Who is using a single ltw 15 cab for classic rock gigs?

[999Brent]

I get by with a PF 50T and the PF 15HE,
No problem volume wise, but we do own a full PA and monitors so that does the heavy lifting out front.
Plus our drummer has an electronic kit, and guitarist a 15w Combo, so we are pretty quiet on stage compared to out front

 

[King Louie]

I am not gonna pretend that I ever played a bigger rock gig, but I am personally curious. I play a GK MB 500 into a GK 1x15 and I have no problem turning up so loud that our drummer complains that he cannot hear himself. Our drummer is an ex-pro of many years (health issues stopped him), so he should be over the beginners' "I cant hear myself". So if you do not have PA, how is your drummer amplified? Otherwise the band volume is limited by the drum volume. Are there drumsets so much louder than the one our drummer uses?

 

[mudpup]

Your amp is only going to be putting out half its power (300ish watts) into a single cab - you're going to get buried and will be pushing it way too hard to be comfortable. You'll also hit a point where you're turning it up and it will just be getting into compression rather than effective volume and punch. Definitely get either another matching cab to the one you already have (if you like the sound you have currently) or maybe a single 2x12 4 ohm supercab like a Barefaced or a Bergantino - you'll gain headroom, your amp will be operating more effectively without pushing it so much, it won't take up any extra floorspace and the feel onstage will be better. It's a total win all round. And if you just add another cab you will have a backup which you can get away with if you need to. There's no replacement for displacement!!!

I play about 50 gigs a year in a loud rock covers band doing pubs/clubs up to about 400 people and generally don't need to go through the PA. We have a very powerful drummer with a loud kit and usually just put the kick through the PA (occasionally run a couple of overheads too as he uses a drum screen). One of the guitarists is a bit of a volume dick (we have to manage him). I use a variety of amps between 500 and 900 watts into 4 ohms and 2 Barefaced Big Baby cabs and the volume knob goes down as well as up.

 

[Downunderwonder]

I am not gonna pretend that I ever played a bigger rock gig, but I am personally curious. I play a GK MB 500 into a GK 1x15 and I have no problem turning up so loud that our drummer complains that he cannot hear himself. Our drummer is an ex-pro of many years (health issues stopped him), so he should be over the beginners' "I cant hear myself". So if you do not have PA, how is your drummer amplified? Otherwise the band volume is limited by the drum volume. Are there drumsets so much louder than the one our drummer uses?

Quite possibly. Drum sets have increased in volume a great deal in response to guitarists getting bass amps and stacks of guitar speakers.

Back in the day I lent my rig to another bassist and he added his cab to mine. Their drummer was a real animal with the big rock kit and they were way too loud for the pub. I had ringing ears and I had earplugs.

 

[five7]

I have a Mackie 15 that was powered but the amp died and was removed. It alone is loud with my GK fusion 500 running it. It works as a stand alone cab.

 

[Stewie]

In my experience, Ampeg cabs work well with each other. I run 2 SVT 15Es, but am thinking of going to the PF series. If I do, it'll be a 15, and a 2 10

 

[klyph]

I've played tons of very loud rock gigs with a single 15, but...

a) It was not "compact" in any sense of the word- about 2'x2.5'x2.5'. Shelf ported in the front. Light, but big (Carvin 115).

b) I didn't have a ton of lows.

c) I was cranking the 250w amp I was using.

I switched to a 2x12, which was far more efficient and had a much smaller footprint. I now use a 2x15 which gets me as deep as I want at any volume without PA support (indoors, at least).

 

[el murdoque]

If it's just weight and size you're after, look at barefaced cabs.
They only offer 12 and 10 as their speaker size.

I did rock gigs with a single 12.
One that's below 20lbs.

 

[Plectrum72]

If you'd prefer to keep running 15s, get a second one or get a 215. Single 15 no matter how efficient will not keep up with 2 loud(ish) guitars in a rock band. Speaking from personal experience on gigs. Go big or go home. Better if you can convince everyone to keep the stage volume reasonable because you're all probably too loud for the bar scene, but if you can't convince them, at least you can keep up.

 

[elberon]

I guess what I'm really asking, is there a single lightweight 15 cab that could handle this, or is that asking too much? Thinking about "higher end" cabs, such as Mesa, Aguilar, Revsound, etc... that may have higher end components and design.

I use a mesa walkabout 15" cabinet (the one with the down-firing passive radiator). That's more than enough for me. Big sound and the cabinet is a reasonable size and weight with an adjustable tweeter to keep it from sounding too muddy. Highly recommended.

 

[musicman556]

The Mesa Subway 115 really is a monster, and not even in the same ballpark as 95% of the other 115 cabs out there. I got mine a couple months ago and it can get ridiculously loud and still sound great. I haven't even been able to push it into fart territory yet. That's not for lack or wattage on tap, but simply my ability to withstand the aural blast in my house! Like many, I haven't been able to play out cuz Rona, so it's just been rocking in the basement with me so far. It has supplanted my Ampeg Heritage SVT410HLF as my fav cab. Stupid light, compact, and sounds fantastic. It's rated for 400w RMS at 8 ohms.

