Cabs, what's your favorite and why?

[thebassbuilder]

I have recently found my all time favorite cab and it is the GK MB210. I know this is a combo but these speakers nail every tone I could dream of and then some. They can be very hifi and detailed with plenty of sparkle and then be very warm or bark when needed. I just love this thing. I love a 1X15 as well but have no room or real need for it. But if I was to buy or build a cab it would be a 1X15 with a tweet and maybe a mid speaker that could be turned on or off. I had an SWR workingman 2X12 cab and never really liked it. Had nothing up top and just too muddy. It had Celestions in it, so not sure if that was the problem or the cab design or what. Just not me.

 

[will33]

1. Mine
2. Mine
3. Mine
4. Mine
5. Mine
6. Mine


Because they're mine.

 

[Dogghouse]

I've had Eden 410 & 210 XLT's. Can't anything that sounds better for 10 years. I'll keep playing until they blow.

 

[Jim Carr]

I have lost my enthusiasm for the configurations on the list. I never use them anymore.

I will voice my opinion about a specific unit if I know it well and if a TBer is asking, but to catalogue my favorites is no longer possible.

They are so inferior to what I've used for nearly 3 years now, that they seem like high school girl friends, semi-pleasant memories I usually leave forgotten.

15/6/1 green boy fEARful is another matter entirely.

 

[Basshappi]

1x15 - Bag End S15 and EV TL606
2x15 - Acoustic 106 (w JBL 140), Peavey 215D, Genz Benz
8x10 - Ampeg 810

 

[tedious1]

2x10 - Ampeg SVT-210AV
4x10 - 2 x Ampeg SVT-210AV
6x10 - 3 x Ampeg SVT-210AV
8x10 - Yep, you guessed it... 4 X Ampeg SVT-210AV.

I've only acquired two to date, but I'll catch the other two as they come available used.

I've only ever played 12's in combos, and the only 15 I've ever used was a POS DIY effort made by a previous bass player. That thing breathes so badly it sounds like Darth Vader having an asthma attack...

 

[SickAura]

This...

New to me LDS 15/6/1. Only had it a few weeks but definitely the best sounding cab I have owned. Like the fEARful's it is light, loud, low and clear. My tone has never been better. I have never heard myself better - even with/through earplugs - this cab really cuts through. My back likes it, my ears like it, my band(s) like it.

 

[spiritbass]

Michael Arnopol Sound Flex 110 and MAS 112 w/Faital woofer (sorry, I don't have a pic of the whole cab yet). Because they deliver amazingly clear, articulate detail from normal to high volumes. They let me hear and feel my playing like nothing I've tried before (the list is fairly long!). No words I could type would convey how good they sound. Like any superlative gear, you need to play it yourself to 'get it'.

 

[John E]

I have lost my enthusiasm for the configurations on the list. I never use them anymore.

I will voice opinion about a specific unit if I know it well and if a TBer is asking, but to catalogue my favorites is no longer possible.

They are so inferior to what I've used for nearly 3 years now, that they seem like high school girl friends, semi-pleasant memories I usually leave forgotten.

15/6/1 green boy fEARful is another matter entirely.

So is the fEARful what you have been using for the last 3 years?

 

[Jim Carr]

So is the fEARful what you have been using for the last 3 years?

Yes. 15/6/1 built to greenboy specs. Actually more like 2 years and 9 months.

 

[John E]

I mainly use 4X12 cabinets loaded with Celestion Vintage 30's, although I prefer Celestion G12H 30 watt bass cone (55hz) speakers. But, the G12H's are fragile for bass and you can easily deform the paper voice coil formers. But, the midrange presence, thickness, and projection is pure bliss.

1) Carvin V412A 4x12 with British Celestion Vintage 30's, covered in Ozite gray/black carpet...my main cabinet from 1989, also my loudest and sweetest...and favorite!
2) Carvin PB215 2x15 cabinet with mid '90's Peavey 1502DT Black Widows...GREAT midrange bite, my first cab, my 2nd favorite
3) Peavey 810tvx 8x10 tweed cabinet with Celestion Vintage 10's, crossover bypassed (no tweeter!)
4) Marshall 1069WSP 1997 35th Anniversary Celestion Greenback loaded white/cream 4x12 cabinet
5) Marshall 1960A "Orange Crunch" 4x12 cabinet with 70's Celestion Blackback G12H 55hz 30 watters
6) Two (2) Orange PPC412 cabinets with Celestion chinese Vintage 30's
7) Orange PPC212 cabinet with Celestion chinese Vintage 30's
8) Peavey 3620 with dual 18" Black Widows and two 10" Scorpion Plus drivers...a MONSTER cab
9) Peavey 412S 4x12 cabinet, late 70's, loaded with 1201 aluminum dome Black Widows
10) Peavey 215D-BW 2x15 cabinet, loaded with 1501 aluminum dome Black Widows
11) Marshall VBC810 8x10 cabinet...stock Eminence speakers for now...
12) Marshall 1960ASL limited edition silver 4x12 cab with Celestion Heritage G12H reissue 30 watters
13) Marshall 1960BSL limited edition silver 4x12 cab with Celestion Heritage G12H reissue 30 watters
14) Carvin G412T 4x12 cab, custom made, tweed covering, stock speakers for now...
15) Carvin G412B 4x12 cab, custom made, tweed covering, stock speakers yet again for now...
16) Carvin G412T 4x12 cab, custom made, silver tolex, stock speakers for now...my "portable" cab
17) Carvin G412B 4x12 cab, custom made, "country western" paisley brown tolex...stock speakers
18) Marshall MG412A Purple limited edition mini 4x12 cabinet, purple tolex...kind of a project cabinet
19) Marshall MG412A Silver limited edition mini 4x12 cabinet, silver tolex...another project cabinet
20) Fender Bassman "large" 1969 2x15 cabinet...empty at the moment...given to me
21) Two (2) Peavey 412FC 4x12 "flight case" style cabinets with Scorpion Plus speakers
22) Two (2) Peavey 410FC 4x10 "flight case" style cabinets with Scorpion speakers
23) Two (2) Peavey 412S beat up old 4x12 cabinets with square magnet old school Eminence original silver dustcap/black dot speakers
24) Marshall 1960TV cabinet retrofitted with British Celestion Vintage 30's & wired for stereo...can't believe I forgot this one!


