What cab? 4 Ohm, >= 500 watts, ~<30 lbs, cheap

[Rip Van Dan]

What's out there that meets these requirements? I've got a GB Shuttle 12 that's looking for its partner - ultra loud and ultra light.

Form factor is not a concern, as long as it's lightweight.

Not too concerned about voicing given the versatility of the GB, but my wheelhouse is decidedly old school - I play a grindy overdriven Rick and make use of fuzz and wah, so if there's tweeters they need to be defeatable.

Needs to be heard over a loud drummer with no PA support.

Audiokinesis Hathor series is what I'm considering right now, but I'm a bit skittish on the price. Would love to find something under $500.

My main gigs are playing loud, heavy, scary music through an SVT into one or two 412s. This is for my backup rig, suitable for smaller mellower sidejobs I'm getting calls for, and for playing generator shows where we carry gear a half mile from the nearest road.

About the only cab that I know of that comes close to two of those would be DNA's DNS112 cab. It will handle 450-watts rms/900-watts peak, and it weighs 34-lbs., but it's not cheap. Street price is $699 to $719. Reverb had a used one on sale for $450, but used ones are few and far between.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

His amp has 2 power amplifiers, each capable of 600 watts/channel RMS into 4 ohms. He already has the necessary flexibility.

Then why worry. Go with the 4 ohm cabs. Sorry didn't realize this was a dual power-block amp. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[InhumanResource]

Thanks, already have the amp, just looking for a cab to go with it.
Sure, but I'll worry about if I need "more" volume once I've gotten the "most" volume I can from a single cab.

That's fine, then you'll need to make sure you have an amp that is 2 ohm stable if you're going to start with a 4 ohm cab...otherwise you have no room to add (unless you will swap cabs entirely).

 

[callofcthulhu]

The tweeters are not 100-200 watts, no way, no how. They may be rated to work with speaker SYSTEMS rated at 100-200 watts. This is a common misconception with tweeter marketing in general.

Have you considered a used (Genz Benz) NeoX or Uber 212, both 4 ohm cabinets, a little heavier than your goal but meats the low and loud part. You should be able to find one in your price range as well.

I think you will have a hard (read as impossible) time finding any single driver speaker in the 500 watt (real, "RMS" or continuous average power) range for that kind of money. Even without a limit they are pretty darn rare. Be sure you understand how the ratings are made. Your amp is rated at 600 watts RMS per output channel, be sure that your speaker is rated for around 500 watts (or more) using the same "RMS" rating.

Note that "program power rating" of a speaker is typically defined numerically as 2x the RMS power, and peak power is 2x the program power or 4x the RMS power of the speaker. With amps, peak power rating has a different meaning, which is typically 2x the RMS rating of the amp. Your amp is rated at 600 watts per channel (RMS) and ~1200 watts per channel (peak). Be sure you understand how these units relate. I generally recommend a maximum of about 1.5x the RMS rating of the amp, and IMO between .75x and 1x the RMS rating is generally safer.

Thanks for the recommendation, the GB cabs were actually where I started my search. I'm willing to go a little outside the weight range, but not quite that far - both those cabs are over 60lbs - and especially not in a single/dual driver box. At that point I'd just as soon bring the 412 - easier to push on wheels or two man carry.

And thanks for the warning about power handling. That was exactly the logic I used in arriving at my 500 watt minimum, knowing that even then I wouldn't be able to crank the amp to 10.

 

[callofcthulhu]

That's fine, then you'll need to make sure you have an amp that is 2 ohm stable if you're going to start with a 4 ohm cab...otherwise you have no room to add (unless you will swap cabs entirely).

Yes - the Genz Benz Shuttle 12 has two 4 ohm taps.

 

[srayb]

I use a Schroeder Mini 12+L 4-ohm 500W with my GB Shuttle 6.2. Cab is only 20 lbs.

 

[MDBass]

I thought that was loud, light and low.

Is $500 really considered cheap? I'm totally ok with used - I'm in the SF Bay Area, Craigslist is booming.

Yes, $500 for a cab is definitely on the cheap side; consider that a single "loud" cab from Barefaced, Greenboy, Bergantino, Aguilar, etc. is around or above the $1k range.

 

[David Jayne]

Can you describe in more detail the conditions that resulted in a "nearly smoked" cabinet, and how exactly it performed under those conditions? Were you running with gain and volume dimed? Was it farting out, still not loud enough, or both? Did any components of the cab need to be replaced or repaired?

