The ultimate 112 cab

[ObsessiveArcher]

If money is no object, then I recommend the MESA Subway 1x12
Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet 1x12 | MESA/Boogie®
If you want to pay 1/3 of the price, check out the Peavy Headliner 1x12
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[DaveAceofBass]

I bought a (used) Barefaced Big Baby 2 (12" + horn, with attenuator) and it's not even 30 lbs. Amazing sound. 8 ohms. Will take up to 800 watts. 97db efficient. I can recommend it highly, if you can find one.

This^ and/or a Barefaced Super Midget

 

[frankie5string]

<hugs Hartke HD112s "There there, I still love you. " <sees EA CXL112 sneering at them from the corner of the music room> "You shush!">

hehe... I wonder what that list will look like in 10 years.

I hear you, brother, but I had to factor "ultimate" into the assessment.

 

[NorseBear0903]

Barefaced BB2

 

[pigpen1]

If I had the cash, and was willing to spend bucks on something unheard, I'd look at barefaced.

I tried an Aguilar SL112 in a store, and came away wondering why guys like them so much. I thought it was just meh. Not much oomph, for me.

But I have (and am selling) a Mesa Subway 112 (see link below). It's a great cab. I bought it as an adjunct to the Subway 115, but it's a good standalone as well for that tight low end sound. IMO a SW112 driven by a Mesa D800+, or better yet, the new tube-driven WD800, would be the bees' knees.

Odd. What head did yo use with the aggie 112? I don't really like the tone hammer but love the ag700 with it. I tryed the aggie 112 beside a couple of subway cabs. As much as I love the d800+, I didn't really like the subway210 I tried next too it, it just seems harsh and didn't go low enough. I really like the subway 115 though. I tried an aguilar db112 beside a subway 115 at GC and was shocked at how well the 112 kept up volume wise.

 

[bdplaid]

That’s the kind of feed back I’m looking for. Is the SL not as big sousing as the SW?

"Big sounding" is never a word choice I use when describing single 12" cabs. However, i used to have a couple of Rumble V3 112 cabs that came close. But their power handling was rather low. Even so I liked their sound. They are no longer made.

As for the Aguilar vs Subway, I find the SW cab more lively, and not as bright ( a good thing). I thought the Aguilar kind of laid there, although I heard a guy using a pair of them powered with a Genz Streamliner and it sounded pretty good. But those Streamliners had uber low end (I sold mine because I could never EQ out enough low end, every cab I used it on sounded like it had a blown tweeter, which wasn't the case). I'm just not an Aguilar guy. I had a Superlight 410 that also needed to be pushed to make any low end. A 410 that doesn't make low end? (!!!) I sold that one, too.

The SW112 cabs don't have a lot of natural low end, but I discovered through the Mesa Subway thread that one can safely push them pretty hard. If you do that, they wake up. They have great midrange, really articulate. The high end is very nice, and sounds "organic," I guess meaning not harsh and just integrated with the sound coming from the speaker. I bought mine to add some mids and articulation to a single SW 115, which it did in spades. But then it turned out I needed a ton of low end, so I added another SW 115 rather than the SW112. I have used all three cabs together and it sounds spectacular.

So to be clear, I'd use a relatively bass-heavy amp with the SW112. I have used mine with a Mesa D800, D800+, and a GK MB800. All sounded great, with that sort of jaco-esque mid-forward sound. I seem to recall it being punchy. I'd like it for a small jazz-type gig. Not much earth moving from those rigs. If I was committed to a SW112, I'd look really seriously at the new tube hybrid Mesa WD800.

More info is available in the Subway club threads.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I am on the hunt for a small profile 12” cab that will be powerful enough for small to medium gigs. And that I could stack with a second for large gigs.

I want to hear your opinions and experiences. I like the look of the Aguilar SL112 and the Mesa Subway 112.

But I have never done a setup like this, so give me your thoughts. Don’t need super portable, but don’t want a bot anchor.

