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Double Bass MAS 16 review

flatback

flatback

May 6, 2004
2,990
2,667
#1
Just bought a MAS16 (used here). THis is a Big E single 6 inch with a tweeter. It is a 1/4 of my 46 but doesn't sound it. I bought it with the idea that it would be good for small duo gigs that I seems to do a lot of and I was hoping that it might work for trio gigs too.
It is dinky small. I strapped my AI focus to its side (wont fit on the top without hanging over the sides) and the amp takes up most of it.
First thing is the sound is not dinky. This sounds way better then my Wizzy 10, and in fact for the Duo stuff (I got it yesterday and went right out last night on a duo gig and played it) way better then the MAS46 ( bull in china shop). THe sound is really open and for acoustic bass just really nice. It is so light that I cannot believe that much sound was coming out of it. It does not have the bass response of the 46 by a long stretch but who needs it? I roll a lot of it off with the HPF. This cab has what the Wizzy is missing which is an even tone rather then a bump in the middle, and it sounded great with a mic. Lots of detail but not brittle. Totally killing little cab. It came with a pole mount which I will try out at some point but sitting un the floor with a little rubber wedge, it was sweet. A must keep for upright.
 
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#2
Also the whole reason for the Big E thing: the wide dispersion of even sound, that works brilliantly with this cab creating this sonic field that at least last night was a perfect envelope for a duo. Easy to hear, never farted out, bow sounds great.
 
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#3
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#5
Yeah, I was reading that the Big E cabs like to be pushed and I didnt really know what was meant by that since I never have the 46 up very loud at all. That thing is so loud and articulate that man you better not make any mistakes. But playing this cab last night and today where it is pushed a bit (not much) harder it has this bloom to the sound that is just right. I really cant believe that much nice sound is coming out of that little box. I think I am going to hook up my 46 to an old tube amp to play my stereo out of (it sounds great for that) and just use this box for most things.
 
#10
That is the Schertler phantom power unit. Not really a preamp more of a pre preamp .
As for which speaker, dunno. I know that this little little thing puts out way more sound then it looks. I wont need more mostly. What I liked so much about where I played the other night was that, in a med small spot it created just the right sonic environment (the acoustic sound of the bass mixed with the speaker) I got the 46 thinking I'll just use it for everything and run it really low for small stuff, but it really asserts itself in a room. Puts you right front and center in the mix, which a lot of time is a place I don't want to be nor do I belong.
For that gig the other night I tried just getting rid of the backpack part of my schlep. I put the cables in the bass bag, strapped the amp to the cab (sits on the front seat), music in my head, crazy easy schlep. If I were still livin in the City, no brainer, simply the cab to cab with. (or subway)
 
#11
ee-san said:
Either the MAS16 or the MAS25 might work for me in low-volume and practice venues. Any advice on how to choose? I use a Walter Woods 200 watt amp most of the time. What are the approximate weights, by the way?
Click to expand...

Glad you're digging it!
ok---size and weight
MAS16 14" by 14" by 8" 14#
MAS25 22" by 12" by 8" 17#

Both go about the same volume. The 25 doesn't like the B string of an electric. The 16 is good with that. One of the reasons we came up with the 16 was as a little practice cab. I think that the 25 is a bit better for upright---but only a small bit. The 16 is available in either 4 or 8 ohms. The 25 is 4 ohms or 16. Or---I can put an impedance switch the goes either 4 or 16 ohms on the 25. This is good if you have two 25's and want them to function like a 45. Both will handle about 200 watts. Another reason we came up with the 16 is that it's---maybe---a bit better form factor for some.

If I was only playing upright and didn't mind the less conventional form factor of the 25---I'd probably go for the 25. The 16 that Flatback bought was from a bassist that wants the cab to double as a small pa cab---for bass and vocals. The 25 is better for that. The 25 has a bit more "pop" to the envelope. The 16 has a bit more weight to the note. You have to realize that the differences I'm talking about are subtle. I think that the 16 is a better cab for a 5 string electric player on coffee house--type--gigs.

The NYC, Paris, and Copenhagen upright players love the 16 for it's form factor. Better for subways and cabs. While the weights are similar, the 16 is better in a bag with a shoulder strap.

I'm having a bit of trouble right now with 18Sound getting the 5's. So there might be a longer wait with the 25's these days.

also--there have been a few small improvements to the 16.(sorry!) Changed some internal dimensions and the cab has a bit more "pop" than the first ones---I haven't made a direct comparison with the latest 16's and the 25. My feeling is that the difference between the "pop" between the two cabs is less. I think that the 25 and 16 go about as loud as a Wizzy 10.
 
