The Big One

[mildmanofrock]

Mine just arrived today. It's stunning. Light, compact... and the sound: clear, biting (roll off your mids to taste), and thick.

My Ampeg 410HLF cab will soon retire. It's a beautiful solid cab with lots of bottom. It still does the job and is great for players looking for lots of presence. But the Big One does the same, with more clarity.

I'm away for a week on Sunday, but will do a full review when I get back.

Lovely.

*Edit*

Before I go, I just have to add: this cab is amazing. If you get one, don't be put off when you first plug in. The big speaker is new and tight, so needs a couple of hours playing at high volume to loosen up and unleash its bass. The mids might seem a little in your face at first too. Just adjust your EQ a little. Keep playing. Then it hits you... the tightest, juciest, warmest and clearest bass sound I've ever had.

I can't recommend it more highly. I'm absolutely delighted. And no, I'm not on commission!

Edited August 14, 2009 by mildmanofrock

[Raggy]

Nice one, gigging it in the Swindon area anytime?

[mildmanofrock]

Hi Raggy - only gig at the moment is at [url="http://www.moonfest.co.uk"]www.moonfest.co.uk [/url](we're on before Hot Leg). I'll let you know if any more come up. Can't wait to use it at a gig, I'm over the moon with it.

Edited August 14, 2009 by mildmanofrock

[wateroftyne]

Subscribed...

[alexclaber]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='568687' date='Aug 14 2009, 09:43 AM']Subscribed...[/quote]

Never mind that - what about that shootout?!

Alex

[Chezz55]

[quote name='Raggy' post='568674' date='Aug 14 2009, 09:30 AM']Nice one, gigging it in the Swindon area anytime?[/quote]


I'll be using my Barefaced Big 'Un/Genz Benz Shuttle 6/Status Stealth rig with 'Riff Raff' at The Queens Tap in Swindon tonight (14 August) and The Angel in Andover tomorrow.

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='568720' date='Aug 14 2009, 10:07 AM']Never mind that - what about that shootout?![/quote]
Patience, grasshopper. There's video to edit and all sorts!

It was a very, [i]very[/i] interesting evening...

[wateroftyne]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=57492"]Here it is![/url]

[Uncle Balsamic]

How smooth and warm can the Big One be? I like treble in some situations so I wouldn't want to 'sacrifice' a mid-driver with another model, but if the cab can be a bit smoother it'd be great! Also, how aggressive sounding is it, and can this be dialled out at all?

Lastly, someone told me that the mid-driver was a bit too much and there wasn't much bass from the speaker due to the thin plywood. I took this with a pinch of salt as it doesn't seem to go along with what I've heard about this cab. Were these views unfounded?

[alexclaber]

[quote name='Uncle Balsamic' post='569420' date='Aug 14 2009, 07:54 PM']How smooth and warm can the Big One be? I like treble in some situations so I wouldn't want to 'sacrifice' a mid-driver with another model, but if the cab can be a bit smoother it'd be great! Also, how aggressive sounding is it, and can this be dialled out at all?[/quote]

It can be as smooth and warm as you want. It's arguably the best reggae cab you can buy. Likewise you can knock out the mids for those 80s bass sounds that would get completely lost in the mix with a less powerful cab.

[quote name='Uncle Balsamic' post='569420' date='Aug 14 2009, 07:54 PM']Lastly, someone told me that the mid-driver was a bit too much and there wasn't much bass from the speaker due to the thin plywood. I took this with a pinch of salt as it doesn't seem to go along with what I've heard about this cab. Were these views unfounded?[/quote]

I can think of one person who might have said that, in which case he was talking about the very first prototype which had a different mid driver, different crossover, different subenclosure, different porting, hardly any insulation in it and way too little bracing. It sounded vicious and it vibrated so much it walked across the floor at volume. (That prototype got broken up for scrap, woofer got reused and the mid driver sold. And the crossover components are probably somewhere in my garage, as an excellent example of why resistive model based calculators do not work.) Anyone who's heard a production cab can concur that this is not the case.

Alex

[Uncle Balsamic]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease Alex.

Now, to just get the money for one together.

[mildmanofrock]

I used the Big One at the Moonfest festival on Sunday. It was the best sound I've ever had live - and it can more than deliver the goods on a big stage. It's got loads of bottom, punchy mids, and crystal highs when you need them. I cut through like never before. In fact, if anything, I think I turned myself up a little too loud.

Since getting the Big One, I've had nothing but complements. It puts my Ampeg 410HLF cab in the shade. I can't recommend it more highly - with a 1000W amp or thereabouts, it's all you'll ever need in any setting, from rehearsals right up to big events.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='mildmanofrock' post='586700' date='Sep 1 2009, 05:46 PM']Since getting the Big One, I've had nothing but complements. It puts my Ampeg 410HLF cab in the shade. I can't recommend it more highly - with a 1000W amp or thereabouts, it's all you'll ever need in any setting, from rehearsals right up to big events.[/quote]



With enough power behind it it's quite unstoppable!

Alex

[johnnylager]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='586753' date='Sep 1 2009, 06:58 PM']With enough power behind it it's quite unstoppable![/quote]
Yes, a kW will do nicely. I've used the Big Juan at a couple of obscenely loud rehearsals recently & it's time to report back. First occaision with with guit & drums in originals band and managed the heady height of 3 on the LH. Bit of B&T boosted on the LX, DHA & LH flat and well loud enough to be heard articulately. Last night was with 2 guits & drums in the covers and got to 4 [very loud rehearsal] and remember the LH takes off at 6. No problems with clarity & volume there either. I stupidly forgot my ear plugs & me ears are still ringing - that's not clever kids, remember yours.

Thought I'd see what it could do on the low end front & cranked the bass on both Tone Pump & LH - it coped fine. Well coped isn't the right word - coped makes it sound as if it could only just do it - I feel there was plenty more to give and the woofer isn't broken in yet, but have now relocated a signal generator from work and will give it a few hours of 20Hz over the next few days.

Edited September 7, 2009 by johnnylager