So what’s the perfect cab combination?

[JPJ]

Currently (and for quite a few years) I’ve gigged using a single 8 ohm SWR Goliath 4x10. Prior to this I’ve gigged the 6x10 Goliath Snr, two 4x10 Goliath’s, and the combination of the 4x10 and the Son of Bertha 1x15. All great combinations, but the relative portability of the single 4x10 wins for me.

 

Over the years we’ve seen monster single cab solutions such as the Mesa Boogie Powerhouse and Trace Elliot 4x10 + 1x15 in a single box, and of course the ubiquitous Ampeg ‘fridge’ 8x10, and then more lately a flurry of lightweight 1x12 options alongside innovative designs from the likes of TrickyAudio, Bill Fitzmaurice, and Barefaced. 
 

Watching some pro players it seems the 4x10 + 1x15 is still liked, alongside the 8x10. One of my own favourites Geezer Butler prefers a mix of 12’s & 15’s on stage. 
 

So if money was no option, and there was a road crew to lug it around for you, what would be your choice of cab and why? 

[Pea Turgh]

This one 👍

[fretmeister]

Something where all the cones were identical.

Mixing cones is a nightmare as the right EQ for one will be wrong for the other. It’s a compromise that just isn’t needed.

4x10 + 1x15 is crap.

 

Two 4x10 or two 1x15 can be glorious.

 

Although TBH if I ever do any gigs where my BF Super Twin isn’t enough then the PA will be doing the work.

 

 

[BigRedX]

Once you get to the point where money is no option and you have a suitably large road crew, the need for a bass rig on stage for anything other than show becomes completely redundant.

[Lozz196]

I’d have an Ashdown ABM1200 & matching 810.
 

I’ve played big stages with the traditional SVT/810 set up and whilst it can all go through the monitors I don’t like that, I prefer the sound from the bass behind me and just vocals & guitar in the monitors. So on a big stage I prefer a rig I can hear on its own merit.

Edited June 5, 2022 by Lozz196

[hamfist]

Two 2x10's, or 2x12's, stacked vertically. Theoretically, the dispersion on stage beats any conventional 4x10, 8x10 setup.  I really want speakers higher up nearer my ears than a 4x10 gives too.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

Once you get to the point where money is no option and you have a suitably large road crew, the need for a bass rig on stage for anything other than show becomes completely redundant.

[Chienmortbb]

19 minutes ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

That's why he sounds so bad.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Not everyone would agree with that assessment, myself for one.

[Paul S]

2 minutes ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

Not everyone would agree with that assessment, myself for one.

 

Absolutely.

 

His vocal wouldn't come out through those.  

[Lozz196]

They’re not set up vertically Bill……

[thodrik]

1 hour ago, Chienmortbb said:

That's why he sounds so bad.

I would have thought that set up would at least give a decent clean tone…

[BassmanPaul]

Wot do you expect from a Canuck?? LOL

[stewblack]

In ears or stage monitors do a job, but they're different from an amp and cab. If they weren't different some people wouldn't prefer them.

I can use any system, doesn't bother me, but if money and weight ceased to be issues I would go with 8x10. It's the loveliest thing.

Although knowing me I'd want two of them.

[Dan Dare]

I used 2x10 plus 1x15 for many years and liked it. On the occasions when I've played through a 4x10, 8x10 or 2x15, I've been happy with the sound. Ditto 1x12, 2x12 and 4x12. These days, it's 8x5, 12x5 or 16x5 (I've become a PJB user). I like them, too. So I guess there isn't an ideal cab set-up for me. I find amps and instruments are much more important when it comes to making a noise I like. I do like an onstage rig and don't find, when I DI, that monitors alone work for me. Not keen on in-ears because they make me feel isolated from what's happening, no matter how good they sound.

Edited June 6, 2022 by Dan Dare

[BigRedX]

IMO amps and speakers should simply be a method of getting an instrument level electric signal converted into sound waves loud enough for the audience to hear. They should not add any "colouration" to the sound. The fact that they do is entirely down to poor mechanical and electronic engineering.

 

I don't want amps and speakers to give me "my sound" I want my sound to be created and defined before it reaches the amplification stage. That way there are less variable to have to consider.

[MacDaddy]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

IMO amps and speakers should simply be a method of getting an instrument level electric signal converted into sound waves loud enough for the audience to hear. They should not add any "colouration" to the sound. The fact that they do is entirely down to poor mechanical and electronic engineering.

