Double Bass Wizzy M-line 12 vs. VL-208, single cab heft?

[bribass]

Having never owned the venerable EA VL-208, is this single cab much heftier sounding for 'stupid loud' (DB and/or BG) than a single Wizzy M-line 12?

Thnx, BG

 

[anonymous02282011]

ah yes, this question has been on my mind for many moons.

Never owned the former (m line 12), but I've got the latter. Heft in heft out. I prefer it for DB but with the right amp I'd have no problem using it for doubling. IMO, etc

 

[Jazzdogg]

I have a VL208 and it sounds great with my DB. With 5-string electric it sounds great, but I can really see the drivers moving as the volume increases - enough that I worry about damaging them if I play too loudly. As much as I like my VL208, it's not a cabinet I feel comfortable using on stupid-loud gigs.

 

[Uncletoad]

As you know I have occasion to play stupid loud and find the VL208 way better at that on DB than ANY cab I've found otherwise. It does not like the low B string of a 5 string Electric but neither does the Mline 12. Two VL208s do a low B with conviction and when coupled are frightening. Three together is unnecessary. With a 4 string a single 208 is amazing for the size. I've never wanted much else.

I sold every 810, 410,210 and actually every cab I've had and only keep 3 of the VL208s and a little Wizzy 10. That covers all my gigs on either DB or Porkchop. The Walter Woods through two VL208s is my tiny rig of doom for the electric bass. It's loud and clean enough for me to not want an SVT anymore. It's not as loud as an SVT but who really needs that in 2008? If you can't fill the need with that you best have a PA anyhow and then the rig is a stage monitor.

I never tried it yet but I'd gamble if you added just one 208 to the Mline 12 you could do anything you'd ever want to do.

 

[Lobaw]

I use one VL-208 with one VL-110 and the Iamp 800 with impressive results with a 4 string Jazz bass. And it ain't too shabby with my Tobias 6.

For upright, one VL-208 is just the sh.... you know what I mean.

The M-Line is a whole nuther ball of wax to my ear, but certainly gets loud too.

I've been caught using an ancient Polytone Mini Brute III, however.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Keep in mind that the VL208 is not as efficient as the newer Wizzy boxes, and will require more power to get the same volume. I used to own several 208s and never bottomed them out for slab, but they could start looking pretty dangerous with the low notes on a BG.

 

[robgrow]

Others have already covered this very well, but I'll add my own experience FWIW...

I own an EA Wizzy M and a VL-208, and although they're both excellent cabinets (masterpieces IMO), it's kinda hard to compare them. Although I use the Wizzy M most of the time, the VL-208 has its own unique sound, that's quite special -- very tight, defined and punchy -- even more so than the Wizzy M in fact. You need an amp that can deliver plenty of clean power at 8 ohms to get the most from the VL-208, but with the right amp, one VL-208 can get amazingly loud. I've used mine with Fender bass playing R&B several times with great results and drummers love it! I'd probably use my VL-208 a lot more if it wasn't quite so heavy. Still it's one of the greatest speaker cabinets ever made IMO. Whenever I get the VL-208 out after not using it for a while, I'm always knocked out all over again.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Since VL208s are like hen's teeth, which other cab pairs almost as well as another VL208 when one isn't quite enough?

 

[Uncletoad]

Since VL208s are like hen's teeth, which other cab pairs almost as well as another VL208 when one isn't quite enough?

Wizzy M line 12.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Thank you, kind sir.

 

[robgrow]

Since VL208s are like hen's teeth, which other cab pairs almost as well as another VL208 when one isn't quite enough?

A while back, an outdoors gig came up at the last moment, and I had a VL-208 and a GK 112MBX with me. So I hooked both cabinets up thinking it was just to get through the gig. Ended up sounding great. An odd combination, but it worked. (Indoors though, it's gotta be a very loud gig before one VL-208 isn't enough.)

 

[tombowlus]

As you know I have occasion to play stupid loud and find the VL208 way better at that on DB than ANY cab I've found otherwise. It does not like the low B string of a 5 string Electric but neither does the Mline 12. Two VL208s do a low B with conviction and when coupled are frightening. Three together is unnecessary. With a 4 string a single 208 is amazing for the size. I've never wanted much else.

That covers all my gigs on either DB or Porkchop. The Walter Woods through two VL208s is my tiny rig of doom for the electric bass.

I never tried it yet but I'd gamble if you added just one 208 to the Mline 12 you could do anything you'd ever want to do.