Power amps I currently own, but would sell them all for something else.
Warwick LWA1000
Ampeg SVT4Pro
Ampeg V4B reissue

I have a large cab (DNS410) that I use for most gigs. However we host an open mic every Friday at a Brewpub and they about had apoplexy when I rolled it in. They said, "that's way too big for here. Use that Peavey 112 combo instead." So I did. it worked but didn't like the sound until I hooked up my WTDI to it. That's a DI with an Eden preamp in it. Just plugged that into the Peavey's effects-return and viola! - Eden sound. Well, come to find out after using it for about a year, one of the employees owned it and he took it home. So I had to come up with my own 112 cab.

I have a friend, Paul, in the UK who swears by the Eden EX112 cabs. These are the Eden cabs that are made overseas as opposed to being made in the UK with US-made speakers. He just uses one for his small to medium gigs with his class D super light amp and uses two with his old Eden 300 amp for medium to large gigs because it will handle a 2 ohm load.

I looked online and they are much less expensive than Eden's D series cabs (top of the line). The D112XST has a street price of $799.99 vs their EX112 street price of $269.99 (4 ohm cab, 8 ohm is less). Power handling is 300-watts on both. The D-series 112 cab has a separate tweeter whereas the EX112 has a whizzer-cone, which means it has a smaller cone within the larger cone that it uses for upper mids/highs. Since it doesn't use a separate tweeter, it is a more compact cabinet measuring 16" tall, 15¼" wide, and 14¾" deep.

So I ordered one in 4 ohm (also available in 8 ohm) and use it with my older Eden Nemesis RS400, which puts out 400 watts @4 ohms. Works perfectly and sounds great. Weighs 30-lbs so I can grab a handle with one hand to carry it in. So, I ordered a second one, which will be here on Thursday.

I'll use it with my Eden WT500/800 which puts our 400 watts per channel into 4 ohms, by just plugging one into each channel. It will probably be some real overkill for our open mic gig, but we also play another local club that has a 30" stage with no steps. I had a fun time lifting my 79-lb 410 cab up onto it. It's a much larger club, but these two 112's should work fine for it and they'll be a lot easier to lift onto the stage.

Now the EX series of cabs doesn't do one thing that most cabs do. Each EX112 and EX115 cabs have a single 1/4" jack for speaker input and no jack for output. So you can't daisy chain together without some creative solutions. Good news is that most amps have at least two 1/4" speaker output jacks, so I just put one in each. It is perhaps a small inconvenience, but it is an inconvenience. The EX210 and 410 have both speakon and 1/4" jacks.

These EX112 cabs have been discontinued by Eden because they are only going to be offering their EX115, EX210, and EX410sc in their E-series. Prices are good now so if you want one of these you should get it soon.

Although there is no longer any info on the EX112 on Eden's new Marshall/Eden site. you can still see the info on this cab from their old site using the link below:
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[bdplaid]

Odd. What head did yo use with the aggie 112? I don't really like the tone hammer but love the ag700 with it. I tryed the aggie 112 beside a couple of subway cabs. As much as I love the d800+, I didn't really like the subway210 I tried next too it, it just seems harsh and didn't go low enough. I really like the subway 115 though. I tried an aguilar db112 beside a subway 115 at GC and was shocked at how well the 112 kept up volume wise.

I don't recall what head was driving the AG112. I just know I was puzzled, because it seems ubiquitous.

I too am a big fan of the SW115. Keeping up volume-wise is one thing; sounding good in a band while maintaining low end is another.

Sorry, IME just not a fan of Aguilar. I, also don't care for the tone hammer, nor most of AG's other stuff, except the DB 751. It was coupled with one of their older non-neo 410s. Best sound i think I ever played through. But then there are times when my Quilter/Mesa rig does that, and wow....

 

[pigpen1]

I don't recall what head was driving the AG112. I just know I was puzzled, because it seems ubiquitous.

I too am a big fan of the SW115. Keeping up volume-wise is one thing; sounding good in a band while maintaining low end is another.

