Like most everyone else here I've been going almost entirely with lightweight cabinets these days, but when a Bergantino IP 310 in great condition popped up in the TB classifieds locally I got curious and had to check it out. Somehow the IP cabinets were not on my radar when they came out (late 2000's) although I did own a couple of other Berg cabinets from that era. My favorite was actually the NV212T. Anyway, I pulled the trigger on the IP 310, and after using it on a few gigs now I'm very happy I did. The weight was a concern - it's 85 lbs., but somehow it's been pretty manageable to move around, especially since the previous owner swapped out the wheels for some larger heavy duty ones. It's also a good size to maneuver in and out of the back of my car, and with the padded cover on I can slide it on the bumper, which is helpful.
I have never owned a powered cabinet before, but it is a pretty interesting concept. The internal amp puts out 1000w into 4 ohms (3 12-ohm drivers), which is a very generous amount of power - no lack of headroom, to say the least. It has a lot of deep bottom - I've had to dial back the low end considerably compared to typical settings. The overall character of the cab might be considered "studio-like", but it can be influenced toward a more grindy or rounder direction depending on the preamp and pedals used. The only actual preamp I own right now is a Kern, which sounds really good with the IP. I haven't used it on my gigs yet though, because the music for the most part called for a drier, more modern sound. When I got the cab I threw pretty much everything in my possession into the mix, which included the Kern, a Noble preamp, a Radial Bassbone, and sending a line out from my Quilter BB heads. The Bassbone didn't provide quite enough gain to be usable, although it did sound good. The Noble sounded great, as you'd expect, but surprisingly what I ended up liking the best was the Quilter BB802, via the post-EQ line out. On the very last gig I used the Quilter BB803 instead (pictured), and it was a little nondescript in comparison to the BB802. Basses used on the gigs so far have been an Alleva Coppolo LG5, a Bluesman Vintage El Dorado V (pictured) and briefly a Yamaha TRB-6P. On my next gig tomorrow (different band) I will try the Kern.
I have never owned a powered cabinet before, but it is a pretty interesting concept. The internal amp puts out 1000w into 4 ohms (3 12-ohm drivers), which is a very generous amount of power - no lack of headroom, to say the least. It has a lot of deep bottom - I've had to dial back the low end considerably compared to typical settings. The overall character of the cab might be considered "studio-like", but it can be influenced toward a more grindy or rounder direction depending on the preamp and pedals used. The only actual preamp I own right now is a Kern, which sounds really good with the IP. I haven't used it on my gigs yet though, because the music for the most part called for a drier, more modern sound. When I got the cab I threw pretty much everything in my possession into the mix, which included the Kern, a Noble preamp, a Radial Bassbone, and sending a line out from my Quilter BB heads. The Bassbone didn't provide quite enough gain to be usable, although it did sound good. The Noble sounded great, as you'd expect, but surprisingly what I ended up liking the best was the Quilter BB802, via the post-EQ line out. On the very last gig I used the Quilter BB803 instead (pictured), and it was a little nondescript in comparison to the BB802. Basses used on the gigs so far have been an Alleva Coppolo LG5, a Bluesman Vintage El Dorado V (pictured) and briefly a Yamaha TRB-6P. On my next gig tomorrow (different band) I will try the Kern.
Last edited:
