Double Bass GR Bass AT110 / Small Cab Shootout

[Ric Vice]

+1 on a low mid voiced cab for loud upright gigs. I've had the MAS 18 out on a couple gigs that started pretty acoustic but devolved into loud electric by the end. The 18 worked fine but I had to shape the lows quite a bit as there is just so much going on there with upright. For that stuff I would have prefered a cab that cut through better, a more traditional bass guitar oriented voice. I usually prefer a tighter low end with upright as piezos can put out a ton of unnatural sounding low end with a deep voiced cab. The tighter low end voice of the Doubleshot has so far been great for me but I don't have much experience with it on louder gigs.

Since my MAS 1/8 is powered by a 700-1,000 watt Ice Power Module, I've not yet hit a gig where that cabinet wouldn't keep up, however I can see where that would be a problem. With a Grace Felix you can "filter out" the low end garbage that might be an issue.
It's pretty darn loud with my Lakland 55 94 and the low B is tight and full through the 1/8. The only cabinet that interests me in the GR Bass line is the 110 so my reason for getting one is purely low weight, compact footprint and primarily smaller gigs where you
have to walk in fit into a tight space like a cockroach.

 

[basss]

The 18 kept up fine on those louder gigs but was throwing around more low end than I liked. I was able to dial it in it just took some tweaking. For the louder stuff I like more of a low mid focus.

I agree that the voicing of the 18 is absolutely killer for electric bass and do enjoy those lows at louder volume on slab.

 

[Ben Rolston]

Since my MAS 1/8 is powered by a 700-1,000 watt Ice Power Module, I've not yet hit a gig where that cabinet wouldn't keep up, however I can see where that would be a problem. With a Grace Felix you can "filter out" the low end garbage that might be an issue.
It's pretty darn loud with my Lakland 55 94 and the low B is tight and full through the 1/8. The only cabinet that interests me in the GR Bass line is the 110 so my reason for getting one is purely low weight, compact footprint and primarily smaller gigs where you
have to walk in fit into a tight space like a cockroach.

Ric, note that the GR is bigger than the 18. Its much lighter, but physically bigger.

 

[Ric Vice]

Ric, note that the GR is bigger than the 18. Its much lighter, but physically bigger.

Well,
You can’t have everything you wish for. I’ll do a mock up of the dimensions to see if it meets my needs.

 

[vanderbrook]

This one's lighter; that one's smaller. This one is good for this scenario; that one is good for that scenario. I can see what's likely to happen... I'm going to find I need to keep both...

 

[16fuss]

I have AT208, AT110 and my current 110 Neo FMC at home on trial. The AT110 is pretty good. It does not have so much lowend, but lots of punch. It probably will be loud enough for everything coming up (nothing in the next time…). It feels nice and lively.
I can get nothing good out of the 208. It has even less lowend than the AT110.

I am a bit worried how the backfiring cab will behave in real world. Any opinion on this?

I think I will buy the AT 110, but keep my old cab. It never let me down at half the price of the AT.

 

[Ric Vice]

I have AT208, AT110 and my current 110 Neo FMC at home on trial. The AT110 is pretty good. It does not have so much lowend, but lots of punch. It probably will be loud enough for everything coming up (nothing in the next time…). It feels nice and lively.
I can get nothing good out of the 208. It has even less lowend than the AT110.

I am a bit worried how the backfiring cab will behave in real world. Any opinion on this?

I think I will buy the AT 110, but keep my old cab. It never let me down at half the price of the AT.

I had a Audiokinesis TC 112 it had two rear ports that could be sealed or open, either way worked just fine, the port gave you better low end.
if the cabinet is designed well rear ports are not significantly different from front ports

 

[Ben Rolston]

I have AT208, AT110 and my current 110 Neo FMC at home on trial. The AT110 is pretty good. It does not have so much lowend, but lots of punch. It probably will be loud enough for everything coming up (nothing in the next time…). It feels nice and lively.
I can get nothing good out of the 208. It has even less lowend than the AT110.

I am a bit worried how the backfiring cab will behave in real world. Any opinion on this?

