Will 2x8 cab handle pub gig for rock band?

[Al Krow]

28 minutes ago, RandomBass said:

Hmm a nice centre piece on which she can put her sewing machine perhaps. Now there's a thought.... 😀

Just be a little careful. She may not want you taking it out the house...

[EBS_freak]

What's your PA? Go in ears and let the PA do all the grunt work. Then you won't need an amp - or go deaf.

[itsmedunc]

On the rare occasion playing without PA support, I've done it with a 1x10 combo. Don't expect Jah Wobble bass but some of the little combos are more than capable. Ibanez Promethean P5110 and all the other models of the same Beta Avlin who made the Promethean, Redsub, Harley Benton, White Horse (there's loads of info on here about them and a Promethean for sale). I've got an Ashdown Mibass 400w 1x10 that is capable of pub gigs. AER Amp One, Two and Three also. I'm sure there's countless more. Try a tad through the rig too if needs be. Or, as above, ditch the backline bass altogether and go in ears.

Edited March 26, 2018 by itsmedunc

[Ajoten]

Often done gigs without PA support myself.

But still, if I can get a similar sound out of a 1x10 vs 1x15 that would be handy. Just doesn't look as cool as the Minimark I've been talked out of... 

[Al Krow]

If you really want compact, 300W RMS (500W with a matching extension cab), looks great and is SMALLER than a Markbass CMD121P, then this looks like just the ticket!

Never owned one myself, but definitely tempted!

 

[mcnach]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

If you really want compact, 300W RMS (500W with a matching extension cab), looks great and is SMALLER than a Markbass CMD121P, then this looks like just the ticket!

Never owned one myself, but definitely tempted!

 

 

I used one without PA support in a small bar, an 8 piece funk/hip-hop band. It was surprisingly good. Yes, we were not Motorhead-style super loud, but we weren't quiet either.

 

edit, for commenting on the OP's goals: for a typical rock gig, I'd doubt it will suffice 'though. You'll be pushing it hard constantly and I doubt it'll last long. I used a MarkBass CMD121P combo for years... it was great, and I was able to use it alone or with a small extension cab for small bar gigs that did not require a lot of volume, but it was mostly used as a stage monitor. As a stage monitor I put it on an angled stand on the floor pointing at me... and it was very good. But I would not imagine depending on it alone for many 'real life' gigs, which is why at the same time I owned a separate LM3 head and a couple of Barefaced BB2 cabs.

Edited March 26, 2018 by mcnach

[Dan Dare]

2 hours ago, Al Krow said:

If you really want compact, 300W RMS (500W with a matching extension cab), looks great and is SMALLER than a Markbass CMD121P, then this looks like just the ticket!

Never owned one myself, but definitely tempted!

 

I have 2 PJB C4s (the same drivers/cab as the combo above, minus the amp). They definitely would not suffice in a rock band (I drive them properly - AG700). They have clarity and tone in spades, but just not enough h*ft. You need to use a lot of those small PJB drivers to generate that.

[BassBod]

With no pa support, I’d go for a pair of small 1x12’s.  I can stash my TKS ones in all sorts of corners...it’s the SWR stuff that’s a bit harder to hide away. 

[Patster1969]

On a similar vein, what do you guys think about a 2x10 vs a 2x12 cab in terms of how they would sound/perform for a pub gig (not super loud, covers band)?

Have a TC Electronic 500 head & looking at the K210 or 212 to compliment it (or the Barefaced Two10s).  Anyone had a chance to play either of these cabs in anger?

Apologies to the OP for highjacking the thread.

[EliasMooseblaster]

7 minutes ago, Patster1969 said:

On a similar vein, what do you guys think about a 2x10 vs a 2x12 cab in terms of how they would sound/perform for a pub gig (not super loud, covers band)?

Have a TC Electronic 500 head & looking at the K210 or 212 to compliment it (or the Barefaced Two10s).  Anyone had a chance to play either of these cabs in anger?

Apologies to the OP for highjacking the thread.

Just going on the surface area of the cones, the 2x10 will shift less air than the 2x12 (to reference the OP, the 2x10 has a smaller area than a 1x15; the 2x12 is larger). But of course that's just one factor - a more sensitive and well-voiced 2x10 could well outperform a cheap and hastily-made 2x12. 

I've done outdoor gigs with a 2x12 and no PA support, and that seemed to be fine (going on positive comments from people standing at the far end of the beer garden). The cab in question was a Bergantino, however, and they do put quite a lot of attention into the voicing of their cabs!

[Lozz196]

I gigged with 212s for a while, never found any of them not up to the job.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

32 minutes ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

Just going on the surface area of the cones, the 2x10 will shift less air than the 2x12

The amount of air shifted can't be determined by the area of the cones. It's determined by the driver displacement, cone area x maximum linear excursion. Refer back to post #18 in this thread. Then ask your favorite speaker manufacturer why they don't post this critical bit of information, but don't hold your breath waiting for an answer.

