Looking for a new setup

[jamescarroll]

I am currently using a Aguilar TH350 with 2 Ampeg 410HE cabs. Lugging this around is killing me. I didn't realize when I got the TH350 that it's only 175 watts into 8 ohm cab. Anyways, Im looking for suggestions. I want a slightly compact setup: 1 cab (or two small cabs) and a small head. I'm wanting a Sabbath mixed with Melvin's sound. Warm and fuzzy. I would love tubes, but if cost is an issue I plan to use a bass tube drive with built in tube preamp. Once I sell all of my random equipment, I should have $1500. I would love some suggestions. Thanks

 

[eaglemachine]

Barefaced 10’s and a quilter 803

 

[Chris Chong]

$1500

How about a decent lighweight cab?

 

[shoot-r]

I am currently using a Aguilar TH350 with 2 Ampeg 410HE cabs. Lugging this around is killing me. I didn't realize when I got the TH350 that it's only 175 watts into 8 ohm cab. Anyways, Im looking for suggestions. I want a slightly compact setup: 1 cab (or two small cabs) and a small head.

"If", you like the sound/tone of your TH350 head, and if you like the sound/tone of your sealed Ampeg 410HE cabinets.....maybe try two of Ampeg's, sealed, 8 ohm, 210AV cabinets with your TH350 head?

Pros:
The 210AV's are fairly inexpensive, very light weight and some of the easiest to transport 210 cabs available.
They're rated at 200 watts cap. ea., 400 watt cap for two would be ideal for the TH350.
Using two, 8 ohm 210AV's will allow the TH350 to produce it's full 350 watts.
Their sealed design should be very close in sound to your 410HE cabs sealed design.

Negatives:
A single 210AV is a lite to medium duty cabinet. When playing with a drummer you "will" need two cabinets.
Going from the SPL that your present two, 410 cabinets can provide to what two, 210 cabinets can provide will be a big change.

 

[Mastiff_5]

At a total budget of $1500, your bang for the buck is likely to be in the used market, I should think.
A GB Streamliner 900 is incredibly warm with a tube pre, one of my faves of all time. They are repairable (@agedhorse may need to verify this)
Push plenty of power, and with a pedal of your choice should be furry as you like. There are a number of other used digital switching amps with great power:
- Mesa Subway family (my D800 is a
decade in and totally awesome)
- GK
- GenzBenz
- Genzler
You can go trickfish or some of the other great names out there, these are just personal
faves.

This puts you into a head for $500-750, leaving you $750-1000 for a cabinet, which you will need most every bit of for a lightweight, high-wattage, 2x12 cab, which would be my suggestion.
- GK Neo4 2x12 (I use a pair of the
1x12’s, adore them)
- Subway 2x12 (as noted above, used
if you can find one)
- RevSound should be on your radar
for lightweight and loud
- Schroeder cabs can be cost
effective and lightweight, have a
loyal user base

Try out dirt pedals until you find what really nails the Sabbath/Melvins flavor for you!

We are spoiled these days for awesome gear, and TB is a unique spot where cared for gear changes hands… good luck, and enjoy the hunt!!!!

 

[Gervais Cote]

I saved my lower back problems by using two 112 cabs of 31 pounds each and a class D amp head of 500 watts. I can easily keep up with any drum as long as they are not going through the PA.

My cabs are GK Neo IV 112 but the new Markbass series is even lighter than that so if the sound suits you well, you have a very easy to carry cabs.

My amp is a Traynor SB 500H because I love its rock sound signature but tons of equivalent amps are available nowadays. I still have my Hartke LH 500 that’s magic and I use it for special occasions although it weighs 21 pounds.

 

[SC Bassboy]

I am currently using a Aguilar TH350 with 2 Ampeg 410HE cabs. Lugging this around is killing me. I didn't realize when I got the TH350 that it's only 175 watts into 8 ohm cab. Anyways, Im looking for suggestions. I want a slightly compact setup: 1 cab (or two small cabs) and a small head. I'm wanting a Sabbath mixed with Melvin's sound. Warm and fuzzy. I would love tubes, but if cost is an issue I plan to use a bass tube drive with built in tube preamp. Once I sell all of my random equipment, I should have $1500. I would love some suggestions. Thanks

If you like Ampeg, I have the SVT212 AV and it kicks hard. It was designed to sound like a SVT8x10 so it can do that 70's wooly sound you're after. You can totally find a used Ampeg 212 and a V4B tube head for about $1500. There's a weight trade off, but you get the real tube tone you're after within your budget.

 

[Luther]

Invest in 2 smaller 8ohm cabs to take full advantage of the TH350. Upgrade the amp at a later date if necessary - IMHO.

 

[five7]

This setup cost me $1500 and sounds amazing!

