Long ago, I once did this
1x12 shootout, but it is so out of date that I would give it a cursory look only. Things have really changed in the realm of bass enclosure design, and the 1x12 perhaps more so than any other individual configuration. I'd love to do some more shootouts, but now that BGM is in full swing, it would have to be done in a full-on gear geek context, with lots of supporting measurements/charts/etc - which means, it'd take some planning, and more importantly, some time.
But, if purely subjective banter is of some value, I'll chime in.
Most of what there is to say has already been said, but here's my two cents.
Of the "established manufacturers", Bergantino has always been at or near the top of my list, from the HT112, to the IP112, to the AE112 and the HT112ER (soon to be reborn as the HD112). Jim has designed a number of very different bass enclosure lines, and IME/IMHO, he's knocked nearly all of them out of the park. The NV line sounds very different from the HT line, which in turn has different merits than the AE line, and so on. Though not a bass player, Jim seems to understand the characteristics that make different cabs appealing to different players. With that in mind, any discussion about my favorite 1x12 has to include Bergantino, but the question is which model!?!? Since the HT112ER (HD112) is the only model left standing, I'll talk about that. I've been able to compare it to the fEARful 12/6cube/1, Acoustic Friendly Thunderchild, and the Acme Flatwound, and the Berg definitely holds its own in this proud company. It is the most "voiced" of the group, but yet still fairly balanced from top to bottom. If anything, it does have a bit of a dip in the middle to upper midrange, but it has huge lows, beautiful highs, and great clarity (while still sounding like a "bass cab"). Despite being an 8-ohm cab, I found it to be within spitting distance, in terms of actual perceived volume, to the 4-ohm Acme and TC112AF (using several different "500-watt" micro heads).
Another established brand which makes me scratch my head in amazement almost every time I play it is the GK Neo112-II. This cab seems to slot somewhere between the Berg AE112 and HT112ER, tonally, and while I can find things to like arguably better about both of the Bergs, the GK is right up there, and it costs about half as much. Big lows, extended highs, pretty even in the mids (perhaps a tad on the aggressive side in the upper mids), the Neo112-II breathes new life into many heads. Two of them make for quite a mighty stack. If this cab has an Achilles' heel, I'd say that it's not quite as graceful as some of the other cabs when you begin to push it to the limits of what it will comfortably do. But those limits are certainly as high or higher than one could reasonably expect out of this style of cab.
I'll also mention my old Glockenklang Space Deluxe because this model has been around for a while, and gosh darn it, it still sounds great - even compared to the new-fangled competition. Read that old shootout for more on the Glock.
The same can be said to a certain extent about the EA Wizzy. This cab still has a certain appeal, and if you want a more clear/present, yet still kind of vintage tone, it's a very viable design. The M-line version offers better low end performance, and just a tad less midrange focus. For what they do, these are still great cabs. The Acme Flatwound may steal some market share from the Wizzy's though, as it has a lot of the same characteristics but increased performance in several areas (depth, overall volume potential, possibly efficiency, even).
And then we have some "newcomers." These have already been talked about a lot, but again, I feel like piling on.
"Yes, the fEARful cabs really are that good." I have said that to a lot of people over the course of the last several months, and I do believe it to be true. The 12/6 has amazing depth, and this is balanced by an extremely accurate and balanced midrange. I opted for the BMS compression driver and Dayton horn, and I am quite impressed with the high end as well. Bergantino and Audio Kinesis get the nod for a more smooth presentation, but the tweeter-equipped fEARfuls should do everything that you'd want a tweeter-equipped cab to do, and chances are they'll do it far better than most. The real fEARful magic, though, is in that deep, tight low end and the very revealing midrange. To my ears, the 12/6cube/1 seems to go notably deeper than the Flatwound, but I should have measurements to back this up shortly. I will have lots more to say about the fEARfuls (and the TC112AF) in issue #7, so I'll leave it at that, for now.
Speaking of which, not to steal too much thunder from Alan's review, but I do have to say that I'm a definite fan of Duke's TC112AF. In addition to being a top-tier speaker designer, Duke is also extremely accurate in the manner in which he describes the tone goals for his cabs. True, it's not the deepest cab out there, but it's got more sensitivity in the low mids, which means that it certainly feels/sounds big and full down low in a musical setting. Anyone who's played a Thunderchild will attest to the fact that they play out much bigger than their dimensions/weight would have you believe. And the transition from driver to horn really is something special. The smoothness of the upper mids to high end on the TC112AF is probably the best in the biz. Of course, there's lots more to love about this cab, but I gotta leave something for the review!
We will be featuring the Acme Flatwound (and possibly the Full Range, as well) in issue #8, but I'll mention it briefly, as well. Though not really a "newcomer," the 1x12 is something new for Andy Lewis, and he has attacked it with typical fervor and engineering prowess. Andy seems to always blaze his own path, but yet still stays within the realm of generally accepted, sound engineering principles. The Flatwound does an amazing number of things right - and does them very well - with just one driver. It doesn't have a lot of high end content, but if you're someone who rolls off the tone knob more than 30%, or if you routinely play with flatwounds, then chances are, it's got all the high end you are going to want, anyway! The mids do fall into that "Wizzy-esque" zone, where there is an overall warm, round, somewhat vintagey feel, but with greater clarity, articulation and balance than you'd get from most "vintage" cabs. I have not A/B'd the Flatwound and an M-line Wizzy, but I'll be sure to do that in #8. Based upon my experience with the Flatwound, I am excited to hear a Full Range, for sure.
I have only heard Roger's cabs at Winter NAMM, and that's not the best place to audition anything, but I have to say, I was impressed with what I heard. His amps are blowing me away, too, but I would have high expectations for the Baer 1x12, for sure.
Okay, that's more than I should have typed. Sorry....
It's just fun to jaw a bit about such a fun topic.
)
