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Mesa cab thoughts

Mesa PowerHouse stack preference?

  • Two 1x15

    Votes: 11 30.6%

  • Two 2x12

    Votes: 19 52.8%

  • 1x15 & 2x12

    Votes: 2 5.6%

  • 2x12 & 2x10

    Votes: 4 11.1%
  • Total voters
    36
Horny Toad

Horny Toad

Mar 4, 2005
2,451
15
NJ
www.facebook.com
#1
Picked up an M9 Carbine a few months ago and I'm loving it. :bassist:

I'm currently running a Schroeder 610L and I was thinking about building a more modular rig. I'd like to give Mesa/Boogie cabs a try, and I'm not sure which way to go. I'd love to try a 2x15, but that isn't exactly modular, so maybe two Powerhouse 1x15's? Maybe two 2x12's? I'm thinking about moving away from tens. Just looking for opinions. I'm not in a position to get two cabs at the moment - just kicking ideas around.

And yes, I know only I can decide with my own ears, and I know about other options like LDS, fEarful, etc. Again, just kicking ideas around.

Oh, I play in a pretty loud cover band. Three guitars, loud drummer, keyboards. Pop/rock. No PA support for bass.
 
#2
IME you may regret going more modular...

I used to have a Boogie PH210+115 setup, sold that, and then had a Boogie PH210+212 setup, and sold those. Then I eventually ended up with my PH412. SOOOO much easier, especially for a taller guy like me.

The PH610 is great, as is their PH412. If they're a little too much to lug around, I can say pretty much unequivocally that for Mesa amps, besides their own PH cabs, the Berg NV line will sound stellar. And they're right around 100lbs so not terribly bad to move. I also don't like the "loud sound from a small box", which is why I gotta have at least a 610/215/412.
 
#3
rockstarbassist said:
IME you may regret going more modular...

I used to have a Boogie PH210+115 setup, sold that, and then had a Boogie PH210+212 setup, and sold those. Then I eventually ended up with my PH412. SOOOO much easier, especially for a taller guy like me.

The PH610 is great, as is their PH412. If they're a little too much to lug around, I can say pretty much unequivocally that for Mesa amps, besides their own PH cabs, the Berg NV line will sound stellar. And they're right around 100lbs so not terribly bad to move. I also don't like the "loud sound from a small box", which is why I gotta have at least a 610/215/412.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I hear ya, and what I really want is the 2x15, but every time I look at the specs and see "123lbs", my spine just about jumps out of my body. I know it'll be easy to roll around, but I can't stop thinking about stairs, loading in & out of the band truck, and god forbid if I need to lift it into the trunk of my car. That's why I'm thinking two 1x15's might be the ticket. I just don't know.
 
#4
Horny Toad said:
Yeah, I hear ya, and what I really want is the 2x15, but every time I look at the specs and see "123lbs", my spine just about jumps out of my body. I know it'll be easy to roll around, but I can't stop thinking about stairs, loading in & out of the band truck, and god forbid if I need to lift it into the trunk of my car. That's why I'm thinking two 1x15's might be the ticket. I just don't know.
Click to expand...

If you wanna 215, you're not going to be disappointed with the Berg NV215+6. I had a Berg NV425 (310+115) when I first got my Titan, and it was just awesome.
 
#6
Well if you wanted the Mesa 215, I'd just get the 215. The 115 IME is the most PITA cab to move around, ever. And that's for all 115's. If it has casters, you have to bend so dang far over to push it, and if you carry it, it's not like they're light! Mesa's have always had great 15"-equipped designs, I just think two 115's would be a real pain, real quick.
 
#9
Haha yeah man I've pretty much owned every cab or variant of every cab they make or have made! And definitely speaking from experience.

To me it came down to saying "Yeah, I'll just use one cab when I need it and two when I need both" but only you can answer that for yourself. I know if I had say a pair of PH212's and really only "needed" one, I'd still wanna bring both just to have! At least with Mesa cabs, they aren't in the "UL" realm of like Epifani, Schroeder, others where you can carry both modular cabs with one in each hand or something.
My PH412 projects and cuts like nothing else I've heard and/or seen, and is always confirmed by my band and soundguy when we play out. So it's worth to lug around and have.

You're on the right track about Mesa cabs, but speaking from having multiple modular setups like this of all sorts of brands, just having one big one really is easier.
 
#10
I have the PH412 and have just recently acquired a pair of PH115 cabs and they are blowing my mind! I love the 412 as its very balanced and deep sounding but it doesn't have the thick gooey warmth that only 15 inch speakers seem to be able to produce. This became really apparent to me when I plug in a fretless and compare the cabs side by side.

The 412 sounds good using a freltess but there is not as much of the "mwah" tone that I'm after. Plugging into a single PH115 was a revelation! All the mwah and growl and warm snarly tone that i hear in my head when I imaging a good fretless tone is right there. Just last week I bought the second 115 and in comparing the 412 against the stack of 115's I was really surprised to find that the 215 stack is louder and deeper sounding right off the bat.

By deeper, I am referring to the low mids and the big huge warm tone that pumps out of these cabs. The 412 is tuned deeper and handles the low B string with a lot more tightness but the 215 tone is so huge that it seems deeper in some ways.

The Mesa 115 cabs are not slow or boxy or honky sounding in any way. The horn is tasteful and sounds great without being harsh or shrill and the mid punch from these cabs is amazing. I can also say that the pair of them sounds 10 times bigger then a single cab. The pair together is simply amazing.

I went with 2 115 cabs instead of the 215 version as I was able to get them both for really good deals. One was used and one was "new old stock" and super discounted. Mine are the 400 watt versions which have since been upgraded to 600 watt drivers. Not sure of the tonal differences but the cabs are identical in appearance to the new versions.

