The ultimate 112 cab

[Bassosaurus]

Glad to hear. I am looking for a big powerful low end.

To be clear The SW112 is "powerful", as I said. It will take a ton of power and sounds much bigger than you'd think out of that size cab. However, I WILL echo what at least one other poster pointed out, I don't think I'd say it has "big" low end. I have not heard a Barefaced so I cannot comment there.

 

[bassgrackle]

To be clear The SW112 is "powerful", as I said. It will take a ton of power and sounds much bigger than you'd think out of that size cab. However, I WILL echo what at least one other poster pointed out, I don't think I'd say it has "big" low end. I have not heard a Barefaced so I cannot comment there.

That unfortunate to hear. I want to really like the SW112. I like the size and build quality. Maybe I need to focuse more on ceramic speaker cabs. Weight isn’t the most important. It’s more about tone and size to me.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

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 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.

My 112 cabs use the same woofer as the Fearless 112, but mine have a much smaller midrange cone, so if anything mine are going to be less efficient. If you found the Fearless 112 to be too power hungry, don't even consider mine.

The Barefaced Big Baby 2 is more efficient than mine.

The Mesa Subway 112 is more efficient than mine.

The Baer ML112 is more efficient than mine.

The Genzler Bass Array is more efficient than mine.

And I'm sure there are many others.

You might also check with Mike Arnopol. Imo his 112's are comparable to two of mine, so look at his 110's for something more efficient than my 112's. Or three of his 8's to out-gun two of my 12's (and three of his 8's would still be a 4 ohm load). The technology he uses is more advanced than what I use and imo offers other benefits as well (excellent low-end articulation), but results in a bigger box for a given woofer diameter, so compare based on box size rather than driver diameter.

And thinking along similar same lines, you might also consider a pair of compact, lightweight, high performance 115's as a more efficient alternative to a pair of "ultimate" 112's. Cough cough Mesa Subway 115 cough.

(My thanks to all of you who mentioned my cabs.)

 

[Al Kraft]

My 112 cabs use the same woofer as the Fearless 112, but mine have a much smaller midrange cone, so if anything mine are going to be less efficient. If you found the Fearless 112 to be too power hungry, don't even consider mine.

The Barefaced Big Baby 2 is more efficient than mine.

The Mesa Subway 112 is more efficient than mine.

The Baer ML112 is more efficient than mine.

You might also check with Mike Arnopol. Imo his 112's are comparable to two of mine, so look at his 110's for something more efficient than my 112's. The technology he uses is more advanced than what I use and imo offers other benefits as well (excellent low-end articulation), but results in a bigger box for a given woofer diameter, so compare based on box size rather than driver diameter.

And thinking along similar same lines, you might also consider a pair of compact, lightweight, high performance 115's as a more efficient alternative to a pair of "ultimate" 112's. Cough cough Mesa Subway 115 cough.

(My thanks to all of you who mentioned my cabs.)

Your honesty and respect of other excellent designs speak volumes about you as a person Duke. Your cabs speak volumes about you as a designer and builder! If someone has a higher powered head, and likes your voicing choices (which are a lot more user adjustable than anyone's on the market), one of your cabs is hard to beat IME.

 

[bdplaid]

Something more efficienct then those cabs. They were just too power hungry.

I seem to recall that 12s are inherently more inefficient. Not sure why, but it seems most are down there at like 95 B @ 1W @ 1M.

 

[bdplaid]

Cough cough Mesa Subway 115 cough.

That's where I went. When I had two Fender Rumble 112s it sounded different in a good way; tighter low end maybe. I don't know why I sold them.

 

[bdplaid]

That unfortunate to hear. I want to really like the SW112. I like the size and build quality. Maybe I need to focuse more on ceramic speaker cabs. Weight isn’t the most important. It’s more about tone and size to me.

As much as I'd love to sell you my SW 112, you might check out the SW115. It definitely brings the "big."

 

[bdplaid]

Have you seen the new Mesa 212 and 215? wow.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

Your honesty and respect of other excellent designs speak volumes...

Thank you very much Al, I appreciate that. All of the designers whose cabs I mentioned, along with Andy Lewis (Acme) and the legendary Greenboy and many others, do either some things or many things better than me. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have found bass players who like what my cabs do. Saves me from having to get a real job.

 

[bdplaid]

Read this, about a guy getting and comparing his new Mesa 215 to his 112s.

Official Mesa Boogie Subway Series Club

 

[briandavismurph]

I have been using Bag End for years and they are efficient, can be pushed hard if need be and very reliable. My 15" is 35 years old and sounds like new. I will use my 12" for small gigs and 12+15 stack for larger

 

[Ric Vice]

My 112 cabs use the same woofer as the Fearless 112, but mine have a much smaller midrange cone, so if anything mine are going to be less efficient. If you found the Fearless 112 to be too power hungry, don't even consider mine.

The Barefaced Big Baby 2 is more efficient than mine.

The Mesa Subway 112 is more efficient than mine.

The Baer ML112 is more efficient than mine.

The Genzler Bass Array is more efficient than mine.

..................

