liteweight gig cab

[phatster]

I have a shuttle and need to find a equally lite cab.I don't want to suffer poor lows however,any ideas?

[xk49w]

Low E? Low B? How light? How much acoustic volume do you need? How important is the bass response? Do you slap and pop or just play dub? Impedance?

[phatster]

Low E...rock and soul in small-mid size club,just straight play ..no slap.

[The Golden Boy]

I've heard good stuff about the neo speakers- at least from what I recall being said, those speakers might be voiced to what I'd like.

I've heard something about the the Genz Benz 2x12s weighing around 35 pounds.

Here's some posts from the Plexi Palace forum.


I'm a big fan of Neodimmy myself. Hoisting out a pair of Fanes and replacing them with moderns just had to be the best thing I ever did. The cab weighed a fraction, the drivers sounded crisp and articulated everything (including my sloppy mistakes )

Apols to the "ultra-vintage" types, but I have to say that new drivers beat vintage hands-down for bass. Especially with low-B 5-strings, like I use.

Oz

I've heard great things about Neo speakers- mostly that they're light- and I've heard things that they sound "sterile." Unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to play a Neo loaded cab. With my back as bad as it is- I'd LOVE to lighten my cab by 20 pounds, but on the other hand I know what a difference the speakers make. Years ago I used to run two single GK cabs loaded with 400w EVs in them- I thought they sounded great, I ended up acquiring some old SWR cabs and the difference was astonishing! The speaker blew in the 15, so I temporarily replaced it with one of the EVs out of one of the other cabs- it sounded so lifeless and dull. Whatever speakers SWR was using have so much more depth than the EVs and I don't think I'd want to give that envelopment up for the weight. (sort of a form vs. function conundrum...)

Goldenboy, I don't think it's possible to fit one setup to all bassists anymore than it's possible with guitar. I sortof jumped straight from "vintage" speakers to moderns and loved how I'd lost that sound I can only describe as "flobby" and got something "crisp".

For me (and maybe only for me), I find that all-valve amps coupled to hi-tech drivers work a treat. I've just recently reinforced the idea by trying out a 8W, 5F1 Champ-stylee (courtesy of TubeTramp) with a 300W cab of mine. Fantastic studio/light rehearsal setup but obviously it wouldn't be everyone's idea.

One person's "warm" is another person's "muddy."

It sounds like you've got a great system worked out- with the strengths of one piece working with the "weakness" of another piece.

Tone is just so subjective- the whole "sterile" thing is touchy- although I loved my GK for what it was, I would consider that "sterile." It didn't have the "depth" that any of my other SS amps have, but by no means was a bad amp. I totally know that "flobby" speaker sound- working with that is like trying to sound like Chris Squire when you're using an EB-0.

re the neo's, I got an eminence deltalite and a kappa pro 15 at the same time, and think that although they are both articulate or sterile depending on ones point of view, the sound difference between them isn't that big - you would just run the bass & mids with a higher setting on the neo's than you would on the kappa. the bigger magnet seemed to have a bigger/solider sound at the same settings, and I've been using that one, and like Oz am currently enjoying power tube distortion more than speaker distortion.

Do the Neo speakers have the same power handling and frequency response as "regular" speakers? Or does it take more power to get them 'cookin'' at 40hz?

if by "regular" you mean old low watt designs, the eminence deltalites are rated much higher, at 300w I think. if by regular you mean a current high quality bass speaker, the delta pro is a 400 w speaker, the kappa pro is 500.

I can't even remember the brand , I just went for the graphs. I play 5-string, so I was looking for a near-flat response from 30Hz up and (as a side issue), high efficiency. What I also got (compared to some vintage Fanes that all the guitarists were telling me to keep at all costs) was a hyooge weight-reduction and impressive articulation. Ghastly, sloppy technique suddenly sprung out of the cabs and I had to modify my bad habits.

They're certainly more "crisp". Can't emphasize too strongly, this is only what's worked for me. The old "YMMV" kicks in.

Oz

they react like a modern speaker. you would likely be happier with a new "legend" series bass speaker, which is more supposed to have that warm rumbly 60's thing.

[xk49w]

Over on the talkbass forum many people like the Epifani UL-112 (http://www.epifani.com/products/club112.php) and the Bergantino AE112 (http://www.bergantino.com/ae_series.htm). Both weigh around 30 lb, are 8 ohm cabs, and handle 300-350 Watts. A good match for the Shuttle.

[mainsale]

Don't overlook the Genz-Benz NeoX212T and 112T. They work exceedingly well with the Shuttle!

[RickC]

I've got an Epi UL-112. Great little cab, very lightweight (30 lbs) and portable.

The Bergantino AE-112 is a good choice too. Compared to the Epi, it sounds a little punchier in the mids, and a little weaker in the lows imo. Both great cabs, just a vanilla / chocolate kinda thing.

/rick

[ChrisP]

Schroeder makes light stuff w/high wattage ratings. I have a mini12 thats good for 500 watts.
I have an Avatar 2x10 w/neos that's pretty light that does damage. kIller price.

[RocketMusic]

Yep, any of the smaller "light" (Jorg's terms for Neo speakers) Schroeder cabs (http://www.schroedercabinets.com/) are a great match for the Shuttle, as are the Genz-Benz NeoX 112 or 212 cabs. Personally, I favor the Schroeder 1210L.