Sorry I think I posted this yesterday and it got deleted already....what is your opinion on this, guys? Is it even feasible, and what problems (if any) would it create?
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Using multiple brands of cabs in the same rig?
- Thread starter Damani311
- Start date
Why not?
As long as the different cabs work out to an acceptable overall impedence, shouldn't make a difference. Which is not to say they won't sound wonky. But the sound is inherent in the cab and would sound like itself regardless of the other cabs it was mated to.
Only possible reason I can imagine is looks or "snob" appeal. For example, I certainly wouldn't put an Avatar or Peavey under an Accugroove or Epifani no matter how it great they might sound together
. But that's just me.
And yes, I am a bit of a snob when it comes to gear.
dcr
As long as the different cabs work out to an acceptable overall impedence, shouldn't make a difference. Which is not to say they won't sound wonky. But the sound is inherent in the cab and would sound like itself regardless of the other cabs it was mated to.
Only possible reason I can imagine is looks or "snob" appeal. For example, I certainly wouldn't put an Avatar or Peavey under an Accugroove or Epifani no matter how it great they might sound together
. But that's just me. And yes, I am a bit of a snob when it comes to gear.
dcr
- Mar 30, 2007
- 4,017
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- Endorsing Artist: Genzler Amplification/Spector Basses/Mojo Hand FX
I've used different cab brands together for years (Ampeg, Mesa, Ashdown, and now Genz Benz). I kind of like to use a ported cab along with a sealed cab at certain venues. Plus my drummer likes the sound of a sealed cab better, saying they have a more defined "point"...which I totally agree with. When we play large venues, I will bring a sealed cab to point his direction and a ported cab for "long throw". I hope this makes sense to you guys...
No problems doing this at all. Last weekend I ran one side of my Crest CA9 into my Ampeg BXT410HL cab and the other side into my two Aguilar GS112 cabs. IMO it sounded great.
There are lots of advantages to having more than one cab and more than one brand of cab in your rig. My example - Justin Chancellor. A mesa 8x10 and two GK 4x10's. AMAZING tone, more options for running effects/overdrive/distortion through the different cabs.
It also probably has something to do with the fact that he plays a Wal...
But yeah - the only thing I would be worried about is getting the ohm load where it needs to be
It also probably has something to do with the fact that he plays a Wal...
But yeah - the only thing I would be worried about is getting the ohm load where it needs to be
Sometimes it works.
I've had awesome sounding mixed rigs. Here are a few examples that worked well/pretty well-
Mesa Diesel 1x15/SWR 1x15
SWR 1x15/Avatar Kappa 2x10
Mesa Powerhouse 4x10/Avatar Kappa 2x10
Ones that didnt work great:
Mesa Powerhouse 4x10/SWR Goliath III (GIII dominated, not enough low mids, maybe even a phase issue)
Mesa Diesel 1x15/Mesa Powerhouse 2x10 (different voicing of cabs had a strange result)
I've had awesome sounding mixed rigs. Here are a few examples that worked well/pretty well-
Mesa Diesel 1x15/SWR 1x15
SWR 1x15/Avatar Kappa 2x10
Mesa Powerhouse 4x10/Avatar Kappa 2x10
Ones that didnt work great:
Mesa Powerhouse 4x10/SWR Goliath III (GIII dominated, not enough low mids, maybe even a phase issue)
Mesa Diesel 1x15/Mesa Powerhouse 2x10 (different voicing of cabs had a strange result)
I mix and match all the time.
SWR head + Schroeder cab or Ampeg (it sounds like crap with my eden cab)
Eden Navigator + Schroeder cab, Ampeg, Eden cab. (this head sounds good with all of them)
My SWR head and Eden head sound much better than the Ampeg SVT 4 pro that I used to use with my Ampeg cab, go figure.
SWR head + Schroeder cab or Ampeg (it sounds like crap with my eden cab)
Eden Navigator + Schroeder cab, Ampeg, Eden cab. (this head sounds good with all of them)
My SWR head and Eden head sound much better than the Ampeg SVT 4 pro that I used to use with my Ampeg cab, go figure.
I have mixed cabs with great results. For example, I bought an LDS to give more of a vintage tone to a CXL-112.
- Dec 18, 2000
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- greenboy designs: fEARful, bassic, dually, crazy88 etc
A good way to compensate for the 301's rolloff of mids and highs, I imagine this has a potent enhanced old-school sound.
I give a Thumbs-Down to mixing bass cabs, if they are covering the same frequency range. If you have a crossover in place to separate the lows and highs, no problem, as long as the polarity on all cabs is identical.
erm, this is not true, Justin uses a Mesa 8x10 and a Mesa 4x12. He uses 2 GK 2001RB head though.
Hmmm, any reason why? I only ask since before I got my two wizzys, I always mixed cabs. In fact if I really need a loud setup I still go back to the CXL-112 and the LDS.
I mix cabs, and have been doing it for years.
Hartke 4x10XL: aluminium cones, sealed, very punchy, a bit compressed.
SWR Big Ben 18: paper cone, ported, very warm, very open.
Work great together, best rig I have had.
Peace!
Hartke 4x10XL: aluminium cones, sealed, very punchy, a bit compressed.
SWR Big Ben 18: paper cone, ported, very warm, very open.
Work great together, best rig I have had.
Peace!
That's interesting
. I have the same Hartke cab, but I can't stand mixing it with my Markbass 12"s, as I find it impossible to EQ them both together to produce a tone that I like 
.The Hartke always needs padding out in the mids (IMO) but that makes the MBs "honk" too much.
Personally, I'm much happier with the more "predictable to EQ" single brand/format solution.
Horses for courses, eh?
When I play a big enough venue that I can get by with it, I use my SWR Gol 3 210 cab with my BagEnd S15d. IMO, the mid-range voicing of the BE compliments the scooped sound of the SWR.
Absolutely. Different technologies run a high risk of modal reinforcement and cancellations. This leads to surges and suckouts, neither of which I want in my sound. The extreme example has already been demonstrated by folks trying to run direct radiators and bass horns. They get bass cancellation, and keep cranking up the bottom to compensate until the Magic Smoke is released.
The chance of two different cabs being identically tuned, and performing identically across their bass operating range is about nil. If mix 'n match was a great idea, the pro sound people would do it. They do not.
The final proof is in your ears. If it sounds good, it is good, for you. If I had two different cabs and needed to run both, I'd probably do it as long as it didn't suck. If I was planning in advance to run multiple cabs, I certainly would not run a mis-matched pair over the same bass range. YMMV.
Would this be more of a problem at higher volumes? None of my gigs are particularly loud. I ask because the CXL-112/LDS seemed louder to me at the same amp settings. Although, I am suspicious that the EA/LDS just goes deeper.
Again, do they do this because mixing is inherently a problem, or to maximize the output from the system? Or a little of both? I am pretty sure the EA/LDS matchup loses some power since the EA is much more efficient than the LDS. But I have more than enough omph to power them.
Thanl you Greenboy I think that is the first time you have ever gave me a comp, and yes it does enance my oldschool sound. I have to admit I did get the idea from you from a old thread we crossed swards on.
Thanx
