Really helpful video thanks. I'm a 5-string player, and I can hear how the 12" definitely provides more substance to the low E string. But the 210s together with the 112" sounds overall best to my ears.
Interesting point. Yes, technically the 12” should produce a lower frequency. But in real life, 2 10” might produce a tighter low B, which may feel like a better reproduction of the frequency. It is just personal taste! I should have included a 15” too!
I love the Traveller 102p. Been using it for about 6 years now paired with the LM3 head. Imho the 4ohm version is loud enough for any plausible situation. Any louder and you'll be going through FOH system anyway. Light enough to carry around with one arm and make one trip from car to venue ect. I've also even grown to appreciate the harsh tweeter in live situations.
I prefer 2x10 for almost everything, but the fretless sounded great on either one. I use a 2x10 combo which is perfect in pretty much any situation. Compact, always loud enough, articulate and flexible enough for any sound.
Damn!! And there I was thinking I’ll just get the x2 10’s but now realise I need the 12” too. Thanks for making me spend more money!! They definitely sound ‘complete’ together whereas On their own the 10’s are passable & the 12’ is a little woolly sounding to me. Good video.
😂 yeah. I wish it was a one or the other choice. But they both have their place. My upright loves the 12 and my fretted electric loves the 10s. But combine both and you get a real full balanced sound.
@@ToddUrban I ended up going for a Phil Jones Cab47 instead!! Sounds pretty good from all the demos I’ve heard! I’ll see how it sounds for myself when it arrives:-)
I do like the idea of scoring a stand alone extension cab, and using my existing head, plus they handle 400 watts. For portability, I gotta go with the 1x12. I am not trying to use a dully or rock cart. We're talking, from the car, street, to venue, and back in one, non back-breaking trip.
Excellent video. I have both markbass 102 and 121 cabs and actually played a gig w them on Sunday together for the first time. There is a midrange on the 121 that gets kind of honky. The 102 has this pre scooped sound so you find yourself bringing more mids into the mix. When i used both i didn’t have to do much on the end of eq adjustments on my head. This video captures the nuances of each and just how great they sound when combined.
I totally agree. I used to use the 410 cab for a more modern sound. But recently, I prefer the combination of the 12 and 10s. It’s like they fill in for what the other lacks. And if I can only go with one of them, it’s completely style dependent. Upright and Motown are 12s. Slap, Funk, and Contemporary are definitely 10s.
@@ToddUrban I have two 121 Markbass cabs driven by a Little Mark III. I like my setup a lot, yet I have been considering getting the 104HR cab just to get a different flavor but I can't try it before ordering it (due to Covid lockdown) and have no idea how different it will be. What do you think? I play a couple of Fender Pbasses, with rounds and flats, and play funk and reggae-dub mostly. I'm a hobby musician so portability and sheer power/volume are irrelevant.
@@Phaidrus I had a 4 ohm 410 and loved it. But the two smaller cabs are more versatile. Plus. Now that I’ve heard the 112 and 210 together, I think I prefer the 3 speaker setup to the 410. It is a little fuller and seems to have a best of both worlds. If you are already set with 2 cabinets, I would stick with it. I don’t think a 410 will give you much of a difference.
@@ToddUrban Thanks for replying. Yes, Im happy with the two 121 cabs, it's just that I wouldn't mind trying a 410 cab with a crunchier tone, for funk etc. Like plucking a Pbass (or any bass for that matter) close to the bridge.
@@Phaidrus Yeah, for funk, you will get a tighter sound with the 410. But you will also lose a little bottom with it. This is why I love the 210 and 112 combo. Maybe you would be better off trying a 210 8ohm to combine with your 112. Then you can sell off your extra 112 if you like it.
Both cabs are awesome!! Another consideration is weight. 2 121 cabs are much easier to take in one trip to a gig. 2 102 cabs hit a little harder especially in the mods, but are heavier. One of each together hits a really good sweet spot.
I got rid of my Hartke rig, a 4.5x10 + 2x15 cabs with a 500watt head. I replaced it with the CMD 212H combo which has a horn instead of a piezo. Also, the controls are on the front instead of the back. One hand carry @ 40lbs. And then I joined another two guitar rock band with half stacks. To it's credit the combo didn't distort, it just wasn't loud enough. So I put a NY 151 underneath. Problem solved! I do miss the sound of 10" speakers. I don't miss having to dolly my rig around.
I do find that smaller speakers such as 10s will give better articulation. But you end up losing some of the width and bottom end of a 12. I love the combination of both of them.
