I admit I am old school ..but I have yet to play through a neo equipped cabinet that I liked the sound of.
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- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,094
- 5
- 221,223
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Then maybe you haven't found a Neo cabinet that suits your personal taste. There are a wide variety of voicings available from today's neo equipped cabinets, you might give some more a listen or just be happy with what you currently have.
Maybe get out and try some others. Your back will like them better.
I have played through a lot of gear that I didn't like. I don't blame the gear for that!
Yeah, I like my old-school JBL Sunn cabs.
Many neo cabs are full range. Much lighter, easy to carry, smaller in some cases, good for a lot of reasons.
HPF/LPFs, cab sims and sweepable parametric eq mids are probably the way to go in tone shaping with the new cabs.
It would be cool to see some graphs of old-school cabs and be able to compare them to neo cabs with eq applied.
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Once I discovered that the sound guy does whatever he wants to my tone, I stopped schlepping heavy cabs. No more waiting for people to help load in/ out. I'm like a ghost. A ninja. Now you see me, now you...
i'm old school. i'm just plain old. i like them! as agedhorse suggested: you might try some others because there's a neo equipped rig out there somewhere for you. and if you have back issues = there's one out there with your name on it! 
Check out High Pass Filter (HPF) and Low Pass Filter (LPF) Mega Thread
@JimmyM has a solution for you. How he controls what the sound guy has to work with is brilliant.
+1
I had to go through a few to find one that I truly loved as well, but nevertheless I did. There's a neo out there for everybody. Keep your chin up, and you'll find yours someday!
I've played through about 4 different neo cabs in the last couple of years and didn't really care for any of them. I know that's not a lot of cabs but the ones I've tried just didn't seem to pack the punch that I'm used to. Guess I got a bit spoiled by my 8 10e.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,094
- 5
- 221,223
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
many Neo designs don't attempt to emulate or copy the same old tone footprints, but attempt to find some new territory where designers have always wanted to go but simply couldn't because of limitations in ceramic magnet drivers (and other things).
While I have designed some neo based speaker cabinets that cut new ground, I have also taken existing designs that had limitations that were unavoidable and used neo drivers to overcome these limitations to expand on the work I have already (successfully) done. The Subway cabinets area good example of this, taking the Powerhouse concept to a new level in weight and mechanical power handling yet remaining in the same tonal family. It was intentional that we made the mids a bit more polite, the low end a little rounder and fatter, and the inherent distortion while keeping the overdrive friendly character. Otherwise, if the Powerhouse is more your cup of tea, and the weight isn't an issue, there's nothing at all wrong with them. DIFFERENT approaches to a similar (nut not the same) goals.
While I have designed some neo based speaker cabinets that cut new ground, I have also taken existing designs that had limitations that were unavoidable and used neo drivers to overcome these limitations to expand on the work I have already (successfully) done. The Subway cabinets area good example of this, taking the Powerhouse concept to a new level in weight and mechanical power handling yet remaining in the same tonal family. It was intentional that we made the mids a bit more polite, the low end a little rounder and fatter, and the inherent distortion while keeping the overdrive friendly character. Otherwise, if the Powerhouse is more your cup of tea, and the weight isn't an issue, there's nothing at all wrong with them. DIFFERENT approaches to a similar (nut not the same) goals.
Maybe you're old school...maybe you played though some crappy cabs. I would venture to guess that you just might not like modern cabs, no matter what kind of magnet the speaker has.
Exactly what make/model Neo cabs have you played through that you didn't like?
And in what venue did you try them? home? store? rehearsal? gig? Amp?
I ditched my 96lb combo monstrosity several years ago in favour of a class D head and a neo cab. I couldn't be happier with the sound and the weight isn't bad either (but less would always be welcome for an old git like me).
... he was there, just a sec ago... I swear.
I agree 100%, I found that that the Eminence neo sounds perfect to me and the other's sounded good but not perfect for me.
I love my Bergantino 112's with neo drivers.
I use one for smaller/quieter shows and add the second for more volume and presence and both setups work like crazy for me.
To the OP - what sound are you going for? I play an active jazz and go for a modern clean sound -the Bergs combined with a Streamliner and its tube preamp give me that with some growl and bite.
I use one for smaller/quieter shows and add the second for more volume and presence and both setups work like crazy for me.
To the OP - what sound are you going for? I play an active jazz and go for a modern clean sound -the Bergs combined with a Streamliner and its tube preamp give me that with some growl and bite.
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I am old, but not entirely old school. My favorite cab in the world is a neo loaded fEARful 15/6.
I find neo cabs to lack what I call percussion. I have tried Genz/Benz,..GK ,..Rumble ,.. and others.
For most gigs I use a Bergantino IP112ER/HT112ER system which is perfect , but expensive. I now need a second setup.
I just received an old GK 800RB and want a cab to go with it. A Berg neo might be interesting , but
very expensive ( especially here in Eastern Canada ). Stupidly, I recently let go of a Berg HD212 ( grrrrr ).
I play 4 string Fenders and a Ramirez Baby Bass.
For most gigs I use a Bergantino IP112ER/HT112ER system which is perfect , but expensive. I now need a second setup.
I just received an old GK 800RB and want a cab to go with it. A Berg neo might be interesting , but
very expensive ( especially here in Eastern Canada ). Stupidly, I recently let go of a Berg HD212 ( grrrrr ).
I play 4 string Fenders and a Ramirez Baby Bass.
Try more. And different sized drivers. I've been playing 10s most of my life, turns out the neo cab that did it for me was a 15. I still have my SWR 4x10, but the reasons for keeping it have narrowed down to "sentimental attachment". I haven't gigged it now in a couple of years and it just takes up space in my garage.