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#12
flatback said:
Yeah, I was reading that the Big E cabs like to be pushed and I didnt really know what was meant by that since I never have the 46 up very loud at all. That thing is so loud and articulate that man you better not make any mistakes. But playing this cab last night and today where it is pushed a bit (not much) harder it has this bloom to the sound that is just right. I really cant believe that much nice sound is coming out of that little box. I think I am going to hook up my 46 to an old tube amp to play my stereo out of (it sounds great for that) and just use this box for most things.
Click to expand...

Yeah---if you're barely pushing the 46 there will be less "bloom" to the note. The rear wave won't develop as much. It'll sound good, but maybe a bit more "dry". I'm getting better at understanding which cab serves someone's needs better now. I always try to get as much details as far as a player's volume requirements so that I can recommend the right cab. It's not like there is a narrow "sweet spot" with the cabs. It's just about knowing a cabs strenghts and limitations.
 
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#13
Dude you are always changing the cabs. It's like wine. I wouldn't expect it to be the same now. BUT, don't matter cause the damn thing sounds great. I think sometimes you may be too close to realize that the general idea behind these cabs is so much better that the little differences don't matter do much
 
#15
Agreed. I've been so happy time and time again with the Troll, AI, and 25 combo. What a sweet rig. Simple, concise and sounds absolutely like MBOL. I know not everyone is going for that, but I am so it really works well for me.

I saw that extra 16 for sale and thought for a hot second about trying it out. As Mike said, the 25 has a "less conventional form factor" involved and there have been a few timess where I would have preferred the more conventionally shaped cab.
 
#16
Well the form factor of the 16 is a big deal. This little cab is light easy to hold, easy to tilt up from the floor easy to suspend from a pole. I don't know why Mike does not push this as the upright cab. I know plenty of cats who never have stage volume higher then this will go, it has what I wanted down firing speakers to provide but with clarity and center. Make one with a built in ice amp .. Call it the BYOPreamp and I'd buy one. Seriously.
 
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#18
That's a really nice dependable rig, Povi. You could spend a lot of dough and have a slightly smaller rig that may or may not be as versatile. That's the risk when upgrading in the quest for a rig that is diminutive in weight and dimension.This single six cabinet is intriguing, though I think it would be best to be careful in choosing the right power amp? These newest generation drivers are enabling great little box designs, they will take a lot of punishment before snapping. I remember when Ron Carter was promoting some little Barcus Berry amp with a small driver..not for long though, I'd guess that it didn't take long for that box to fail. So I'm curious as to what the ideal amount of power is for these micro bass cabs.
 
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#19
MR PC said:
That's a really nice dependable rig, Povi. You could spend a lot of dough and have a slightly smaller rig that may or may not be as versatile. That's the risk when upgrading in the quest for a rig that is diminutive in weight and dimension.This single six cabinet is intriguing, though I think it would be best to be careful in choosing the right power amp? These newest generation drivers are enabling great little box designs, they will take a lot of punishment before snapping. I remember when Ron Carter was promoting some little Barcus Berry amp with a small driver..not for long though, I'd guess that it didn't take long for that box to fail. So I'm curious as to what the ideal amount of power is for these micro bass cabs.
Click to expand...

I'd say that 100 watts would be fine. 200 peak. You could likely put 300 watts into it for a burst and it would be ok. You guys have to know---I try all of my speakers with power amps that put out 800 to 1200 watts. And I gig the 16 with an 800 watt amp. You just have to get used to the point where the 6 starts to sound funky. These custom 6's have really long excursion---and then if you combine the fact that you get double the sound including the back wave---you're about where a 10" cab would do. A standard 10---like the Wizzy or others. I can use the 6 with a piano trio with drums at low to medium levels. If you add a horn and the volume goes up---might be too much for this little puppy. The Vd of this cab is about 150 cc's. An Eminence Deltalite II 2510 (in a reflex cab) is about the same. An Eminence Basslite s2010 is just slightly less.

It's available in 4 or 8 ohms.
 
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#20
Well there is the this and there is the that .
What I like about it is that sweet spot where you can hear your own bass , the nice field of this speaker surrounding that and adding to it . Add gigs with it and PA and that right there is a whole lotta gigs for me. Loud quartet the 46 is great. (And still way smaller then a 410)
Hey mike Arnopol what about one of these with the right power amp built in?
 

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