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Only played combos.... Considering separates.

kevinpmajka

kevinpmajka

Supporting Member
Mar 25, 2013
970
1,243
Phoenix, AZ
#1
I have settled on the Markbass Casa head. It's 500 watts and I always have some support for FOH whenever I play or sub.

I have always played through 15" combos. That is a sound I am familiar with. I don't need a 15 inch speaker though. I will likely be using one can only and would like it for old school tone primarily. I don't slap well or often! (Pop, country, Americana, blues)

This cab matches with either the 4x10 casa can (not available in the states) or the 8x10 casa cab.

I do not want or need an 8x10.

So I am open. I don't care about the brand. Just sound. Weight is a consideration of course, but this is for premium sound gigs. Cost is a consideration but I am not familiar with cabs anyways.

I have a lighweight combo when I need a combo.

Thank you for your help!
 
#2
hmm, so you want cab suggestions to match your Markbass Casa amp ? sorry, but your question is not clear (to me at least).
Doesn't Markbass make a 1x15 cab that will go with your Casa amp ? If you like the amp, that might be the best approach.

Outside of that there are tons of really great sounding cabs around these days ... Ampeg, Mesa, Bergantino, Barefaced, Baer, Genzler, Fearless, fEarFul, Audio Kinesis, Fender ..... etc, etc.

good luck
 
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#3
Thanks for the response.
Markbass makes cabs but they don't cosmetically match outside of an 8x10 and a 2x15.

Since I'm not bound by trying to stay within a cosmetic group - I'm wide open. I'll pay up for quality, but I want a solid cabinet that can do 500-800 watts since it is a 500 watt head at 4ohms.

I'm considering 2x12s, 4x10s, and 15s.
 
#4
kevinpmajka said:
Thanks for the response.
Markbass makes cabs but they don't cosmetically match outside of an 8x10 and a 2x15.

Since I'm not bound by trying to stay within a cosmetic group - I'm wide open. I'll pay up for quality, but I want a solid cabinet that can do 500-800 watts since it is a 500 watt head at 4ohms.

I'm considering 2x12s, 4x10s, and 15s.
Click to expand...
Good luck getting any of those cabs to truly handle 500w. I don't care what they say about the specs...if you get 400w worth of juice into any of those size cabs (you would need two 15"s to make that happen), you are doing very well. They might show you some big numbers, but those are almost always the numbers that it takes the cab to blow speakers, and not the numbers where you get them to start distorting and heating up the voice coils to where it eventually warps them and makes them sound all worn out. That number is usually around half of what they tell you. Depending on the design and speakers used, you could maybe squeeze a little more juice into them without damage, but if they tell you a 410 can handle 800w, then in reality it's closer to 400.

On the bright side, a 410 with 300w worth of amp volume knob juice will get you fired from pretty much any respectable gig except maybe a doom band, so don't sweat it.
 
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#5
kevinpmajka said:
Thanks for the response.
Markbass makes cabs but they don't cosmetically match outside of an 8x10 and a 2x15.

Since I'm not bound by trying to stay within a cosmetic group - I'm wide open. I'll pay up for quality, but I want a solid cabinet that can do 500-800 watts since it is a 500 watt head at 4ohms.

I'm considering 2x12s, 4x10s, and 15s.
Click to expand...
ok, well plenty of the better 212's will handle 500+ watts. For instance the Bergantino HDN212 is spec'd to handle 700w (my older CN212 also handles 700w), and I'm sure the most of the better 2x12's will be in that power handling range. I'm also pretty comfortable saying that good quality 4x10's will also handle 500-800w too.

Now, single driver cabs .. like a 1x15, as JimmyM has said, will be a different story as they have ... well, just one driver. And usually those single driver cabs will have 8ohm drivers. Single driver cabs typically won't cleanly handle much more than 3-400w. Now I will say that more custom makers like Fearful and Barefaced claim that their single driver cabs (e.g. Fearless F115, or Barefaced Big Baby 1x12) can handle as much as 800w ... but I don't have any experience with those cabs that would bear that detail out.

Also keep in mind that while your MB Casa head will deliver 500w @ 4ohms, it only puts out 300w @ 8ohms (which most single driver cabs will be). So if you want the full power of the amp, you will need to look for 4ohm cabs.

again, you have many options to choose from that will probably get you where you want to be with your MB Casa amp. Best way is to go audition as many cabs as you can with your amp and bass(es).

good luck
 
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#6
@JimmyM and @pfschim - thanks for the thoughtful replies. I'm realizing why I have stuck with combos!

This is more difficult. I agree 300 watts it's a loud gig. I'm not looking for power - I really just want good tone and headroom - which I realize translates to power - but my 250 watt combo (TC electronic watts at that has done great in most places). I want to up the sound quality for me.
 
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#8
Since you're not carrying the room and always have FOH support, maybe consider a 2x10 wedge. You can put it up front with your vocal monitor, behind you pointed at your head or pointed out straight out, vertically or horizontally like a standard cab. I purchased and gigged versions by Peavey, Carvin and Ampeg. They sounded vastly different. I ended preferring the Ampeg by a long shot. I think #Basscliff uses the Carvin version. It's a super versatile configuration. Later, when you just can't help yourself, you can buy other cabs for different needs, using the same amp.
 