I think I will buy the AT 110, but keep my old cab. It never let me down at half the price of the AT.

Huh, that's surprising. FMC is Fender? Whats the rest of your signal chain?
I think the AT110 has plenty of lowend in comparison to the other options in this product area, but certainly isn't gonna compare with a 112 or larger.

 

[16fuss]

I have tried with doublebass (yamahiko single pickup) and bassguitar in Acoustic Image Clarus 2020.
FMC Invalid Link Removed is a german company. They build very simple but good cabs. These sound very Glockenklang-like. Of course, bigger speaker can play louder, but not necessarily more balanced!
The GR have more like lowmid-punch than real lowend to my ears. This is not a bad thing!

 

[FenderP]

I got my 4 ohm AT110 the other week from Bass Direct in the UK. It took a little over three months.

My journey of small and light setups is fairly well documented. I mainly play jazz including being in a few big bands. I used the Phil Jones Double Four for a few years (despite what people want to believe, the D4 is loud enough for powering a big band). Then I used the Henriksen Bud for awhile (not a bass amp, but worked well overall). I then decided I wanted my Ampeg B-15 sound back in some form without schlepping my real '63 B-15N.

These days I'm using the Broughton P-15 preamp into the C.A.B. Torpedo M+ for the power amp tube sim. The M+ runs into a MicroThumpinator whose output is fed into a Jule Simone 500 power amp. The Simone 500 prefers 4 ohms but works at 8. I went through variations of the above signal chain but this is what has stuck for quite some time and I don't see it changing.

I went through stages with speakers. I started with the new MAS 1/6 which I used for a long time. It was loud enough, sounded decent, but not quite the sound I was going for. It's small, light, and very giggable. I wanted a bit more but did not really want a ton more weight. That's when the GR Bass carbon cabs appeared on my radar. Since last fall, I've been using the AT112H. It's stupid light for a 12". It sounds good but despite the ease of weight, not what I want to schlep. It's also 8 ohm.

When I saw the AT110 was released, I was thinking it would cut the proverbial mustard. So far, so good. While slightly bigger than the MAS 1/6, it's about the same weight and IMO, better. One of the biggest benefits is that it's a box. The MAS 1/6 has the angled top which makes it impossible to sit anything on it. I do like the adjustable tweeter. Depending on the bass, I'll change the setting. To my ears, it's slightly tighter than the AT112H and is not lacking in low end at all. The two are more similar than different. Sound has been consistent no matter where I use it unlike, say, the D4. Volume wise, I can set it lower. The 4 ohm match seems to be, not surprisingly, easier to drive sound.

I've tried each of the cabs with and without the MicroThumpinator, and I prefer the MT in the signal chain. I like low end and there is plenty of it, it's just cleaned up a bit.

I'll be selling the MAS 1/6 ad AT112H eventually. I have to echo OP - too bad the AT110 isn't available in the US and you have to get it from elsewhere.

 

[Ric Vice]

Here's my new solution. The Traynor SB 106, 15 lbs, the size of a lunch box, plenty of power for Trios and Quartets.

While it's not near the power of the Simone, Broughton, for those gigs I have a MAS1/8 and the Grace Felix of Three Leaf Audio Enabler.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

Here's my new solution. The Traynor SB 106, 15 lbs, the size of a lunch box, plenty of power for Trios and Quartets.

View attachment 4661903

While it's not near the power of the Simone, Broughton, for those gigs I have a MAS1/8 and the Grace Felix of Three Leaf Audio Enabler.

I may just have to try this amp one day. The form factor really appeals to me. It reminds my of the GK MB150S I used for years but lighter and more straightforward.

- Steve

 

[FenderP]

Here's my new solution. The Traynor SB 106, 15 lbs, the size of a lunch box, plenty of power for Trios and Quartets.

While it's not near the power of the Simone, Broughton, for those gigs I have a MAS1/8 and the Grace Felix of Three Leaf Audio Enabler.

I'm sure it sounds great. Whether upright or electric, we're spoiled for choice for portable rigs that won't completely break the bank and sound decent.

