Mesa cab decision

[Anachronism]

I haven't tried these cabs, but I've used a Mesa PH 15 (80 pounds) and have a Mesa Buster 15 combo (100+). Even with wheels and handles those are a lot to move on anything besides a nice level surface. Unless you're pretty ripped I expect that 140+ pounds of cab will get old fast.

 

[mexicant]

I have noticed lately a lot of used mesa cabinets for sale cheap , if you don't mind the weight,now would be a great time to buy !

 

[Anachronism]

I have noticed lately a lot of used mesa cabinets for sale cheap , if you don't mind the weight,now would be a great time to buy !

The 410 options in particular seem to be selling cheaply.

 

[Al Kraft]

The 410 options in particular seem to be selling cheaply.

As someone who owns both the PH 410 and 212, I find the 212 to be much easier to handle weight wise (dimensions are the same) and really like the way it sounds. If I had to shed a cab right now it would be the PH410, not because it isn't excellent, but it's not worth the extra weight given the options that sound as good or better to me.

 

[MTN.bass72]

@CoreyI35 I have Subway D800.. run it through a Greeboy Audio Fearless F210 ..
48lbs +\-
Have had it as loud ss a decent 410 with more to give . .
Easy carry, very small cab and as mentioned , louder than you'd ever expect from such a small cab.
if you're willing to spend $1500 bucks to move 143lbs... seriously look into the Greenboy cabs . ..
I bought mine sight unseen or heard... no regrets ever
Whatever you put in is what you get out.

 

[Tectonic]

Powerhouse are great cabs. I had the 410witha15 ( ph 1000)and it sounded killer.
I was always complimented on the cab sound by other bassists and guitarists.

 

[boamedt]

I duno subways sound very nice but are very small, could look at that as good or bad depending what your doing. With a small cab comes limited output. You can only ask so much of a small mass produced cab...

 

[Al Kraft]

I duno subways sound very nice but are very small, could look at that as good or bad depending what your doing. With a small cab comes limited output. You can only ask so much of a small mass produced cab...

Just based on my use of the Subways and having heard some Barefaced products I think there is room for discussion regarding the statements that "with a small cab comes limited output" and "you can only expect so much of a small mass produced cab". YMMV.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I'm a firm believer in getting two matching cabs - keep one at home and one where you rehearse (when you start with a band). This way you only have to carry your bass and head around. One cab for small gigs, two for large.

 

[agedhorse]

I duno subways sound very nice but are very small, could look at that as good or bad depending what your doing. With a small cab comes limited output. You can only ask so much of a small mass produced cab...

I think you might be selling some of the smaller cabinets short. Small cabinets work well as a scalable solution, where you pick and choose enough rig for each gig as needed. Yes, you do pay a little cost penalty but there's nothing small about the performance. Not just the Subway cabinets, but other folks have also designed high performance cabinets in small, lighter weight form factors as well and they all are great improvements over the "good 'ol days" products IMO.

 

[boamedt]

So how many subways does it take....so one can expect better performance from the subway cab than any large cab? Cost is definitely a downside. The mesa 6x10 is 1500 and 3 mesa subway 2x10swould be 2700$! Holy carp...and only 20lbs lighter

 

[agedhorse]

So how many subways does it take....so one can expect better performance from the subway cab than any large cab? Cost is definitely a downside. The mesa 6x10 is 1500 and 3 mesa subway 2x10swould be 2700$! Holy carp...and only 20lbs lighter

Well, 2 Subway 210's would be pretty close performance-wise to the PH610 (maybe a bit better actually), so by your math you would be closer to $1800, a heck of a lot lighter and somewhat smaller. Now what you are getting is a smaller, lighter package for a very small cost premium. Also, shipping on all of the big, heavy cabinets is quite a bit more with the heavy weight surcharge, so there's that savings too.

IMO, 3 of the Subway 210's would pretty much stomp one of the PH610's (which one would hope for given the difference in cost).

 

[Al Kraft]

My Subway 112/115 combo with the D-800 doesn't leave me feeling like I showed up "light" in the performance department compared to my Carbines and PH cabs. There is a slightly different feel, but that's true when I bring GK or Berg cabs with either a class AB or D head. At the end of the day, these new light weight cabs have drivers that reflect some of the most advanced commercial FOH/PA technologies and are in many ways far ahead of even the best MI driver designs IMO & IME.

 

[Jamie_Funk]

Is anyone gigging a single Subway 115? Thinking of taking the plunge but can't get 2 cabs right away - three piece rock-ish band with -medium volume drummer.... currently using two Traynor 112 cabs with a 500watt micro head

 

[Al Kraft]

Is anyone gigging a single Subway 115? Thinking of taking the plunge but can't get 2 cabs right away - three piece rock-ish band with -medium volume drummer.... currently using two Traynor 112 cabs with a 500watt micro head

Three piece band, medium volume drummer...a SW115 will do fine as long as you're not outdoors or in large venues. I have used my D-800 and 115 in small to medium venues and at rehearsals with a 4 piece rock group (disciplined musicians all) and it works fine. When I felt it needed a little extra push I just used the stellar Mesa D-800 DI to get some help from then PA/FOH system. The SW115 is an excellent first investment in building a Subway stack and comes close to "super cab" performance in many ways IMO.

 

[nostatic]

Is anyone gigging a single Subway 115? Thinking of taking the plunge but can't get 2 cabs right away - three piece rock-ish band with -medium volume drummer.... currently using two Traynor 112 cabs with a 500watt micro head

I've gigged a single Subway 1-12 plenty of times - with a full band.

 

[mmbongo]

Is anyone gigging a single Subway 115? Thinking of taking the plunge but can't get 2 cabs right away - three piece rock-ish band with -medium volume drummer.... currently using two Traynor 112 cabs with a 500watt micro head

I have two of the 115's.. and a 112. I use a single 115 for most gigs.

 

[Jamie_Funk]

mmbongo, considering I am now a die-hard Super Brights string user due in no small part to all your support for them in the Strings fourm, I'm inclined to think I should listen to your advice on using one 115 cab

Thanks to everyone else for the feedback as well.

J

 

[azfatboy]

I have noticed lately a lot of used mesa cabinets for sale cheap , if you don't mind the weight,now would be a great time to buy !

The 410 options in particular seem to be selling cheaply.

Where are you guys looking? Cause although I did just get a great local deal on a PH410, it was definitely an anomaly. I literally had to scour CL/TB/wherever for months to get a good deal. Every other Mesa cab I saw, even the heavier PowerHouse series, seemed to command an absolute premium...