Orange Isobaric Bass Cabs

[cLepto-bass]

I just came across these new Isobaric cabs on the Orange website which can be found here....

[url="http://www.orangeamps.com/products.asp?Action=List&Cat=20"]http://www.orangeamps.com/products.asp?Act...List&Cat=20[/url]

...and I'm rather intrigued by the Isobaric 2x10" as a small practice cab.



Has anyone used these yet, if so what are your thoughts?

Cheers people.

[LukeFRC]

one set must be angled. but each speaker in its own compartment. rear ported??
my tech soundsystems 2x12 is tiny with one angled but both in the same compartment. It confuses sound men.

[Mr. Foxen]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=55974"]see here.[/url]

[Balcro]

[quote name='uzzell' post='558202' date='Aug 2 2009, 12:52 AM']I just came across these new Isobaric cabs on the Orange website which can be found here....

[url="http://www.orangeamps.com/products.asp?Action=List&Cat=20"]http://www.orangeamps.com/products.asp?Act...List&Cat=20[/url]

...and I'm rather intrigued by the Isobaric 2x10" as a small practice cab.

Has anyone used these yet, if so what are your thoughts?

Cheers people.[/quote]

Assuming you have checked out Mr.Foxen's link to the other post, I think it depends upon what you're playing or how you wish to sound.
It is likely that they will have a very punchy clean & clear sound. The excursion of the front speaker cones will "start & stop" more quickly than conventionally loaded speakers. In theory this should mean less speaker cone break-up and distortion. The rear speakers appear to be slot vent loaded.

Not a speaker I would choose for classic rock/thrash/punk/metal.

Balcro.

[Musicman20]

The existing Orange 1x15 is an awesome, fairly compact, lovely cab. Very highly rated. Check them out, I LOVE mine.
Im not sure about these new ones. I think its an experiment, I imagine they wont produce loads until they show signs of taking off.

Bass Terror head will be great though

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

[quote name='Balcro' post='558499' date='Aug 2 2009, 09:22 AM']The excursion of the front speaker cones will "start & stop" more quickly than conventionally loaded speakers. In theory this should mean less speaker cone break-up and distortion.
Balcro.[/quote]The only difference between an isobaric and standard alignment is the net cabinet volume required for the same response. That made it a fairly attractive proposition for Hi-Fi forty years ago, when driver and amplifier technology was not what it is today, and 16 cubic foot and larger cabinets weren't at all unusual. Using a second driver to get cabinet size down to a WAF was of some merit. The downside to isobaric is that the net output is still the same as can be realized with only one driver, and with the far smaller cabinet sizes required by modern drivers the net volume savings don't amount to much, certainly not enough to justify the added cost compared to a single driver cab of the same response and output capacity. In laymen's terms, why pay for a 2x10 that sounds like a 1x10?

[velvetkevorkian]

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='558530' date='Aug 2 2009, 02:54 PM']...WAF...[/quote]
Wife acceptance factor?

[Kiwi]

[url="http://www.musicanddesign.com/Isobaric.html"]http://www.musicanddesign.com/Isobaric.html[/url]

[algmusic]

[quote name='Bill Fitzmaurice' post='558530' date='Aug 2 2009, 02:54 PM']The only difference between an isobaric and standard alignment is the net cabinet volume required for the same response. That made it a fairly attractive proposition for Hi-Fi forty years ago, when driver and amplifier technology was not what it is today, and 16 cubic foot and larger cabinets weren't at all unusual. Using a second driver to get cabinet size down to a WAF was of some merit. The downside to isobaric is that the net output is still the same as can be realized with only one driver, and with the far smaller cabinet sizes required by modern drivers the net volume savings don't amount to much, certainly not enough to justify the added cost compared to a single driver cab of the same response and output capacity. In laymen's terms, why pay for a 2x10 that sounds like a 1x10?[/quote]


I've recently purchased the sp210 about a month ago and was totally amazed by it. I play a lot of styles from pop to soul to rock and clarity is always more important that just making everything vibrate. I gig about 3 times or more a week. I like a cab with a nice warm sound but with a bit of bite or punch when I need it (i.e. flexble). I had a markbass 2x10 for small gigs, which is easy for getting on the train etc in London, which was nice and worked a treat with my markbass 1x15 as full rig. I used the little Markbass head.

