Hypothetical Configuration

The 212 is the same as 2 x 112's. how loud do you think you need to be?

What about 2 x 115's?

 

Why does the 115 + 210 phallacy persist? It's not a hard rule carved in stone.
Both options present a 4 ohms load to the amp.
You've played both configurations: which one did you like more?
Myself, I care more about not getting a hernia than the bulge in my crotch.

 

2 x 112 at 8 ohms is the same for all practical purposes as 1 x 212 at 4 ohms.

There are 15" cabinets that are brighter than 10" or 12" cabinets. Size alone is not a predictior of performance.

[ edit for typo]

 

A pictures worth 1000 words

 

It very much depends on how each cab sounds, your numbers tell us nothing but when to make them blow at best.

A 2x12 by MarkBass, Eden, Mesa, Barefaced, GK, TC electronics and many others will ALL preform and sound very different.
Same applies for the 15 cabs and 2x10 cabs even from the same manufacturer many have two or more different sounding and preforming cabs of the same speaker size.

Ampeg alone has 5 different 15 cabs.

 

I think @agedhorse meant to say that two 8 ohm 112 cabinets is the same as one 212 cabinet at 4ohms. If they are the same brand, there would be little if any difference in the sound between them and you would be using the same amount of power.

 

What cabs specifically? If loudness is your concern you'd want to check the sensitivity rating, not the power handling.

 

Again you are hitting on false stereotypes. Example is the GK Neo 15 is does not go as low as their neo 4x10 cabs.

Check this out.
Neo 410: Frequency Resp. (-3dB): 30 Hz to 19 kHz
Neo 115-III: Frequency Resp. (-3dB): 45 Hz to 19 kHz

Also listen to this demo and notice that the speaker they have miked is the 15.
No mush, only lows here.

 

Back in the 60's and 70's, yes the 12" speakers and 15" speakers produced a lower sound than other speakers and the 15" produced the lowest of all. That is not "necessarily" true with modern, full-frequency cabs.

For instance I have a DNS-210 cab by DNA that is capable of better low-frequency response than the DNS-115 cab. The 210's low frequency is at 34Hz and the 115's is at 37Hz. Both of these are really good bottom end frequencies, but the 210 has the tightest and lowest low end of the two. Eden cabs are the same way only the difference is bigger yet. The Eden D210XST has the lowest and tightest bottom end of all their cabs. So speaker size doesn't necessarily mean it will sound "bassier".

I have a 2x112 Eden set up, a DNS-210, and a DNS-410 cab as well as an acoustic B410+GK115bpx stack that I used for years. The DNS-210 has the tightest and lowest bottom end followed closely by the DNS-410. Then comes the two Eden EX-112 cab set ups and last of the bunch is the acoustic B410+GK115bpx stack. The cab I actually use for all my indoor venues now is the DNS-210. I reserve my DNS-410 for outdoor and festival gigs. The DNS cabs are high power handling and very sensitive cabs so it doesn't take much to make them loud.

Of the options you have, the 212 is a nice configuration, but the 4 ohm rating is pretty limiting and you can't re-wire a 4 ohm cab to turn it into an 8 ohm cab. Odds are the 410+115 is going to be the louder of the two choices, but a LOT of that depends upon the brand. For instance, my DNS-210 is louder by itself, than my acoustic B410+DK115bpx stack. But here is a very big price and performance difference between them.

You could probably safely state that if they are the same make, then the 500-watts, which is the most your amp will put out, will sound louder with the 410+115 combination because it has far more speaker area, pushing far more air, than the 212 cab. Each cab would get 250-watts for a total of 500 watts. The 212, being a 4 ohm cab, would get all 500-watts, but doesn't have the "speaker area" to be as loud as the stack. If you mix brands, all bets are off and generalizations aren't much help...depends on the brands.

 

A 212 is a nice all-around single cab solution.
A 115+210 gives you options. You can take just one cab to a jam with friends, or use at the house. You can use both cabs on the gig.

Assuming we are talking about all three of these cabs being the same brand/family - I think the decision really comes down to two things:
1. Subtle differences in tone - can you play all three cabs to compare?
2. Form factor - what fits in your car, what's easy to schlep, do you expect do jam with different bands and different size clubs where different cab options might be good...

I used a single 212 cab as my main rig for years. I was doing a lot of gigs with the same band, and it really worked well for that.
But then I started playing with a second group, and wanted a smaller cab, so I got a 210. Over time, playing with more and different groups, I found having the two options really nice.
I've since added a second matching 210, and I'm trying to sell my 212. I'v mostly been using one 210, and can add the second 210 for outside gigs, or can keep one at the house and one at a practice room.

For me, I think having the option of two cabs is nice, and it's not that much more stuff to carry.

 

2 12s should get you through most gigs.

 

My personal taste would lead me to the 2x12, they have a lot of muscle to them. With a tweeter they sound great.

When I use an amp these days, I run a 2x12 + 2x10 vertical stack that I really like the sound of. The 2x12 gives a smooth powerful/tight low end and the 2x10 has a lot of snap. I think I’d probably prefer all 2x12s now but the cabs are bigger and harder to move.

 

Compact 2X12, 600W RMS program, 4 Ohms, about 38 lbs. Shivers me timbers just fine.

 

Excellent! Prepare for some education to come your way ...

 

Correct, bad typo

 

I’d go with 2 x 115s with defeat-able tweeters in both. You could probably use just one most of the time. Both of them would probably be plenty man enough for most gigs, unless you play outdoors or big arenas frequently. Two vertically stacked 15’s sound fantastic to me in almost any setting. I have 4 x 115’s and I have used all four a few times at outdoor gigs, but it really ain’t necessary. It’s just-in-case the guitarist has too much to drink & gets a little too loud....

 

For what it's worth- I used to play through a 2x10 (SWR son of Goliath) and a 1x15 (SWR son of Bertha) and they sounded great.
I have since switched to verticle 2x12 cabs (Tecamp S212, 8 ohms) and love those. I rarely use the second cab, usually only at outdoor festivals.
While I love my current cabs, I would still be able to get a very good tone from my old SWR stuff, but with more weight and space.