I tried both in a shop and I preferred the 12 over the 2x10 because the 12 sounded deeper, fuller to me. I also tried the 15 inch version but I disliked the sound. I guess everyone has preferences and trying them out by yourself is the best.
I’ve actually had this set up and it does sound great, I did upgrade to the bigger 2x10 mb cabinet and that can be used as a stand along or with the 12”. For larger shows both cabs are awesome, but with playing so much I did not want to take out more gear than I need (I also own the PA system)
Both sounded great. 121 sounded deeper. The 2 10's were punchier. Using both boxes together was best. He really nailed the balance perfectly- bass to backing track.
@@ToddUrban Your welcome- great video! If I had to take only one, I think it would be the 2x10. I was at GC the other day and tried the Fender Rumble 25. It uses an 8" speaker. Then I tried the 40 which uses a 10" and it was noticeably fuller. The 12" is nice but not quite as punchy. The 10"s are also lighter. Believe it or not, I have had great luck with all three of my current guitar amplifiers (I mostly play guitar- just trying out some Bass.) I have a Yam. THR10. It uses 2 x 3" speakers and optional battery power. At low volume it sounds incredible. It even has a Bass setting. I put in the trunk of our SUV's and did a quick demo to my friends in the diner parking lot this week and they were blown away. Very full and rich (for 3" speakers at least.) I also like how it performs through my Fishman Mini Loudbox acoustic amp. It uses a single 6.5" speaker. I would honestly give my Yamaha THR a slight edge. It does however sound the relative best with my Boss Katana Artist 100w guitar amp. It uses a 8 ohm, 12" very high quality Boss Waza Craft full-range speaker (speaker alone costs $225.99). I keep the volume low (under 80dB's) as not to fully aggravate my tinnitus (protect your ears!) I put the back of my amp up against a wall with a pillow stuffed in the open space to really seal up the back. Again, at relatively low volumes, it is deep and rich sounding. The amp can safely go much louder but for practicing at home, it does the job very well. I also have an FM9 Turbo still new in the box. I'm sure that will sound great as well either via headphones or the effects loop on the Katana. The Katana has speaker outs so I could go directly out to the 2x10" Mark Bass. It would probably sound better. To get the best of both worlds, I could probably figure out a way to wire up all three speakers. This way I could use the 2x10" Mark Bass and the onboard 12." Thanks again for the video- very well done, accurate and unbiased the way they should be.
@@ToddUrban Thanks. I just watched. Seems like you lean towards the Celestion. I have a 12" in my Katana Artist guitar amp. Do you think a Celestion 10" would be good? Not sure if you know but how can I connect it? My Katana has 3 speaker outputs with various ohms. My built in speaker plugs into the female 8 ohm jack. If the other speaker, Celestion is 8 ohms, if I connect in parallel, I suppose by using a Y connector cable, that would get me to 16 ohms- so I could plug the Male Y into the 16 om jack. Does this sound about right to you- or anyone? Thanks!
No…. The opposite. You would have a reduction in impedance/resistance, so a lower ohm value. I don’t necessarily prefer the Celestion. It is just more detailed and open. But the Eminence is all about strength and power. Each one was a major improvement over the stock Markbass speakers. I can’t imagine ever selling them after doing this upgrade.
Useful video. Hard to say what I like more.. the 10s are more familiar as I’ve always used them, so the 12 sounds fresh. But maybe not as clean.. all I know is a want a 12 now haha thanks!!
Todd, I am looking at getting a better bass rig today and have found myself watching multiple of your videos :D Thanks! I am essentially deciding between two aguilar DB112s with Aguilar AG700 or just an qsc k12.2 speaker with hx stomp/kemper which I already have.
Well, I’m a massive QSC fan and have their entire lineup. But a bass cab is a completely different sound. I can get by with a K series on upright or my Hofner. (I actually prefer it for my Hofner) but for other basses, the AG will be massively more powerful in terms of representing the tone you want.
@@ToddUrban sweet, I really appreciate the reply! This is Brandon from Berklee by the way if you didn’t know. I am going to just go ahead and get the two db112s and wait until hopefully there is a Labor Day sale to get an amp. I just discovered the gen 2 aguilars that have the cab suite and usb compatibility which seems like a major feature for me since I’m mostly recording and value versatility. I think I’m going to go with the AG500 and believe that should be sufficient for the two 300w rms db112s.
