I really like Genz Benz and Bergantino cabs for over the counter, but I love Low Down Sound.
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Cabs, what's your favorite and why?
- Thread starter John E
- Start date
When i was 17 (I'm 33 now) we started playing gigs and i had a peavey max pre into a cs800x and 2 of the 115 black widow cabs. It was a cool rig for me as young as i was. The cs800x was insanely heavy though. Replaced that rig with a swr 750 and Goliath SR 610. My first amp was actually a peavey combo but yeah after playing some gigs and seeing what everyone else used i got away from 15s and never looked backThose 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 daysOuch! 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.
I've been really happy with cabinets made by:
Aguilar, I love my GS112's
I have a Bergantino HT115, probably the best 1-15" I've played through, and a Bergantino HT210, which I also like very much. I generally use them as a pair, although I've used them separately on gigs, I found the HT115 did a better job when using a single cabinet. Both of these models have been discontinued a long time ago. My only complaint with the Bergantino cabs I own is they're not the best choice for aggressive Rock styles IMO. This is not to say that Bergantino's newer cabinets leave anything to be desired, I really don't think you can go "wrong" with anything Bergantino.
Mesa Powerhouse 212. I really love this cabinet, so I bought 2 of them. These cabinets really do the edgier Rock styles well.
I haven't played through a 2-15" in decades. One real standout I remember was Ampeg's V4B cabinet from the mid 70's.
The last 4-10" I played through that I really liked was a long time ago, too. An SWR Goliath-III.
Aguilar, I love my GS112's
I have a Bergantino HT115, probably the best 1-15" I've played through, and a Bergantino HT210, which I also like very much. I generally use them as a pair, although I've used them separately on gigs, I found the HT115 did a better job when using a single cabinet. Both of these models have been discontinued a long time ago. My only complaint with the Bergantino cabs I own is they're not the best choice for aggressive Rock styles IMO. This is not to say that Bergantino's newer cabinets leave anything to be desired, I really don't think you can go "wrong" with anything Bergantino.
Mesa Powerhouse 212. I really love this cabinet, so I bought 2 of them. These cabinets really do the edgier Rock styles well.
I haven't played through a 2-15" in decades. One real standout I remember was Ampeg's V4B cabinet from the mid 70's.
The last 4-10" I played through that I really liked was a long time ago, too. An SWR Goliath-III.
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Favorite 1x15 - Bag End black carpet (not sure of the model #) light weight and tone for days.
Favorite 2x10 - Bag End D10E-1. Light weight. Best cab I have ever used. Tone, low end.
Favorite 2x12 - Never played through one that I can remember
Favorite 2x15 - Traynor YT. Just had it for ever, toured a lot with it. More of a nostalgic love then anything. Replaced the Marslands with eminence.
Favorite 4x10 - Never found one that I actually liked.
Favorite 4x12 - Bag End Q12M. Just amazing other then the weight.
Favorite 2x10 - Bag End D10E-1. Light weight. Best cab I have ever used. Tone, low end.
Favorite 2x12 - Never played through one that I can remember
Favorite 2x15 - Traynor YT. Just had it for ever, toured a lot with it. More of a nostalgic love then anything. Replaced the Marslands with eminence.
Favorite 4x10 - Never found one that I actually liked.
Favorite 4x12 - Bag End Q12M. Just amazing other then the weight.
I have a question for you guys. What would be a good choice for a lightweight cab or cabs? I'm thinking about getting a TC Electronic RH750 head and want to pair it with a lightweight cab that will kick but in the tone area also? Is that possible and what cabs would work best with this head?
My favorite and exclusive from this point forward cabs are Bag End. They are of "Divine Design"!
I really love my Genz BenzUber cabs 212&410. They sound great they are lightweight and very well built
2x10: Thus far it would be the 210 portion of my Ashdown ABM 500 Evo II combo. Rich, warm, organic. That said, I plan on checking out the Bergantino CN210, along with a CN112, this weekend.
2x12: Bergantino CN212. For my tonal goals it's simply perfect. A little mid-forward, focus/punchy lows, smooth highs. It very, very, narrowly edges out the Audiokinesis TC212. I don't normally need that kind of volume capability for my gigs so it's no longer on my list at this point.
2x15/4x10/4x12: Not applicable, I'm not interested in those configurations because I don't have a need to push that kind of air.
I'm in the market for a new cab to pair with my Aguilar TH500 head, and right now it's between the Berg CN210 and CN112. I suspect I'll go with the CN112 since I'm primarily a fretless player and want a slightly more mid-forward tone. The current plan is to add another CN112 later for situations where I need more volume.
Chef
In Memoriam
Actually; none of the above.
