Running a pair of 1x12"s...

[NancyJohnson]

I'll try and keep this brief!

I'm currently running a 4U rack set up (Gator), that tuner aside contains a 2U Matrix stereo poweramp and a Tech 21 GED2112 pre-stage; I also have a couple of other Tech21 units (BDDI/dUg).  Whilst it's a dual channel pre-stage, the GED2112 is hardwire tweaked (see elsewhere) to output in mono and the poweramp is bridged to allow a single feed to a Barefaced Big One.  All is peachy; I like the tone I get from all this stuff, but I've got this itch I can't scratch and really want to try running the GED2112 in dual channel mode into either i) a pair of decent 1x12"s or ii) a 1x15" and a 1x12".  I would also like to be able daisychain the cabinets to get a pseudo 2x12" or 1x15"/1x12" as well.

So I'm after suggestions, but there's some underlying fulfilment criteria outside of how they sound; size/weight and visual aesthetic.  We all know about the weight thing...nobody really wants to lug a 75lb cabinet into a gig and load it out afterwards and visually, I want the cabinets to line up from a width perspective (see below) and I don't want the rack to overhang the cabinets (giving the appearance of a T), so either the height or width needs to exceed 20".  I've already given some consideration to a pair of Barefaced BB2s or pairing a BB2 with a Super Compact; the frequency range of the BB2 should allow for a bit more bottom wobble and top end rattle over the Super Compact, plus the horn is tuneable, but at £1.5K for a pair of new G3/BB2s it'll need to be a used purchase.

Anyone care to weigh in here? 

 

 

 

[sifi2112]

I get what you’re wanting to try & I’m kinda after a similar thing.

If I could start from scratch I’d be tempted with 2 x BF Two10’s, bottom one for ‘deep’ & top for ‘drive’, switch to 4 Ohm each to maximize poweramp or switch to 12 Ohm & run parallel to any backup amp ... however, I’m gonna use the two cabs I already have & love (except the weight) which are Bagend 212 & 112 (drive on top of deep), except I don’t have the GED2112 lol (yet), I do have two power amps waiting tho  ... I believe you used to run a RBI ? How does it compare to the GED2112 ?

[NancyJohnson]

7 minutes ago, sifi2112 said:

I believe you used to run a RBI? How does it compare to the GED2112 ?

I think it's just been more a case of evolution rather than anything else; the RBI is great and either that or the BDDI formed the backbone of my tone for quite a while.

The GED2112 is wonderful...to my ears it just expands on what the RBI does and betters it all round, but that said, it's a personal thing.

To take things a step further, the dUg takes things further still.  If the GED2112 is an RBI on steroids, the dUg is an RBI on steroids, a full belly of vindaloo and a few pints of heavy.  It's a fantastic thing.

[Muzz]

4 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

...the dUg is an RBI on steroids, a full belly of vindaloo and a few pints of heavy.  It's a fantastic thing.

You mean it's one careless cough away from a cataclysmic shart event? 😃

[Lozz196]

36 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

To take things a step further, the dUg takes things further still.  If the GED2112 is an RBI on steroids, the dUg is an RBI on steroids, a full belly of vindaloo and a few pints of heavy.  It's a fantastic thing.

That`s nice to hear, I have one arriving tomorrow 😀

[sifi2112]

I’ve looked at the dug but not sure how well it can drive a poweramp & rather not have pedals .. guess I need to try the GED2112 really.

Also, last few gigs I used other band’s 115 Combo & couldn’t hear myself very well on stage hence the 3x12 stack idea, pity my GK400RB doesn’t do 2 Ohm lol

[Wolverinebass]

56 minutes ago, sifi2112 said:

I’ve looked at the dug but not sure how well it can drive a poweramp & rather not have pedals .. guess I need to try the GED2112 really.

Also, last few gigs I used other band’s 115 Combo & couldn’t hear myself very well on stage hence the 3x12 stack idea, pity my GK400RB doesn’t do 2 Ohm lol

I've tried it straight into a power amp. You'll be fine. Mine killed.

[NancyJohnson]

4 minutes ago, Wolverinebass said:

I've tried it straight into a power amp. You'll be fine. Mine killed.