[yorks5stringer]

I have a MInimark 802 and a MarkBass CMD121P. I use the former for Open Mics and small gigs with a semi acoustic band and the latter for larger gigs but it usually lines out into the House PA. Equally the 802 could lineout too but  it is quieter on stage being only 150w as opposed to the 300w of the CMD121P. The CMD121P  looks bigger too but having supported a band last week who had a fridge bass cab and 800 w head, anything else looks tiny anyway!

Edited March 26, 2018 by yorks5stringer

[Patster1969]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

I gigged with 212s for a while, never found any of them not up to the job.

Thanks Lozz, did you gig with a couple stacked or just the one?

[Patster1969]

8 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

The CMD121P  looks bigger too but having supported a band last week who had a fridge bass cab and 800 w head, anything else looks tiny anyway!

Their chiropractic bill will be a lot bigger as well though!

[Patster1969]

1 hour ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

The amount of air shifted can't be determined by the area of the cones. It's determined by the driver displacement, cone area x maximum linear excursion. Refer back to post #18 in this thread. Then ask your favorite speaker manufacturer why they don't post this critical bit of information, but don't hold your breath waiting for an answer.

I suppose this is why Barefaced are a bit of fresh air in the industry though, with the amount of info Alex posts on their website

[Patster1969]

2 hours ago, EliasMooseblaster said:

Just going on the surface area of the cones, the 2x10 will shift less air than the 2x12 (to reference the OP, the 2x10 has a smaller area than a 1x15; the 2x12 is larger). But of course that's just one factor - a more sensitive and well-voiced 2x10 could well outperform a cheap and hastily-made 2x12.

Would you be able to hear a discernible difference in the sound as well between the 10's & 12's?

[Ajoten]

Aaargh! Could do without all the music shops round closing down.

Feel I asked the wrong question to start with, really. My current amp, a 1999 Trace 15" 150W (I think) combo is 61x61 front on, but sounds beautiful and been brilliant at unPAed gigs. I'm really nervous of changing it tbh, given criticisms/inadequacies I read of alternatives. (But the garage is being converted to a little living room etc etc etc...)

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

15 minutes ago, Patster1969 said:

Would you be able to hear a discernible difference in the sound as well between the 10's & 12's?

Possibly. The one factor which is affected by cone size is the off-axis midrange dispersion. The smaller the cone the wider the dispersion angle. Standing in front of the cab you probably wouldn't notice, standing off to the side your audience might. But if you have the cab placed with the drivers horizontal you gum up the works, because that will more than halve the dispersion angle compared to when the drivers are vertically aligned.

[chris_b]

31 minutes ago, Ajoten said:

Feel I asked the wrong question to start with, really. My current amp, a 1999 Trace 15" 150W (I think) combo is 61x61 front on, but sounds beautiful and been brilliant at unPAed gigs. I'm really nervous of changing it tbh, given criticisms/inadequacies I read of alternatives.

 

I wouldn't confuse "criticisms" as anything other than expressions of preference. These days there are very few "bad" pieces of equipment being sold.

A good quality 112 cab and a 300w - 500w amp will easily exceed the capabilities of your combo.

[LukeFRC]

1 hour ago, Ajoten said:

Aaargh! Could do without all the music shops round closing down.

Feel I asked the wrong question to start with, really. My current amp, a 1999 Trace 15" 150W (I think) combo is 61x61 front on, but sounds beautiful and been brilliant at unPAed gigs. I'm really nervous of changing it tbh, given criticisms/inadequacies I read of alternatives. (But the garage is being converted to a little living room etc etc etc...)

It's a big wide hairy Trace... I think the discussion you need to have with the other half is what is acceptable to keep in the house - something more modern and not as wide might work better

[mep]

3 hours ago, Bill Fitzmaurice said:

Possibly. The one factor which is affected by cone size is the off-axis midrange dispersion. The smaller the cone the wider the dispersion angle. Standing in front of the cab you probably wouldn't notice, standing off to the side your audience might. But if you have the cab placed with the drivers horizontal you gum up the works, because that will more than halve the dispersion angle compared to when the drivers are vertically aligned.

Worth reading how the Barefaced Retro Two 10 works.  Vertical for more clarify and horizontal for more bottom end.  Very clever and very good cab. 

[Ajoten]

1 hour ago, LukeFRC said:

... what is acceptable to keep in the house - something more modern and not as wide might work better

I'd just like to point out BTW that's a random pic I found online and is not representative of curtains/skirting chez Ajoten.

[Ajoten]

@Chris_b, I note your cautionary italics re good quality cab. Anything to avoid? 

[Lozz196]

7 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I gigged with 212s for a while, never found any of them not up to the job.

 

5 hours ago, Patster1969 said:

Thanks Lozz, did you gig with a couple stacked or just the one?

Just the one, apart from once. First off was a Markbass 212, gigged that on its own. Progressed to Barefaced Super 12Ts - I had two, but only ever dragged both out for one gig, and in honesty didn`t need the pair, it was more for "show", all other gigs done with just one. I then had a Barefaced Big Twin 2. Again gigged on its own. In all cases a single 212 was plenty for my needs.