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Big E Speakers Part 4 - Quadraphenia
- Thread starter kesslari
- Start date
Mike's 112's pack serious punch. I had one for a little while and managed to not hurt myself or leave bruises while playing it, but it was a near thing on occasion...
That's the MAS109. Although we grabbed a 112 as well. 
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,227
- 45,063
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Boy, did a gig last night (same small, oddly-shaped bar as I wrote about with my Flex) with a backline supplied - GK head and 115 cab.
sigh...
My knees probably heard everything just fine...
Huge difference and improvement in overall sound and "sound throughout the room" with the MAS cabs.
sigh...
My knees probably heard everything just fine...
Huge difference and improvement in overall sound and "sound throughout the room" with the MAS cabs.
Visited my folks for a few days over Christmas. My younger brother just picked up a drumset, so we jammed a few times in my parents' basement. I had my MAS 112 and the little KXB-500. Also at my folks' place was my old Dr. Bass 2x12"*. I've mentioned that cab here before -- I picked it up some years back, basically new, in the TB classifieds. For reference, it's not a standard model, but was a custom job for the original owner: two Faital FH500 woofers, vertically arrayed, and a 6.5" Faital mid (the same, if I'm not mistaken, as used in the Flex cabs and in the Baer ML-112). I can't say anything about the tuning or the port area, but I can can say that when I got it I compared it to a few different Ampeg, GK, and Markbass rigs and liked the Dr. B better -- felt that the low end was both more present and tighter and I liked the woofer + mid arrangement better than the woofer + tweeter of the other cabs. That cab served as my main cab and standard-of-reference until I got my MAS-112, which more or less retired it.
When I got my MAS 112, I took it and the 2x12" on a couple of gigs together (now that was a joyful load-in!) and played them back-to-back. I also took them to a loud jam, so I could listen from the audience as well as playing on stage. The 112 was deeper, clearer, and hit harder. It was easier to hear in a dense mix. Out in the audience, the difference was even more apparent -- the sound of the 112 was just more consistent in the house; pitches were better defined and it was more pleasant to listen to. As the volume increased (all of these happened to be rather loud outings), the differences became more apparent -- when things got stupid loud, the 112 remained dynamic, while the Dr. Bass started to sound a little compressed and stressed. I've played the 112 out a bunch of times since then, and it's always delivered for me -- always clear and easy-to-hear onstage, always dynamic, sounds great with whatever I plug into it.
I know that I like the 112 more on the gig than the 2x12" -- it's a good cab, but the 112 is just a level above. That's why I was surprised, when goofing around with both cabs in my folks' basement this week, to find that I liked the 2x12" as well -- maybe even better in some ways. That 6.5" driver does get a good grind going in the mid-mids, which is kind of fun -- the funk lies closer to the surface, there. And in a boomy basement, with a boomy drumset in need of tuning, not having as much of the low-lows present was an advantage. Finally, even though drums were present, tolerable basement volume levels (especially without earplugs, which I gig with but didn't have then) were still a good deal lower than I'd use on a gig. The 2x12" is a good cab, and playing it again reminded me of what I liked about it. It also reminded me of how different playing at home can be from playing on a gig. The more mid-forward voice of the 2x12" was fun playing some ganky funk in the basement for 20 minutes at a stretch, but after 3 hours at gig volume I'd rather be listening to the balanced-but-still-present mids of the 112. Same thing with the bass response -- I know that conventional wisdom holds that you don't want too much actual bass on the gig, and, a lot of times, that's true, but I've never felt that I had to cut bass with the 112 (well, maybe the tiniest bit, sometimes, with Monique) or felt that it was in the way or had to be "managed" on the gig. On the contrary, having those frequencies there but still usable and clear is cool and, I feel, helps drive the band and give it a good sonic foundation. I already mentioned that it stays more dynamic at volume and kicks harder -- no cons for me, there. As much as I liked the other cab, and as well as it served me for a few years, I wouldn't go back to it unless I had to. If I'd never played either cab before, though, I'd not have guessed at all that from a brief, basement "trial".
Just thought I'd share that.
Hope everyone is well, and well-poised (or getting there!) for a good new year.
Cheers!
-Mark
When I got my MAS 112, I took it and the 2x12" on a couple of gigs together (now that was a joyful load-in!) and played them back-to-back. I also took them to a loud jam, so I could listen from the audience as well as playing on stage. The 112 was deeper, clearer, and hit harder. It was easier to hear in a dense mix. Out in the audience, the difference was even more apparent -- the sound of the 112 was just more consistent in the house; pitches were better defined and it was more pleasant to listen to. As the volume increased (all of these happened to be rather loud outings), the differences became more apparent -- when things got stupid loud, the 112 remained dynamic, while the Dr. Bass started to sound a little compressed and stressed. I've played the 112 out a bunch of times since then, and it's always delivered for me -- always clear and easy-to-hear onstage, always dynamic, sounds great with whatever I plug into it.
