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Mark bass 4x10 or 2 1x12s?

J Mon

J Mon

Dec 4, 2018
57
139
#1
I bought a new Markbass little mark tube 800. I want to pick the best cabinet(s) to go with it. I’m looking at the markbass 104HF. Or alternatively getting 2 of the New York 121s the 4x10 seems a good match to the head and would be all I need but the NY 121s would be more flexible. Am I thinking correctly that the 2 1x12s together would still give me the correct 800 watts and correct ohms. I feel hopeless when trying to figure out this stuff.
If it helps I’m playing mostly rock music in a variety of settings.
 
#2
I shall use the only advice I see as sensible:
Get both sets on a rehearsal and a/b them (you want to get second MbLT800, since, as I got to know reading here, one needs to switch between guitar and stacks, not between head and cabs).
Have your (and bandmates) ears decide. I was shocked how different were my impressions compared to youtube tests.
 
#3
sokolasty said:
I shall use the only advice I see as sensible:
Get both sets on a rehearsal and a/b them (you want to get second MbLT800, since, as I got to know reading here, one needs to switch between guitar and stacks, not between head and cabs).
Have your (and bandmates) ears decide. I was shocked how different were my impressions compared to youtube tests.
Click to expand...

I’m not sure about buying 2 complete rigs to test it out. I guess you are suggesting that I return the unwanted stuff but that seems like a lot of inconvenience to me.
Does anyone have experience with any of these cabs?
 
#5
J Mon said:
I bought a new Markbass little mark tube 800. I want to pick the best cabinet(s) to go with it. I’m looking at the markbass 104HF. Or alternatively getting 2 of the New York 121s the 4x10 seems a good match to the head and would be all I need but the NY 121s would be more flexible. Am I thinking correctly that the 2 1x12s together would still give me the correct 800 watts and correct ohms. I feel hopeless when trying to figure out this stuff.
If it helps I’m playing mostly rock music in a variety of settings.
Click to expand...
If playing rock, the 104HF will have more kick than the 2x12s. Just make sure you get a 4 ohm cabinet.
 
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#7
J Mon said:
so if the 121s are 400 watts at 8 ohms. If I use 2 of them together that would be 800 watts at 4 ohms right?
Click to expand...
Right.
J Mon said:
As far as I can tell the 104 hf is 8 ohms. Which means I would really only get 400 watts out of it.
Click to expand...
There's a lot more to all this than just watts and Ohms.

Driver/cab sensitivity.

Overall frequency response and balance throughout the range.

And the most important one - shlep factor.
 
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#12
J Mon said:
I bought a new Markbass little mark tube 800. I want to pick the best cabinet(s) to go with it. I’m looking at the markbass 104HF. Or alternatively getting 2 of the New York 121s the 4x10 seems a good match to the head and would be all I need but the NY 121s would be more flexible. Am I thinking correctly that the 2 1x12s together would still give me the correct 800 watts and correct ohms. I feel hopeless when trying to figure out this stuff.
If it helps I’m playing mostly rock music in a variety of settings.
Click to expand...

I prefer the modular aspect of (2) 1-12 cabs, although I think you would get a fuller sound out of the 410. Personally, I have (2) 2-10 cabs which is modular and extremely convenient.

One other consideration, to you play with FOH support? If you do, lugging a 410 cab is the pits.
 
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#13
I own both a 4x10 and a 2x10. I take which ever seems appropriate, and once in a great while I take both. It might be fun to have a 1x12 or two, but honestly my needs are totally met by what I have.
 
#14
J Mon said:
I bought a new Markbass little mark tube 800. I want to pick the best cabinet(s) to go with it. I’m looking at the markbass 104HF. Or alternatively getting 2 of the New York 121s the 4x10 seems a good match to the head and would be all I need but the NY 121s would be more flexible. Am I thinking correctly that the 2 1x12s together would still give me the correct 800 watts and correct ohms. I feel hopeless when trying to figure out this stuff.
If it helps I’m playing mostly rock music in a variety of settings.
Click to expand...

The 4x10 is kind of a staple in the rock world but personally I think they’re an outdated design. Big, bulky, annoying to move. Markbass run LOUD. 2x12s would kick ass. One 12 would get you by in a lot of situations as well.

I wouldn’t hesitate to get the 2 112s.

Ps. You are correct about the wattage/ohms
 
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#15
I’d get the pair of NY 121’s. I have one of them plus the matching combo amp with a 12 in it. They’re easy to move around (one in each hand) and sound really good together. I’m sure the 410 would give you a little more volume but, damn, if you need the extra grunt for a big venue, don’t you have a PA? Your two 121s will do the trick for a rock show in a crappy club without adequate PA support. It’s also handy to have a single smaller speaker for lots of reasons (stage monitor for your typical PA supported shows, for practices, etc)—but you can’t break that 410 up the way you can the 2 separate 12’s.
 
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#16
Jefus said:
I'm glad you're at least asking the question. 12s get so overlooked for bass; we tend to go 10s or 15s. To my ears 12s are the sweet spot; they'll shake your pants if you're playing doom, but still be quick and articulate enough that they sound good for jazz.
Click to expand...
Disagree that 12s are overlooked. In fact, 12s have been the flavor of the decade!
 
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#17
I used to rehearse occasionally at a rehearsal studio that had a 4x10 Markbass cab powered by a Tone Hammer, and that always sounded good to me. I own a CMD-121P and a NY-121 and it’s a great sounding rig, and gets plenty loud for anything I need. And it’s a lot asker to schlep, plus I mostly only take the combo for rehearsals and less than loud gigs.
 
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#18
SJan3 said:
Disagree that 12s are overlooked. In fact, 12s have been the flavor of the decade!
Click to expand...
For me, it's been about 10s in recent years.

Rig-1200_0085a.jpg


Rig-1200_0089.jpg
 
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#19
I'd prefer two smaller cabs to one big one, because that means you can use only one if you don't need all the volume the stack can provide - plus you can leave one of the cabs at the rehearsal space if you're setting up and tearing down for each practice.

All other things equal, a 410 has more speaker surface than a 212, so it _should_ be louder.
Therefore, I'd find a place with a good return policy that has both the 112s and the 104 in stock and buy the 112s to test them out. If you can seriously piss off the entire band by turning the master past noon in a loud band, you should be fine.
 
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#20
I recently started gigging with a pair of Markbass 112's. They are freaking LOUD! The whole band turned around at the first show and said "Whatever your new rig is, it's great!"

The modular factor is so handy, it's nice to have something small and portable for small gigs, and to also avoid getting the "oh no" look from a club owner when you haul in the giant Speakers of Doom rig.

If you have roadies and a big van and somebody else does all the heavy lifting and setup then sure, go for the biggest cab you can get. But if you're hauling it around yourself a nice little hand truck and a pair of 112's will make your life so much easier.
 

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