Sometimes it doesn't matter where your settings are on the head when you are putting effects in front of the head. I can make my speakers cry with my Sansamp (in front) if I'm not careful, despite fairly conservative the head settings. My Carvin's have a compressor built-in, which protects my amp (and speakers) when I get to a thumping real hard. A lot of bassplayers (I'm guilty of this) set their knobs when they're not playing hard, and then the band gets wild and POP goes the weasel.
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My Neo 410 blew up :( Cab Recommendations?
- Thread starter dfmilkman
- Start date
I don't buy the whole "known issue with GK" thing, it's a rare issue and it happens to almost all cabs, except for fEARfuls of course...
Who knows man. It sounds blown to me, but the RMC fella said he's run into this issue a few times and that it's not a blown speaker, some other mechanical issue that needs a repair. But it's not like he looked at it.
I think I'm going to just return the cab and do a bit of shopping around. I have a backup in the meantime.
I owned the 410 neo and had similar experiences minus blowing a driver.
Exchange it for the neo412. That cab is much much much better.
Exchange it for the neo412. That cab is much much much better.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Dialing in contour on the 1001RB-II (scooping out mids) coupled with the NEO 410 (already a bit mid-shy relative to other GK cabs) could be a bad combination, as others have pointed out. Maybe this is what you were hearing as "sterile", but it's hard to say.
Also, I assume you're using the 4-pole speakon cable, have the cabinet set to "biamp" mode, and have the bi-amp levels on the amp (woofer/tweeter knobs) adjusted appropriately. A common error is to select "bi-amp" on the cabinet but use a 2-pole speakon cable, or leave the tweeter dialed off. Either of those mistakes will defeat the HF horn entirely. Not saying you're doing this, just pointing out that it's happened before.
Blown speakers do happen and they can be fixed. But tone is subjective, and if you're unhappy, try something else.
In general, the NEO cabinets do pair well with the RB series amps; it's a matter of finding the one which meets your expectations. The NEO 410 is tuned lower than most other GK cabs, and as a result some find it "too boomy". Those people usually end up adoring the NEO 212 cabinet voicing instead, which has a "tighter" low-end and more mid presence. Most people find the NEO 115 to be tighter down low (more "hifi" and less "warmth") even than the NEO 212, but it will produce significantly less volume overall.
One other point: the 1001RB-II is a very powerful amp, and it delivers more power than its conservative rating suggests. That amp is well-known for blowing speakers, and can blow just about any of the NEO line cabinets if you aren't careful, with the possible exception of the NEO 412. So don't let the amp rating give you a false sense of security. We'll all give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you weren't playing loud enough to do it, and you just hit an unlucky manufacturing defect.
I never run the horns on my cabs as they are kind of noisy. I think the horns are the only weak point of the cab, also, the 1001rb can blow the 412 as well if you play to loud with a really bad EQ.
fod for thought. i had the same exact setup. my cab reached a point where it made a distorting sound. tuns out it was the fuses. very cheap fix. might not be your issue however
Hopkins
Commercial User
There are no woofer fuses in GK NEO cabs. In fact, there are no woofer fuses in 99.9% of cabs. Short circuit and current-limiting protection is built-into amplifiers instead.
Imagine if such a fuse were to blow while you were driving your cab with your favorite high-power tube amp. Boom! Bye bye tube amp.
Imagine if such a fuse were to blow while you were driving your cab with your favorite high-power tube amp. Boom! Bye bye tube amp.
I have gigged that very amp/speaker combo a few times as provided backline and I do not like it one bit. Lack of deep bass, somewhat bloated upper bass, boxy mids and not very loud (for its price and power).
For Neo I would strongly recommend looking at the Eminence Deltalite II 2510. Almost hifi-like clarity in the mids, clean, controlled lows, very decent Xmax and power handling. They also have a (IMHO) very gradual transition from linear to distorted when pushed at hjgh SPLs.
I have used both the GK Neo and Eminence loaded cabs with the same band, at the same stage and the difference was very big.
For Neo I would strongly recommend looking at the Eminence Deltalite II 2510. Almost hifi-like clarity in the mids, clean, controlled lows, very decent Xmax and power handling. They also have a (IMHO) very gradual transition from linear to distorted when pushed at hjgh SPLs.
I have used both the GK Neo and Eminence loaded cabs with the same band, at the same stage and the difference was very big.
I am in the process of upgrading my rig. I purchased a used GK Backline 600, would the neo 412 be too much cabinet for it?
An overloaded, and blown preamp in the GK RB series sounds like a blown speaker. This happened to me and was an easy fix. My speakers were fine.
It's definitely worth ruling out the amp as a possible culprit. Either hook the amp into a different cabinet, or if you don't have that option at the moment, you can plug directly into the effects return, which bypasses the pre-amp.
Indeed, that amp could blow that cab and pretty much any conventional cab to bits. I use a 1001 into the 412 and its a great combo. I previously used the 410 and hated it, the difference between the two cabs, volume aside, is night and day. Not to mention the 412 is so much easier to move around.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I haven't used the 412 but I am sure its a great cab. 410s are always more difficult to move around than a taller cab that can be tilted back. But I haven't had to many problems man handling my 410s
I'd try a ampeg 410he for several reasons. For one its what i use. But also because you specifically mentioned that you thought your cab is "boomy" and the 410he is a sealed cab with tighter low end. Specs aside i play a 7 string with a low f# and i prefer tighter sounding cabs. Low end is nice but flubby low end is totally useless
While I have not compared the GK Neo 410 back to back with Ampeg SVT-410HE, my memory says the Ampeg sounds far more "musical" and rich in the mids.
oK, thanks man. I was more concerned that with the wattage rating of the head compared to the cabinet that it wouldn't get very loud; would it be better to get a 2x12 that I could really get it cranking and then get another 2x12 when I get a more powerful head?
Just remember, more watts won't necessarily get you more volume.
More speaker surface will.
212 > 115
412 > 215
Etc...
