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Video Review 1x12 cabs: Fender Rumble 112 vs. Aguilar SL 112

#41
mmbongo said:
Jeez not sure what you guys are hearing, but I like the Aguilar SO much better in that video. It's deeper and smoother and has a certain sweetness to it.

The Rumble seems very harsh and ganky in comparison, with no real deepness or crispness.

I can't imagine that Rumble at gig volume, nothing but harsh mids :confused:

Nice work on the vid, too! Need to do some more cabinet comparisons :)
Click to expand...

FYI--the Rumble is VERY bottom heavy at gig volumes---I play on a Bongo too. You can't hear it in this sample--I agree.

In reality you have to dial back the low end---especially with the Bongo.
 
#42
mmbongo said:
Jeez not sure what you guys are hearing, but I like the Aguilar SO much better in that video. It's deeper and smoother and has a certain sweetness to it.

The Rumble seems very harsh and ganky in comparison, with no real deepness or crispness.

I can't imagine that Rumble at gig volume, nothing but harsh mids :confused:

Nice work on the vid, too! Need to do some more cabinet comparisons :)
Click to expand...

I'd need to hear them in a mix. Both sound good to me in different ways.
Sometimes ganky mids are exactly what's required, when smooth and sweet can get lost in a hurry.
 
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#44
mmbongo said:
Jeez not sure what you guys are hearing, but I like the Aguilar SO much better in that video. It's deeper and smoother and has a certain sweetness to it.
The Rumble seems very harsh and ganky in comparison, with no real deepness or crispness.
I can't imagine that Rumble at gig volume, nothing but harsh mids :confused:
Click to expand...

Agreed. The Rumble runs the 12" woofer full range, the tweeter is a piezo. So there's your "gank" vs the Aguilar which has an actual two way crossover that has the gank filtered out. The SL112 has the P-Audio PHT-410 tweet (which can keep up with a 410) and that cab is tuned to allow much more fundamental than the Rumble. Thats to my ears. The Aguilar can be thinned out on the bottom by turning the bass control down, which also saves on amp power. But what works for you is what is important different strokes.
 
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#46
SanDiegoHarry said:
What sounds good in a store rarely sounds good in the mix.
I'd put my Berg CN112 up against any of these cabs.
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Agreed. The Bergs have a great all around balance without being too muddy or clanky. I've never heard a bass cab I liked that didn't have a well designed crossover to transition into the tweeter. The SL112 has that thinking engineered into it although some don't like that ultra fat low end.
 
#48
Doug Parent said:
Agreed. The Bergs have a great all around balance without being too muddy or clanky. I've never heard a bass cab I liked that didn't have a well designed crossover to transition into the tweeter. The SL112 has that thinking engineered into it although some don't like that ultra fat low end.
Click to expand...

I contend that what they don't like, they don't understand. Played with a band, in a live situation, I am 100% confident that while the Rumble would suffice, the Aguilar would do a much, much better job. And while the Ag may be a bit thick for many ears (here is a reason I chose the Berg, right?) it is simply a much better piece of gear than the rumble. A whole different class, really.
 
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#49
Well sure, you can pick up a Rumble 112 used for what? $200? What's a used Berg CN112 go for $650...$700? Of course there is going to be some quality difference, you could buy 3 Rumble 112's and still have gas money for the gig and a backup set of strings.

Tone is always subjective and arguably geared towards one type of music for the other. The Aggy sounds good in it's own right. Deep and smooth, I can dig it. I'd definitely be happy with them if I played a lot of Reggae, or Country or even Stoner Rock/Metal in some cases. The Rumble naturally sounds like it wants to do rock or metal or certain types of jazz. $5 bucks says they're both nice cabs, the Aguilar is going to sit and support the mix nicely (in general) and the Fender (is going to cut/stand out a bit more...again in general.)

I don't have experience with the Berg personally, so it's hard for me to say, but I've heard nothing but great things. Honestly they're aimed at different segments of the market though IMHO.
 
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#50
mmbongo said:
Jeez not sure what you guys are hearing, but I like the Aguilar SO much better in that video. It's deeper and smoother and has a certain sweetness to it.

The Rumble seems very harsh and ganky in comparison, with no real deepness or crispness.

I can't imagine that Rumble at gig volume, nothing but harsh mids :confused:

Nice work on the vid, too! Need to do some more cabinet comparisons :)
Click to expand...

They are hearing the lightness of their wallets. The aggy wins in every way.
 
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#52
I believe it's all according to what sound your looking for and the type of music your playing. For instance. If your playing oldies, for me, the SL112 is perfect. For rock or funky music something different. JMTC.....
 
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#53
Systolic said:
Well sure, you can pick up a Rumble 112 used for what? $200? What's a used Berg CN112 go for $650...$700? Of course there is going to be some quality difference, you could buy 3 Rumble 112's and still have gas money for the gig and a backup set of strings.

Tone is always subjective and arguably geared towards one type of music for the other. The Aggy sounds good in it's own right. Deep and smooth, I can dig it. I'd definitely be happy with them if I played a lot of Reggae, or Country or even Stoner Rock/Metal in some cases. The Rumble naturally sounds like it wants to do rock or metal or certain types of jazz. $5 bucks says they're both nice cabs, the Aguilar is going to sit and support the mix nicely (in general) and the Fender (is going to cut/stand out a bit more...again in general.)