You might also check with Mike Arnopol. Imo his 112's are comparable to two of mine, so look at his 110's for something more efficient than my 112's. Or three of his 8's to out-gun two of my 12's (and three of his 8's would still be a 4 ohm load). The technology he uses is more advanced than what I use and imo offers other benefits as well (excellent low-end articulation), but results in a bigger box for a given woofer diameter, so compare based on box size rather than driver diameter.

........................

(My thanks to all of you who mentioned my cabs.)

Efficency, bleficency. Don't mean nothin' if they don't sound like yours Duke. You and Mike are the guys period. I have one of yours and one of his at a similar weight. They both sound Great. There are only two cabinets

that transition so smoothly and fluently between the lows, through the midrange, and up into the upper register on a Double Bass. As, I recall you designed the crossover for both of them, and built the one for yours.

Me thinks that you doth protest to much, my good sir.

 

[Ric Vice]

I have been using Bag End for years and they are efficient, can be pushed hard if need be and very reliable. My 15" is 35 years old and sounds like new. I will use my 12" for small gigs and 12+15 stack for larger
View attachment 3311854

These indeded were beautifuly made cabinets, and sounded quite good. I had a pair of them, in the 1980's

 

[bassgrackle]

As much as I'd love to sell you my SW 112, you might check out the SW115. It definitely brings the "big."

I could maybe do the SW115 stacked with SW112. That could be cool.

 

[bdplaid]

I could maybe do the SW115 stacked with SW112. That could be cool.

I did that and it's a great all purpose rig.

 

[Al Kraft]

I did that and it's a great all purpose rig.

+1,...very versatile in terms of two great cabs you can use alone and a super combo rig that is surprisingly more capable than either cab on its own would lead you to believe.

 

[tree_trunker]

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

I haven't read past this yet, but I have to definitely answer your question. I had the opportunity to compare in one store the Aguilar SL112, the Mesa Subway 115 and 112, and the Bergantino HDN112. I had read so many good things about the Subways, but I was sorely disappointed. To me, they both were very thin sounding. I like and now own both, the SL112 and HDN112. When sitting on the floor, I feel the HDN goes lower even though the SL specs say it goes lower. When up around ear level, I like the SL better. I guess I like the sound of the tweeter/horn in the SL better than the HDN. They do play rather nice together when stacked, too. The HDN has a little smaller footprint, but the SL is a little (3 lbs. but noticeably) lighter. I hope this helps.

 

[Al Kraft]

I haven't read past this yet, but I have to definitely answer your question. I had the opportunity to compare in one store the Aguilar SL112, the Mesa Subway 115 and 112, and the Bergantino HDN112. I had read so many good things about the Subways, but I was sorely disappointed. To me, they both were very thin sounding. I like and now own both, the SL112 and HDN112. When sitting on the floor, I feel the HDN goes lower even though the SL specs say it goes lower. When up around ear level, I like the SL better. I guess I like the sound of the tweeter/horn in the SL better than the HDN. They do play rather nice together when stacked, too. The HDN has a little smaller footprint, but the SL is a little (3 lbs. but noticeably) lighter. I hope this helps.

I think the Berg cab is excellent in the tradition of all Jim's products. The Aguilar SL left me feeling like it was a bit weak in the low end and not really up to being pushed hard volume-wise - I liked two of them much better.

When I first played the SW112 especially after playing the SW115 I felt a little disappointed. Then I realized that the SW cabs were designed to handle a lot power and can take some heavy EQ at those power levels. The SW112 came alive for me once I got over my concern about babying it.

Obviously we all listen for different things and have different tone goals. Personally I think the SW 115 is a spectacular cab, but once again you can't be afraid to EQ in what you want and then feel very comfortable playing it at whatever volume you need (within reason of course). Having that extra margin of robustness in the SW designs probably makes them sound a little less capable or exciting when you just power up and play without making some adjustments. At least that was my experience. As always, YMMV!

 

[tree_trunker]

I think the Berg cab is excellent in the tradition of all Jim's products. The Aguilar SL left me feeling like it was a bit weak in the low end and not really up to being pushed hard volume-wise - I liked two of them much better.

When I first played the SW112 especially after playing the SW115 I felt a little disappointed. Then I realized that the SW cabs were designed to handle a lot power and can take some heavy EQ at those power levels. The SW112 came alive for me once I got over my concern about babying it.

Obviously we all listen for different things and have different tone goals. Personally I think the SW 115 is a spectacular cab, but once again you can't be afraid to EQ in what you want and then feel very comfortable playing it at whatever volume you need (within reason of course). Having that extra margin of robustness in the SW designs probably makes them sound a little less capable or exciting when you just power up and play without making some adjustments. At least that was my experience. As always, YMMV!

I had initially been so impressed with the SW 115. It sounds like I may have given up too quickly. Part of my negative experience is because the tweeter in the one I tried buzzed and so I had to let the salesman know it was blown. They pulled it and got a new one from Mesa so I could try it another time (which I did). It still didn't sound quite right to me. Maybe that bad first impression tainted my view of them.

 

[AudioTaper]

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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Oh man, this is what I need... great price tooa