 

[Ric Vice]

I'm sure it sounds great. Whether upright or electric, we're spoiled for choice for portable rigs that won't completely break the bank and sound decent.

When I was a kid I used to say that I wanted to have bass amp size of my transistor radio, with the Traynor SB 106 we’re getting pretty darn close. So my latest
bass amp is is the size of a school lunch box, which is very nice.

 

[vanderbrook]

I've had my AT110 for about a month now. Other than playing through it at home, I've taken it to one sextet rehearsal where I sub occasionally.

After comparing it in both those environments to my MAS 1,8, I have listed the AT110 for sale on [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. My reasons are described briefly in the Craigslist posting. It's not a bad little cab for the upright; at 11 pounds, it's unbelievably light, and it sounds quite a bit like either of the G-K MB112s that I've owned. That's not a bad thing -- but it doesn't sound as good, to my ears, as the MAS cab. I'm willing to schlep the MAS's extra 11 or 12 pounds -- and its slightly smaller package -- to get its punchy, articulate, "fat" (according to one bandmate) sound.

If the AT110 doesn't sell after a reasonable amount of time on Craigslist, I will post it in the TB classifieds.

 

[bassically_eli]

I've had my AT110 for about a month now. Other than playing through it at home, I've taken it to one sextet rehearsal where I sub occasionally.

After comparing it in both those environments to my MAS 1,8, I have listed the AT110 for sale on [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. My reasons are described briefly in the Craigslist posting. It's not a bad little cab for the upright; at 11 pounds, it's unbelievably light, and it sounds quite a bit like either of the G-K MB112s that I've owned. That's not a bad thing -- but it doesn't sound as good, to my ears, as the MAS cab. I'm willing to schlep the MAS's extra 11 or 12 pounds -- and its slightly smaller package -- to get its punchy, articulate, "fat" (according to one bandmate) sound.

If the AT110 doesn't sell after a reasonable amount of time on Craigslist, I will post it in the TB classifieds.

Just to clarify, you do mean the wooden 12" combo amp by GK, as opposed to the aluminum 12" cab/combos? The aluminum MicroBass cabs have had a series of confusing names that are listed differently by every retailer (e.g., MBS115-112, MB150/112, 112MBX, MBE150, etc.).

I had a MBS150 combo for a while, and while it was a great amp in a lot of ways, it was very far from MBOL and nowhere near as nice as my 6" based MAS cabs.

 

[vanderbrook]

Just to clarify, you do mean the wooden 12" combo amp by GK, as opposed to the aluminum 12" cab/combos? The aluminum MicroBass cabs have had a series of confusing names that are listed differently by every retailer (e.g., MBS115-112, MB150/112, 112MBX, MBE150, etc.).

I had a MBS150 combo for a while, and while it was a great amp in a lot of ways, it was very far from MBOL and nowhere near as nice as my 6" based MAS cabs.

Correct: the wooden 12" combo amp by GK. I've owned a couple of them, and might still own one, if I did a lot of doubling.

 

[bassically_eli]

I had its big brother, the MB115. I really loved it for BG, and it only weighed 35 pounds! Required a lot of EQ for my upright though, so doubling on the same gig didn't really work without outboard preamps/EQ, and no FX loop made that a pain. I was only using a Realist (the copper one) at the time, so other pickups might've worked better. I'm sure the MB112 has a bit better dispersion and extension, which would probably be better for DB too.

 

[Daniel Eskens]

Hello everybody,

I'm also thinking of buying the Gr bass AT110, but I was wondering: why did you prefer this one above the wooden GR bass 110? The weight difference is only 3 kg, (the wooden one is 7.1 and the carbon 4.2 kg) and the carbon one is much more expensive.. And: Is the AT110 road proof in your experience? I heard that is has plastic corners, and the wooden one has normal metal corners, which are stronger.

Curious too your experiences! Daniël

 

[Ben Rolston]

For me, it’s entirely the weight. I don’t have a car, so walking around with the bass and amp the weight savings is top priority. Sure it is only 3kg but that’s almost half the weight!