At first is was hard for me to justify the high cost of a small lightweight cab with 1/4th of the speakers as the Heritage SVT410HLF, but once I got it and started to play it, it all made sense.

 

[mikeyjm2]

I played a Mesa Subway D-800 into a Subway 115 cab routinely when gigging with the classic rock cover band. I'll resume that once venues start opening again (hopefully soon!). Granted we are not a particularly loud band but I've never lacked headroom on the amp and cab's ability to handle it. Bonus: when you do have FOH support, the Subway DI is absolutely fantastic.

 

[AxtoOx]

I just got one I haven't gigged yet, but I owned the sound system so my amp was more a monitor, which for me is great, stand alone? I'm really not sure.

 

[obimark]

Band has two fairly loud guitarists and drummer...!

Right there-- let me help save your ears- 1 15" speaker won't be enough, 2 15" speakers own't be enough, 8 10"s won't be enough. You know why? Because you are playing with folks who probably really only want to hear themselves- not a band. So whatever you get, they will just raise their volume. If they can't play at a reasonable volume where that rig you have is perfectly adequate, they are too loud, unless you are playing stadiums. And they may STILL be too loud.

 

[RattleSnack]

I used to play classic rock with my GK MB115 combo. Before that, I used GK MB500 head and 2x12 cab, and I had to keep volume low because guys complained it was too loud. So, I sold both and got GK combo. I remember it lacked power just once, when I just got it. Gig was in the open, medium-large rock club on the river, no walls, PA for vocals only, and I was reluctant to pump-up the volume on my combo. Later I found its limits much higher, so it should have been fine than.
But, that band was one reasonable guitar player, keys and medium hitting drummer. Not sure how my combo would hold up with two gitards and a slammer-drummer.
Also, I was never into huge bottom bass guitar sound. I always played passive Jazz of some kind, flat EQ. If you are into big bassy sound, you need more speaker surface.

 

[shadven]

You need 2x15. Don't mix a 4x10 and a 1x15. Two of the same cabinet always is better.

 

[Bebo2020]

I have a Markbass rig with 2x15. Plenty for my needs.

 

[Silky Johnson]

For the most part a single 15" or single driver is what it is. The maximum volume you can get or sound pressure level is limited to where the driver distorts.

But yes there is a fine line to where some Neos will actually take a little more power. So max SPL is a little higher.

The advice to add another 15" is always a very good solution. That guarantees alot more SPL. Either with similar drivers you have now, or drivers that do a little more.
Eventually there is a threshold.

But I'm pretty familiar with the Eminence drivers you have. Distortion below 100 hz is around 150 to 180 watts.

Something like a Eminence Kappalite 3015 will do about 230 to 280 watts. So the potential to reach slightly higher SPL is there.
Plus there is numerous other Neos capable of reaching similar levels.
Eventually there is tradeoff. Actually even higher powered Neos out there. But the high-end starts to drop of dramatically.

Anyhoo mesa has a special design speakers based on the Eminence Neos so the max SPL will be higher. Power handling is higher

Or you can change the driver yourself in the Cabs you have now to reach same Max SPL.

Or just add another cabinet.
Even with drivers with a higher threshold. Guys still eventually double up.

Far as live at shows usually front of house support, covers the higher SPL. You just need enough stage volume. Even then some clubs do or don't have ability to add more of your mix or bass in stage monitors so you don't necessarily need a big rig. If you rig wasn't enough they will give you more stage monitor. But smaller clubs might not have monitors that handle bass. Small bar gigs with just a vocal pa. Yeah your gonna want a 2x15

I was thinking the mesa 15 had a Faital driver, 12s use the eminence. but ur advice still stands.

 

[arbiterusa]

I recently joined a classic rock cover band, and am wondering if a single 15 lightweight cab will be sufficient for gigs with minimal FOH support.

In some rooms. Barely. I've done it twice and won't do it again, the speaker was definitely at the limit of what it could safely handle. I don't ever run my gear that hard if I have a choice, which is the main reason it all still works. With a quieter band (I have an ape of a drummer and a guitar player that's losing his hearing, such a great combo!) it would be OK but not great. My main cab for a small/medium club with no FOH is my 4x10, which seems to cover everything nicely. Big rooms get the 2x15 treatment.

The cabs are SWR Golights, the head GK MB500.

 

[stretch80]

With two 1-15" cabs, you can also put the second cab on the other side of the stage for "stereo" bass, and to provide a monitor for the rest of the band ;-). Makes it easy for drummer to hear too. (good when just vox going through PA etc.

I have Avatar 1-15" and 1-12" cabs, both with high power-handling Eminence speakers. The 15 alone handles most any indoor gig, but I bring both if there is room onstage.