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Input on 115 cabs wanted

M

mooh

Mar 26, 2008
7
0
sweden
#1
Since a while back I´m in to downsize my rigg (SWR Goliath III 410+210) and have decided to go for a 115 cab with a tweeter. The plan is to keep the Alembic F1-X/QSC 3002 as the amp section.

Being a "Bread and Butter-player", doing mainely club-gigs, size, weight and sound matters!
Any suggestions on 115 cabs that will do the job properly?
 
#2
I don't know which brands you have available in Sweden. I liked using the Yorkville Sound 1x15 cabinets I bought. They are probably not readily available there.

I'd say, don't be too concerned about power rating. My Yorkvilles were only rated for 300 watts yet they had a great bass sound for bread and butter type playing. The larger 1x15 cabinets will generally sound better than the very small ones. I liked the Glokenklang I heard but they aren't cheap.

How about EBS? I know they make a 1x15.
 
#3
On the blues curcuit, I see more pros gig with a standalone single 15, more than any other cab. I'm talking about the volume levels at small clubs now. Larger clubs , of course take more power, and more cabs, but in general here, I see more guys using, just a single 15, much more than any other cab. About 25 percent have any tweeters, and 5 percent have any mid drivers. Mostly all, just a plain old 15. I've heard tell, that is Jeff Berlins favorite driver also. I'm an 810 guy, but have just gotten a couple of single 15's to try and get used to, for the smaller gigs, we are landing. These new Neo 15's are looking real tasty, but still don't handle the power that the old ceramics do, however, they look to make it up in SPL. I'll have to finish my taste test, before making a judgment on them. Single 15s, don't have much of a weight savings to worry about, in a cab anyway.The good old Carvin single 15, has always been one of my very favorite cabs. I see the new BR series has a tweeter in them now. Should make them stand out even better now.
 
#4
I too am looking at 115 cabs. Contenders:

Carvin BR115
Dr. Bass DRB115 (neo or ceramic option)
Dr. Bass 1580 (15" + 8")

Most guys use the 1580 in conjunction with a 212 or something similar, but I really think it would work as a stand-alone cab.

These are cheaper options that I am looking into because I'm poor. There are more expensive cabs out there like the:

Aguilar DB115
Genz-Benz 115T-XB2
Eden 115XLT
Trace Elliot makes a few nice 115 cabs.
Orange OBC115.

but these are not neo.

I think the Markbass 115 looks solid, as well as the Epifani UL-115 -- two more expensive cabs, but very lightweight and great sounding.

Prize, size, and weight considered, the Dr. Bass 115 neo looks very solid, but unfortunately how it sounds is more important, and that I can't comment on.

Here's a link to Tom Bowlus' bass blog where he did a wonderful single 15" shootout:
http://bowlusblog.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html
 
#5
I really like the look of the 1580, but the only really quality 15's I can speak of from experience are these:

Orange OCB115: I played the Orange tube head (ad200b) through this for hours at a local shop, trying out pedals and just screwing around. I accidentally took a 3 hour lunch that day. I love this cab and would definitely consider it. Great value. If it were black instead of orange, I'd think about buying one instead of a Dr. Bass. It's fairly low/low mid heavy but that's a 15 for you and the Orange is a classic. Could be the tube head colored it though.

Mesa 115: I played my (former) modulus m92 through a Sansamp -> QSC poweramp when I picked up my Modulus. I really was impressed with it. It was I believe a powerhouse. Less low end than I would have expected, but great overall frequency response and solid low end. That could have been the modulus talking a little too though.
 
#7
rpsands said:
I really like the look of the 1580, but the only really quality 15's I can speak of from experience are these:

Orange OCB115: I played the Orange tube head (ad200b) through this for hours at a local shop, trying out pedals and just screwing around. I accidentally took a 3 hour lunch that day. I love this cab and would definitely consider it. Great value. If it were black instead of orange, I'd think about buying one instead of a Dr. Bass. It's fairly low/low mid heavy but that's a 15 for you and the Orange is a classic. Could be the tube head colored it though.

Mesa 115: I played my (former) modulus m92 through a Sansamp -> QSC poweramp when I picked up my Modulus. I really was impressed with it. It was I believe a powerhouse. Less low end than I would have expected, but great overall frequency response and solid low end. That could have been the modulus talking a little too though.
Click to expand...

I gotta say the old Powerhouse (black grill) and Diesel 15 cabs sound much better to me than the current line of PH 15s.
 
#8
I tried the BE s15d and didnt like it. Something about the highs that didnt sound good to me. That and the band leader kept complaining that bass sounded boomy. I'd like to give one another try though since I am using different amp(s) now.

My choice would be, and is, the Epi UL115. 43LBS and sounds like buttery thunder.

Mine arrives Tuesday!
 
#9
I like the 115 Markbass cabs I've tried, which are the Berlin combo and the 151HR. The Berlin has no tweeter, but the 151HR does. I also really dig the Ampeg, although they're a good bit heavier. But for a combination of light weight and heavy sound that sits well in a mix, I like Markbass.
 
#10
One of the "disadvantages" of most single 15 cabinets is they are usually 8 ohms and most solid state amps deliver full power into 4 ohms or in some cases, 2.

This wasn't any disadvantage for me even with my old GK400 RB driving a single Yorkville 1x15 at 8 ohms. Pretty efficient cab and the GK never seemed to run out of power. For big rooms and outdoors I brought two single 15 cabs. But for smaller clubs at not stupid volume levels a single cab was plenty. It filled out the bottom like only a 15 seems to do and had enough mids so it wasn't a boomy, inarticulate sea of mud. One of the complaints I hear a lot is 15s sound boomy or muddy but I think that's the fault of how the user sets his eq on his amp. I've never had complaints from anyone on my gigs.

I've played through the Bag End 15" cabinets and they are very good too. They're certainly small enough and don't weigh a lot. The carpet covered models are like 44 lbs.

My Yorkville was 55 lbs. Not bad at all compared to the typical 4x10 at 75 lbs and up.
 
#11
+1 to 62bass

I just noticed you're in Sweden. Check out the Glockenklang Tedd or the EBS Neo-115. Glockenklang makes other 15" cabs that are made specifically for use in conjunction with their other cabs and heads. I would consider using your Goliath III 210 w/ a 15".
 
#13
My good amp is a yorkville 115... rated at 200 watts I believe, its loud enough to hold its own without a PA hookup in any venue I have played...

I recently started using it with an extra 110 cab on top. It was an old practice amp that I didn't like the tone of... so I took out the head and turned it into a cab. It is still inferior quality, but its good enough for me.
 

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