Matt P Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 right, i've asked a few questions here and there about this and i've done a few searches but i've just managed to get myself into a huge knot! my current rig is an SWR Headlite into an Ashdown 4x8 with neo speakers and i'm looking at getting a different cab mainly to get something lighter and louder. my first thought was a Barefaced compact but i'm worried that i haven't got the power to get the most out of it, i've seen Alex mention that he has virtually no experience of the Headlite and when i've used other cabs i get very varied results; - Ashdown 4x10 (in the practice room) - have to run it almost flat out to be heard (set to the point where the clip light briefly lights when i really dig in) - old Peavey 4x10 + re-speakered Behringer 1x15 (church rig) - barely have to push it at all and i can drown everyone in lovely bass. (not that i would) - Ashdown 4x8 (playing for a kids worship event) - easily heard with very little effort. - Ashdown 4x8 + Trace Elliot 1x15 (wedding gig in a good sized room to 300 ish people) - i've no idea! everyone said it sounded good but it was for a friend and they might have been being polite as it was our first gig! i know that two of those rigs are 8 ohms and the other 2 are 4 ohms so i'm putting different amounts of power into them but i've just got this niggling doubt that i've got the power to run a single compact and make myself heard. Has anyone tried a compact (or any Barefaced cab as i'm also thinking of a midget (T)/compact stack or a super12(T)) with a Headlite? did it work well? loud? punchy? can anyone reccomend some light/smallish cabs that would work well with the Headlite for a pub blues-rock covers band playing to maybe 200 people max? Space is my main restriction as i have loads other stuff and everything needs to be easily hidden so 4x10 cabs are totally out, the 4x8 fits easily in a cupboard at the top of the stirs and i think i could move some stuff round and fit one or maybe 2 compacts into the same cupboard instead, 2 smaller cabs would be easier to accomadate than one bigger one. Thanks in advance and sorry for the slightly rambling post. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterfire666 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 I briefly tried a headlite with my super 12t. There seemed to be loads of volume and plenty of bottom end.(although it wasnt in a gig situation) Overall very nice. The s12t sounds very punchy and cuts right through the mix. So far it has sounded nothing short of epic with any head i have tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 The Super12 is quite sensitive compared to a lot of cabs, especially in the mid-range. 400w should be plenty (it is a 400w Headlite?). I think the 4ohm / 8ohm thing can make a difference when you're getting near to the limits of your amps power, but otherwise I wouldn't worry about it too much. Its probably the sensitivity difference between the cabs you've tried that you're noticing more. I would have suggested the Midget over the Compact personally, but Alex would know far better than I whats best. The Midget will easily handle everyhting your Headlite can throw at it, but if you want to use the full 400w you'll need a 4 ohm cab like the Super12. Maybe there's a BC'er near you who wouldn't mind you having a try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 Thanks for the input guys, the main reason for thinking of a compact is that they seem to be the ones that pop up secondhand fairly regularly (mostly from people upgrading to the super12 which should tell me something!) a secondhand cab will save me a few quid and would be quicker as there's a compact in the classifieds at the moment. then i can save for a bit to buy a new midget t (unless one popped up in the classifieds) the other thing is that having the compact/midget combo would allow me to tailor my rig to the event a bit, the kid's worship event would only need the midget and there are some times that i could see the compact being perfect. the super 12 is also only a kilo or 2 lighter than my current cab whilst the compact/midget is significantly lighter (i'd prefer two lightly loaded trips rather than one heavier trip) if there are any north east based BC'rs with barefaced cabs who wouldn't mind me playing amateurishly through then that would be great (i can bring beer/biscuits!) Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 just had a quick discussion with my wife and the net result is that i've got permission to buy! the super 12t is the one that sounds best in my mind, but the weight and the ohm-age are niggling, i'll only be saving a kilo over my current cab and it'll be a bit bigger to shift (it will live upstairs and i don't have the strongest back) and being 4 ohms adding another cab for really big gigs will be a problem, i'd either need to swap the head for a more powerful one or one that can go down to 2 ohms or get another super12t and the amplite power amp (which would be awesome but not cheap) i'm not totally wedded to the amp so swapping it out might happen anyway. hmm this is the nicest/most difficult decision ever! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 [quote name='Matt P' timestamp='1354039733' post='1881306']if there are any north east based BC'rs with barefaced cabs who wouldn't mind me playing amateurishly through then that would be great (i can bring beer/biscuits!)