...and to complete the setup, I'll round everything out one day with an Orange OBC810 8x10, a Mesa Powerhouse 8x10 in purple with Celestion G10 Vintage speakers, and lastly a Fender blonde/oxblood 8x10 with both matching Super Bassman 300 and 100T heads both in blonde/oxblood.

So you don't have any issues with sealed 4x12 cabs that are less than 200 watts, for bass ?

 

[ggoat!!!]

No, not at all. But, I use a more 70's very distorted but also very articulate and clear thick midrangy focused tone. It's VERY distorted, but as such, it's very compressed as well. There are no huge speaker-frying peaks and spikes. I find the Celestion Vintage 30's (which handle 70 watts each) work fine for me; I've run my main Carvin 4x12 cabinet with my main Peavey Alphabass preamp tone powered with a Peavey Classic 400 for hours with no problems whatsoever. I receive little PA support as my tone tends to slice and cut through the mix. But no, absolutely no problems whatsoever using sealed 4x12 cabinets for bass...that's how it was done in the 60's and 70's without problems. It's all in how you shape and control your tone.

 

[MightyMag]

Here are a couple of shots of my Revsound RS112/RS112T stack. They weigh in at 23lbs and 26.5lbs constructed of Okume and Baltic birch with Okume and pine bracing. They’re are loaded with a Celestion orange label 12 and a proprietary tweeter. As a lead singer and pocket bassist. I was very reticent about buying modern lightweight cabs for fear of getting a midrangy cab with no woof. I could not be happier with my Revs. I had previously auditioned Aguilar SL-112s live and had decided to order a pair of Bergantino CN112s when I learned of Revsound and gave David Luke a call. Now I do not have to drive my SUV and am able to place both bass cabs side my side in my midsize sedan trunk. I power the cabs with an Aguilar Tone Hammer 500. Finally have a rig equal to my Elrick Platinum bass as these cabs take the Bartolinis to a new level. I have gigged for 50 years and my bass sound has never been as good and my aged back appreciate the 23 & 26.5 lb cab weight.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Favorite 1x15
Favorite 2x10
Favorite 2x12
Favorite 2x15
Favorite 4x10
Favorite 4x12

And why? Go.

I haven't really played a big enough variety of all those style cabs to really judge, my favorite cabs by far are the ampeg 410he and 810e. I prefer that focused low end that these two sealed (non ported) cabs have. As far as 12s I think it would be a shootout between Mesa and Aguilar, haven't played a 15 since the black widow loaded peaveys I had back in the 90s.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Two Avatar B210s with eminence basslites for club work; one Avatar B410 Special used with the other two for outdoor/large venues. Relatively inexpensive, durable, and light enough that I don't have to struggle with them. Do they sound fantastic? Put it this way: I've never heard a complaint from anyone I've played with, or from any sound guys.

 

[pickles]

Any cab in a great sounding venue with a great soundman.

But if im getting picky my favorites are:

Ampeg 410he
Swr henry the 8x8
Aguilar Gs412
Aguilar db212
Mesa ph 210 + 115
Mesa 112 x 2
Swr goliath 2
Aguilar s410
Aguilar gs410
Fearless F115

They all have their charms ...

 

[chris_b]

I don't have any favorites in most of those catagories.

I've been gigging various Bergantino AE and CN cabs since 2008.

My current CN212 is the best sounding cab I've played so far.

 

[billgoodwin]

my '73 Acoustic 106 (2-15) under my Acoustic 370 head. Why?......it's vintage Acoustic - "The Mother of All Amps".

 

[chaosMK]

Mainly a low-tuned metal guy here. I like punchy and detailed cabs with a low mid bump.

2x10: Dont like 'em. They bite at the ankles and at best can be optimized into "boner" stacks where the bigger the boner the better they sound.
1x12: My favorite cab that I have ever owned- Mesa PH 112. Light/easy to move, loud enough for most bands, sweet sounding (tight, detailed, punchy). I'd love a second.
1x15: I really like the SWR WM 1x15. Great tone from a cheap cab. It's the only SWR cab I like.
4x10: I use 2 Mesa PH 410s for my stage/practice rig. I've been into the PH 410 for the last 10 years or so.
2x12: Mesa PH 212. Close enough to the 410 but a good bit lighter.

If I wasnt hooked on Mesa I'd probably be trying out Berg or DNA. If I wasnt so br00tal all of the time I'd be trying out Aguilar.

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[MightyMag]

I haven't really played a big enough variety of all those style cabs to really judge, my favorite cabs by far are the ampeg 410he and 810e. I prefer that focused low end that these two sealed (non ported) cabs have. As far as 12s I think it would be a shootout between Mesa and Aguilar, haven't played a 15 since the black widow loaded peaveys I had back in the 90s.

Those black widow 15s where the last 15s I really liked. Still have a combo 300 cab loaded with one but it doesn't get any stage time these days. I often paired it with a 210 Sonic cab loaded with EVMs back in the day. Both cabs approached 200 pounds. Back in my strongman days Ouch! I have a bass playing friend (Mesa stack player) who was always amazed how good the Peavey/Sonic combination sounded. These days I no longer mix speakers.