@@HappyChillmore Nice! Thanks for letting me know and thanks for watching the channel. Actually, I didn't recognize that it was you since it didn't have your name. Drop me a line and we can chat more about it. You know where to find me. ;)
Great demo thanks, just what I was looking for! Currently carrying around a Gallien rb1001 head and 2x12 to gigs (which sounds awesome) but needing lighter gear now that takes up less space in the car. I love the footprint and sound of the 210 paired with that amp, think I’ll go with the 4ohm version but that sound paired with the 12 was stunning as well…
@@ToddUrban Finally I got a 121h from markbass and I'm very happy to it. Have you ever tested a 121h with a 1" twitter in comparison to the 121p with a piezo twitter ?
I wonder if this 210 plus head are enough to play in a small orchestra. My current amp, a Kustom De100 1x15" sounds vintage, nice and warm with my violin bass but it's too heavy for me to carry around. I need something lighter but retaining the abilities to emulate the doublebass sound or motown kinda tunes as I currently do. Does it work? The 210 has the size and weight I'm looking for.
@@HF1600ie it definitely does deep and vintage. It doesn't add much colour like an old tube amp if it's that type of sound you're looking for, but the 2x10 cab adds some lows and sounds more vintage than the flat recorded signal of my bass. Especially if you turn off the tweeter.
Well....the 10s are a little cleaner to me. If you need it just as a monitor, I would actually look at the 210 combo that kicks back. It gives you a great angle for monitoring, it loud, and super light too!
I have had the Little Mark 800 Tube and 102P traveler for several years. I recently got the 151P traveler and they are just made to be paired! Both are rear ported, and run in parallel gets the full 800w punch. The 15” cabinet really adds a fuller bottom end, not that the 10x2 needed much help! I think the 12” is just not enough difference from the 10’s.
The impedance of the cabinets didn’t seem to make much of a difference in sound on its own. But the cabinets were 8 ohms on their own. When put together, it would be a 4 ohm load. I have another video where I actually change the speakers out and make them 4 ohm cabinets. You might like hearing the difference. Celestion/Eminence speakers.
Since I was using a single mic, the cabs were placed equal distance from the one mic and therefore there was not a time delay that would lead to phasing. This can be more of a problem when using two mics or if the cabinets are spaced apart from each other.
mark bass, I've had some, I'm tired of not being able to have breakdowns and more expensive than the amp to repair. I prefer good amps with real tubes to repair everything and for cheap.
I will agree with you. It is frustrating to not be able to service them, as I’ve had more than one fail on the road. One was an electrical issue and the was since my road crew knocked it off my cabinet. My Aguilar’s never failed on the road….. However, despite this, I will say that I found their service and warranty team to be responsive. So I need to be fair with stating that they appear to back their products.
. I only use subs (12" or 15") in the rehearsal studio. Live, I only need my 2x10s (for articulation) as I can rely on the PA for sub frequencies. Since most venues have excellent PA systems these days, you can reduce the amount of gear you actually need. Disclaimer: I use in ear monitors (no bass rig) for stadium/festival gigs and will probably start using them exclusively in the near future.
Yes! Exactly. Everything has changed. I use in ears live and my 2x10 is all I need for articulation. But at home, the 1x12 covers me. Thanks for sharing!
@@ToddUrban The in-ear monitors are brilliant. Less stage volume (delights sound engineers) and I get the same mix no matter where I am on the stage. As soon as I get my custom ear moulding inserts, I'll bid my rigs a fond farewell. My bass tech is elated that she'll only have my pedals & basses to deal with in the future.
@@TenFalconsMusic I'm still nervous to completely ditch the amp, as I tried it and you do get a different feel in your body when you don't "feel" the bass. Also, I've had some bad FOH engineers that really couldn't get things working, or the in-ears crashed. (not typically the situation) However, I recently did a session with the great Will Lee and we talked about him doing everything direct. That is HIS sound, and you can't get better than the legacy he built for our community.
Interesting video. I laughed at the reference at 1:24 to a "'70s style J-Bass" as the bass shown has a P-Bass pickup up front and will sound like a P-Bass. A few years back, I had a CMD121P combo (basically a LittleMark III and a NY121 combined) and when stacked on a NY121 extension cabinet, became a monster mini stack! Foolishly sold them, but still have a LM III head on a pair of Hartke HX112s. I'm really thinking about grabbing a Traveler 102P and running it on its end so that the voicecoils align vertically for better horizontal dispersion.