My favorite 212 is two 112's. (Baer, fEARFul, GK Neo, in alphabetical order)
My favorite 115 is a 15/6/1 (fEARFul)
1x12.....None I have played through have ever been for me.
1x15.....None I have played through have ever been for me.
2x10.....Avatar Neo 210. LOUD, capable of "actually" being used in a live band, very road worthy, inexpensive.
2x12.....None of them I have played through have been for my ears! Had a Ed*n 212XLT for awhile. Hated the mid-ish, honk sound, hated moving that almost 19" deep cabinet.
2x15.....Mesa 215 loaded with the old EV-15L's. Never owned one, but played through a many of them when they we're furnished backline. Mesa NEEDS to bring these back.
4x10.....A standard configured 410, None. I gig with two 210 cabinets stacked as a vertical 410. MUCH, MUCH happier with the vertical set-up over a standard configured 410 cabinet.
4x12.....Since a 412 cabinet will be close to the same size as a 810 cabinet, I'd opt for the 810.
My ears always take me back to 10's.
.....
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The Ampeg SVT-410HLF cab, with the favorite SVT-7PRO head. A 4 ohm 500 watts RMS, 1,000 watts Peak cab. 4 x 10″ custom U.S. made Eminence LF drivers.
It has a 1″ Eminence APT:50 HF driver w/ L-Pad level control, porting at the bottom of the cab, so the sound is kept above floor level, A great clear Lows, Mids, and Highs. Frequency response: 28Hz – 18kHz, Max SPL: 125dB.
It has a 1″ Eminence APT:50 HF driver w/ L-Pad level control, porting at the bottom of the cab, so the sound is kept above floor level, A great clear Lows, Mids, and Highs. Frequency response: 28Hz – 18kHz, Max SPL: 125dB.
My two favorite cabs have already been mentioned in this thread - the MAS 210 Flex and the MAS 112, made by Mike Arnopol. Reasons: At gig volumes. they (especially the Flex) sound and feel more like an acoustic instrument - more open-sounding, with a better feeling of connection between my right hand and the sound coming from the rig - than any other cabs I've played. They've got great dispersion, stay dynamic at high volume, and extend nice and low without getting wooly or bloated (again, better at this last bit than anything I've played). Both are easy to hear in a busy mix.
Between the two, the 112's more tight and even, with a strong kick (but no bloat) in the lower bass, while the Flex sounds bigger, more 3D, and more punchy. Size-wise, I think of the 112 as a 212. It's close in size and shape to my old 212 (it has a waveguide, if that's the right term, that makes it bigger than a conventional 112), weighs a little over 50 pounds, and goes louder than the 212. The 210 Flex is closer in size and weight to a conventional 410, but goes louder and is punchier than any 410 I've heard. I guess you could put those down as my favorite "212" and "410". Or "other" if you prefer.
I'll give an honorable mention to a buddy's Mesa Powerhouse 210 - that cab's always delivered a full sound live, whether stacked or solo, is built like a tank, and has never let him down over years of touring. I've gotten to play it a few times and have enjoyed it. I respect that cab.
I've heard and played other stuff I've liked and, of course, heard players get killer tones out of all kinds of rigs, from Glockenklang stacks to beat up Marshall 810s, but no other strong favorites stand out (not that I have enough experience with to call a favorite cab). The 112 and the Flex are pretty special, though.
Between the two, the 112's more tight and even, with a strong kick (but no bloat) in the lower bass, while the Flex sounds bigger, more 3D, and more punchy. Size-wise, I think of the 112 as a 212. It's close in size and shape to my old 212 (it has a waveguide, if that's the right term, that makes it bigger than a conventional 112), weighs a little over 50 pounds, and goes louder than the 212. The 210 Flex is closer in size and weight to a conventional 410, but goes louder and is punchier than any 410 I've heard. I guess you could put those down as my favorite "212" and "410". Or "other" if you prefer.
I'll give an honorable mention to a buddy's Mesa Powerhouse 210 - that cab's always delivered a full sound live, whether stacked or solo, is built like a tank, and has never let him down over years of touring. I've gotten to play it a few times and have enjoyed it. I respect that cab.
I've heard and played other stuff I've liked and, of course, heard players get killer tones out of all kinds of rigs, from Glockenklang stacks to beat up Marshall 810s, but no other strong favorites stand out (not that I have enough experience with to call a favorite cab). The 112 and the Flex are pretty special, though.
I'm loving the GK 212MBE-II. After years of 2x15 hauling (the HEAVY standard in my heavy gigging days) there's a lightweight alternative that sounds even better. I got here after plenty of research into sound/size/volume/$$ give-and-take, and I couldn't be happier, more self-sufficient or more audible. Recently added a second cab and I expect my appreciation to double.