I haven't gigged the 215 stack or compared it at high volume to the 412 but just A/B'ing between the two at moderate volume has been a blast so far. i really like the tight punch of the 412 but have always wanted a 215 rig and for me, the 2 115 cabs are great as I can fit them into my small car and only use one if the situation warrants.

I was set on ordering a Mesa 215 cab but I don't think you could go wrong either way. The 215 cab is heavy but is designed really well to "tilt and roll" into a vehicle. My 412 is not hard to get in and out of my mini van but it simply would not fit into my hatchback. I would much rather lift the smaller 115 cabs in and out and then use a small dolly to roll them in and out of buildings, then try and lift the entire weight of a 215 cab into my little car without scratching up both the cab and the car.

So it comes down to budget, your vehicle, your willingness to lift heavy cabs and what you think will be more practical for you. Tone wise, I think you will love the sound of Mesa 215's in either configuration.

I own a pair of 210 cabs and up until recently, owned a matching 410 as well. The 210 cabs were so easy to carry and load into my car and the 410 was really awkward as it weighed 100 pounds. I found that the 410 never left my house and the pair of 210 cabs actually sounded bigger and fuller then the 410. I sold the 410 finally as I never used it.
 
#11
Crabby said:
I have the PH412 and have just recently acquired a pair of PH115 cabs and they are blowing my mind! I love the 412 as its very balanced and deep sounding but it doesn't have the thick gooey warmth that only 15 inch speakers seem to be able to produce. This became really apparent to me when I plug in a fretless and compare the cabs side by side.

The 412 sounds good using a freltess but there is not as much of the "mwah" tone that I'm after. Plugging into a single PH115 was a revelation! All the mwah and growl and warm snarly tone that i hear in my head when I imaging a good fretless tone is right there. Just last week I bought the second 115 and in comparing the 412 against the stack of 115's I was really surprised to find that the 215 stack is louder and deeper sounding right off the bat.

By deeper, I am referring to the low mids and the big huge warm tone that pumps out of these cabs. The 412 is tuned deeper and handles the low B string with a lot more tightness but the 215 tone is so huge that it seems deeper in some ways.

The Mesa 115 cabs are not slow or boxy or honky sounding in any way. The horn is tasteful and sounds great without being harsh or shrill and the mid punch from these cabs is amazing. I can also say that the pair of them sounds 10 times bigger then a single cab. The pair together is simply amazing.

I went with 2 115 cabs instead of the 215 version as I was able to get them both for really good deals. One was used and one was "new old stock" and super discounted. Mine are the 400 watt versions which have since been upgraded to 600 watt drivers. Not sure of the tonal differences but the cabs are identical in appearance to the new versions.

I haven't gigged the 215 stack or compared it at high volume to the 412 but just A/B'ing between the two at moderate volume has been a blast so far. i really like the tight punch of the 412 but have always wanted a 215 rig and for me, the 2 115 cabs are great as I can fit them into my small car and only use one if the situation warrants.

I was set on ordering a Mesa 215 cab but I don't think you could go wrong either way. The 215 cab is heavy but is designed really well to "tilt and roll" into a vehicle. My 412 is not hard to get in and out of my mini van but it simply would not fit into my hatchback. I would much rather lift the smaller 115 cabs in and out and then use a small dolly to roll them in and out of buildings, then try and lift the entire weight of a 215 cab into my little car without scratching up both the cab and the car.

So it comes down to budget, your vehicle, your willingness to lift heavy cabs and what you think will be more practical for you. Tone wise, I think you will love the sound of Mesa 215's in either configuration.

I own a pair of 210 cabs and up until recently, owned a matching 410 as well. The 210 cabs were so easy to carry and load into my car and the 410 was really awkward as it weighed 100 pounds. I found that the 410 never left my house and the pair of 210 cabs actually sounded bigger and fuller then the 410. I sold the 410 finally as I never used it.
Click to expand...

You're pretty much right on, especially the bolded part.

I also LOVE the sound of a 2x115 rig or 215 cab, and yeah you'll get more oomph and booty out of the 15's, I just like the attack, cut and especially breakup of 12's, which is why I'm rocking them currently.
 
#17
rockstarbassist said:
Pretty much this.

I think their 210's are too heavy/bulky/big to justify when you can have a pair of the 12's and/or 15's.

Or just one 212 is going to be pretty stellar as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm a big fan of their 212, but it's weird: I like the 4x10 better, which is odd given I am rarely a fan of 4x10s. The Mesa has tons of booty AND tons of mids. Definitely my favorite medium cab of theirs.

If it were me I'd either get two of the 1x12s or a 4 ohm 4x10. Could easily get by the rest of my gigging life with either of those setups.
 
#18
rpsands said:
Yeah, I'm a big fan of their 212, but it's weird: I like the 4x10 better, which is odd given I am rarely a fan of 4x10s. The Mesa has tons of booty AND tons of mids. Definitely my favorite medium cab of theirs.

If it were me I'd either get two of the 1x12s or a 4 ohm 4x10. Could easily get by the rest of my gigging life with either of those setups.
Click to expand...

Haha, that's THE one cab of theirs I've never owned nor really cared for (and I've subbed on gigs with that and a 600 many times!).
 
#20
rpsands said:
You should check out the brand new ones; I was never much of a fan of the older PH410s. Tried one with a Carbine at GC a few months back and the tone is STILL stuck in my head :)
Click to expand...

They easily could have changed them up, as they've done with a lot of their cabs.
My new GC had a Carbine hooked up as a preamp to a Strategy 400 into a PH410 last time I was there... :D I shoulda' wailed on it a bit but someone had nabbed the speaker cable.
 

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