This ^^^

[BassBod]

I’m not keen on driving different spec cabs - I’ve found it’s a variable, and results can be hard to predict from room to room.  I’m running one or two TKS S112’s most of the time, with old SWR or Trace heads.  Easy to load, plenty of volume.  One cab is a bit light on the lowest frequencies, but both cabs together has everything I need (tweeters down most the way).  The only thing is rear porting - have to be careful not to place cabs right up to a wall, as it can reduce the bass response a bit. 

[NancyJohnson]

Incidentally, Andy/Wolverine and I had a long conversation with Alex from Barefaced at one of the bass bashes about whether he could build a switchable 2x12/Big Twin (ie to run each driver independently or the two drivers together).

I thought it was genius, a challenge of sorts, the laying down of a gauntlet if you like.  Alex said it just wouldn't work.  Booo.

[sifi2112]

I also thought the same about my 212 .. wire each driver to separate speakon, can’t see a problem with that really even tho they both occupy the same enclosure, maybe wire one speaker in parallel with a separate speakon to link should you only have one speaker out on your amp ?

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, sifi2112 said:

I also thought the same about my 212 .. wire each driver to separate speakon, can’t see a problem with that really even tho they both occupy the same enclosure, maybe wire one speaker in parallel with a separate speakon to link should you only have one speaker out on your amp ?

I suppose my methodology or what I wanted was too simplistic for one cabinet.  Bear in mind this was pre-GED2112; at this point I was running a BDDI for lows and a GT2 for dirt into a pair of cabinets to try and emulate the Geddy Lee and Dug Pinnick tone.  

Alex is pretty passionate about what he makes and part of the argument was that the frequencies would get muddied, so I kind of accepted this as is, but still have this nagging doubt in my head that switching the cabinet in this manner shouldn't be insurmountable; on a much smaller scale I was running an Arcam bi-amped hi-fi years ago, feeding the driver and the tweeter of a pair of rudimentary B&W 601s with different signals, OK, yes, I appreciate the volumes and frequency ranges are vastly different with bass, but ultimately when I switched back to running the 601s from a single amp, it was just a matter of bridging the +/- terminals, so why not on a Super Twin? 

I guess at the end of the day, I'll just try and source a pair of matched cabinets, be them Barefaced, TKS, whatever.  I'd like them to be Barefaced...I'm very happy with the Big One, there's an ethic about the business I like.

[stevie]

It's fairly easy to do. You don't even need a switch.

[NancyJohnson]

7 hours ago, stevie said:

It's fairly easy to do. You don't even need a switch.

But it will require an upfront rewire of sorts.  It's perfectly feasible to have each speaker wired independently, but then you'd need to utilise a jumper to wire them in series/parallel.

[deepbass5]

The old Peavey 15x 2x8 cab did just that,  you had jack sockets one for full range so you amp would drive all cones and the then  others for bi amp. jack sockets for bottom 15 and one for tops The jack sockets have opening contacts on one side so when a jack is inserted it can open the contacts you do not want to drive. you could add this but would mean moving away from Speakons,

Edited August 23, 2018 by deepbass5

[Mykesbass]

If you fancy trying a pair of Purple Chili cabs, mine are NOT for sale, but if you are near the south coast you are welcome to try them.

[NancyJohnson]

I'm still pondering this dual cabinet thing...I'm pretty set on what I want; it'll either be a pair of Barefaced BB2s or the new contenders, a pair of TKS 1126s (1x12" & 1x6"), or a 1126 and an H115 (1x15).  I'm very much leaning towards the TKS stuff at the moment, so it'll be a case of watching what comes through the for sale section.  No rush.

[NancyJohnson]

In addition to the Barefaced and TKS cabinets above, I'd be interested in an opinion of the Vanderkley 112MNT-Neolite cabinets.

This would do:

 

Edited September 10, 2018 by NancyJohnson

[NancyJohnson]

Well, I pulled the trigger on a pair of Aguilar SL112s.  Hanging onto the Barefaced (for now at least, not reason not to)...this, combined with the SLs should give me more than adequate cover moving forward.

Exciting times ahead.