+1 to what Phil said, above (as edited).

At first, I thought you were talking about the heft of lifting each cab, and the M-line Wizzy has a strong advantage, there.

Tom.

 

[bribass]

I never tried it yet but I'd gamble if you added just one 208 to the Mline 12 you could do anything you'd ever want to do.

My M-line is 4ohm. The VL-208 is 8ohm. That wouldn't work too well together, right?

 

[Uncletoad]

My M-line is 4ohm. The VL-208 is 8ohm. That wouldn't work too well together, right?

The Woods wouldn't like it but the AI wouldn't care so much.

Tom, can you plug those cabs together with your AI Focus and give us a report?

 

[tombowlus]

The Woods wouldn't like it but the AI wouldn't care so much.

Tom, can you plug those cabs together with your AI Focus and give us a report?

You talkin' to me? If so, I don't have a Focus, unfortunately.

But, you can get the M-line Wizzy in either 4 or 8 ohm configuration.

Tom.

 

[Uncletoad]

You talkin' to me? If so, I don't have a Focus, unfortunately.

But, you can get the M-line Wizzy in either 4 or 8 ohm configuration.

Tom.

Well, Brian has a 4ohm wizz mline already so he'd be adding a VL208 to his stable.

I guess that means you have to bring the Mline Wizz back down yet again for a quick demo.

 

[bribass]

Well, Brian has a 4ohm wizz mline already so he'd be adding a VL208 to his stable.

I guess that means you have to bring the Mline Wizz back down yet again for a quick demo.

That's right. Wouldn't there be a volume difference between an 8ohm and a 4ohm cab when using them together?

I could always use my 8ohm Agie 12 w/ the VL-208, but my objective is to get a single cab that is somewhat louder than 1 Wizzy M-line 12 alone,
but not that much more of a schlepp. Would the classic VL-208 be that?

PS Tom you don't have a Focus? I thought you had everything.

Bri

 

[Uncletoad]

That's right. Wouldn't there be a volume difference between an 8ohm and a 4ohm cab when using them together?

I could always use my 8ohm Agie 12 w/ the VL-208, but my objective is to get a single cab that is somewhat louder than 1 Wizzy M-line 12 alone,
but not that much more of a schlepp. Would the classic VL-208 be that?

PS Tom you don't have a Focus? I thought you had everything.

Bri

I misunderstood you in the beginning. You are looking for a single box that can do loud better than the M Line 12. So yes in that case the VL208 can do loud better than the M Line 12 in a one on one shootout regardless of the impeadance.

Some caveats. The VL208 is very heavy compared to the Mline 12 or Wizzy 10. Like more than twice the weight I'd wager. If I have to shlep my 208 farther than 50 yards I use a little hand dolly. The Wizzy 10 and Mline 12 allow me to cover significantly more distance.

The VL208 is very inefficient especially when compared to a single driver 4 ohm speaker like the MLine 12. One on one the volume knob will be lower for the same SPL from the 4 ohm Wizzy compared to the VL208 but the VL 208 is capable of much more overall volume and low end than the Mline is regardless of the impeadence.

Paired up on the same amp I'd expect the Wizzy to sound louder than the VL208. Maybe not in a bad way though. You'll still get tons more lows from the VL208 even if the Wizzy is louder.

One last thought. I've never done a shootout between the Neo 210 and the VL208. I gather than the Neo 210 would be an easier schlep. Don't know if the resuting sound would be happening as the 208 but I bet it gets just as loud in volume and low end wars.

 

[bribass]

Thanks Phil. That helps. Is the Neo 10 a 4ohm cab?

 

[robgrow]

...Wouldn't there be a volume difference between an 8ohm and a 4ohm cab when using them together?

Although there would be some difference in volume between the VL-208 and Wizzy M, I don't think it would be a big deal. Used together, they would make a very formidable rig (assuming you're using an amp that can safely drive a total load of less than 4 ohms).

I could always use my 8ohm Agie 12 w/ the VL-208, but my objective is to get a single cab that is somewhat louder than 1 Wizzy M-line 12 alone,
but not that much more of a schlepp. Would the classic VL-208 be that?...

In my experience, the VL-208 can't get significantly louder than the Wizzy M, so I don't think you'd gain much in that regard. I usually use my Wizzy M because it's lighter and easier to schlep. The VL-208 sounds great, but it's just not as efficient in terms of sound per pound or sound per watt as the Wizzy M. Still a wonderful speaker cabinet though, and you'd probably love it.