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Cabs in America

#21
BOOG said:
Just as I suspected, this is going the route of a Mesa fest.
Disregarding the head that I mentioned (yes, I use others), what is it that makes Mesa cabinets so much better than Revsound, Trickfish and Genzler?
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it seems like you want to put more effort into the shopping process than is warranted. It’s not far off from if you had a Mike Lull P body loaded with Lollars and were wanting to experiment with Yamaha, Ibanez, and BC Rich necks.

A method as fruitful as this thread would be laying out the options you want to experiment with on index cards in a circle and spinning a beer bottle between them.

They’re all good cabs with different sound characteristics not designed specifically with the Mesa tone profile in mind. The people who bought them probably like them as very few difficult to enjoy cabs have been made in the last fifteen years.
 
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#23
BOOG said:
What are the other brands/configurations that you were referring to?
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Hope this will qualify:
Aguilar SL212 (Made in USA)
Pair of 112 GK Neo IIs (Made is USA)
Ampeg Heritage SVT410HLF (Made in USA, but not really in the same class/category as the rest, to be fair.)
And of course, the Mesa Subway 115 and 210 cabs

The Heritage is listed for sale (back injury/recent surgery. No more lugging 80lb cabs for me) and some day I'll probably let go of the SL212. Similar to someone else's post further up regarding SL112s, it is just a kinda hollow woofy cab without much definition and clarity. Also, not great power handling vs 12" options from GK, Mesa, and others. 500w @4 ohms. The Ampeg 410HLFs seem to have a reputation of being hollow and boomy, but the SL212 is far worse in my experience. Granted, I have the USA made Heritage cab with better drivers, so that helps. I actually prefer the Ampeg to the Aggie for clarity.

I play these with USA made heads as well. Mesa TT800, Aguilar Tone Hammer 500, and GK Legacy 800. Each does its own thing, and here I actually bond with and love the Aggie most. I'm planning to do a shootout video in the next week or two pitting these three stacks against each other. I have a neighbor who's a REALLY GREAT player, so he'll be playing while we go through each brand, and then mix/match them to see what happens.
 
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#27
superblues said:
I’m a big fan of the previous generation of 212 GK Neo cabs. I have not heard the gen IV cabs yet, but if their tone is similar to the IIIs, the improved form factor gets a big plus from me.
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From RAG himself;
These new cabinets incorporate many features that can add a little weight but greatly improve the sound:
Metal grills that are open enough that they do not induce whistling at high volume.
Dense internal damping material to absorb high frequencies from the rear of the speaker that cause interference and an unpleasant high end sound.
Extra internal bracing to make the cabinet walls stiff and prevent out of phase sound pressure from interfering with the low end performance.
Extremely tough coating that also adds to the cabinet wall stiffness and durability.
Drivers designed and manufactured by us specifically for these cabinets that optimize performance.
 
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#28
I think the Subway 15s are just so versatile, and loud, that even though expensive they're the best bang for the buck. But try finding them. I have two 115s and can't imagine needing more.

Second for me would be Genzler 115 slant, two of them.

A close 3rd would be the GK CX line. I have a 210 and think it's fantastic. I haven't heard the new neo line, but would certainly check it out.

I think just about anything is better than Hartke. I've never liked that brand and always thought it was just a step above beginner level.
 
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#29
BOOG said:
Are these cabs that you use currently or in the past?
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I have a D-800 and use SW 115 and 112 cabs. It sounds great and definitely kept up with my previous band (insanely loud drummer, Marshall 100 watt head and 412 cab). If I had to do the cab purchase again, I think I would go with two 115s. FANTASTIC sounding cab! Not your typical. 115 sound. Plenty of bottom but has a great midrange also.
 
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#30
Wasnex said:
@BOOG , ultimately it does not matter what anyone else thinks. Doing the research may narrow down your choices a bit, but ultimately the best thing to do is hunt down and try cabs till you find the sound you are after.

Lot's of people love the Subway line, but IMHO that's no guarantee that you will love it.

As an example, think of the millions of people who consider the SVT and 810E the ideal bass rig. The first bass rig I ever bought was a brand new MTI era SVT and 810. I had it special ordered after reading tons of glowing reviews. When it came in, I actually wondered if it was damaged or counterfeit as I thought it sounded awful. For the record, every SVT and 810 I have played since then sounded pretty much the same.

The SVT and 810 is obviously an exceptional rig because people have loved it since 1969, but it's not my sound.
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Yup, that’s the intent of the thread. As there is little information on YouTube and no cabs available to sample, the hope is that this community (TB) will actually produce some valuable insight into the peculiarities and differences of those cabs that are listed as opposed to, “just go get yourself some Aguilar or Mesa gear and you’ll thank me later”.
 
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#31
BOOG said:
Hello everyone! I am getting to the point of upgrading my cabinets. I’m usually playing with (3) guitarists/loud drummer/keyboardist/(2) vox and we are covering any/all 1960’s-current rock/reggae/punk/soul/country. Currently, my main rig setup is active or passive bass ===> pedal board often with hairy-overdrive/distortion ===> Mesa WD800 ===> (2) Hartke HD210.

