Pairing a 1x10 with a 1x12

[fermata]

Again, two matching cabinets will always sound good together, but two non-matching cabs might or might not.

Pairing random ones will give you random results.

Therefore, if you can try the random/mismatched cabs and you like how they sound (make sure you use a long cord or wireless to test), then it's a good pairing. If you can't try before you buy, go with matching cabs.

Just to stir the pot: I gigged my 110/115 stack yesterday (my amp carried the room), and it sounded great.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

...Just to stir the pot: I gigged my 110/115 stack yesterday (my amp carried the room), and it sounded great.

How did you keep from frying the 110? We’re you using a two channel power amp or something?
(For example, a 10” can handle 200 watts, a 15” can handle 450 watts.)

 

[JimChjones]

How did you keep from frying the 110?

I think every amp I've owned in the last 35 years has had enough power to destroy the speaker cabinet its been matched with. Fortunately the amps have had volume controls.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

I think every amp I've owned in the last 35 years has had enough power to destroy the speaker cabinet its been matched with. Fortunately the amps have had volume controls.

Sure, I get it, you can hear when you are pushing too hard. Too me, it seems risky for that posters rig to have that 10” weak link as an integral part of the system. But who am I to argue with what worked. I’m here to learn as well.

 

[micguy]

I play mostly ampless, save a few rather quiet gigs where I need an amp, so... i have a 110 that I use a lot, and a 112 that I built for gigs where I might need a bit more oomph (haven't run into one yet). Anyway, I designed them to work together if I ever get a gig that needs even more oomph - drivers, boxes, port tunings are carefully chosen so the phase response of both designs is a very close match down low - they will, if used together, play nicely. I have a lot of schooling and experience designing transducers, speakers, pro audio gear - I know how to do this.

So assuming you have a couple cabs that are designed to work together (which is pretty rare), what are the plusses and minuses of this? In my case, in addition to the above stuff, the sensitivities of the drivers, coupled with their excursion limits, are such that both will run out of gas at about the same voltage drive level. The 12 shoulders a bit more of the work that the 10, and what you get is output that's a bit (but not a lot) more than what you'd get out of a 210 using 2 of the 10 inch drivers I have in my 110.

Net result: It's possible to make that combo work, but if you don't have cabinets designed to work together, what you'll get is a crap shoot.

 

[lz4005]

How did you keep from frying the 110? We’re you using a two channel power amp or something?
(For example, a 10” can handle 200 watts, a 15” can handle 450 watts.)

Why are you assuming the 10 had less power handling ability?
There's nothing inherent in speaker size that implies power rating.

For example, I've done the same 1x10 and 1x15 combination, with a 1x15 rated for 150w and a 1x10 rated for 300w.

 

[Coolhandjjl]

Why are you assuming the 10 had less power handling ability?
There's nothing inherent in speaker size that implies power rating.

For example, I've done the same 1x10 and 1x15 combination, with a 1x15 rated for 150w and a 1x10 rated for 300w.

Okay. I never considered that.

 

[fermata]

How did you keep from frying the 110? We’re you using a two channel power amp or something?
(For example, a 10” can handle 200 watts, a 15” can handle 450 watts.)

In theory, I would watch/listen for stress on the 10 and adjust accordingly. In practice, that doesn't happen until it's obnoxiously loud; I don't turn up nearly that much, so the risk of frying anything is pretty remote.

The 10 is part of a 300W combo; when I add an extension cab, each speaker gets (up to) 150W. (The Promethean is a funky design--the amp sees 4 Ohms regardless of whether it's powering just the internal speaker or split with an extension cab.)

I get that a 10 on top of a 15 is a weird arrangement, but that's why I brought it up--just to show that weird stuff can work (no guarantee it will, of course--but it can). You know the old saw: if it sounds good, it is good. It's also easier to hear myself with this arrangement than the just 15 on its own.

Here's an interesting take on (mis)matched cabs from an authority bass amplification: 110 & 115 vs 2 x 112?

The gist: Two cabs with the same-sized drivers can have the same potential issues as two cabs with differently-sized drivers. Or they very well may sound good together--maybe even better than matched cabs. But cabs are only matched if they are identical: same make, model, etc.

 

[peter nicholas]

You can't go wrong by adding a second 1x12 to match the one you have, but you might go wrong by adding something different.

what you're missing is that while different cabs might sound worse, they also might sound better. can't hurt to experiment.