#9
Check out the Markbass Richard Bona , NINJA cabinets . They will do 800 watts at 8ohms..... or so they say !
8AB172A1-CF28-4EEE-BBE3-A9706267F82F.jpeg
 
#12
kevinpmajka said:
@JimmyM and @pfschim - thanks for the thoughtful replies. I'm realizing why I have stuck with combos!

This is more difficult. I agree 300 watts it's a loud gig. I'm not looking for power - I really just want good tone and headroom - which I realize translates to power - but my 250 watt combo (TC electronic watts at that has done great in most places). I want to up the sound quality for me.
Click to expand...

Lots of good advice above. I thought I might point out that the "audible" difference between 250 watts and 500 watts is much smaller than one might think. Join me for a brief thought experiment.

Given 250 and 500 watt @ 4 ohms amps, one 8 ohm cab, and a device to measure sound pressure that
behaves like the human ear...

If you first run the 250 watt and then the 500 watt amp at maximum output using the identical cabinet and identical program material, the apparent loudness (to the measuring device) is not what you might expect.

The 500 watt amp is not twice as loud as the 250 watt amp. To achieve that doubling of the 250 watt amp's loudness, you need 2500 watts, 10 times the power to effectively double the loudness. All this is theoretical, in reality your mileage may vary.

Also bear in mind that amp and cab specifications and actual musical loudness with a full-range bass instrument heard by human beings in a wide variety of acoustic spaces, different program material, and varying ensembles, are not identical—very obvious, but also very hard to quantify.

What I am saying is that while 500, 800, 1000, or whatever wattage may seem huge, in reality, efficiency and musical context matter much more than the wattage, once you are at 500 watts or so.

Finally, as we know, just because you have 800 watts, great speakers, and can play really loud, does not mean you always do. Music just doesn't go that way, unless maybe you are inexperienced or misguided. A 1000 watt amp and a 500 watt amp can probably both both toast your drivers. Yet, amps and instruments generally have volume controls, and even intelligent operators—or at least in theory. ;)
 
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#13
The NY151 is a solid cab from Markbass (though I'd personally disconnect the tweeter and crossover).

Since you are open to other brands there are many that would work for you. What is your budget and how much weight is too much?
 
#15
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Personally, I'd call the number listed for the GC Florence store there and ask them if this cab is 4 or 8 ohm.

I'm just throwing this out there, because it could end up being an awesome deal. Biggest risk is having to pay for shipping if you don't keep it, but you'll be able to return it at a local guitar center if you don't like it or have any issues with it.

I snagged my used Avatar b410 @4 ohm for about the same price if not a little cheaper some years back and haven't felt a need to go cab shopping since.. I'm not saying it's the best cab in the world, I haven't really had opportunities to compare it next to anything else. But for $250? If the thing is functional, I'd say it could be difficult to find yourself unhappy with it. I think mine sounds great. But I also lucked out, the speakers, including the horn all work like they're supposed to. Only thing "wrong" with mine was the avatar logo was ripped off, and that didn't bother me.

I've never been in a situation where I need max volume from my 500w MoMark head. My current drummer, I maybe turn my volume to 9-10 o'clock to play with, but he's pretty quiet compared to the hard hitters that seem more common where I maybe end up between 1-3 o'clock. Standing about 3-5' in front of it when it's flat on the floor will give your ears a good example of the speakers range.

It is not the lightest cabinet in the world..but not the heaviest either. And the one I linked you seems to have casters installed.

*editing in more food for thought* - these things or their equivalent list @ $519 new at the avatar website, and the Deltalite II's are on sale for $539. Just kind of a personal experience thing, not a lot to choose from locally to try out in a music shop. My first set of cabinets were Markbass, new, and costly. The b410 is my second cabinet.. and gambling on a used cabinet for $250 afaic worked out in my favor, but I wouldn't blame anybody if they had their eye on some brand new Mesa Boogie cabs or something. ;)
 
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#16
I'm considering buying the matching 4x10 cab from Europe. It's cheaper than ordering one in Canada. I don't know why GC/MF isn't carrying it.

Also considering the SVT-212AV.

Weight wise - 65 lbs or less. Budget - $800ish?

I'm going to stay away from carpet covered stuff. My cats will kill it if it has any smell. (My amps face the wall with a cover on them).
 
#20
kevinpmajka said:
I have settled on the Markbass Casa head. It's 500 watts and I always have some support for FOH whenever I play or sub.

I have always played through 15" combos. That is a sound I am familiar with. I don't need a 15 inch speaker though. I will likely be using one can only and would like it for old school tone primarily. I don't slap well or often! (Pop, country, Americana, blues)

This cab matches with either the 4x10 casa can (not available in the states) or the 8x10 casa cab.

I do not want or need an 8x10.

So I am open. I don't care about the brand. Just sound. Weight is a consideration of course, but this is for premium sound gigs. Cost is a consideration but I am not familiar with cabs anyways.

I have a lighweight combo when I need a combo.

Thank you for your help!
Click to expand...

Big, ballsy, slightly traditional tone that takes the amp's output? Well, I have used my Ampeg SVT-410 HLF with my Markbass LMII for years, and it just delivers the goods, every time. That cab can take all the 500W from the amp, even with an active Jazz five string bass. Maybe (maybe!) the current class D amps from Markbass kick harder?
 

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