Specifically, I am looking for American constructed (2) cabs to stack vertically and I am undecided on what to spend my money on. From the following list, I have not played through any but, I have heard the Mesa’s live on a couple of occasions being used by others in medium sized venues.

I guess, ideally, I am asking for a comparison of the Hartke’s I am using with any of the cabs listed if there’s anyone with that specific knowledge. Any feedback on any of these would be appreciated, though.

Anyway, here’s what I’m considering buying a pair (2X) of:
Trickfish TF212
Rev Sound RS212XT
Genzler Nu Classic 212T
Genzler Magellan 212T
Mesa SW 210
Gallien-Krueger NEO IV 212
Click to expand...

Here's another to check out [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Dave gets a lot of compliments about his cabs, his customer service, even himself here at TB. And he's been around for awhile, Avatar started out way back in 1992.
 
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#32
MattZilla said:
it seems like you want to put more effort into the shopping process than is warranted. It’s not far off from if you had a Mike Lull P body loaded with Lollars and were wanting to experiment with Yamaha, Ibanez, and BC Rich necks.

A method as fruitful as this thread would be laying out the options you want to experiment with on index cards in a circle and spinning a beer bottle between them.

They’re all good cabs with different sound characteristics not designed specifically with the Mesa tone profile in mind. The people who bought them probably like them as very few difficult to enjoy cabs have been made in the last fifteen years.
Click to expand...
I’m not quite sure what the point is that you are getting at but yes, I am putting effort into my shopping process. And, though it may be more than you think is warranted, for me, it’s worth the discussion.
 
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#33
bdplaid said:
I think the Subway 15s are just so versatile, and loud, that even though expensive they're the best bang for the buck. But try finding them. I have two 115s and can't imagine needing more.

Second for me would be Genzler 115 slant, two of them.

A close 3rd would be the GK CX line. I have a 210 and think it's fantastic. I haven't heard the new neo line, but would certainly check it out.

I think just about anything is better than Hartke. I've never liked that brand and always thought it was just a step above beginner level.
Click to expand...
Thank you for taking the time and giving some perspective.

Yes, I am right there with you and your Hartke perspective. They’re decent and I started using them as I was right at about, “above beginner level”.

I had an Eden 210XLT that I really thought sounded glorious aside from the intermittent *POP* noise it would make. Obviously, those are no longer an option for purchasing new or for customer support should the need arise.
 
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#34
Clark W said:
Here's another to check out [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. Dave gets a lot of compliments about his cabs, his customer service, even himself here at TB. And he's been around for awhile, Avatar started out way back in 1992.
Click to expand...
How do they get away with being significantly more affordable? I’m not doubting the quality but I do tend to find, “you get what you pay for”. If tone/volume/build quality are premium at those prices, what is the diminishing factor? Maybe I just have not spent enough time on the website and am misinterpreting the pricing.
 
#35
BOOG said:
I’m not quite sure what the point is that you are getting at but yes, I am putting effort into my shopping process. And, though it may be more than you think is warranted, for me, it’s worth the discussion.
Click to expand...
Multiple points in descending order of gravity:
1) Mesa cabs are designed by serious bass geeks to optimise the Mesa tone circuit which is designed by the same serious bass geeks (I truly mean this honorably, Mr. Horse)

2) going off of someone’s words about how a cab designed for a group of amps which may or may not include your amp (Rev Sound) or a specific amp which you’re definitely not using (Trickfish, GK, Genzler) which they may or may not have used with your amp seems as pointless as a thread about your favorite plectrum (I think I’ve made three of those threads :) )

2b) This leads to experimenting without having set a base value- you’re not starting from a Known Point and you’re shortchanging yourself by not having all of the cabs in question to evaluate in a band mix with your ears.​

The Mesa engineers already did this work for you (and for all of their potential customers). They’ve been simultaneously honing their craft for several decades while being at the forefront of electroacoustic technology.

The same can be said for GK, Genzler, and Trickfish. Their cabs are designed for their amps so you can focus your energy on just playing your songs without getting distracted and pulled out of the fleeting moment by wondering if there’s a better cab for your amp.
 
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#36
MattZilla said:
Multiple points in descending order of gravity:
1) Mesa cabs are designed by serious bass geeks to optimise the Mesa tone circuit which is designed by the same serious bass geeks (I truly mean this honorably, Mr. Horse)

2) going off of someone’s words about how a cab designed for a group of amps which may or may not include your amp (Rev Sound) or a specific amp which you’re definitely not using (Trickfish, GK, Genzler) which they may or may not have used with your amp seems as pointless as a thread about your favorite plectrum (I think I’ve made three of those threads :) )

2b) This leads to experimenting without having set a base value- you’re not starting from a Known Point and you’re shortchanging yourself by not having all of the cabs in question to evaluate in a band mix with your ears.​

The Mesa engineers already did this work for you (and for all of their potential customers). They’ve been simultaneously honing their craft for several decades while being at the forefront of electroacoustic technology.

The same can be said for GK, Genzler, and Trickfish. Their cabs are designed for their amps so you can focus your energy on just playing your songs without getting distracted and pulled out of the fleeting moment by wondering if there’s a better cab for your amp.
Click to expand...
Wow.:cool:
 
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