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Mesa Subway cab paralysis - Which speaker size?
- Thread starter Meriphew
- Start date
For the amount of sound that can come from them, balanced against their general portability, I’d be leaning toward the 2X10. You gotta transport the things, often enough in modest-size vehicles, y’know.
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If I could choose only one, I would go with the 2x12. But, I also have two 1x15's. You really can't go wrong.
For recording it's the 112 for me, but I think the 115 would also work pretty well. For anything rock, I'd be EQing the 115 to get to get it to sound like the 112 -- it's a difference, but not night and day.
I don't have the Mesa 212 or 210, but for recording purposes I'd usually rather have a single speaker cab to eliminate any possibility of phase interference and comb filtering from other speakers.
I don't have the Mesa 212 or 210, but for recording purposes I'd usually rather have a single speaker cab to eliminate any possibility of phase interference and comb filtering from other speakers.
I loved my 15's, but even without using the horn they were quite bright! One of the things that makes them awesome- the off axis clarity- but close mic'd I would have to do quite a bit of calming eq on the top end (easily done, but another model might be better suited for that?) I wonder if the other models are the same with the top end? Have played them but not in a studio/ mic'd situation.
Two things, if all you are going to do is record with it any of them will work. I’ve done sessions with just about any speaker configuration you can get, even guitar cabs, but none of the Mesa cabs you mention. I would also recommend adding a separate pre-effects direct send to the board as you are recording what is coming out of your cab. Personally, I prefer just a direct send to the board for most of my work, but I do understand that one can get some cool sounds out of a mic’d cab.
Just keep in mind, there is a lot of magic that happens at the control board tone wise. Today, with all the digital samples out there you can make your bass sound like a flute if you wanted to, so I’m pretty sure you can get a track down you’re happy with.
Finally, have a great session.
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For recording only? If for that ( which is a little odd these days ), but especially for your own practice pleasure ( and with tube amps, as stated ), I vote for the 15. I am NOT a metal player, fyi, and for funk/jazz/etc. the 15 that I have ( not Mesa, sorry Andy! ) serves me well.
Please report back in the tone comparing a 2x210 to a 410 for science. Inquiring minds want to know.
If you need control in dense metal mixes why are you putting a mic on a cab in the first place? And why are people discussing running dual cabs or the 2x12? I'm as much a fan of mic'ing bass amps as anyone but this is a situation where DI is going to win out 100% of the time IMO. Just do everything in the box so you can run parallel bass tracks, that way you have a grind track for the wall of sound and a clean track for low end clarity.
Doubt it’s in the cards for the foreseeable future. What I have and use is plenty. From what I’ve read on here and talking with @agedhorse, the 210 is nearly identical to the 410 just, less.
The couple times I’ve used all 3 cabs stacked like this for outside gigs has been nothing short of incredible. Unfathomable low end and more than enough power to take the entire audiences heads off with a gigantic daedric battle axe (Skyrim reference). Unfortunately, the 210 will not fit in the trunk of either of my cars. It’s a pain to take out my kids car seats lol.
The 115 is really a stellar cab and has served me and my wife’s bands very well and I’m happy with everything we own and use… but I know that 2x210’s would really facilitate what I want out of the 410/115/112 stack.
Now if Andy could design a custom “vertical” 410 just for me, WITHOUT charging me an arm and a leg…
Da kine 
Have had a chance to play, the SW 112, my 115, and a 2x10 once. My choice for me is the 115 I got originally before trying anything. It’s not because I have it and want to justify my choice
I liked the 12 very much but the 15 as a single cab daily driver was a better choice, for me. The 2x10 is very nice but there is still a thing that I hear in 2x10s that I don’t care for, not as much as other makes but, still there for me.
I would probably enjoy the 2x12s and 2x15s very much. The 4x10 is crazy too much but would be enjoyed. If someone gave me one I would suffer with it.
Have had a chance to play, the SW 112, my 115, and a 2x10 once. My choice for me is the 115 I got originally before trying anything. It’s not because I have it and want to justify my choice
I liked the 12 very much but the 15 as a single cab daily driver was a better choice, for me. The 2x10 is very nice but there is still a thing that I hear in 2x10s that I don’t care for, not as much as other makes but, still there for me.
I would probably enjoy the 2x12s and 2x15s very much. The 4x10 is crazy too much but would be enjoyed. If someone gave me one I would suffer with it.
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I wouldn't argue with the person who designed the cabs and knows them literally inside and out.
I recorded this some time ago trialing 115 and 210. Mic'd the cabs and did a "room" mic with an iphone, since mic placement varies the tone so much on a cab, I think the iPhone mic is maybe a more accurate representation.
