Buying a bass cabinet. Should I get a 1x15 or a 4x10?

[chetatkinsdiet]

10" speakers vs. 15" is a matter of preference and only you'll be able to decide which is best. Again, as some have mentioned, a standard cab with 4-10" is going to be faster than a single 15" if you're doing a lot of "overplaying" as I like to call it. Slapping...popping, etc.
But, if you're playing normal rock or pop stuff a 15 ain't going to slow you down. As for the guys that say the ampeg 8-10 cabs have more bass...yeah, they're right. It's mostly a matter of cab design there. Lot's of cabinet space will let the bass build more. You want the absolute amount of bass? Get an old Acoustic or Sunn folded cab. But I thought you were looking for a small bass rig for recording that you (a drummer) was going to fart around with.
As for saying a certain brand of speaker, Eminence for example, sucks...that's silly. They, like everybody else makes good and bad speakers within their complete line. Not every JBL is great, or EV, etc. They all have budget lines. Trouble is, that's what most of the cabs you'll find are loaded with. Only the high dollar stuff gets the good speakers. Makes sense, right?
later,
m

[xSALx]

10" = punch and definition
15" = can be a bit sloppy in definition but lots of low end.

i tend to prefer the 10"s because of the clear definition.

[Randy]

I would listen to the cabinets if you can. I had a cabinet with a 15 in. speaker that was nothing if not punchy and "slappy." I recorded a 4-10 cabinet that was the muddiest piece of crud that I have ever heard. In general, it's the other way around, but unless you hear it you can't really tell. If I had to go sight unseen, I would make sure I can have a return if I don't like it, and go for the 4-10.

Orange eh? Cool.

[Coco]

I have to special order which ever cab I choose. I am curious as to which model of Eminence they put in there. Seems like the votes are swaying towards the 4 x10" which I should note has a horn in it too. The website did not give dimensions of the cabinets, and e-mailing Orange is next to impossible since they never return thir e-mails ( A+ on customer service!). There will be no slapping and popping done with this cab, just rock/pop type stuff. My bass player in the band I play drums for uses an Ampeg 4 x 10 and a 1 x18, so I can try my amp through his 4 x 10 and maybe score a 1 x 15 from a music store for the afternoon and A/B them. The Orange stuff will probably sound better but this might give me a decent overall picture.

[Catoogie]

Why not a 2x10 cab. Avatar makes nice cabs that are relatively inexpensive.

[Coco]

A 2 x 10 would be too small. Although the cab will be mostly for studio purposes, I still like to screw around and play bass with other musicians and jam at a pretty loud volume. I hit the bass and the guitar player plays drums ect.... I can only afford one cab and the 4 x 10 and the 1 x 15 I am looking at are all around $1000 Canadian. keep the comments coming!

[Rick Hunter]

I buy a car or a house.

[Catoogie]

A 2 x 10 would be too small

Too small? What are you talking about? If we're getting into inches of speaker you have 20 inches of speaker with two 10's as opposed to 15 inches of speaker with a 15.

Ok, how about power handling? Hmmmm let me see, looking at my Avatar B210 DELTA here's what it says "These Eminence Delta 10's have 56 oz magnets and 2.5 inch voice coils and are rated at 350 watts RMS each speaker. The two 10's combined are rated at 700 WATTS RMS."

Still sound too small for you? I have one and it kicks ass....for $229

[comfortstarr]

A 2 x 10 would be too small. Although the cab will be mostly for studio purposes, I still like to screw around and play bass with other musicians and jam at a pretty loud volume. I hit the bass and the guitar player plays drums ect.... I can only afford one cab and the 4 x 10 and the 1 x 15 I am looking at are all around $1000 Canadian. keep the comments coming!

Actually, in many rehersal situations, a 2X10 will probably be fine. But if you're spending 1000 CAD, that's about 800 USD right? You can easily get two cabs. 2 aguilar 1 x 12s (GS112) would be less than 800 USD, . I have one and it's the best cab I've ever used. Have you looked at Avatar cabs (www.avatarspeakers.com)? Those are supposedly quite good and they're cheap.

You can also get very easy to follow plans from EV for a Thiele (sp?) box cab for 1 x 15s. I built two once and they were great (heavy as hell--marine plywood). Very easy too if you just let a mill do the cutting too (best $50 I've spent).

Anyways... in my opinion, the technology around bass cabs and amps has really gone up over the last 15 years. Check a lot of stuff out.

[Catoogie]

Have you looked at Avatar cabs (www.avatarspeakers.com)? Those are supposedly quite good and they're cheap.

That's what I just quoted the specs of. Their 2x12 bass cab is supposed to be thee shit!!!

[dynomike]

If it weren't for the ridiculous size, I'd say 8x10 all the way. Nothing beats an ampeg 8x10, imo!

I've heard some nice 4x10's.. easier to record than a single 15 in my experience. Either way, you will wanna back that mic up.

[dynomike]

Oh, I should add... just get whatever Robert Sledge (of Ben Folds Five) uses.. he plays through an Orange 4x10 cabinet.

That should settle it.

[stinkpot]

check out www.acmebass.com
by far and away one of the most versital and full sounding 4X10 cab's i've ever used. super durable (he uses halogen car headlight bulbs as "fuses" on the speakers, so if you're driving it too hard it lights up - absorbing the excess power). i have an ampeg 8X10 that i still use here and there, but man, the acme low B cabs really kick ass. they're reasonably priced and the 2X10's actually blow away most 4X10's in tone and volume. a friend of mine has the 2X10, and i've been very, very impressed.

one last thing, i'm a clutz. i'll admit it. i've dropped my acmebass 4X10 cab twice carrying it out of clubs. it's fine and doesn't even have a scratch on it. it's built like a tank!
andy is a super nice dude too.

[Coco]

A 2 x 10 would be too small

Too small? What are you talking about? If we're getting into inches of speaker you have 20 inches of speaker with two 10's as opposed to 15 inches of speaker with a 15.

Ok, how about power handling? Hmmmm let me see, looking at my Avatar B210 DELTA here's what it says "These Eminence Delta 10's have 56 oz magnets and 2.5 inch voice coils and are rated at 350 watts RMS each speaker. The two 10's combined are rated at 700 WATTS RMS."

Still sound too small for you? I have one and it kicks ass....for $229

maybe I am used to guitar cabinets. My 4 x 12 sounds way better and louder than my friends 2 x 12 with similarly rated speakers. I am not afraid of size or weight or anything.

[MAR]

this guy asking about what cabinet he should get doesn't know his fucking ass from a hat! A "2x10 is gonna be too small" waaaaaa waaaaaaaa. What the fuck do you know? If you knew you wouldn't be asking what you should get. Don't be so quick to discredit the advice people are giving you here.