When I tried the sp210 over the markbass 2x10 in the shop, It was no contest ORANGE wins, also all the gigs I have done with just orange, all I have received is praise on a true bass sound I get, warmth with punch and bite. The Markbass sound very flat after trying the orange, while the orange brings out the bottomend like small 1x15 but with all the punch.. It's definitely louder, more dynamic and warmer than the MB2x10, when I added my 1x15, I had classic big classic bass rig that was great in very large venues, when your cab is helping the PA....

Don't mock it till you've tried it.. also, it's almost as light as the MB so I does't break my back either....

[Anders]

Uzzell,you get first hand experience from algmusic.Try it.
I have only tried the SP212.Same thing but 12s i suspect.
I tried it in the store with an Orange AD200 full blast.There was very full and warm sound,great bottom end.
BUT,the SP212 was litteraly consuming the power of the amp!!
The total output was probarbly half of the OBC 115 or OBC410.I know the 4x10 is louder than the 1x15 but there was a big step down to the SP212 from both of them.
Also,the SP212 is a bit more uneven in the respons.(A few notes was peaking noticably louder)

I'd say it is pretty good as a studiocab,or very small and quiet gigs.But not rock n' roll soundlevels.

Anyway,the SP210 might be totally different,or your needs compared to mine so why not try it.

[incubass]

So which cab would be louder and as a standalone cab? The obc115 or the sp212? I've heard the obc115 is a really good cab, but is it enough as a cab for small/medium gigs?

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

[quote name='incubass' timestamp='1337213769' post='1657356']
So which cab would be louder and as a standalone cab? The obc115 or the sp212?
[/quote]The OBC 115. It has a driver displacement of 343cc. The twelves used in the SP212 have a displacement of 255cc each, and if used in a standard alignment they would go louder with a total 510cc displacement. But when mounted in an isobaric alignment only one driver's displacement moves air, creating sound, so it's 343 versus 255.

[quote]I've heard the obc115 is a really good cab,[/quote]I consider it a bass cab made by a guitar cab company to guitar cab standards. It's a far cry from Barefaced; compare the displacement numbers for yourself:
http://barefacedbass.com/technical-information/Volume-displacement.htm

[Musicman20]

It's a nice 1x15. Compared it side by side with the Compact, and numbers aside, the Orange appeared punchier with more mid definition. Absolute volume? Didn't seem to be much in it...virtually the same.

[wally8]

I tried the limited edition blood orange 115 with the terror bass head and a pf500. Sounded/looked awesome. And its not very heavy. I had the terror on low settings but the volume of that thing and the great bass of the cab was seriously rattling shelves. No flapping or distortion and higher vols either.

[Cat Burrito]

Old thread resurrection! For the record I've been gigging the SP210 as my sole rig for about 18 months now. i sold off my old vintage Ampeg and Bassman head so I just use Orange now. I'd advise people to go for the SP212 if money is no issue but the 210 gets a lot of favourable comments from other bands and really punches it out. It's a perfectly serviceable rig and combines portability with performance.

In it's Orange flightcase (bought separately) it also works surprisingly well as an occasional table!

[aldude]

I used to have a SP210, it actually sounds really really good (not sure if other Orange cabs are like this) and went plenty low enough particularly for its size. However one on its own just wasn't loud enough for a loud rock band. I guess with two drivers with the output of one driver means it's a lot less sensitive. I was actually [i]that[/i] close to buying multiple Orange SP cabs before I discovered Barefaced

EDIT: "actually sounds really really good" being IMHO, of course!

Edited May 18, 2012 by aldude

[rOB]

Ok I have something to add from recent experience. Usually I use the OBT & SP210 as a stage monitor and have PA support. This works wonderfully and I love the sound and portability.

This weekend I turned up to a gig (walked from my house with a hand trolley) to find a vocal only P.A. set up. I was a bit worried that we'd struggle to fill the room but I had plenty of volume and got a decent sound for the audience sorted pretty quickly

For reference I play in a rock band with 1 guitarist and a medium to loud drummer.

[JMM]

I've been extremely impressed with my SP210 as well.

We tend to rehearse at very high levels and in both a four piece and three piece band, with a drummer playing hard enough to break cymbal's, this cab could always be clearly heard.

I originally bought this cab for its size and appearance, both of it which it's been amazing for (I did consider a Barefaced cab, but I feel their appearance leaves a lot to be desired in comparison), however whereas I thought I'd be compromising volume, to my surprise I haven't.