I don't have experience with the Berg personally, so it's hard for me to say, but I've heard nothing but great things. Honestly they're aimed at different segments of the market though IMHO.
Click to expand...
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Right - the Fender is not really aimed at the gigging musician market. I've checked them out at GC, just so I wasn't spouting ignorantly - and they are a good value for the money, but they aren't really what i'd call "Serious". They, in my OPINION, are in the same market-space as a Squire Affinity or something like that.
 
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#54
SanDiegoHarry said:
I contend that what they don't like, they don't understand. Played with a band, in a live situation, I am 100% confident that while the Rumble would suffice, the Aguilar would do a much, much better job. And while the Ag may be a bit thick for many ears (here is a reason I chose the Berg, right?) it is simply a much better piece of gear than the rumble. A whole different class, really.
Click to expand...

Agreed. A whole nuther universe sonically. That Rumble sounds like it has a high pass filter set to 80 hz.
 
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#55
SanDiegoHarry said:
-
Right - the Fender is not really aimed at the gigging musician market. I've checked them out at GC, just so I wasn't spouting ignorantly - and they are a good value for the money, but they aren't really what i'd call "Serious". They, in my OPINION, are in the same market-space as a Squire Affinity or something like that.
Click to expand...

I can't get on board with that. I'd gladly gig these. Don't know if I'd want to mic and record with them, but gigging in a bar or club, or at an outdoor venue. Absolutely. In fact, I would say they are very squarely aimed at the "Weekend Warrior" style gigging musician. Which I'd argue is what the majority of gigging bass players are.
 
#56
I still prefer my SL112 cabs. They just have a smooth sound that sits just right in any mix I've used them with. For rock, I run them with the tweeter knobs on halfway. For funk, I crank the tweeters. For older stuff, turn them off. I've only used them with two amps - My Tone Hammer 500 and an Ampeg PF500. The SL112s seemed to reproduce the sound of each amp very well - but with that Aguilar color, of course. I would say that the Rumble cabs are impressive for their price though. To each his own, I guess. I'm considering buying a third SL112 and getting an Aguilar AG700, too!
 
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#58
Well here's your fly in the ointment. This was a great informative video and most of the comments are pretty accurate. But it was done in a home setting, and I would imagine at low to moderate volume. I thought I wanted a pair of SL cabs until I played a used pair at the local GC. Played through a Th500. Low volume they pretty much sounded as I expected. As someone else mentions smooth with good bass response. I like a bit of extended bottom as it fits the classic rock band I gig with. But as soon a I cranked the volume a bit, they started farting out and just got nasty. This was not at really loud levels, what I would consider moderate. No way would they keep up with my somewhat loud classic rock band. We only have FOH support at 15 or 20% of our gigs. I work at a music store and we are a Fender dealer and I have had the opportunity to play through the Rumble 210 and 115. Had to back the bass down a bit on both, but in a store setting, they seemed much more capable of the volume I would need. Now I can buy the Rumbles at store cost and am considering multiple cab combinations. Considering 2 1X12's, a single 15 and a single 2X10. I don't want to hear about cab mixing, So although I would be buying 4 cabs (not all to be used together of course) I would be able to try a lot of different combinations without breaking the bank. I have not been able to try the Rumble 12, but am hoping 2 of them would be adequate for most of my gigs.
 
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#59
bass151 said:
Well here's your fly in the ointment. This was a great informative video and most of the comments are pretty accurate. But it was done in a home setting, and I would imagine at low to moderate volume. I thought I wanted a pair of SL cabs until I played a used pair at the local GC. Played through a Th500. Low volume they pretty much sounded as I expected. As someone else mentions smooth with good bass response. I like a bit of extended bottom as it fits the classic rock band I gig with. But as soon a I cranked the volume a bit, they started farting out and just got nasty. This was not at really loud levels, what I would consider moderate. No way would they keep up with my somewhat loud classic rock band. We only have FOH support at 15 or 20% of our gigs. I work at a music store and we are a Fender dealer and I have had the opportunity to play through the Rumble 210 and 115. Had to back the bass down a bit on both, but in a store setting, they seemed much more capable of the volume I would need. Now I can buy the Rumbles at store cost and am considering multiple cab combinations. Considering 2 1X12's, a single 15 and a single 2X10. I don't want to hear about cab mixing, So although I would be buying 4 cabs (not all to be used together of course) I would be able to try a lot of different combinations without breaking the bank. I have not been able to try the Rumble 12, but am hoping 2 of them would be adequate for most of my gigs.
Click to expand...

For my maximum gigs, I run a shockingly small rig - 1x12+2x10 - and I've yet to not have enough headroom. No farting out, no sounding weak. Why? Because I paid for really good cabs. I *could* have stuck with bigger, heavier cabs that would have sounded just as good for a big rooms but would be both back-breaking as well as inefficient, but I sucked it up and got top notch kit. I know that not everyone can do that - and i was lucky to have the means, I know that. But let's just say that I was working with a budget like one who is considering kit like a Rumble rig. I'd suck it up and buy a used cab and head, large and heavy - say like an SWR Goliath 4x10 and some beefy but cheap class AB head (like the ashdown I sold recently). I would spend the same money for *far* superior gear, only it would be a load-in / load-out hassle. With my current rig, I paid (and paid dearly, I'd say) for super light + super good sound.

So my advice would be get what you can used, cheap and really good rather than new, mediocre and cheap.
 
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