Guinness21

[color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I finally made the trip down to see Mark at Bass Direct today. I've been shopping for a while now, and tried out a few cabs at Manchester Bass Lounge- including the Markbass 104HF and the Barefaced Super Twin 2. The Markbass was ok, but I was surprised by it; I thought it would be clean like the markbass heads, but the bass was wobbly and it rolled of the highs. Despite what I read about it on here, the Barefaced Super Twin 2 didn't sound like what I hoped/thought it would! It was quite aggressively voiced, with my stingray it was too clicky for my liking [/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I went today because he just got the new Bergantino CN410 in stock. I live a few hours away, so wanted to try as much as I could in one visit. I tried out the CN410, along with the Berg CN212 and the Vanderkley 212MNT. [/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]Tried the CN410 first and was underwhelmed. It has a lot of low end and low mids, but doesn't have the same level of high-end clarity as the CN212. Considering that I was playing my stingray through it, it sounded as if the highs had been rolled off. So I ruled that out. Then I A/B'd the CN212 and the 212MNT. They're both excellent cabs, and there's surprisingly little difference in the sound. I'd read on here that the 212MNT was harsh sounding. Absolutely not true. Just goes to show you shouldn't treat what you read on here as gospel truth, and you really need to hear with your own ears. Because the 212 MNT enclosure is slightly larger, it had a bit more low end to it. This was a little much for my taste with the stingray, whereas the CN 212's punchy low mids complimented my bas perfectly. We have a winner![/font][/color] [color=#141414][font=verdana, geneva, lucida,]I did consider trying a couple of 2x10 cabs, but Mark didn't mince his words and told me there was no point if I didn't like the sound of the 4x10. So the Bergantino CN 212 is the one. Difficult to justify buying one when I'm not in a band, but as soon as I am I'll be getting one of these [/font][/color]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1430730034' post='2763983'] I wouldn't discount TKS but you'll need to get to BassGear which is about an hr or less south of Bass Direct, I'd say. IMO, the very interesting thing about them is that not only do they make great cabs, they do both ceramic and NEO ranges and you could get 2 S112's for your budget... which I rated above the SL and CN. I agree, you do need to hear the Vandelkley as well... A 212 is going to be heavier, of course, but the ceramic s112's come in at around 10kg Of course, with all these shops, call ahead to see what they will have at the time of your visit..especially if you make a special day of it.. [/quote] I'm not going to drive to Bass Gear, that's practically driving to london from where I am. Bass Direct is just the other side of birmingham.

I know I said that at the start of the thread, but I've just come into a sum of money, and I've got a Fender Rumble 75 and an Epiphone Thunderbird Classic Pro I can sell to raise funds.

Yeah I hadn't realised that about the HD. Tbh I think I'd much prefer the CN anyway, just would be nice to A/B if I had the opportunity. Well I've exchanged a few emails with Mark from Bass Direct, and I'm going to co-ordinate my trip with them getting the Bergantino cn410 in stock. So then I'll get to try the CN212, the Vanderkley 212MNT and the Berg CN410 (which I think is new?).

Not likely mate, it's going to take a 2 hour+ drive to get to bass direct.

Top of my budget probably around £1k, think I've decided against 1x12s. If I was to go down that route I'd just get a second 121h to match my Dad's. Want something bigger though

I didn't realise, I just thought all markbass gear was transparent. I'm not sure whether he has sold it tbh, I just had another look round his site and pointed out a couple of things I wanted to try, so it may have been in.

Well bizarrely he went and bought a traveler 121h today hahaha! I'm still looking for my own cabinet now though. Like the Markbass 104HF but I need to arrange a trip down to Bass Direct.

Unfortunately he didn't Prior to shopping I hadn't tried too many cabs, so though I might have talked about clean sounding cabs, the barefaced was the first one I tried (Markbass sell themselves as transparent but as Lozz mentioned they roll off the highs). So the sound was just a little unexpected, and perhaps isn't the sound I'm chasing.

Drew turned it off, had a play with it too so yeah.

That's interesting. I think you're probably right about the highs, I just hadn't heard my top end heavy bass through punchy drivers so that clicky sound was a new one to me. Still don't think I like it. The Markbass just seems to remove that sizzle from the treble, while like I said the barefaced almost seems to exaggerate it. So the Markbass 104HF is currently winning, but there are a few more cabs I still need to try out.