Sorry, IME just not a fan of Aguilar. I, also don't care for the tone hammer, nor most of AG's other stuff, except the DB 751. It was coupled with one of their older non-neo 410s. Best sound i think I ever played through. But then there are times when my Quilter/Mesa rig does that, and wow....

Odd how tastes overlap and vary. I love my d800+ and ag700. I wasn't really a fan of anything Mesa until the subway heads (bass-wise). Hated my Aguilar DB212, but like their GS and SL stuff. Not really into the Quilter stuff so far, just not for me.

I think what really drew me to the ag700 was the voicing of the bass control (its a 40hz shelf but the rolloff from the corner is very mild so it boots frequencies far about that) and the deep switch going up to 250hz. With the d800+ I love the voice know and the deep switch, bass control (corner at 80 but seems to be a little steeper) and uber flexible eq and all the back panel featurs, plus the high quality. Of course I'm the guy that rolls the treble off 50% on ANY amp, so you can see where my tastes are.

 

[jmone]

If I had the cash, and was willing to spend bucks on something unheard, I'd look at barefaced.

I tried an Aguilar SL112 in a store, and came away wondering why guys like them so much. I thought it was just meh. Not much oomph, for me

Same experience and I walked out with the DB112 instead of the SL.

I still think about getting an SL at some point. Sound guys never mic my cab and since it’s purely a stage monitor, I might as well carry something lighter

 

[Djadja]

It really is a matter of taste... there are tons of great cabs.

A few years ago I was looking for my ultimate 112 cab and came down to 4 - Greenboy, Barefaced, Audiokinesis Hathor, and a Genzler Bass Array. I went with the Genzler for a number of reasons and am very happy with my choice. If choosing today, it would be between the Genzler or Audiokinesis... I’d still go with the Genzler although the Hathor would be a very close 2nd.

The Genzler has a great warm, round low end that doesn’t get sloppy. The mids are vocal and the highs very present but never harsh. The dispersion is exceptional and the way the cab throws the sound allows for a slightly lower volume. It also sits very very nicely in a mix.

 

[Low Class]

It is great that there are so many options to choose from. I'd like to add the Euphonic Audio Wizzy 12 to the list.

...and the best looking cab, the Wizzy M-Line.

 

[BASSnSAX]

It is great that there are so many options to choose from. I'd like to add the Euphonic Audio Wizzy 12 to the list.

...and the Wizzy M-Line.

I've got a Euphonic Audio Wizzy 12 M-Line - GORGEOUS sounding cab! 200 watts at 4 ohms, but it can easily handle a fair amount of output from my EA iAmp 800!

...If you want to pay 1/3 of the price, check out the Peavy Headliner 1x12
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I've got 2 of the Headliner 1x12's - they're not light, and they're rather large boxes...but they sound pretty darn great for the money! I usually stack these 2 for most gigs where I'm too hesitant to take my Wizzy M-Line out (or if it's a louder gig).

1x12's are my favorite cab configurations - works great for electric and upright! I am tempted to try out some cabs with 8" speakers...but all this praise for the Hartke HyDrive 112 has me GASing...

 

[bassgrackle]

If money is no object, then I recommend the MESA Subway 1x12
Subway Ultra-Lite Bass Cabinet 1x12 | MESA/Boogie®
If you want to pay 1/3 of the price, check out the Peavy Headliner 1x12
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Cost is not. I just sold my F112 and F115 cabs. So I have the funds to put together a new rig. Something more efficienct then those cabs. They were just too power hungry.

 

[NickFromNY]

Call Don Oatman at LDS and he will build you whatever you want at an incredibly reasonable price

 

[RColie]

It really is a matter of taste... there are tons of great cabs.

A few years ago I was looking for my ultimate 112 cab and came down to 4 - Greenboy, Barefaced, Audiokinesis Hathor, and a Genzler Bass Array. I went with the Genzler for a number of reasons and am very happy with my choice. If choosing today, it would be between the Genzler or Audiokinesis... I’d still go with the Genzler although the Hathor would be a very close 2nd.

