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Epifani 4x10 vs. Ampeg 4x10

Lokire

Lokire

Aug 21, 2003
4,980
53
39
Seattle, Washington
#1
Ok - I'm in the market for a cab to go with my current amp. A GK 800RB head.

The other day I played a bass very simmilar to mine through an Epifani amp (don't remember the specifics, everything on the amp was set flat though) and Epifani 4x10. It sounded amazing. Best bass sound I've ever personally gotten. It had really organic sounding hi-mids - growly/woody lo-mids. And a really beefy/punchy, yet tight and controlled low-end. Exactly the sound I'd been looking for.

But then I saw the pricetag. Just over $1,000 for the 4x10 cab alone, ouch :bawl:

So now, I'm kinda looking for something with a simmilar sound but in a more affordable price range for me. I'd rather not spend much more than $600 or so for a 4x10 cab. I'm thinking maybe an Ampeg would get me close?

Let me know your opinion and if you have any suggestions. :)
 
#3
i don't think that an ampeg will get you very close to the epifani sound...i would recommend you checking out lds cabs...they can make you a 410 neo cab with the exact same b&c drivers that epifani uses, for a much better price...

www.lowdownsound.com



Lokire said:
Ok - I'm in the market for a cab to go with my current amp. A GK 800RB head.

The other day I played a bass very simmilar to mine through an Epifani amp (don't remember the specifics, everything on the amp was set flat though) and Epifani 4x10. It sounded amazing. Best bass sound I've ever personally gotten. It had really organic sounding hi-mids - growly/woody lo-mids. And a really beefy/punchy, yet tight and controlled low-end. Exactly the sound I'd been looking for.

But then I saw the pricetag. Just over $1,000 for the 4x10 cab alone, ouch :bawl:

So now, I'm kinda looking for something with a simmilar sound but in a more affordable price range for me. I'd rather not spend much more than $600 or so for a 4x10 cab. I'm thinking maybe an Ampeg would get me close?

Let me know your opinion and if you have any suggestions. :)
Click to expand...
 
#6
Lokire said:
Thanks guys. I'll definatly look into the LDS cabs. I've had good experiences with Brian before - with both my Ken Lawrence bass which I bought from LDS and the custom Benavente Pickups/Pre I had made for it. Cheers
Click to expand...

+1 on the LDS. If you do go for a 410Neo, make sure Don uses the lightweight plywood so you get the full weight advantage of the Neo's. Let us know if you take the plunge!
 
#7
It's funny that you have brought this comparison up here as a thread...

This last week I sold my Mesa 410 to a fellow TB'er and bought a used Epifani T-410... So I was in limbo for a weekend that I had a blues festival to play... so I borrowed my friend's Ampeg 410HLF.

Not to knock my friend's Ampeg 410, it did a great job on the blues gig, but once the Epifani arrived, it was a whole new world of tone for me. It represents the low end like no other 410 has for me in the past. It is very heavy though.
 
#8
Cool man. I was playing through a Mesa stack beforehand (which sounded good) when one of the guys (I was at Bass Northwest BTW :cool: ) suggested I try the Epifani right next to it. So I did and, like you said, it was a whole other world tonally.

Also - how much of that tone do you think was the Epifani amp? I don't know the specs on that amp at all. Is it tube or SS?

It was the stack on the right here:
Musicman%20SR4%20HB_RW.jpg
 
#9
man, i feel like a broken record,

but the all Epifani rig that Oteil Burbridge ran thru at the last Bass Extremes show in NYC, clearly outshined the ampeg stacks that VictorW, and SteveB were using.

sweet highs, fat low end, and most importantly a clearer midrange vs. the more blurry and indistinct mids of the all ampeg rigs.

save up the kwan, and grab an Epifani cab.

Link Removed
 
#10
j-raj said:
It's funny that you have brought this comparison up here as a thread...

This last week I sold my Mesa 410 to a fellow TB'er and bought a used Epifani T-410... So I was in limbo for a weekend that I had a blues festival to play... so I borrowed my friend's Ampeg 410HLF.

