• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Help with Mini Stack (sorta) Rig!

MikeyB

MikeyB

Aug 16, 2006
645
5
Sykesville, MD
#1
Here's my situation: I play in moderately loud cover band (classic rock, modern rock, new country, funk). I'm usually NOT in the PA. I play 4-string only - Sterling & Stingray, and fingers only - no pick, no slap. I play a lot of melodic lines and love a grunty, ballsy somewhat warm tone that really cuts/sits well in the mix.

Back trouble drove me to sell off my NV610 and get (2) AE210s. Hard to admit, but I'm not digging 'em. They do not have the low end balls/grunt/whatever (probably an xmax problem) and seems they fart out when I dig in on the low E. I used to have an IP112 and really liked it, but it was not modular enough and I sold it hoping the AE210s would do it for me with my F1 and F500, but sadly they are not.

I also play a church gig on Sundays, and practice at a different rehearsal space, Sooo... I need a stack that will:

  • Be modular enough to configure for practice, church, rock gig
  • Handle the volume on gigs without PA (when stacked together)
  • Each piece preferably be under 45lbs. (maybe 50)
  • Give me that grunt/ballsy tone that the neo's are not doing for me.

Research has led me to Aguilar DB112s, Bag End S15s, and Bergantino (HT/EX 12s and the HS210s).

My current thoughts are to get a head that can handle 2ohms (Thunderfunk, Carvin B2000, etc) and then go with a 3-cab stack that gets more vertical like:


  • 3 x DB112 -- Aguilar
  • 3 x S15 ---- Bag End
  • HT112/EX112/EX112 -- Bergantino 12's
  • 3 x HS210 -- Bergantino 10's (supposedly deliver the grunt better than my AE210s)

I've been doing a TON of research here lately and have narrowed it down to these contenders.... I would really love some informed opinions on these.

(Other opinions gladly welcomed as well!)

What say you all?!?

Thanks!

-M
 
#2
MikeyB said:
  • Be modular enough to configure for practice, church, rock gig
  • Handle the volume on gigs without PA (when stacked together)
  • Each piece preferably be under 45lbs. (maybe 50)
  • Give me that grunt/ballsy tone that the neo's are not doing for me.

Research has led me to Aguilar DB112s, Bag End S15s, and Bergantino (HT/EX 12s and the HS210s).

My current thoughts are to get a head that can handle 2ohms (Thunderfunk, Carvin B2000, etc) and then go with a 3-cab stack that gets more vertical like:


  • 3 x DB112 -- Aguilar
  • 3 x S15 ---- Bag End
  • HT112/EX112/EX112 -- Bergantino 12's
  • 3 x HS210 -- Bergantino 10's (supposedly deliver the grunt better than my AE210s)

-M
Click to expand...

Out of the choices you listed, I think the BagEnd 3x S15 will sound somewhat like the NV610.
 
#5
One of the best rigs I ever heard was using bag end cabs; however; from personal experience, considering weight, etc, its going to be tough beating out the Berg 112ER series....very nice sounding cabs, and these cabs can really bring it, even in the lows, but without sacrificing other frequencies, and they are smooth........
these little "ER" cabs really support the bass well, even w/o PA support.......
 
#9
hey mike,

sorry to hear about your back probs. but hopefully, i can lend a hand here...

admittedly, not alot of experience w/ the bag ends.

i personally dont dig the db112's. a little too midrangey for me. but they will be the loudest and alot of people dig 'em. but frankly, that itty bitty strap is beh.

the hs210 are just massive sounding. terrific steely low end pound. a pair will loosen teeth fillings. three of them will probably knock them OUT. but compared to the ht112er, its a bit much to carry.

a pair of ht112er's wont be as huge as the pair of hs210's, but DANG, its still a massive sound for any pair of 1x12's. three? i will pray for you. has that lower end pound you will no doubt dig.

another option might be the epifani performance ps112's, too. nice little cab thats similarly voiced but waaay bigger sounding aguilar gs112's. havent quite done a head to head btwn the ps112 and the ht112er, but i can imagine how the berg might be louder.
 
#12
I see in your profile you're running the SA410 & SA210... how do they differ from the HS series? I've read they sound a bit better with the SA200 head.

For the 3x12 stack or the 410/210 stack, I'd either have to use both my F1 & F500 or go with something safe at 2ohm like the CarvinB2000.... but either way, it wouldn't be tube. Thoughts on that?


-M
 
#13
Not much to offer on the speaker side, but on the amp side what if you went with a preamp/power amp combination? In a small single cab setup you could use just 1 side of the amp, in 2 cab mode you could either use 1 side to drive both cabs or put 1 cab on each side, and in 3 cab mode you could drive 2 cabs on 1 side and 1 cab on the other or run it bridged if it will run safely bridged at 2 ohms.
 
#14
Yup - that's a thought too. I would rather just haul 1 head around, but I should check out the lightweight power amps.