I agree. Fender calls it a J due to the body style and the bridge pickup. It was part of the J line in the 70s. However, you are right. It is a bit more of a P sound, but with the nasal bridge cutting quality that you would expect from a J. It is a cool blend of both if you don’t want to keep 2 instruments maintained. Of course, I’d love one of each! 😉
Oh, and yes, the vertical position on the 2x10s have always been the way to go for me! With IEMs on stage and better full house systems, I don’t need a 4x10 anymore!!
@@ToddUrban I agree! A few months back I bought a nicely priced MB Standard 104HF from Guitar Center. It sounded great, but man, it is huge. I ended up returning it. A couple weeks ago, I loaded up the car with guitar and bass gear and drove half-way across the country to do a band reunion with the guys I went to high school with. I took my LM III and the pair of Hartke HX112s that I mentioned. We didn't rehearse that loudly and had nice PA support for the fundraiser we did at the end of the week. I could have totally gotten away with just one 1x12 cabinet. I started playing bass when a 2x15 cabinet was the minimum one needed to be heard. Played in a bar band in the early 2000s competing with 100 watt Marshalls and was all but required by the band leader (who wouldn't let me run through his PA) to schlep a pair of Goliath IIs and a 2400 watt rack rig. Crazy stuff! Old habits of needing too much rig are difficult for me to change.
@@ToddUrban thanks! would be interesting to compare with 15" version. For my ears the latter was too low, but I'm still interested to hear more on the 12" to 15" MarkBass cab comparison
I loved my SWRs! The Markbass combos are good and super light. I would say play it for a while. But for me, the changing of the 12” to a Celestion Pulse made a ton of difference in clarity of my articulation. (Super important for my upright bass gigs)
Make sure to listen with good headphones or monitors. But really, the big difference for me is also the feel. There is a slower attack in the 12s and a tighter, but less full feel in the 10s.
@@ToddUrban how many people will recognise the difference in a blind test :-) Anyway 1x12 is not very popular among bassist. At least there are not many amps, combos, cabinets with this configuration. Maybe Markbass has a kind of patent or trademark ?
@@wolfram4321 I agree. The difference isn’t huge in sound. But feel wise, it does change a lot for me. As for the 1x12 concept, take a look around. I think you will find most companies have one. I have one by EBS and Aguilar too. 😊
@@ToddUrban thank you for the hint. I will have a look on this brands and will try out. Maybe I was not aware of this type because I need more power in rehearsal room. Typical situation when the room is very small. So I use 4x10 + 1x15 and 4x10 hartke with 2x10 tc electronic with the other band. It is not forthelfe volume but for the overall speaker surface. And to use the amps full power at 4 Ohm. On stage I use only the 2x10 as monitor and the DI to FOH. Or even no amp at all and directly intro FOH
@@ToddUrban I was just razzing you because there are so many similar videos out there, you’re right...combining cabs is the best result. The 12’s have a low-mid boost unique to themselves, my fav’ lately is 2x10” / 1x15” combo. ✌🏽
@@buddylove9484 12 inch speaker tend to sound muddy in the low mid, and that is so for ALL 12 inch speakers, no difference when they are used for guitar,bass, full range or whatever. That is the reason why I hate them.Th sound is unreal. With 2 x 10 you have nearly 1000 sq centimeter of cone surface which influences air displacement ( bass 9. With 1 x 12 you have around 700 sq cm.The bass sound with 10 inch speakers is cleaner, not less bass, less humpy. Try a vibrolux reverb for guitar and compare with a Deluxe reverb, not for the power, but for the sound quality in the bass region.
@@joseceraia I am a 61yr old working musiaian.... worked sales at a music store in S.E. Michigan for 17yrs...I'm very familiar with the inherent tone of speakers, Fender, Alnico, Celestian, Peavey, JBL, EV, Altec ,...and so on,... my point being is that the 12" speakers are fine and I wouldn't call them 'muddy'...they just naturally produce mid-bass more efficiently, which can do wonders in a 3-way sound system speaker for the vocal range. ...and the 2x10 vs 1x12 isn't fair...2x10" vs 2x12" would be fair! I love 10's but I personally like 1x15 w/tweeter over multiple 10's. these are just my thoughts on the topic and btw I always LOVED 2x10 guitar amp combos.
@@buddylove9484 Well Sir I am 75 yo and was sound engineer, above that a huge JBL fan, grown up with the blond Fender amps and in the PA system I always used the 2123 JBL 10 inch from 120 Hz till the 2450 take over. It was my job for over 50 years, and 12 inch in the low mids are not pleasant to hear .10 inch cleans up the low mids and cleaner bass, because a 12 inch conflicts more with bass compared to 10 inch But everybody his taste even when it is bad taste.