Not to knock my friend's Ampeg 410, it did a great job on the blues gig, but once the Epifani arrived, it was a whole new world of tone for me. It represents the low end like no other 410 has for me in the past. It is very heavy though.
Click to expand...

The 410UL (the current model) sounds even better than the old heavy ones (IMO) and is the lightest 410 (that I'm aware of) on the market.... around 58 pounds! It's an engineering marvel!
 
#14
I've heard some really great tones through Ampeg gear, but I really loved my Epifani 410 NYC. I sold it because I wanted a smaller cab, but it had fantastic tone, and I never found cutting through to be a problem. It is likely that I will own more Epifani gear down the road.
 
#15
KJung said:
The 410UL (the current model) sounds even better than the old heavy ones (IMO) and is the lightest 410 (that I'm aware of) on the market.... around 58 pounds! It's an engineering marvel!
Click to expand...

Not throwing stones or anything and KJung, however, my experience and ears feels the opposite. The NYC's are better at handling the low end. By this I don't mean that the UL's can't go low with authority, but the NYC's, IMO, sound like they belong there. It's like comparing a Stew 2.1 to a Crest CA9.... totally subjective, I know, but if the power amp is the only variable, I hear a huge difference between the two. Same with the NYC and UL cabs.

On a side note, a friend of mine has both a 410 UL and a 410 NYC. He had the UL first, but once he got the NYC, the UL has sat idle in the corner. And this is with a multitude of basses and amps that include F Bass, Fodera, MTD, Lull, and Pre Gib Tobias.... amps include Manley, Avalon U5, Ag DB750, & Walter Woods.

Take it for what it's worth, and if possible, give both versions of these truly GREAT cabs a try. I am an NYC STOOPID FOOL, just can't get enough.... and I've got my eye on a few more......

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#17
Lokire said:
Dang - that is one fine lookin' bass rig there :cool:
Click to expand...

I actually have a few options with my cabs.... For punchy good time, the 310 alone is all I need. For something where I need a bit more depth and volume, the 112/112 stack is perfect. If I want the volume and a little added punch, the 112/112 and 110/110 is perfect. And if I want to kill the front 5 rows, the 310 and 112/112 get's the job done. I mostly play in curch settings and I have only gotten a line to the board once in the 10 years I've been playing.... so what I show up with is what I"m gonna get heard with. I like the options I've given myself. These are all NYC cabs.

I would like to add a 410 NYC, but I can't find one locally.
 
#18
Mario Lewis said:
Not throwing stones or anything and KJung, however, my experience and ears feels the opposite. The NYC's are better at handling the low end. By this I don't mean that the UL's can't go low with authority, but the NYC's, IMO, sound like they belong there. It's like comparing a Stew 2.1 to a Crest CA9.... totally subjective, I know, but if the power amp is the only variable, I hear a huge difference between the two. Same with the NYC and UL cabs.

On a side note, a friend of mine has both a 410 UL and a 410 NYC. He had the UL first, but once he got the NYC, the UL has sat idle in the corner. And this is with a multitude of basses and amps that include F Bass, Fodera, MTD, Lull, and Pre Gib Tobias.... amps include Manley, Avalon U5, Ag DB750, & Walter Woods.


Take it for what it's worth and if possible, give both version of some truly GREAT cabs a try. I am an NYC STOOPID FOOL, just can't get enough.... and I've got my eye on a few more......
Click to expand...

Nothin' wrong with that.... you're not throwing stones at all... we all like what we like. I used the old T versions of the Epi cabs (which were renamed the NYC's) for years and loved them. To my ear, the UL's fit my sound and style of playing a little better (with a little more definition and mid punch and maybe a little more modern sound), and of course, the weight is amazing. However, I can totally understand someone liking that very authoritative low end of the NYC versions. Also, if you have relatively new NYC's, I assume they have the changed and improved crossover that sounds A LOT better than the older ones (again, IMO!).

PS... that's some serious iron you're packin' there... nice rig(s) :bassist:
 

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