***UPDATE*** So I went to see Drew at manchester bas lounge today to try a couple of things out - a Markbass 104HF and a Barefaced Super Twin (actually a Big Twin 2 with the tweeter turned off). I know people aren't as keen on the markbass cabs as they are the heads, but the 104HF sounded great. I played a range of stuff, and it sounded great no matter what I was playing. Being front ported, it really is a wall of sound! It's really light for a 4x10 too, though if I ended up buying one I'd probably put casters on it. What really surprised me was that I didn't like the barefaced. I really liked how punchy the dirvers were, but to my ears the cab seemed to exaggerate the top end of my stingray. I know both markbass and barefaced gear is supposed to be transparent, but like I said the bf cab was really trebly. Drew played round with the eq but it just added this 'clickiness' to the sound. I was playing trough an LM Tube the whole time, and bizarrely with the ss-tube blend at noon and the VLE filter at noon the BF produced a heavy overdrive sound, whereas the 104HF just warmed things up and the tubes added a hair to the note. The BF seemed a lot less tolerable of the vintage sounds. So I think I'm going to have to arrange a trip to bass direct. I know I liked the Markbass 104HF but I'm really interested in trying the Bergantino HD212, CN212 and the Vanderkley 212MNT.

Go try them, the come back to us.

Cool, he seems like a really nice guy. Tbh I hope I fall in love with either the GK or BF, The Berg HD212, CN212 and the Vanderkley 212MNT are all within my budget but Bass Direct is a 2 hour drive and 3 hour 30 mins by train

I still need to try out the BF (Drew from Great British Bass Lounge is back off holiday this week), but I'm thinking it's either the super twin or 2 x GK NEO 212. I'd probably just buy one 212 for now if that's what I went for, and add the second later.

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1429869767' post='2755717'] Sounds great to me - enough top end for the rock we play and the rest of the sound from the cab is epic. I tend to run the high and high-mid boosted on the BB slightly. I'd have gone for a Big Twin if it'd have fitted in the car. Gig last night and I ran the gain on ~3 (starts to clip if the gain is up around 7) and master on ~4 and it was powerfully loud on stage. Used the DI on the amp last night for the first time - the sound guy found the balanced out from my rack too hot but the amp DI was perfect. I think I'm close to my perfect rig now. [/quote] Brill, great ad for barefaced lol. Think the super twin might be for me, the big twin would be nice to but that's more than I need.

Thanks but not interested in the DB112. Aguilar cabs are out of my budget.

[quote name='Iain' timestamp='1429735542' post='2754509'] I've been using a BB for 18 months now. Into a Traveller 121H and 151P and more recently in to a Barefaced Super Twin. On its own with no FX it's versatile - no drive but lots of tone option and the VPF and VLE make for very useful quick adjustments on top of the 4 tone controls. Power level is great - particularly with the BF cab. Running it ~30% gain and master never gets above 40%. Turned the gain and master up to 50% the other day in practice and hit the low-B - just to see how loud it was and it was fkarking loud. Not sure how much under £500 you'll get one for but I suspect the exchange rate at the moment might be helpful, Drew @ Great British Bass Lounge (where I got mine) is doing them for under £500. Thomann.de similarly priced. [/quote] I'm looking at either the lm tube or the big bang, and I'm seriously considering the super twin. How do you like it, what's it like with the markbass head?

Looking at barefaced stuff, would people recommend the super twin considering what I'd be using it for (heavy rock, small - fairly large venues)? A guy on talkbass suggested the big twin 2, would that be too much cab for me?

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1429654226' post='2753762'] Have you tried any cabs yet? If not, grab your amp & bass & go try some. [/quote] I've only tried the couple, one being the Markbass Traveler 121h, but I'm trying to plan ahead so I can get the most out of one visit to a specific shop. It's a bit o fa treck.

[quote name='Sparky Mark' timestamp='1429631834' post='2753437'] I have found that using large cabs like my 410 in small venues sometimes doesn't work as well as smaller cabs driven a bit harder. Don't know why? [/quote] What would you do in my situation then? Get the barefaced super twin? Get one GK Neo 212, then buy a second for larger gigs? Or push my dad to get a markbass traveler 121 and buy a second myself?

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1429629225' post='2753407'] That's one handle on the top though, not one on each side. And it doesn't have wheels. And it's heavier. A Super Twin will play louder than every other cab mentioned in this thread. And most people love its tone. Rocktastic. [/quote] Hmmm, interesting (he says stroking a cat like a bond villain). So does the super twin have wheels?

*Super twin, big twin's too expensive

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1429627634' post='2753389'] Aaargghhhh, not again!!!!! Pick one up some time (as in literally pick up, not buy, though you can buy one if you like!) I guarantee it'll feel a damn sight less annoying to move than any other equally loud cab (which will almost certainly be larger and much heavier). [/quote] The big twin 2 looks tasty, tbf I haven't picked one up before, I do have a fender rumble 75 w with a similar handle, and it's a right pain to carry cos it moves around so much.

Thanks guys!