Cabinet size comparison

[LeftyLB70P]

This question may be impossible to answer but even it's just a mtter of opinions, I am interested in the responses. So....

what kind of tonal differences will be heard in these various (popular) cabinet size setups?
1x15"
1x18"
4x10"
8x10"
2x10"
2x12"
2x15"

Again, I understand that cabinets are going to vary from one maker to the next, drivers of course are going to play into this, and many other similar factors. I appreciate that fact.
Is it possible however to give some general statements on these?

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

10" speakers are generally the punchiest, maybe lacking in the low mids some people find

15" speakers are slower, more warm and mellow sounding usually, pretty full range, but lacking punch

12" speakers are pretty much the best of both worlds between 10's and 15's

18" speakers are probably more floppy sounding than 15" speakers


the more speakers = the louder it is, also the bassier it seems because its got a higher surface area so moves more are

the sound of a speaker cab also comes across differently depending how close it is to your ear (ie, if its at ear level it usually sounds better)


i think thats about it, but im pretty crap at these things and probably wrong

 

[Ego]

i've got a 1x18 Mesa that i LOVE. only problem is the sucker is heavy. the tone it puts out is amazing.

i've owned a couple 1x15s, but they've all been pretty low quality (and i think all but one have been for keyboard... hm.) i tried a whole bunch out before i found my Mesa on eBay, and i think 15s are just really hard to do well. one of my basses is a 5 string with active electronics, and all the ones i played either had good high end but the low B sounded like fuzz, or could handle the B but the upper registers were muddy. the recent line of Mesa 1x15 was the only one out of Peavey, Hartke, GK, etc. that didn't sound really bad. i couldn't afford the Mesa 15 at the time, and it's a good thing because the 18 showed up on eBay a couple weeks later.

so, from my somewhat limited experience, it's easier to find a 10 or 12 incher that sounds good. but if you get a good quality bigger speaker... MM

 

[chadds]

In combination 10s actually give you the bass of a 15 but quicker responses because of the smaller cone. You can get smooth low bass from a good 18 but no speed but huge projection.
Are you trying to be heard on stage or out in another county? Let the PA do that and you get good sound with your blokes. The Acoustic 360 could not be heard on stage but killed at the back of the hall. The length of a bass wave is 25 feet so it it better to not create something that you don't need or hear.(like unwanted children). That is why good quality tens are such a mainstay. I love 12s to if they are fast.