Bass Cab 8x10 or 4x12? (For Live Use)

[Uladyne]

I need a bass cab for live use, and the main cabs I've been looking at are the Gallien Krueger Neo 8x10 and Neo 4x12.

I'm assuming there won't be much of a difference price-wise, but I've heard good things about the 4x12 for lower tunings. Something about having fewer speakers in an enclosure being good for low end reproduction or something.

We tune to Bb, and tone-wise I'm going for a Meshuggah/Bloodbath (Fathomless)/sea monster/leviathan kind of distorted bass that is absolutely heavy as fuck and devastating even on its own. Don't really give a fuck about clarity and all that traditional mumbo jumbo.

Any cabs from other companies I should consider?

 

[BLUElightCory]

I've been using an Ampeg 8x10 and it's everything I could hope for in a cabinet. I know it's pretty standard but there's a reason for that.

 

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

Aguilar is definitely worth looking into. They also make 8x10's and 4x12's. I've got the DB810 and must say it gives a lot more tone definition in the low end than any other cab I've heard.

 

[ahjteam]

8x10" > 4x10" + 1x15" > everything else

 

[Pipsymbol]

just consider that every 8x10" is extremely heavy...
so for the touring think that you should carry the thing every night and also it's bulky and might cause problems space wise.
my bass player owns ashdown 8x10" cab and it's awesome, both for live and recording. but it needs four men to carry it up or down stairs.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I would rather have the ampeg 6X10 classic over the 8X10 after having to carry both at one point or another.

 

[Harry Hughes]

8x10 seems very unnecessary for a live show IMO.
It seems more of a backline ego option really.
Just get a 4x10 or 4x12, that will be MORE than sufficient for any venue and gig

 

[TheDude]

8x10 seems very unnecessary for a live show IMO.
It seems more of a backline ego option really.
Just get a 4x10 or 4x12, that will be MORE than sufficient for any venue and gig

+1

 

[Fragle]

810 is probably the best bass cab ever, but as the others already pointed out it's a bitch to carry around.

410, possibly with a 115 is next best option imho. 412 isn't quite my cup of tea for some reason.....can't quite put my finger on it.

 

[greyskull]

8x10's are a nightmare.
but they sound AWESOME

 

[Trevoire520]

8x10 seems very unnecessary for a live show IMO.
It seems more of a backline ego option really.
Just get a 4x10 or 4x12, that will be MORE than sufficient for any venue and gig

+2

8x10"s are just overkill on my opinion. Save you back and the backs of everyone else in the band and get a 4x10/12"

 

[DigitalMetal]

8x10's do move some serious air but as everyone has said they can be a bitch to carry (maybe that doesnt matter to you so much),
I have recently changed my Trace Elliot 1x15 with a 2x10 300W combo on top (because the 1x15 was too darn heavy)
for a Mesa Boogie Diesel 1516 (1x15, 1x10, 2x6 + HF Tweeter) which is actually lighter than the trace 1x15 alone.
I tune to B and i have to say a 15" is great for that low thunder if you have 10's to take care of the top end punch,
so if you can id say try a 1x15 (if you can find a portable one) with a 2x10 or 4x10 on top, you might find 2 seperate cabs easier to move around rather than a refrigerator sized 8x10

 

[Uladyne]

Hrm, portability is definitely a factor, though I think the 4x12 I was looking at isn't too much smaller than your standard 8x10. GK actually let us borrow an 8x10 Neo cab for our video shoot though, and I must say, it really wasn't too heavy at all for an 8x10. Me and another dude had to carry it a short distance across a dirt field and it really wasn't an issue, though the wheels would definitely come in handy on concrete. It's a shame we were too busy for me to actually try it out, as we were using it for the playback system, haha.

I'll definitely check out Aguilar cabs though.