Nothing was anywhere near 'dimed' but you'll find that doesn't mean much. I had it on a tilt stand so I could hear it clearly. It made no farting or any other warning sounds. Sounded great actually. After a short while I smelled smoke(not enough to see, but enough to smell), which my investigating (later) confirmed had been coming from the woofer coil. I stopped and let it cool. Turned down and continued but had a hard time hearing. Apparently I got lucky because it still works fine. But I don't do drummer gigs with it anymore. It's just not adequate. Two of them would be but mine is 4 ohms and I don't have an amp that does 2.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Thanks for the recommendation, the GB cabs were actually where I started my search. I'm willing to go a little outside the weight range, but not quite that far - both those cabs are over 60lbs - and especially not in a single/dual driver box. At that point I'd just as soon bring the 412 - easier to push on wheels or two man carry.

And thanks for the warning about power handling. That was exactly the logic I used in arriving at my 500 watt minimum, knowing that even then I wouldn't be able to crank the amp to 10.

So you are willing to bend the weight requirement, how much?

You recognize you won't be getting a 500w single woofer, hurrah.

Maybe you can get a local cabinet maker to throw a box together for you? I prescribe half a @johnk_10 2x15 Starliner with the Faital 15. Precision Port is all worked out for you. 1/2'' ply box braced per spec. Should be about 40lb.

You can get the Faitals in 4 ohm but I wouldn't. 300w is plenty, 600w would only break it more easily without getting any louder.

 

[okcrum]

Loud, light, cheap. Pick any two.

I always suggest a used Genz Benz neo 212 cab for this impossible case. It does decently well on all three counts.

 

[jaysbass2002]

that has to be 20lb over the weight limit.

Yes. The OP is requesting a very tall order LOL. Around 60lbs.

 

[steelbed45]

Thank you! Do you know if those RMS ratings are the same with the tweeter defeated? I'm not used to seeing the ratings for tweeters being listed separately in a spec, wouldn't have expected them to be 100-200 watts.

As a current fEARful and Barefaced owner, and former Schroeder owner, I'd only say to do your research. I ordered two Schroeder cabs last year.
The cabinets on the site were listed as 400 watts RMS, which was also written on the back of the cab. Once I pulled the woofers out, I realized they were only 200 watts. (I also noted the complete lack of internal damping material, for what that's worth.)

They sounded good at low bedroom volume, but that was their limit. In another thread, I put it like this, (in regards to the RMS rating) - "I'm thinking this is the reason that, combined with the high efficiency, these cabinets were completely overwhelmed by a 600 watt amp, and start distorting on the open E with the master barely past 9/gain at 12/EQ flat".

I've lived. I've learned. Good luck in your search.

 

[Tom Howland]

Carvin,
Fender Rumble.
LDS-Custom Build.

 

[yodedude2]

As stated, the goal of my post was to find out if there was anything out there that meets my requirements that I wasn't already aware of, not to find out which of my requirements I need to deviate from.

nope, sorry. can't think of anything. maybe in a couple of years, after there is a greater supply, used prices on the supercabs will start to fall a bit.

 

[Sparkl]

Yes, I understand the relationship between power and volume is logarithmic, not linear. Hence the tongue in cheek Spinal Tap reference.

Thanks for your recommendations, btw. The Barefaced does seem to tick all the boxes, if I can find a used one somewhere. The GK neo stuff would certainly be my last resort of "just need to get something already." I've similarly had less than stellar experience with GK cabs. Great heads though.

Yeah, I agree on the heads. Great stuff, can't say the same for their cabs.

You could probably get a single 12 barefaced cab used for less than 500$. Problem is, people don't sell them pretty often...

But since you said you have time it would definitely be wise to be patient a little. There is a big difference if you get yourself a GK cab for 500$ or you manage to get a deal on a Barefaced, Greenaudio or Audiokinesis cabs for the same amount of money. The quality really speaks for itself with these cabs.

 

[mspielman]

Schreoder. Cheaper than most. I have 2 PL 12s. Easy to move. Punchy, thick, good on a jazz gig with one, full on electric with two. Jorge Schreoder is a great guy as well.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I didn't weigh it, but I can lift my Acme 2x10 low B cab with one hand. You can turn down mid and treble but not defeat the tweeter entirely. You could look into the Acme without the tweeter though, I think they call it the flat wound or something like that, and the price/weight I think would be in your range.


Edit: Yeah the Low B "flatwound" 112 - but not quite there on the weight - 37 lbs



Keep in mind also you can disconnect the pesky tweeter in most cabs pretty easily.

 

[Runlikegregg]

Maybe look at the AVATAR cabs? Some of them are lightweight and pretty affordable.

 

[Runlikegregg]

also, why is everyone on this thread such a wet blanket? holy moly.

 

[agedhorse]

also, why is everyone on this thread such a wet blanket? holy moly.

Since when is being realistic and accurate being a wet blanket? Hey, I'm looking for a job where I can make $500k, only have to work 10 hours/week and can retire in 5 years with killer benefits. Anybody know where I can find one?