 

I don't want amps and speakers to give me "my sound" I want my sound to be created and defined before it reaches the amplification stage. That way there are less variable to have to consider.

 

whereas I'm the opposite, I want my sound to come from my amp which is why my none of my custom basses have tone controls.

More through luck than judgement, I happened on the combination of a Tecamp Puma 500 and customised Tecamp 2x12 which have given me the perfect sound for the bands I have played in.

IMO of course.

Edited June 6, 2022 by MacDaddy

[BigRedX]

4 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

 

whereas I'm the opposite, I want my sound to come from my amp which is why my none of my custom basses have tone controls.

More through luck than judgement, I happened on the combination of a Tecamp Puma 500 and customised Tecamp 2x12 which have given me the perfect sound for the bands I have played in.

IMO of course.

 

However that means in order to get your proper sound you always need to use your complete rig, and if it's going through the PA then one of the speakers needs to be mic'd up otherwise you are loosing what is to you, an important part of the signal chain.

[MacDaddy]

1 minute ago, BigRedX said:

 

However that means in order to get your proper sound you always need to use your complete rig, and if it's going through the PA then one of the speakers needs to be mic'd up otherwise you are loosing what is to you, an important part of the signal chain.

 

For most gigs there was no going through the PA. The rare occasion I did, true. A DI preamp and fx pedals would not be my first choice, but happy to sacrifice some of 'my sound' for convenience. It's not like the audience knew the difference or cared 🤣

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

4 hours ago, BigRedX said:

IMO amps and speakers should simply be a method of getting an instrument level electric signal converted into sound waves loud enough for the audience to hear. They should not add any "colouration" to the sound. The fact that they do is entirely down to poor mechanical and electronic engineering.

The only way that happens is with PA gear. Bass amps and bass speakers have coloration. That's not the result of poor mechanical or electronic engineering, it's intentional. Truly flat response from a bass rig would be as appealing as truly flat beer. 

[BigRedX]

7 minutes ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

The only way that happens is with PA gear. Bass amps and bass speakers have coloration. That's not the result of poor mechanical or electronic engineering, it's intentional. Truly flat response from a bass rig would be as appealing as truly flat beer. 

 

I've already sorted out my "tone" before it gets to the amp or speakers. I don't want additional "colouration" to my sound. 

 

For a start every time I do an equipment share gig with a different bass rig, I'd have to re-EQ everything to get it to sound right, and what happens with the PA sound that is going to bypass the cab(s) and maybe the amp as well depending where the Di feed is taken from?

[stevie]

I'm with @BigRedX on this one. Not everyone wants a coloured cab with peaks and dips at random frequencies. If I need colour, there are plenty of ways of adding it.

[fretmeister]

I like a neutral cab and the BF Super Twin is very neutral, or at least the most neutral I've ever used.

But as I hardly ever have a gig with a PA and I currently only need 1 sound live I like the amp head to give me the tone I want.

 

But if I wanted to carry more kit I'd be happy to take a Helix and a poweramp, or go direct into the PA if the monitors were good enough.

[MichaelDean]

Everyone is being waaaaaaaay too logical for a hypothetical dream cab setup. I'd like two 8x12 cabinets with interesting tolex please! That would kick you in the back!

[Chienmortbb]

When I were  lad and still a guitard, I went to a party in London. The road crew for Free were there and one of them was bemoaning the fact that they still used Marshall stacks rather than the more mobile Fender 2x12 combos. I told him what I have often told others. on a guitar, your amp and cab is your soundbox, it is part of your instrument. Paul  Kossoff would not have sounded like Paul Kossoff without a 100 watt Marshall and 4x12 and an old Les Paul. Paul Kossoff through a Fender Twin with a Telecaster would have not been Free, more good for nothing. Ditto Hendrix, Clapton* Green et al.

 

Move on a few years and I use an FRFR cabinet and would not use a valve amp, even if I could lift it OR afford a roadie. However part of my enjoyment is that trouser flapping moment from the @stevie designed BC112 MK3. Heft in spades from a solid state class D head. It is clearly now possible to get a good facsimile of your/my sound using a modeller and going straight to the Mixer, with foldback in ears for monitoring and if I were still playing the 6 string cheese slicer, no doubt I would be happy going down that route. However that feeling from the huge port on @stevie's design makes my trousers flap and my heart sing. My rig was used at jams for a while and the response from other bassists was always very positive.

 

*Clapton's Strats are heavily modded to make them sound like a  Les Paul.