Thinking about the SWR Henry 8x8 - What do you think ?

[sid sonic]

"I had to"...8x8 is nothing short of awesome...its not meant to be driven beyond its rating...it can be paired with any class amp, again, within its ratings....add the aphex bass exciter pedal and behold...been playing another made in usa masterpiece, the '72 svt and fridge since '75 and when I encountered and bought the Henry's, the jr also, both usa made early models, it was love at first plucks !... "I had to"...ss

 

[Marko 1]

Are replacement speakers available for those things?

 

[Callused Finger]

It does well. moves a lot of air. Whether or not it’s the right air, I don’t know. I ran it next to a Goliath II. Haven’t used it enough to make a solid assessment yet.

I have it more for nostalgia. I don’t think the one I have was used much. Practically mint.

 

[otp57]

I'm about to purchase a 1994 excellent condition SWR Henry the 8x8 to use with my Eden WT400. Any comments anyone can make about this? I'm currently using 2x Warwick 8ohm 211pro cabs (2 cabs each with 2x10 speakers) and am purchasing this to push more air and get more volume really. I'll sell the warwicks. Good move you think ? Enough low end with 8x8's ???

I love to get my BASS on a SWR Henry the 8, that cab will cut any mix but you must like the sound of the cab.
I would play the beast and if it is your sound buy it.

 

[Will_White]

 

[jpotrs]

I've wanted one of these cabinets since the mid 90s. I don't play very much at all anymore, unfortunately, and had sold off most of my gear except for one small combo. About a year ago I ended up starting to jam with a drummer and needed something a bit more robust. I cheaped out and got a used Acoustic 4x10 and used Acoustic class d head from GC. It worked ok but the sound was never what I was looking for. I ended up seeing a Henry for sale on FB Marketplace pretty close by a month ago. My wife said to go for it but I really couldn't justify it. Anyway, it popped back up in my feed with enough of a price drop to convince me. The carpet is a bit beat up and it has a replacement tweeter, but otherwise it seems fine. The only issue now is I need to replace this Acoustic head (and sell off this 4x10) because I can really hear how bad this head sounds now.

 

[davidjbass]

I just picked this one up used the other day. I had to clean it up but it sounds awesome! I had been looking for one for a long time after I used one in a backline. I don't know what version or year it is so if anyone has any intel on it I would appreciate it.

 

[shoot-r]

I just picked this one up used the other day. I had to clean it up but it sounds awesome! I had been looking for one for a long time after I used one in a backline. I don't know what version or year it is so if anyone has any intel on it I would appreciate it. View attachment 5180516 View attachment 5180518 View attachment 5180519

Those may not be the original drivers.
I don't remember the cones having a shine.

Looks like the tweeter may not be the original one either.
The original had a chrome ring around the outer edge of it's tweeter/horn.

Doesn't matter though, if it sounds good, it is good!

I believe SWR had only the one design version of the 8x8.
They orginally had a black, expanded steel grill (like yours), later they changed it to a chromed, steel, square patterned design grill.

No idea what year it is.

A couple of years back a brick and mortar store in my area still had a NOS 8x8 (the chrome grill version) on their showroom floor!
Actually they had a bunch of NOS SWR cabinets on the floor.
A NOS Goliath Senior almost came home with me!

 

[agedhorse]

Absolutely not the original drivers, those have foam surrounds which were never used.

 

[Saetia]

I have owned 3 or 4 Heny 8x8's over the last decade. The one I own now is in my storage with the two top speakers blown. No surprise. I have the replacement speakers right here next to me but still haven't gotten around to installing them I got the cab on CL for $100 bucks, so I had to buy it out of principle.

That being said, these cabs are VERY finicky. Don't do well with high power, so the amps like the redfaced Bass 350 is perfect, or the Baby Blue.

Very heavy cab. 110 lbs or so. BUT, it is like having a hi-fi sound system on stage. The sound is so articulate. You can hear every little nuance. For blues, rock, jazz, etc it's perfect. For a metal band, I wouldn't recommend it.

I know, zombie... but after reading this comment had to pipe in. I toured a Henry the 8x8 for 3 years. Henry will without a doubt rock it in a metal setting. EQ goes a long way and not throwing everything you have at it. For reference I used a GK 700rbii with no harm to the Henry. Fast, articulate and carries a heft and punch, perfect for metal.

 

[chadds]

Saw Michael Rhodes use one with a Trace head onstage at the Ryman playing behind Amy Grant first set then Vince Gill second set. Sounded excellent. It was amp sound as FOH was just reinforcement. Accurate discrete sound engineering featuring the distinct sounds of each instrument and voice. If you’ve been to the Ryman you know they mean business.

 

[sid sonic]

Davy J...AH is correct...also the chrome square grill versions are the cheaped out made in china offerings...keep with the early expanded metal grills and you will be HAPPY....oh Henry, oh Henry...ss

 

[agedhorse]

Davy J...AH is correct...also the chrome square grill versions are the cheaped out made in china offerings...keep with the early expanded metal grills and you will be HAPPY....oh Henry, oh Henry...ss

I don’t recall the chrome grille offerings to be made in China. There were some made in Mexico I think, but not very many.

 

[Saetia]

Spotted at Music Go Round in Greendale this weekend. Doesn't appear on the site, wan

ted $250.

 

[squish]

Spotted at Music Go Round in Greendale this weekend. Doesn't appear on the site, wanted $250.View attachment 5186409

Speakers look original. If they are all working, $250 is a smoking deal.
I love mine, 380 watts and all.

 

[Saetia]

Speakers look original. If they are all working, $250 is a smoking deal.
I love mine, 380 watts and all.

I'm thinking about going back this weekend if it's still there. Miss my Henry.

 

[squish]

Just for kicks I went to look at it online and there is a note on the cab that says, "The two bottom speakers have patched surrounds. No idea how long they will last."

Still, not a bad deal. @agedhorse might have some original speakers left for that cab.

 

[agedhorse]

I don’t have any original speakers.

 

[Marko 1]

Still, not a bad deal. [B]@agedhorse[/B] might have some original speakers left for that cab.

I think he said he has superior speakers that were either designed for, or such that they'd work well in there.

I mentioned “hooking up a brother on the cheap”, but he didn't bite.

 

[agedhorse]

I think he said he has superior speakers that were either designed for, or such that they'd work well in there.

I mentioned “hooking up a brother on the cheap”, but he didn't bite.

I have one set of Neos that were being considered for a lighter weight (GoLite family) version of the cabinet which never happened before Fender shut the brand down.