Playing through one 4x10 cabinet

[Pedulla-Player]

I've been playing through two 4x10 cabinets stacked on top of each other for years. I currently play through a Markbass F500 head and two HF104 (8 ohm) Markbass cabinets. I've heard that Bergantino AE410 cabinets sound great with the F500 head so I was considering getting one to play the F500 through. From what I can tell the AE410's only come in 4 Ohm so I would only be able to use the one cabinet with my F500. I'm so used to having two cabinets stacked that I'm worried that I wouldn't be able to hear the one 4x10 cabinet on the floor to well. Anybody who uses just one 4x10 cabinet have a hard time hearing themselves? If you do what do you do to help hear yourself better?? Thanks!

 

[jsingles]

You could try it, and if it isn't working out get an amp stand, and put the cab on it. Should lift it up high enough to be heard much better.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

I'm so used to having two cabinets stacked that I'm worried that I wouldn't be able to hear the one 4x10 cabinet on the floor to well.

Vertically stack a pair of 2x10s.

 

[jsingles]

Vertically stack a pair of 2x10s.

+1, problem solved, actually that should work better than a 410 would too. Better dispersion... correct bill?

 

[Altitude]

Actually I was using an AE410 with a Markbass F1 for a while. It sounded very good, although I would characterize both the head and the cabinet as being midrange-forward. So if you don't dig that, beware.

I sold the AE410 though, because, and to your point, I don't like single 410s on club gigs. Since I am usually standing one to three feet in front of my rig, a 410 fires right into the back of my legs. I found that I was hearing a different sound than the audience, and even different than the other guys in the band, and that bugged me so I made a change.

I also happen to think that even light 410s are big and unwieldy, and I have put casters on every 410 I've owned and rolled them into the clubs. As long as I am doing that, I might as well use a two cabinet setup, roll them in on a dolly or just carry them, and stack them on end so I can hear them on the gig.

So, I switched to a pair of 8 ohm Eden 210XSTs and so far so good. The Eden cabs sound slightly more traditional than the Berg did, but they are pretty loud and very solid on the bottom. They sound great with the F1 and with my Shuttle 9.

The AE410 is a sweet cabinet. Ken Jung will be along soon and tell you that having one on the floor behind him doesn't bother him at all. He plays ten times as many gigs as I do, and he likes the F1/F500 AE410 setup as much as anything - so each person's experience is his own.

 

[BartmanPDX]

I have a Berg AE410, driven by a Mesa Carbine M9. I usually play small bars/stages, and I'm up close to my amp. I'm also pretty tall -- 6'3".

I have no problem hearing my cab. Neither does anyone else.

I used to use a stand or box occasionally when I used the Genz Shuttle, but now I just use a GRAMMA pad underneath the AE410, and it's plenty loud and clear.

Nothing wrong with a vertical 210 stack though.

 

[abraun]

Just curious....what do you not like about the Markbass cabinets?

 

[Pedulla-Player]

Just curious....what do you not like about the Markbass cabinets?

I played a few small bar gigs and the F500 with two 8 ohm Markbass104HF cabinets rig sounded awesome. Then on Halloween I played bar with a large hall / dining area and I lost my tight punchy tone and it sounded muddy. I was tweaking knobs all night long and nothing I tried could get me the tone that I like and was used to hearing. Who knows , I just may end up keeping my rig as it is for now because when you trade gear in you end up loosing so much money. I've just heard a few people say that the AE410 sounds good with the F500 so I was intrigued. I just think that the Markbass cabs can get a little muddy in certain situations , but honestly I've only had the rig a little over a month so I may not be qualified to give an answer yet. Maybe someone else can chime in who has more time with Markbass cabinets than I do. I may be selling them short. I have three gigs in the next 10 days - that may change my attitude about them completely - It may have just been that the bar that I had the bad experience in was just the bar - only time will tell I guess.

 

[Scatterblak]

Anybody who uses just one 4x10 cabinet have a hard time hearing themselves? If you do what do you do to help hear yourself better?? Thanks!

--Played through a TE 1048H, and then a GK Backline series - couldn't hear very well. Have a DNA-DNA-410 now - 1400 watts RMS, 2800 watts peak, with a crown XLS-1500 bridged. I can hear fine, right over the two guitarists, keys and drums. It's odd - I have a lot more control over overall stage volume now; I can just say 'hey, guys, I can't hear what I'm playing', and they're much more likely to turn down than they were before - probably because I can drown them out completely if I need to.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

+1, problem solved, actually that should work better than a 410 would too. Better dispersion... correct bill?

