1x15" or 2x10" combo? Which is preferable for Bass

Boab · Post by **Boab** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:30 pm

Our bassist is planning on getting an Ashdown Mag 300 Combo, but can't decide between 2x10" speakers or a single 1x15".

What are the advantages and disadvantages of both set-ups (excluding price or weight, i guess). It'll be for practicing and small gigs, with a Jazz-bass used most of the time (occasionally a P-Bass too).

Gimme your wisdom folks.

Billy3000 · Post by **Billy3000** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:46 pm

If I was only going to have one, then I would say the single 15 because in my experience the 15's carry more of the low end and mid range that you need to cut through in a band. I have the Mesa Powerhouse 1000 cab, it's got 4 10's and 1 15 in it. It sounds amazing and gets the widest range of tones of any bass cab I've ever heard. I've put it up against Ampeg 610's and 810's and neither of them sounded as good. 10's are good for bass because they'll carry more of the high end to round out the sound, but in my opinion, every bass player should have a 15 in their setup. If I didn't have my Mesa, I probably would have wound up going with an ampeg 410 cab and a 115 cab. I have a few friends with that setup, and when they play shows at smaller venues, they'll always bring just their 115 cab with them.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:48 pm

I have a Mag 350 with 1x15 and a 4x10 cab as well. It sounds good at the low volume I've tested it at but I haven't gigged it yet. In my limited experience, if you had to choose one I'd get the 1x15.

Viljami · Post by **Viljami** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:19 pm

Out of those choices, I'd go with the 1X15, and afterwards add a 4X10.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:15 pm

Iâ€™ve always found that the bigger the speaker the better a bass sounds. 1 big rather than 2 small

Ps: I voted 1 x 15

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:29 pm

dezb1 wrote:Iâ€™ve always found that the bigger the speaker the better a bass sounds. 1 big rather than 2 small

Ps: I voted 1 x 15

I really find that a misconception; it really depends on the specific speakers and the cabinet design. A lager cone isn't inherently better at producing a fundamental than a small cone, it comes down to the driver itself and the enclosure. I've heard great 15s, and I've heard 15s that couldn't handle low frequencies very well at all. I've heard small speakers (10s and 8s) that are nothing but treble... and I've heard some 210 combos that would rumble the nuts off a squirrel...

I DO, however, find that the 15 does tend to have more midrange... which is good and bad. If it's handled right, it can give you nice definition, but all too often it ends up being a little honky.

My Yorkville 200B is a 115 combo and suffers somewhat from the honky midrange, but can also get some good bottom and highs.
I've run my Peavey T-Max through 410 cabs that would rumble the walls, through a 215 that was likewise bass heavy (again, with some mid honk though) and through a 115x210 Traynor cab that sounded really good; lots of bass and articulate.

Yeah, I don't have a fundamental answer to vote with; it really depends on the specific cabinets.

Boab · Post by **Boab** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:17 pm

Managed to snag a 2x10 MAG combo, with a 1x15 MAG Extension Cab for Â£200 in This Auction. Seems like a fantastic deal.

Picked it up today and haven't had a chance to mess about with it much yet, but it seems fantastic. Well chuffed with it!

Thanks for all the advice nonetheless. As was said, I can see how 10's are generally for punchier, treblier tones while the 15" can add decent low-end. It's great to have both, especially at this price when it looks so good too.

Yay

Viljami · Post by **Viljami** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:29 pm

Well done, boab! You took the best option there, both.

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:29 pm

That's a really good deal an all. It was Â£200 for the 1x15" I use and another Â£100 for the 4x10". A 2x10" is probably more practical as well, the 4x10" weighs a fucking ton.

Boab · Post by **Boab** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:31 pm

Gavin wrote:That's a really good deal an all. It was Â£200 for the 1x15" I use and another Â£100 for the 4x10". A 2x10" is probably more practical as well, the 4x10" weighs a fucking ton.

Cheers. The guy we got it off of didn't seem too pleased that it sold for so little to be honest, which has got to be a good sign, in a weird/twisted kinda way.

It was from Newtongrange, just south of Dalkeith, that we picked it up from. We basically knew our way to Ikea then fluked our way to the address on signs.

Really happy with it though. Sounds fantastic and, as you hinted at, doesn't weigh too much. Lift-able by one person but very easy with two.

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 12:09 am

i think the 1X15 will give you better tone, the 2X10 will be more punchy and stick out more in the mix.
so depends on what you're looking for.

sdgails · Post by **sdgails** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 1:29 am

15X HANDS DOWN

Billy3000 · Post by **Billy3000** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 3:57 am

gaybear wrote:i think the 1X15 will give you better tone, the 2X10 will be more punchy and stick out more in the mix.
so depends on what you're looking for.

While I agree that 10's are more punchy, sticking out in the mix with a band isn't always about punchiness. I've found that with bass you have to have the right amount of midrange to really stick out in the mix. With my old 410 I was always lost in the mix in my old band, then I got my mesa cab and all of a sudden I could always hear myself, and it was definitely due to that boost in the midrange from the 15.

plesiosaurus · Post by **plesiosaurus** » Fri Jul 09, 2010 6:14 pm

I play a 2x10 and it does very well. When I went shopping for cabs at Bass Northwest, they really steered me away from 1x15s. 2x10's have 89% of the surface area of a 1x15, thus pushing a comparable amount of air, and they're much less prone to being blown out because they don't have huge, heavy drivers, and they're smaller.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:26 pm

Ankhanu wrote:
dezb1 wrote:Iâ€™ve always found that the bigger the speaker the better a bass sounds. 1 big rather than 2 small

Ps: I voted 1 x 15
I really find that a misconception;

Itâ€™s a misconception that Iâ€™ve always found that the bigger the speaker the better a bass sounds. I didnâ€™t know that my view was considered a concept...(outside my own home)

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:28 pm

dezb1 wrote:
Ankhanu wrote:
dezb1 wrote:Iâ€™ve always found that the bigger the speaker the better a bass sounds. 1 big rather than 2 small

Ps: I voted 1 x 15
I really find that a misconception;
Itâ€™s a misconception that Iâ€™ve always found that the bigger the speaker the better a bass sounds. I didnâ€™t know that my view was considered a concept...(outside my own home)

General concept, not your specific experience. I'm a bass player, I've seen this basic discussion many times, I'm sure if you pop over to talkbass.com, ebassist forums, or any other bass forum, you'll see the same discussions.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:39 pm

Ankhanu wrote:
dezb1 wrote:
Ankhanu wrote: I really find that a misconception;
Itâ€™s a misconception that Iâ€™ve always found that the bigger the speaker the better a bass sounds. I didnâ€™t know that my view was considered a concept...(outside my own home)
General concept, not your specific experience. I'm a bass player, I've seen this basic discussion many times, I'm sure if you pop over to talkbass.com, ebassist forums, or any other bass forum, you'll see the same discussions.

I see...

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 2:58 am

2x10 has more surface area than one 15 and will probably sound more articulate.

Post by **Doog** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:53 am

While punchier, 10"s won't be able to produce the same low end a 15" can though.

Post by **Mike** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:56 am

I've never really spent time with a 2x10" setup, and I know I always go on about J's bass amp, but his Laney combo really does bring the noise. It's a 1x15" with a switchable tweeter/horn for top end definition.

At 300W it's also plenty loud enough, we barely take it above 3 on the volume dial loud. Heavy as all get out though, but that's bass amps for you.