 

[Yogi Bear]

You've made my point for me: There are some cabinets with 10s that sound punchier than some cabinets with 12s. My point was simply that it isn't true that 10s in general are any more or less "punchy" than 12s in general; it depends on the particular cabinets and speakers.

Apart from that, consider this: Suppose you pair a cab that has more "immediacy" (which I take to mean "quicker response") with one that lags behind -- irrespective of whether they are 10s or 12s or 15s. That sounds to me like a recipe for mud. Again, two matching cabinets will always sound good together, but two non-matching cabs might or might not.

I wasn't trying to disprove your point, in fact I agreed with your assessment... I was merely stating there are exceptions to every rule.

 

[Yogi Bear]

Appeal to Authority Examples

 

[The Nameless]

you just don't know unless you try it to see/hear/experience advantages and disadvantages for yourself. all of the naysayers (there will be naysayers! ) haven't tried the combination you're thinking about, in your context, yada yada. so they cannot possibly know how it will sound to you. (make sure your cab combinations are figuring impedances and phase correctly.)

lots of folks here are pairing two cabs (different size cab, different size driver) successfully --- as would be expected with competent cabs. they just don't brag about the results on TB because of the herd-bias-protocols. IME: you'd have to be pretty unlucky to pair a 12"/cab with a 10"/cab and not get something useful.

if you try it: you'll be obligated to get back to us for a review! you could change the herd-view/herd-speak forever! (or not!) good luck!

FWIW: i have access to many different cabs with all of the expected driver sizes scattered among the cabs (PA). i have never paired a disparate combination of cabs with results which i didn't expect or that was not useful = any two cabs worked fine together: some combinations had distinct advantages, some combinations had a few disadvantages (e.g., size of stack/weight) --- but all combinations were able to deliver an expected, useful outcome (usually i wanted more volume with more lows, but some combinations got me great midbass, or great mids, etc.).

If I could love this? I would. Thank you.

 

[MattZilla]

I'd like to drive a car with 17" wheels on the right side and 19" wheels on the left.


"I like the punch from one 10" speaker but want more fullness" should always preceed "so I bought a pair of matching 410 cabs. Done and done!"

 

[buldog5151bass]

I like the immediacy and punch that 10s provide, but also like the fuller sound of a 12, or 15. For the majority of what I do the single 12 works fine, but for anything larger I like the idea of adding a 10.

I've read all the hubbub about mismatched cabs, but know it's been done before with great success in a single cab solution, ala the HT322. But I would be looking for something easier to schlep should the need to move the entire rig be needed.

There's your problem. It's 2019.

 

[chris_b]

I haven't put a 110 with a 112 but I did use Mesa Boogie 210/115 and Bergantino 210/112 rigs and they sounded excellent.

So some mixtures will be less successful and some will sound good. My advice based on my experience, is to try the 110/112 and tell us if you like the result. Also, as long as your amp is working within the limits of the lower powered cab you won't damage anything.

 

[JimChjones]

Sure, I get it, you can hear when you are pushing too hard.

To be honest I'm not at all sure I would know the sound of a speaker being pushed too hard. The situation has never arisen.It does't matter if you have a 500kg rated shackle as a weak link in a 750kg rated chain if the max load is 250kg.
Reason in all things. If you're thrashing the nuts off a 200W cab and want more volume it would be foolish to add a 100w cab. But if you're actually running about 100W into the 200W cab and have ample volume then adding a 100W cab wouldn't be an issue.

 

[JRA]

Here's an interesting take on (mis)matched cabs from an authority bass amplification: 110 & 115 vs 2 x 112?

 

[BlitzCraig]

I've got a fender rumble 40 and a 100 (10" & 12") I tried them together (mostly for fun and to relieve the curiosity) and I like it a lot

 

[JRA]

I've got a fender rumble 40 and a 100 (10" & 12") I tried them together (mostly for fun and to relieve the curiosity) and I like it a lot

as a bi-amped rig?

 

[smogg]

Why are you assuming the 10 had less power handling ability?
There's nothing inherent in speaker size that implies power rating.

For example, I've done the same 1x10 and 1x15 combination, with a 1x15 rated for 150w and a 1x10 rated for 300w.

Would that be determained by the size of tha magnet9s0?