SWR Cabs - Goliath Senior vs Henry the 8x8

[BoomBoomOGTL]

My main ‘big gig’ cab is an SWR Goliath Sr (6x10). A couple of replaced speakers but it sounds awesome. I typically drive it with an Ampeg PF800 but will sometimes bring my 70’s SVT when I need to be r ea l l y l o u d!!!! I love this cab and it takes pretty much anything I throw at it and always sounds great. I typically play active four string basses (Spector, Alembic) and will occasionally use a D-tuner for the very occasional low D.

There’s a used Henry the 8x8 ay my local big box store in VG condition for a decent price. I really don’t need 2 big cabs... Is the 8x8 significantly better sounding than the 6x8? Any reason I should (or should not?) ditch my 6x8 for this 8x8? I’ve heard the larger 8x8 is easier to move than the smaller 6x8?

Thoughts?

 

[ihixulu]

The Goliath Sr. is a 6x10. The Sr. and the Henry are the same dimensions so they are about the same schlep-wise. Henry goes lower than the Sr. but doesn't handle as much power. Some people have complaints about the piezo tweeter in the Henry but it never bothered me when I played though it.

Is it "better" sounding? That really depends on how you define better.

 

[BoomBoomOGTL]

Ahh. My bad. Thanks for correcting me. I’ve only owned my Goliath Sr for the past 8 years and knew they are 10s. I had Henry on the brain when typing my OP.

I didn’t realize they were the same size. Thanks.

 

[BoomBoomOGTL]

I’ve decided to hold onto my Goliath Sr. I love this cab.

 

[ihixulu]

I don’t blame you! My Sr., though overkill for 95% of my gigs these days, is my favorite cab. Never letting it go.

 

[Rockbobmel]

I’ve had 2 H 8x8 cabs. The last one got parted out because no one wants that big cab anymore. It’s almost impossible to find replacement drivers for it. It is a unique sounding cabinet, very immediate response— but I much preferred a 2-15 and my 112s x2. See if you can return it if you don’t want it. I am guessing it’s a sideways move at best.

 

[BoomBoomOGTL]

@Rockbobmel Yeah, I did not purchase the Henry because I like the sound and power handling of my current Goliath Sr. Love the 6 10’s and it would be a sideways move as you stated. If I need to get low, I also have an Ampeg PF115LF and I’ve always got my eye out for another to run my portaflex amp at the full 800W. But those 800 Class D watts will never equal or sound as good as the power the SVT puts out.

 

[Lewis Goudy]

The Goliath Sr. is a 6x10./QUOTE]

I just "picked up" a Sr. for $300 (actually I couldn't pick it up, which is why I bought it). I thought it was a 6x8 also. You have to look closely to see the dark rim of the cone. I love the remark "great cab for a basement studio". Most definitely! Reminds me of the time I tried to slide a grand piano my high school didn't want any more down the steps into my parents' basement. Uh oh!

 

[Razman]

There's a Goliath Jr. III at my church in our youth center and it is a beastly cab. I'd like to hear how the Sr. sounds. I also own a Henry (2nd one) and hope to get the one I sold back in my possession soon to pair with an old Peavey head I have that runs at 2 ohms.

 

[Lewis Goudy]

"an old Peavey head that runs at 2 ohms" Sounds like "The Bass" 210WRMS, user manual over 60 pages says basically "this amplifier can produce any sound you want". I started gigging with Kustom 100W PA head and a short scale Gibson EB-3. The leader complained and gave me his long scale Precision. It had a belt hook to take the weight off your shoulder. The strings seemed bigger than some guitar necks I had played. People told me it sounded way better, clear, and well-defined instead of muddy. Then I scored The Bass and a 1x15 cabinet the guy said had an Electovoice in it. That was around 1985. I just found out a month ago that it was actually a JBL D130F guitar speaker just like the one I had been using! They may be guitar speakers but with that head and bass, unmiked drums, and a strat pushing a 50 watt 4x10 Fender, playing for less than 100 people, it was as close to Heaven as you can get. People used to call it church.

 

[Bibby]

I have a Goliath Sr that hasn't been played in years. Just couldn't stand to part with it even though I haven't played it in a band setting for 10+ years. Just a beast of a cab. Glad to see these are still being lugged around out in the wild!

Anyway, I need to dust off the old Ashdown ABM A/B solid state and rattle some windows for old times sake.