @BassCliff – to be a true back-saver.
 
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#4
I have the SB112 Neo in blue Tolex. Great cab. A little bigger than most 112's so it more full sounding like a 115. With a 300w head I have done loud rock band rehearsals and parties with it, all by itself. It's not a modern sounding cab, more of a classic rock and blues cab. I would get the 12/6 now.
 
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#5
I have used Avatars exclusively for many years. I loved their B115, but it was way too big for what it was; the SB112 does indeed emulate a 1x15 but in a smaller package. The cabs can be a little heavy, but they are super-sturdy and made of Baltic birch and can take a beating. I also have the B210, which is about 46 lbs. in neo but is a great standalone option if you have PA support. I alternate between the two, and find the 12" to be a little warmer. They are a great value used, as they do not have great resale value. Highly recommended. Oh, I am 69 and find these cabs fit nicely on a well-made handcart. The handles are deeply recessed, and they are a balanced load.
 
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#7
I have run the Avatar B210 for at least a decade. Had the B212 cab but preferred a 410 cab if I was going to haul something that large and heavy.

Tweeters are silenced on all my Avatar cabs. That said they have lasted doing 75% of 3-4 rehearsal/gigs a week (pre Covid) for the last ten years. They are relatively light weight, have good freq responses, rugged enough to take road life without any maintenance and were easy on the pocketbook as I bought them used.
 
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#14
I have been playing exclusively Avatar B210 neo's for about a decade. Never been so happy with a speaker cab before. Relatively lightweight, relatively inexpensive, American made. In fact I have bought some on craigslist when i see a good price "just in case".
 
#16
The sound great till they rattle themselves apart due to cheap construction (box joints instead of finger joints) also Dave and his crew are really not too good at the whole customer service thing. IIRC their speaker wiring diagrams also have the incorrect impedances on the more complex ones last I checked.
 
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#17
waltdogg said:
The sound great till they rattle themselves apart due to cheap construction (box joints instead of finger joints) also Dave and his crew are really not too good at the whole customer service thing. IIRC their speaker wiring diagrams also have the incorrect impedances on the more complex ones last I checked.
Click to expand...
Never had a rattle in nearly a decade.
 
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#18
I've owned 2 Avatar cabs the SB-126 and the B-410 (still own). Yes Avatar's cabs are heavy, but they sound really good, the price is right, and they are built like tanks! My SB-126 that I sold to GC in Beaumont, TX is still for sale there. It sounds like a 15 IMO. The Avatar cabs sound better than cabs double the price IMO. I bought my B-410 used off of Guitar Center online for around $280. I did put 4 new ceramic 10s in the cab direct from Avatar, so I have around $550 invested in the cab, but it sounds so so good. Probably the last cab i'll ever buy.
 
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#19
Bought an Avatar B210 and B115 in the early 2000s along with a GK 400RB. Never a rattle, never a problem. Not even when run with a SansAmp RBI and a QSC RMX850 power amp playing outdoor festivals and charity events. 50 pounds each - heavy, but doable with a handcart.

Worst part of them was the black rat fur attracting my cat's fur.
 
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#20
waltdogg said:
The sound great till they rattle themselves apart due to cheap construction (box joints instead of finger joints) also Dave and his crew are really not too good at the whole customer service thing. IIRC their speaker wiring diagrams also have the incorrect impedances on the more complex ones last I checked.
Click to expand...
None of what you posted reflects my experience with the cabs or with Dave. At all.

Sorry you had a bad outcome.
 
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