How much is too much?

[butchblack]

Hi

I'm thinking of upgrading my rig. I currently have a GK backline 600 with an Avatar SB112 neo cab. I'm thinking of getting a GK MB 210 combo and using it with the Avatar cab. Part of me, however, wants to upgrade the cab to an SB 212 cab. The 112 is rated 250W which should be right around what the MB will put out into the extension cab. The 212 is rated at 500W. Since I play small clubs I'm assuming the 210 by itself would be more then enough volume. So my question is; at what point does pushing more air become counter productive or of no real value? We shoot for dynamics so at some points in a night I would be playing relatively softly, I'd hate to lose tone by having too much speaker area. Is this making any sense?

BTW I play in a blues/rockabilly/oldies band if that helps with getting a sense of the volumes necessary. i.e. loud but not too loud.

 

[lowendfriend]

Butch,

I got the GK 700RB-II and the Neo 212-II. Play largely Blues with a little rock. That rig w/o PA support has filled main ballrooms at the Burlington Marriott and the Wyndham in Andover with ease. (master at 12 o'clock with active out of wick $$).

The 212 does a great job with the lows (Born Under a Bad Sign) and with the mids/high mids (say a 12 bar blues in D or Hendrix Red House).

The old rule of thumb by the speaker scientists seems to be "you are better off with the same cabinet x2" than mixing and matching speaker sizes.

Maybe you could start with the 212 cab to hitch up to your BL600 (1x12 and a 2x12) and see if you don't get more juice than you expect from that BL600. If still not happy, you can always add the combo...you might even be happier than u think with just going with the 212 as an alternate cab approach.

Good luck!

 

[butchblack]

Butch,

I got the GK 700RB-II and the Neo 212-II. Play largely Blues with a little rock. That rig w/o PA support has filled main ballrooms at the Burlington Marriott and the Wyndham in Andover with ease. (master at 12 o'clock with active out of wick $$).

The 212 does a great job with the lows (Born Under a Bad Sign) and with the mids/high mids (say a 12 bar blues in D or Hendrix Red House).

The old rule of thumb by the speaker scientists seems to be "you are better off with the same cabinet x2" than mixing and matching speaker sizes.

Maybe you could start with the 212 cab to hitch up to your BL600 (1x12 and a 2x12) and see if you don't get more juice than you expect from that BL600. If still not happy, you can always add the combo...you might even be happier than u think with just going with the 212 as an alternate cab approach.

Good luck!

Part of my thought with the combo is that I had originally wanted to get another head and another 112 cab so I'd have a spare. GK's new combo caught my eye and wouldn't be more then a new head and cab anyway. I may be worrying about things needlessly and the MB combo, as stated before is probably all I NEED for the gigs I play, but if I'm carrying a spare cab I might as well use it.

 

[B-string]

Too much is when it takes longer to set up your stuff, then the drummer and gui****ists.
Basic? You would be the judge if you like how the 210 and 112 play together. A scaled down 410/115 setup kind of? Might be very interesting. If you don't like it you still have a 500 watt combo if you add a 410 (total 610)for larger gigs. Use just the 210 for smalller gigs.