[/quote] Sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted November 27, 2012 Author Share Posted November 27, 2012 [quote name='Jack' timestamp='1354043564' post='1881384'] Sure. [/quote] PM'd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 Hey Matt Unless you regularly play at the O2 without a PA I cannot see a situation where you would need TWO Super12s! (thats 2400W worth of power handling!!) In fact with your amp, and anything up to 600W I reckon a Midget T will be great for most applications. I have the S12 and its way overkill for any of the gigs I do (the sort where everyone needs good quality earplugs), on most occasions its a struggle to keep the volume down to be honest. The only thing I'd suggest with a midget is a stand, or wedge to point the speaker at your head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 [quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1354095425' post='1881896'] Hey Matt Unless you regularly play at the O2 without a PA I cannot see a situation where you would need TWO Super12s! (thats 2400W worth of power handling!!) In fact with your amp, and anything up to 600W I reckon a Midget T will be great for most applications. I have the S12 and its way overkill for any of the gigs I do (the sort where everyone needs good quality earplugs), on most occasions its a struggle to keep the volume down to be honest. The only thing I'd suggest with a midget is a stand, or wedge to point the speaker at your head. [/quote] the midget is still under consideration, i think i'm going to try and have a go with jack's cabs and see how it sounds, if the midget lives up to the reviews then it would probably be the best option (and i could always pick up a second one if i ever need more volume) Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 [quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1354095425' post='1881896'] The only thing I'd suggest with a midget is a stand, or wedge to point the speaker at your head. [/quote] Best stand for a Midget is a matching Compact Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime_BASS Posted November 28, 2012 Share Posted November 28, 2012 (edited) [sub]More speakers are going to give you more. No doubt.[/sub] [sub]A lot about being 'heard' isn't just volume, it's dispersion and EQ too. IMO atleast.[/sub] [sub]I too believe a midget will be more than enough for most of your situations, plus it is tiny, but I would more than suggest a stand and wedge to angle towards your head a bit, as it's ridiculously tiny, and light. I used to carry it and my amp to band practice. Also used it at a number of different events that didn't include PA support. Which when choosing something that small is what you need to think about aswell. Again IMO. [/sub] [sub]If you have PA support then you don't need a humungo cab with a billion watts going into it for the back to hear you, the cab is just there for your ears and maybe those around you. If most of your gigs have PA support and the others don't (probably because you won't needing to go stupid loud) then something small like the midget or a compact will be plenty. [/sub] [sub]Most of my gigs have PA support for the bass but I have trouble with being heard on stage against monitors and drums and being tall and too loud guitar plus I love having a tall thing behind me as it looks cool, wants and needs really, I could totally do all the shows with one cab but it's not as badass. I also gas for having a sealed 8x10 and what I have is the best compromise, in regards to everything that effects me on a gig, including transport.[/sub] [sub]ON topic - a Single Midget is more than plenty, I've had 'compliments' of the bass being too loud t some events with that thing and at a bass bash long ago everyone felt that another wasn't needed or a tweeter wouldn't be necessary. [/sub] [sub]Wants vs Needs with a lot of realism. if you get a single 8 ohm cab that is plenty loud for most stuff at least you have the option of adding another. [/sub] [sub]By the way how does the SWR headlite sound?[/sub] Edited November 28, 2012 by Prime_BASS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted November 28, 2012 Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 [quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1354119459' post='1882322'] [sub]ON topic - a Single Midget is more than plenty, I've had 'compliments' of the bass being too loud t some events with that thing and at a bass bash long ago everyone felt that another wasn't needed or a tweeter wouldn't be necessary. [/sub] [sub]Wants vs Needs with a lot of realism. if you get a single 8 ohm cab that is plenty loud for most stuff at least you have the option of adding another. [/sub] [sub]By the way how does the SWR headlite sound?[/sub] [/quote] ok well now the midget is top of the wishlist (this might change tomorrow!) i think i really need to try out the midget and compact and make my choice then (i've got till the end of the year before the prices go up) the tweeter debate is still raging in my head though, if Jacks one sounds "right" then i'll go tweeterless (and vintage clothed) i can easily add another midget or a compact if i want more. I really like the headlite, but i don't have much to compare it to, it was an impulse purchase from the classifieds (at a bargain price) the only other amps i have really used are a very early trace head and an Ashdown Superfly, it's very tweakable and sounds great to my ears, the controls are very hard to read at a glance though and i sometimes wonder if something simpler would be better as i rarely touch the eq. the compressor does exactly what i want though (i've stopped carring my mxr super comp) and the aural enhancer does get switched in occasionally. if you were closer i'd be happy to let you have a go with it. matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted December 11, 2012 Author Share Posted December 11, 2012 well, a little update, last night i had a go with Jack's Midget/compact setup with my Headlite and i'm totally sold! i've just put down deposits for 2 midgets with Vintage grilles, now i just need to be patient and wait. it's going to be pretty hard waiting, hopefully Christmas will distract me! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted December 11, 2012 Share Posted December 11, 2012 Be honest, was it the fact that you heard the stack carrying the whole room, sounding full and thick and then realised I hadn't even plugged the Compact in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt P Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 yeah i was convinced you had them both plugged in and was impressed that it was keeping up with the 2 marshall half stacks, then i found out it was just the midget! with 2 midget's i could use them for house demolition! Let me know if you're playing in Newcastle and i'll bring the band along and buy you some beer. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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