 

[Zooberwerx]

Sell the cabs (heavy!), keep the TH350...for now. Snag either (2) 10" or 12" enclosures (8 ohm), see how it sounds with the TH, and go from there. You're essentially ending up with a 350 watt 2 x ? gig-worthy modular rig.

I'm really diggin' the Mesa 2x12 @Chris Chong suggested BUT everybody and his sister has a near-comparable offering that may better fit your budget. If going with a single enclosure...one and done...the 4 ohm is more desirable but any number of factors come into play.

Riis

 

[supermonkey]

Stay Aggie. Upgrade to a TH500 and replace those heavy guys with an SL115 and an SL210.

 

[SJan3]

I agree with upgrading to 2 light weight cabinets. I wouldn't sell the TH350 at this point. It can deliver @4 ohms.
350 watts RMS is a good amount of power unless you're playing at extreme levels.

 

[Cleezmo]

+1 to the posted advising to keep the TH350 and change cab(s) as a first option. I'd go either a 4ohm 2x12 or two 8ohm single 12s if it were me. Then if you find that you really, truly need more power, you already have the lightweight cabs.

There are plenty of high-quality cabinet options out there, lots to choose from - Mesa, Genzler, Barefaced, Bergantino, Aguilar, Markbass, etc. If you are after that type of 70s tone, you could either look for cabs voiced in that direction, or look for a neutral-sounding cab that is gonna put out what your amp and effects put in. For the latter, I would strongly recommend RevSound as a non-music-store brand; My 2x12 weighs 36lbs and sound great - it puts out what the amp puts in. Their 1x12s are about 22lbs each, and a 2x10 is around 30lbs. But as I said, there are LOTS of good options out there, so happy shopping.

 

[Solipsistik]

It's a bit crazy, but here's my setup - total weighs about 80 pounds but 36lbs per cabinet. You could swap in a dual 12" cab instead for one or get the PURE version with tweeter to save another pound (and get more highs, but less high-mids).

Bergantino Forte HP Ultra
Two Mark Bass 58R 104 Energy cabs (800W @ 8ohm for a 4ohm combined load)

For reference, the Mark Bass 102HF dual 10" cabinets I've been using for years are HEAVIER at 38lbs.

Now, for the head I'd probably get an Ampeg SVT4 Pro for what you're after. Besides sounding amazing and being the gold standard for your style of playing, it has enough power to drive those cabinets to their potential, a full 1600W @ 4 ohm (which is two 8 ohm speakers in parallel). This is pretty much the dream rig without the weight. Honestly, the head is at least as heavy as the cabinets, so you're looking at lugging a total of around 100lbs but in three pieces around 35lbs.

Good luck with your search.

 

[DJmtd]

For cabs, I scored a pair of Orange OBC112s a few years ago. They're 25lbs each and they're like $300 on the used market. They're definitely on the darker side tonally, but for the money and form factor, I think they're pretty hard to beat.

If you have a tube preamp/drive that you like, I think you cannot go wrong with a Quilter head - I have an BB802, but the 803 gets rave reviews. Used, they're very inexpensive for what they give you. 800 watts, simple controls, very clean, very uncolored.

I can put my Quilter in the front pouch of my Mono M80 and either carry a cab in each hand or put em on a small hand truck and I'm good to go.

 

[H Nighttrain]

I find my TH350 and RevSound RS115 can handle just about any gig I encounter.

The RS115 is about 25 lbs., efficient, sounds excellent, and is $810 new. A second RS115 would make for one killer rig but is a bit over your budget; a new RS112 is $675 and would also give more config options.

(If you need to output to a PA, note that the TH350 doesn't have a DI out.)

 

[Enrique M]

I find my TH350 and RevSound RS115 can handle just about any gig I encounter.

The RS115 is about 25 lbs., efficient, sounds excellent, and is $810 new. A second RS115 would make for one killer rig but is a bit over your budget; a new RS112 is $675 and would also give more config options.

(If you need to output to a PA, note that the TH350 doesn't have a DI out.)

Just as a point of detail, the RS115 is $1,147 and the RS112 $956 (new). Prices went up back in about late November. I was in the market back then, and the price bump became part of my equation in terms of which direction to go in my search for a light(er) weight cab. Everything has gone up. This is not meant as a criticism of Rev Sound.

 

[Kenny056]

I found both the Magellan 800 and Nu Classic 2x12 used for well under 1500 bucks. They sound fantastic and are extremely easy to transport. Good luck on your search!

 

[climber]

I have a Streamliner 900 and RevSound 210 and 112 cabinets. The 210 covers any of the bigger gigs and the 112 everything else, including the jazz duo gigs.

BTW Andy can repair pretty much anything Genz or Genzler.

 

[Kaa]