favorite or best cab with under 10" speakers?

[dreamadream99]

...but I'm wondering if the volume will be sufficient

Phil Jones has a decent wattage rating. Most don’t though, and what inevitably happens is, bassists continue turning up their amp trying to get venue sized volume from a practice cab, and blow those little speakers.

Always better to have more headroom than you need, rather than less.

 

[kesslari]

MAS 28 or 1-8. I have the Bodai 28. Here’s cellphone video of a live gig with a LOUD guitarist and drummer.
No problem keeping up, and the sound was ecstatic.

 

[Dr. Love]

Is that really the case? I have been thinking about a Phil Jones Compact 4 Lite with 4 x 5" speakers as a main gigging/rehearsal cab. I'm attracted to the small footprint and low weight, but I'm wondering if the volume will be sufficient, which is hard to know without actually trying it.

I usually use two c4's with a full band rig and it has kept up. The newest drivers with the silver dust cap are supposed to be 2db louder than the previous version per Phil. Not a huge number, but if you're trying to squeeze out as much as possible from one cab, that's something to keep in mind.

 

[chadds]

Problem with them cabs with little speakers is they're too short to rest your beer on.

Drink it.

 

[fdeck]

There's no substitute for displacement. But at low frequencies, the air doesn't care whether you get your displacement from one big driver, or a bunch of small ones.

 

[Uncle Ernie]

SWR Baby Blue... 2x8, great sound, not loud though

 

[Frank77]

Is that really the case? I have been thinking about a Phil Jones Compact 4 Lite with 4 x 5" speakers as a main gigging/rehearsal cab. I'm attracted to the small footprint and low weight, but I'm wondering if the volume will be sufficient, which is hard to know without actually trying it.

Depends what you're playing and with who. Quiet jazz ensemble? Probably fine. Louder genres with a rock drummer and one or two guitars? It'll run out of breath pretty quick. I'd go for a single 12" instead.

 

[DrewFolkadelics]

Markbass New York 604 (4x6”). Used to use two stacked. Moved more air than expected and so easy to take one, carried with one hand (clever top handle), to smaller gigs. Unfortunately discontinued.

 

[selowitch]

This discussion is interesting in light of the trend in some circles toward “ampless” performances where it’s pretty much put-everything-through-a-DI-and-into-the-PA. Something tells me there is still room for amps in spite of all that, because among other things, IMO you will not get the richness and power that you would get from a dedicated bass amplifier.

 

[BostonJazz72]

MAS 28 or 1-8. I have the Bodai 28. Here’s cellphone video of a live gig with a LOUD guitarist and drummer.
No problem keeping up, and the sound was ecstatic.

Great bass tone. There is warmth and you can hear the notes distinctly.

 

[selowitch]

Great bass tone. There is warmth and you can hear the notes distinctly.

Agreed. The player has a lot to do with it, I think. He manages to play those fast walking lines with really good articulation. I'm impressed!

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

This discussion is interesting in light of the trend in some circles toward “ampless” performances where it’s pretty much put-everything-through-a-DI-and-into-the-PA. Something tells me there is still room for amps in spite of all that, because among other things, IMO you will not get the richness and power that you would get from a dedicated bass amplifier.

I have never enjoyed an ampless gig, in fact I hate them. There never seems to be a proper sound stage environment that produced a real band sound. It just seems homogenized. I have an excellent bass amp set up that can be changed per stage requirements, and pride myself on having a great sound, and I've been doing this stuff for over 50 years. I usually never line into a PA unless the gig is a large venue or outdoors. I can carry most all club and small stage venues without that. And I have control of my sound.

Ampless gigs also have to rely on the ears of a sound-tech. Sometimes good or sometimes bad. Most of the time they never know what I want my bass to sound like. Many times upon hearing my rig and my basses, I can even help educate them. After all they are usually kids to me, and have never dealt with stages for Johnny Winter, Dilbert McClinton, Jimmy Vaughn, Joe Bonamassa, Bobby Blue Bland, B.B.King, CCR, or many other gigs I have had the honor of playing intro shows for. So all I can say is find a rig that you can get a sound out of that pleases you. Invest in that, it is half of what makes you a great bassist. And keep learning.

 

[bushy]

Checked everywhere, no one has it.

Hey Bushy - just in case you don't know, a "Henry" is an SWR Henry 8x8. Amazing cab, if you can find one. Amazing how many think everybody knows what a "Henry" is.

 

[bushy]

Is the DI you're referring to bass guitar specific or any type of DI, like the Avalon U5, which I have and use for recording, but now I guess for live it can be used as well.

Is what you're implying mean that the use of a bass guitar amp (ala Peavey Minimax, etc.) is not necessary or what?

This discussion is interesting in light of the trend in some circles toward “ampless” performances where it’s pretty much put-everything-through-a-DI-and-into-the-PA. Something tells me there is still room for amps in spite of all that, because among other things, IMO you will not get the richness and power that you would get from a dedicated bass amplifier.

 

[bushy]

They need to put this in the stores. Guitar Center seem to only carry oven-sized cabs aside from the 2x8 from Trace Elliot Elf series.

Markbass New York 604 (4x6”). Used to use two stacked. Moved more air than expected and so easy to take one, carried with one hand (clever top handle), to smaller gigs. Unfortunately discontinued.

View attachment 3137387

 

[bushy]

is this supposed to be that heavy compared to the 13 pound 8x10 from Schroeder?

Phil Jones Bass: How's this for a mind blower. Frequency response 20Hz – 15KHz
How's you health insurance policy and what's the deductible? You're going to need it for the hernia operation and bulging lumbar disc's View attachment 3136909

 

[bushy]

Any opinion on the new 25 pound 1x12 from Ashdown:

Ashdown Mi 12 250W 1x12 Bass Speaker Cab

It depends, I think. I've owned a PJB rig that was a Suitcase combo plus an extension cab (350 claimed watts, 8 x 5" drivers). Though it was advertised as the best thing since sliced bread and "very loud" in their product demo video, it wasn't. It sounded great and "felt" great to play (tight, immediate response to my playing), but whether I was playing with a 4-piece rock band or an 8-piece funk band, I almost always had to dime the master volume to hear myself on stage. Even then it fell a bit short.

There are probably cabs with small drivers in the boutique category that truly deliver, but personally I'd try to rent/borrow and play through it at rehearsal before buying anything.

I'm sold on 12" "super cabs" now. I bought a 1x12" from AudioKinesis and it's probably all I'll ever need. Weighs 30 lbs, sounds like a dream and almost puts me in 4x10" territory in terms of loudness.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

The Greenboy-Fearless Crazy 88 still ranks among my all-time favorite cabs.

View attachment 3136810

How do you get one of those? I've always liked that configuration and I read that it kicked arse!

 

[chris_b]

Small drivers can equal the volume and frequencies of larger drivers.

You just need more of them.

 

[Djadja]

the Genzler 10-2 is very cool. The array concept really works and it punches far above its weight class.
13 X 15.5 X 15, 21 lbs, sensitivity of 96 db, 55-20Khz frequency response