I'm still wondering how the tone of the 12s compares to the tone of the HS series, especially regarding that girth and low mid grunt..... anyone else with experience?

Thanks!

-M
 
#15
MikeyB said:
I see in your profile you're running the SA410 & SA210... how do they differ from the HS series? I've read they sound a bit better with the SA200 head.

For the 3x12 stack or the 410/210 stack, I'd either have to use both my F1 & F500 or go with something safe at 2ohm like the CarvinB2000.... but either way, it wouldn't be tube. Thoughts on that?


-M
Click to expand...

i've had an hs210 for a long while, and while they are somewhat similar, my ears started to hear more differences, i.e. the hs has a stronger more steely low end, while the sa210 had more lower mids and thickness. the hs210 is a touch clearer, while the sa210 isnt as much so.

but both my sa210 and sa410 love my aguilar ag500 and my thunderfunk heads. also, i remember the eden wt550 being quite nice as well. all their EQ's didnt really fight the cabs so much and sounded great.
 
#16
Never_grew_up said:
Not much to offer on the speaker side, but on the amp side what if you went with a preamp/power amp combination? In a small single cab setup you could use just 1 side of the amp, in 2 cab mode you could either use 1 side to drive both cabs or put 1 cab on each side, and in 3 cab mode you could drive 2 cabs on 1 side and 1 cab on the other or run it bridged if it will run safely bridged at 2 ohms.
Click to expand...

Just to contribute more along ^^ those lines. I run my Shuttle 6.0 as a pre, into a QSC GX5. Currently only have one cab (Avatar B212). I'm using just one channel of the GX5 (500W @ 8ohms) but have the option of adding a second cab on the other channel of the GX5. That would be 1Kw RMS from a setup that weighs under 40 pounds (GX5+Shuttle+Gator Rack+Furman).

Good luck w/your cab search; sorry I can't contribute anything to that.
 
#17
MikeyB said:
I see in your profile you're running the SA410 & SA210... how do they differ from the HS series? I've read they sound a bit better with the SA200 head.

For the 3x12 stack or the 410/210 stack, I'd either have to use both my F1 & F500 or go with something safe at 2ohm like the CarvinB2000.... but either way, it wouldn't be tube. Thoughts on that?


-M
Click to expand...

The SA series was specifically voiced to kind of emulate a sealed cab in the low end. Very tight surrounds were used on the drivers, resulting in a very tight low end that was good in controlling the boom and bloom down low of an all tube head.

To many of us, this resulting in the SA cabs sounding a bit thin down low and overly voiced to the mids when using those cabs with a solid state head. When the SA line was discontinued due to the Sadowsky tube head being discontinued, the SA cabs morphed into the HS line of Bergantino cabs. The drivers were modified a bit to provide more low end, and hence a more balanced but still very punchy tone with moderately powered solid state heads (hence the name 'High Sensitivity). So, for most applications, they will sound similar to the SA cabs, but more even, more extended low end, and smoother midrange.

The low end does not extend as much as the AE line of cabs, but is voiced a bit more toward the low mids (the AE cabs are also tight in the low end, but have more upper mid response... brighter and grindier, and a bit more deep low end voicing).

The HS210 will not grind up top like the AE line of cabs, but will punch more in the low mids. Two of either of them would cover most volume needs with 500-750 watts pumping into them.
 
#18
You might consider having a fEarful cab built. I have the LDS 15/6 version and I can tell you that it is very full and very accomodating to eq shaping. If you want low-end in a light package... well, I haven't heard better. It will take a lot of wattage too at 1000w +

Mine is 44LBS and I pump 900w into it with a carvin bx1500 and it doesnt flinch.
 
#19
Thanks for the input everybody!

Lots of options... too bad I can't try out all this stuff on a gig. :cool:

I was starting to consider the ceramic 410/210 (either HS or SA) but my disc sent me crashing to the floor again last night :bawl:... I gotta really keep the lightweight stuff in mind. I think I can handle the 210s, but even with a moving cart just loading the 85lb 410 in/out of vehicle is really asking for trouble.

Keep reading good stuff about the Bag Ends... the Berg HT/EXs... and yup, I've read a bunch about the fEarful stuff too! Too many choices!

-M
 
#20
MikeyB said:
Thanks for the input everybody!

Lots of options... too bad I can't try out all this stuff on a gig. :cool:

I was starting to consider the ceramic 410/210 (either HS or SA) but my disc sent me crashing to the floor again last night :bawl:... I gotta really keep the lightweight stuff in mind. I think I can handle the 210s, but even with a moving cart just loading the 85lb 410 in/out of vehicle is really asking for trouble.

Keep reading good stuff about the Bag Ends... the Berg HT/EXs... and yup, I've read a bunch about the fEarful stuff too! Too many choices!

-M
Click to expand...

Per your other question above, you will notice very little difference between the 2 x 210 versus 410 in the Berg line-up.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back