+1.

 

[Pedulla-Player]

Hi Bill - What speakers do make and what are your cabinets called (Brand name)??

 

[Pedulla-Player]

I'm curious about what other players think of markbass cabinets since I'm the only one who gave an opinion and I don't have much time on them.

 

[billfitzmaurice]

Hi Bill - What speakers do make and what are your cabinets called (Brand name)??

I don't make speakers. I design them.

 

[lomo]

Get a stand. 89 bucks at MuFr and 22 lbs. Works perfectly for my 115.

 

[Pedulla-Player]

I don't make speakers. I design them.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I just saw that a lot of people ask your advice when it comes to speakers / sound.

 

[genstormbringer]

I've been playing through two 4x10 cabinets stacked on top of each other for years. I currently play through a Markbass F500 head and two HF104 (8 ohm) Markbass cabinets. I've heard that Bergantino AE410 cabinets sound great with the F500 head so I was considering getting one to play the F500 through. From what I can tell the AE410's only come in 4 Ohm so I would only be able to use the one cabinet with my F500. I'm so used to having two cabinets stacked that I'm worried that I wouldn't be able to hear the one 4x10 cabinet on the floor to well. Anybody who uses just one 4x10 cabinet have a hard time hearing themselves? If you do what do you do to help hear yourself better?? Thanks!

Never have a hard time hearing my Hydrive Hartke 410 8ohms 1000watts thru a MarkBass SD1200. I also use a DR.Bass2460D w the very same head that cab is 4ohms 1000 watts

 

[Chad Michael]

1) Keep in mind that when you take a cabinet off the floor, you lose a fair amount of the 'boundary effect' which will decrease the perceived low end. (boundary effect is when you place a woofer next to a boundary such as the floor, a wall and floor, or in a corner. The perceived low end is greater.)

2) Don't let one bad-sounding stage, or bad-sounding room, cause you to bail on a cabinet. Nothing sounds perfect everywhere.

3) Ever tried side-washing your rig? Place it off to the side and have it fire across the stage rather than putting it behind you and firing forward. I used this method during my last 5 years of gigging various venues, and was quite pleased with the results. Other musos would say "why do you do that?" Me- "Because it sounds better to me onstage". Then they would say "It doesn't look right" and I'd say "That's ok. I'm not here to show off my amp."

 

[Rockmusician]

I usually use a 410 and a 115 but have used the 410 alone at some gigs and never had any problem hearing it even if it was on the floor.

 

[Craig_S]

Don't let one bad-sounding stage, or bad-sounding room, cause you to bail on a cabinet.

I'm with Chad, here.

When you play the room again, change the position of your cab. There is nothing muddy about the 104HF I own.

 

[Pedulla-Player]

I played a few small bar gigs and the F500 with two 8 ohm Markbass104HF cabinets rig sounded awesome. Then on Halloween I played bar with a large hall / dining area and I lost my tight punchy tone and it sounded muddy. I was tweaking knobs all night long and nothing I tried could get me the tone that I like and was used to hearing. Who knows , I just may end up keeping my rig as it is for now because when you trade gear in you end up loosing so much money. I've just heard a few people say that the AE410 sounds good with the F500 so I was intrigued. I just think that the Markbass cabs can get a little muddy in certain situations , but honestly I've only had the rig a little over a month so I may not be qualified to give an answer yet. Maybe someone else can chime in who has more time with Markbass cabinets than I do. I may be selling them short. I have three gigs in the next 10 days - that may change my attitude about them completely - It may have just been that the bar that I had the bad experience in was just the bar - only time will tell I guess.

I played an even larger bar last night than the one that gave me fits with my sound on Halloween. The F500 with two 8 ohm Markbass 104HF cabinets sounded amazing - Warm and punchy!! I still had a way to go on my volume knob yet , so that is comforting since it was a very large bar as far as bars go in my area. Next time I play that bar that gave me fits with my sound I'll have to get there extra early to mess with the EQ and figure out what my problem is with the acoustics in that room.
Funny thing about bass gear - Some people say markbass cabinets have too much bass and they don't like them while others think they have a great sound (I'm starting to come around on that myself). Then others say that Bergantino cabinets sound incredible , but some people say they are too Mid rangy. I just think bass players are a strange breed and what works for one simply don't cut it for the next. Good thing there are a lot of different bass amps and speaker cabinets to keep them happy ~ if that's possible.