Bass Cabs: 2 x 10 or 1 X 15?

[geetar42]

Hey folks!

I'm new to this forum and have enjoyed reading the other posts of interest. I just got a new Trans. Gold Sterling while visiting in-laws in Nashville for the holidays. I played it live Sunday and love the tone and vibe.

On to my question...in your opinion (especially those who are in to the physics and electronic behavior of amps) can one get as much low end from a 2 x 10 cab. as from a 1 x 15"? I know the 2 - 10's give more surface area, but can the 1 - 15 beat the 2 x 10 at low end? (this is all assuming comparable wattage/power etc.) Thanks for any insight you can offer on this question.

I'm currently using a Hartke HA 2000 Head with a Hartke Pro Series 2100 cabinet. I have an Ampeg BA-115SP combo at home for practice.

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[TheDirtyMoocher]

i think you get better low end from the 15 and more defenition from the 2x10

 

[TSanders]

Meet in the middle and get a 2x12.

 

[spectorbassguy]

Personally I like the sound of 1x15 over 2x10. Just more meat in the low end and with some tweaking you can get a pretty decent top end, depending on the brand of cab and speaker you buy. My Mesa Boogie 1x15 Diesel (with E-V speaker) does great on its own. I would consider Avatar too. I've got a 1x12 + horn as an extension cab on my smaller rig and it HONKS!

 

[Aussie Mark]

I've gigged in small bars with my SWR 2x10, with only vocals through the PA, and there is plenty of bottom end. A good quality 2x10 will beat a 1x15 in lots of situations. I like SWR cabs, but almost bought an Eden 210 XLT (?), which is the cab with the large bottom port, tuned to a lower frequency than the standard Eden 210. Nice cab.

 

[Bubba Love]

Not to derail the thread, but how well would a 4x10 stand against a 1x15 in terms of low end? Would a Trace Elliot 4x10 provide low end enough?

Edit: Partially beaten by Mark

 

[skabassist13]

actually i did the math, and the difference between the surface area of a set of 210's and a 115 is insignificant.

 

[bass thumper]

I run 2 Eden 410 xlt's powered by a Crown 2500 watt amp and I still don't have enough bottom end! I will be buying 2 Eden 215 xlt's for more bottom end. Ouch!

 

[geetar42]

Thanks for all the quick response! I appreciate your experience and insights. I'll try a few out and see where to go from there.

Thanks again,

geetar42

 

[armybass]

I would always pick 10's over 15's.

 

[prickly_pete]

I'm not a fan of a single 15. Along with a 2x10 or a 4x10, a 15 can really fill out the sound, but by itself it is a little too muddy for me.

 

[tkarter]

+1 with Pete

tk

 

[BigStrings]

It seems to me the obvious answer here is to use both the 2-10 cab along with the 1-15 cab rather than trying to decide which one is better than the other. Of course if you can only afford one or the other I can see the interest in trying to find out which would be the better all around cabinet. Using both brings a nice fat sound with the 10's providing well defined highs.

 

[bovinehost]

I've got Ampeg cabs, a 4-10 and a 1-15. For some cheap gigs last year, I just tossed the 1-15 in the car (it's lighter than the 4-10). I was less than impressed, even at lower volumes - and with a Bongo! - with the tone, although I wasn't disappointed enough to go get the other cab.

OTH, I did a few country gigs in rather big places with just the 4-10 and it sounded great, full, deep and rockin'. (Again, with the Bongo, of course.)

If I have to use just one, gimme the 4-10.

 

[Mobay45]

I used to have a 410 Hartke that I used to play jazz gigs all the time. When I played rock gigs I would always add my GK 115 under it. Never did like the sound of the 115 by itself though.

 

[Fuzzy Dustmite]

I agree with the 1x12/15 muddiness factor. I like a 210 for the clean tone I get. I used to have an Ernie Ball Audiophile 210, and an Ampeg 112 but sold it and bought an Ampeg 610.

I have an Ampeg BA-112 for practice, but I still never liked the tone I got, so I picked up an SWR 210 which is 4ohms, and just run my GK800RB through that, getting my full power, and am happy.

 

[Psychicpet]

looking at most company specs, a 2x10" will usually beat a 1x15" for actually bottom it produces. a student said he found his tone muddy through his 15" when doing somechording stuff and it sounded alot better with 10"s. One of the lowest 2x10s on the market is the new Eden 210 XST model, really smooth and low but I've just switched to a D410XLT to tide me over until my Epifani comes along later in the year, and 10s to me have always sounded better,lower and more responsive. There is also something to be said about the db that your cabinet puts out, don't overlook that factor and ultimately, it's fairly personal and subjective to taste

Thumper,with 8 10s and NOT enough low end.... krikey, how does your soundman feel about your stage volume?? how big are the venues??? is the bass knob broken on your amp????? (just kidding on that one)

pd

 

[bass thumper]

I would agree that if I could only use one cab, it would be a 410. Even though I run 2 Eden 410 XLT'S (GREAT TIGHT SOUND), I still think by adding additional 15's it adds a richness and overall roundness to a full rythem section. Combine that with a well sounding bass drum, end result is breathtaking. In addition to the 410's,I will be adding 2 Eden 215 XLT's with the tweets turned off in the 15's. I will be bi-amping so I can adjust the proper volumes between the 15's and the 10's. Happy thumping!

 

[Franky]

sorry if this has been said before, but i just didnt read any of the posts in the thread.

2x12 is far superior to 1x15. Better highs, better mids, clearer bottom end.

 

[MingusBASS]

sorry if this has been said before, but i just didnt read any of the posts in the thread.

2x12 is far superior to 1x15. Better highs, better mids, clearer bottom end.

I'm glad you don't see it fit to read what other people have to say about the subject before offering your opinion that might not be needed by this time in the thread.

Andrew