The Genzler has a great warm, round low end that doesn’t get sloppy. The mids are vocal and the highs very present but never harsh. The dispersion is exceptional and the way the cab throws the sound allows for a slightly lower volume. It also sits very very nicely in a mix.

Yes, I'm loving the Genzler bass array cabs, and I also have some AudioKinesis TC112s on the way. I've used the Thunderchild cabs before, and look forward to using them again. I hear the TC112s and the Genzler bass array cabs as being in the same tonal universe...strong but tight low end, and very balanced, even and smooth through the mid-range on up. Both are quite punchy without being boomy. So many choices...

Bob

 

[fishdreams]

I've got 2 GK Neo 112s - good cabs, not too heavy. They replaced my one SL112. I thought the SL112 looked great, and was super lightweight indeed, but IMO a little too lightly built, with some rattling potential and muffled sounding, and I am not even playing anywhere near loud. The GKs solved that, and I could get 2 for about the price of 1 SL112.

If I had the dough ready, i'd go for Duke Lejeune's AudioKinesis/Hathor Series. I played through @emjazz 's one and it was so deep, clean, clear, musical and powerful. Fantastic cabs and more than worth the money, IMO.

 

[bwoodman]

Don't forget about the Eden ex112
I got one in 4ohms and it's a very nice sounding cab. Dual cone speaker offers crisp treble response without the hiss from regular tweeters.
It's light (14Kg) and it's not expensive

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I’ve been considering a pair of 8 ohm EX112’s, but my latest GAS for the perfect 112 is for RevSound - I have a pair of RS112’s on order (one with tweeter & one NT). I have also tried many: Aguilar, Mesa Subway, Genzler BA 12-3, F112 over the last 10 years or so, after having used a pair of 210 cabs from around 1990 to 2002. I liked the idea of smaller cabs, but still looking for the right one. I’m hoping the RS112’s will be the ones!

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I am on the hunt for a small profile 12” cab that will be powerful enough for small to medium gigs. And that I could stack with a second for large gigs.

I want to hear your opinions and experiences. I like the look of the Aguilar SL112 and the Mesa Subway 112.

But I have never done a setup like this, so give me your thoughts. Don’t need super portable, but don’t want a bot anchor.

Power amps I currently own, but would sell them all for something else.
Warwick LWA1000
Ampeg SVT4Pro
Ampeg V4B reissue

After that long post about the Eden EX112, I actually have to make another recommendation. And that would be the DNS-112 by DNA. This is the next step beyond the Eden D-series cab by the same designer who came up with all those Eden cabs. He has come up with some great cabs that use some newly-designed speakers with 4" voice coils and textured ports that allow higher speed air passage than with normal round or shelf ports.

I have another friend by the name of Lane Baldwin who bought two of these but ended up touring with just one of them. He was touring across the US playing bass for an Elvis impersonation group. He played a lot of large clubs, outdoor gigs at fairgrounds, etc. He told me that the single DNS-112 worked perfectly for medium sized gigs and, on the outdoor gigs, it was typically mic'd for the FOH. He said that single 112 was more than enough for his on-stage volume at the outdoor FOH gigs.

Frequency response on the DNS112 goes down to 32Hz and power handling is 450 rms watts. These are quite a bit more expensive than the Eden EX cabs but less expensive than the Eden D-series cabs with a street price for the DNS112 of $779-~$825. Before I bought my 410, I asked David if he was going to make a DNS212 cab. He said no because there's not enough demand for it. I couldn't afford to buy two of the 112, so I bought the 410 and called it done...until I figured out I really wanted a smaller more portable set-up too....darn GAS!!

 

[ObsessiveArcher]

Cost is not. I just sold my F112 and F115 cabs. So I have the funds to put together a new rig. Something more efficienct then those cabs. They were just too power hungry.

I would strongly recommend you get and/or try out the Mesa then. I have the 1x15 and it sounds amazing.
I only went with the Peavy because I had a tight timeline with limited funding. I'm still very happy with the Peavy, but the Mesa is easily worth the extra cost.