I know that I like the 112 more on the gig than the 2x12" -- it's a good cab, but the 112 is just a level above. That's why I was surprised, when goofing around with both cabs in my folks' basement this week, to find that I liked the 2x12" as well -- maybe even better in some ways. That 6.5" driver does get a good grind going in the mid-mids, which is kind of fun -- the funk lies closer to the surface, there. And in a boomy basement, with a boomy drumset in need of tuning, not having as much of the low-lows present was an advantage. Finally, even though drums were present, tolerable basement volume levels (especially without earplugs, which I gig with but didn't have then) were still a good deal lower than I'd use on a gig. The 2x12" is a good cab, and playing it again reminded me of what I liked about it. It also reminded me of how different playing at home can be from playing on a gig. The more mid-forward voice of the 2x12" was fun playing some ganky funk in the basement for 20 minutes at a stretch, but after 3 hours at gig volume I'd rather be listening to the balanced-but-still-present mids of the 112. Same thing with the bass response -- I know that conventional wisdom holds that you don't want too much actual bass on the gig, and, a lot of times, that's true, but I've never felt that I had to cut bass with the 112 (well, maybe the tiniest bit, sometimes, with Monique) or felt that it was in the way or had to be "managed" on the gig. On the contrary, having those frequencies there but still usable and clear is cool and, I feel, helps drive the band and give it a good sonic foundation. I already mentioned that it stays more dynamic at volume and kicks harder -- no cons for me, there. As much as I liked the other cab, and as well as it served me for a few years, I wouldn't go back to it unless I had to. If I'd never played either cab before, though, I'd not have guessed at all that from a brief, basement "trial".
Just thought I'd share that.
Hope everyone is well, and well-poised (or getting there!) for a good new year.
Cheers!
-Mark
*If you're new to TB or unfamiliar with the Dr. Bass saga, despite any good things I might have to say about this cab, buying a new one would, unfortunately, be a dicey proposition: (Dr Bass/Marc Serio)-cab builder accepted >k in payments,never delivered gear
Thought I'd expand a bit on the post above: Having played both cabs a lot in varying situations, I know that the MAS 112 works better for me, all-around. Its other advantages (extension, clarity, dispersion, dynamics, and max volume) aside, it's allowed me to relax in difficult mixes, knowing that I'll always be able to hear what I'm doing (not being able to do that, especially if I'm playing fretless, stresses me out). Even in the other informal comparisons made between the two cabs shortly after getting my 112 (in front of demanding living room, kitchen, and garage crowds), the 112 always came out ahead. If I were judging solely by that couple of brief, low-volume bass-and-drum jams played in a corner of my parents' basement, the choice wouldn't have been that obvious. My intention wasn't so much a comparison of the cabs as to relay what was (to me, anyway) an interesting experience, and to reiterate the oft-stated point that playing out can be very different from noodling around at home -- everyone knows that kitchen EQ often has little bearing on garage EQ.
I often practice through my 112 at home -- yep, even in an apartment. I do have to be very careful with the volume knob, but even at that low, vortex-unfriendly level, the cab sounds pretty good -- still clear, articulate, and balanced, still an honest representation of what I'm doing. At gig levels it takes on another dimension -- the sound is richer and more open, and the percussive kick is more in force.
I often practice through my 112 at home -- yep, even in an apartment. I do have to be very careful with the volume knob, but even at that low, vortex-unfriendly level, the cab sounds pretty good -- still clear, articulate, and balanced, still an honest representation of what I'm doing. At gig levels it takes on another dimension -- the sound is richer and more open, and the percussive kick is more in force.
Thanks, MarkA, for your comments. Always helpful.
By way of comparing notes, my experience with the MAS112 is the same. It sounds fine at low volume in a small space, like practicing at home--but its advantages over other cabs are not obvious. Hit it with some power in a bar gig situation, and...yowzah!...prepare to have other musos come up on break and ask how in the world are you getting that huge, clean, room-filling, punchy sound out of a single 1-12 cabinet.
By way of comparing notes, my experience with the MAS112 is the same. It sounds fine at low volume in a small space, like practicing at home--but its advantages over other cabs are not obvious. Hit it with some power in a bar gig situation, and...yowzah!...prepare to have other musos come up on break and ask how in the world are you getting that huge, clean, room-filling, punchy sound out of a single 1-12 cabinet.
To be fair, the 112 is about the size of a smallish 2x12" -- with the full grill on mine, that's exactly what most people think it is (at least at first). Other musicians will sometimes ask about the 46 or the Flex when I'm setting up, since they're a little different looking. People ask about the 112, too, after they hear it.
Received the 106 today. Great tone in a lil' cab! It's sitting atop a 1203.
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,227
- 45,063
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Not new, but awful pretty and functional...
Are you talking about yourself? Just kidding.
I've pondered more than once buying a sub to set one of my Flex110's on just to hear and feel what it's like...
I've pondered more than once buying a sub to set one of my Flex110's on just to hear and feel what it's like...
you both cut a fetching profile! These cabs are so awesome! I pulled my for sale thread as I was selling for under half of retail for a lightly used cab. No one locally was interested. Lots of interest on the east coast, but no one willing to pay up the shipping cost. I am just going to let my survivors figure out what to do with this bass gear when I am gone! Gettin back in the mix with others soon I hope, while my guitar player tries to get back from health issues. Keep on truckin man!
Mighty sweet bass too! I bet that sounds amazing through that rig. I miss my Zon fretless.
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,227
- 45,063
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
- Dec 21, 2007
- 15,227
- 45,063
- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
Thank you. Yes, the overall sound is very happymaking for me.Mighty sweet bass too! I bet that sounds amazing through that rig. I miss my Zon fretless.
