Thank you @agedhorse for explaining that. My thoughts were more about the size of the voice coil and rigidity and strength that it might impart on the cone through its physical connection to it. Not the magnet size or strength.
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Thank you @agedhorse for explaining that. My thoughts were more about the size of the voice coil and rigidity and strength that it might impart on the cone through its physical connection to it. Not the magnet size or strength.
I am uncertain about most things in life but on this I am 100% certain; in a blind test no one could accurately discern which class of amplifier topology (class A, AB, D etc.) or speaker motor magnet material they were listening too.
I have owned amps and speakers of all types and retain a mixture of light and heavier weight gear that sounds good to me. I have also moved on all types because it didn't. Someone else probably loves those now too.
As I have grown longer in the tooth and learnt a little more about which frequecies I like to cut and boost with my basses, I find I can get useable sounds out of any of the usual suspects gear.
When I think of some of the rubbish that was available to me 42 years ago when I began on bass, today it's difficult to find anything that doesn't do the job it was intended for at a minimum competently and quite often brilliantly.
I have owned amps and speakers of all types and retain a mixture of light and heavier weight gear that sounds good to me. I have also moved on all types because it didn't. Someone else probably loves those now too.
As I have grown longer in the tooth and learnt a little more about which frequecies I like to cut and boost with my basses, I find I can get useable sounds out of any of the usual suspects gear.
When I think of some of the rubbish that was available to me 42 years ago when I began on bass, today it's difficult to find anything that doesn't do the job it was intended for at a minimum competently and quite often brilliantly.
Agreed. I remember being a kid and I could not get the sound that I wanted out of an amp, cab, or bass... no matter what, so I sold it all, and tried again, and again, and again.
Now... I'm much pickier about my tone than ever before, but I can find a tone that I can deal with from anything anymore.
This leads me to believe that manufacturers have all but unified some common parameters, and that they've also designed more flexibility into the stuff as well.
When I was comparing the Heritage 810 with my Markbass rear ported 410 cabs, the sound was completely different in every way.
After 30 years of being an engineer and bass player, I'm still naive about a lot, and I was surprised about the dramatic difference. I really expected 10's to be 10's.
I favored the Mark tone, and when I discussed it all with @JimmyM he told me that the mark cabs had a high freq boost, as @agedhorse describes above. So for me, in a search for clean, bright, articulated tone, it's a home run... but then so are round wounds.
If you're a guy who likes flats, then you'd disagree, and probably like the 810e better.
As I've mentioed in other threads, this flooded market based largely on sight unseen sales, is tough to navigate. We're fortunate that there are so many flavors out there... more than there have ever been, and likely, more than there ever will be again.
But in order to embrace it all, you must understand and commit to the fact that they're harder to find, try, and buy. I feel your pain, but the general population believes that there's a neo cab for you out there, and so do I. Go find it and be happy that you have so many choices.
Plus... now that Yamaha owns Ampeg, you can expect some 3D Printer Magnet Cabs to be announced.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,010
- 5
- 220,849
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Ive only been playing 35 years, so by TB standards I'm not old school, but im certainly not young blood either. I grew up with Marshall, Peavey, HH, Trace Elliot and Ashdown, but my current Genz-Benz 1x12 outperforms all of them on pretty much every level - clarity, definition, power, dynamic range, responsiveness, balance - you name it. Maybe I prefer to hear my bass rather than the amp/cab, which is something none of the older gear delivered on...
It is stunning how people will dismiss an entire class of products based on a single component design element. It may be an influential element, but it isn't a defining element, considering how many ways there are to build a design around it.
I died awhile back and went to Neoheaven
I had a long response to the thread but I tossed it. I'll condense it to suggesting that the OP use what's working but keep trying other stuff. Maybe you'll never find one you like but maybe one day you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I tried every Markbass that GC had and thought they had no soul, until I got to the combo's that were WAY out of my budget.
I thought that this neo thing would soon pass and I waited patiently. Then it happened. A couple of Avatar Neo cabinets were in my reach at a price I couldn't refuse. A 112 and a 210 sat there tempting my insatiable gear aquisition jones.
Just to make sure, I plugged one in, I forgot which was first but then I swapped the plug into the next one. After thrashing both cabinets mercilessly I connected both cabs and started another thrashing session. I usually play loud enough in the store to drown out the beginning guitarist's that spend more time tuning at full volume than actually playing but now I was playing at the level that would be deserving of being permanently 86'd had I not made multiple purchases there recently. As my vision returned to normal and my imitation of Tim Bogert, John Entwistle and a couple of bass players from Metallica disapated I realized that the whole entire staff was standing there. Most of them were smiling. I walked out of there carrying both cabinets unassisted.
Bass life got just a little better that day!
I thought that this neo thing would soon pass and I waited patiently. Then it happened. A couple of Avatar Neo cabinets were in my reach at a price I couldn't refuse. A 112 and a 210 sat there tempting my insatiable gear aquisition jones.
Just to make sure, I plugged one in, I forgot which was first but then I swapped the plug into the next one. After thrashing both cabinets mercilessly I connected both cabs and started another thrashing session. I usually play loud enough in the store to drown out the beginning guitarist's that spend more time tuning at full volume than actually playing but now I was playing at the level that would be deserving of being permanently 86'd had I not made multiple purchases there recently. As my vision returned to normal and my imitation of Tim Bogert, John Entwistle and a couple of bass players from Metallica disapated I realized that the whole entire staff was standing there. Most of them were smiling. I walked out of there carrying both cabinets unassisted.
Bass life got just a little better that day!
I do not own any Neo cabs.... however, I did get a chance to play a Fender SuperBassman through a 610 Fender Neo cab at a gig. I was blown away with the tone.
I finally got a chance to play a Subway D800 through a Mesa 1x12, damn fine sounding rig, and super light. Alas, I lacked the coin, but I’m damned if I can hear a difference in tone that would justify the obvious physical downsides of lead sled amps and cabs, technology does improve, and lighter is better. They do sound different, better or worse is subjective. I like that Mesa tone!
I've said it before and I will say it again: Schlepping gear is good for you. Get a dolly and casters and rip it up! If a gig is upstairs with bad parking I'm going ampless anyway. However I would not say nay to an endorsement
micro from Mesa.
micro from Mesa.
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You Neo bashers are really starting to irk me. You all need to do this, borrow a highly regarded Neo cab and a graphic equalizer ,get a cheap audio spectrum analyzer for your cellphones , next record your favorite bass from your favorite non- neo bass cab . Now do the same with the Neo cab. Now use the graphic eq to match the Neo cab eq to your non-neo cab . Your decision now is , does the Neo cab sound close enough to the Non-Neo cab to use . Your decision . Or could this be Classic Car syndrome ?
Anyways , your gig rig is a personal decision and really wish I could still move my old Acoustic 215 cab but I myself at my age am feeling the wear and tear of gigging over 40 yrs. As long as you are doing live music, Its All Good !
Anyways , your gig rig is a personal decision and really wish I could still move my old Acoustic 215 cab but I myself at my age am feeling the wear and tear of gigging over 40 yrs. As long as you are doing live music, Its All Good !
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,010
- 5
- 220,849
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
The same can be said comparing two different ceramic magnet cabinets or two different neo magnet cabinets. If they were intentionally designed to sound different, it doesn't matter what the magnetic material was made from.
Where else would I sit my beer?
