Adding a Bass Cabinet

[nonakosa]

I am looking for some advice on a second cabinet for my bass amp. Currently I am using either a jazz bass or a thunderbird pro through a black russian big muff, bass wah, mxr phase 100 and in to a 1974 peavey series 400 bass amp. The peavey is pushing a single peavey 2x15 cabinet which I believe is 300 watt @ 4 ohms. I would like to add some 10s to this, but I am not exactly sure what I should be looking for. I have seen peavey 2x10s that are also 300 watts @ 4 ohms, but will this be sufficient? I feel like I know just enough to realize that there is too much that I don't know yet.. do I need 4x10s for 2x15s or would 2x10s be a good match assuming that the cabinets are both rated for roughly the same output?

Thanks in advance,
SMH

[JonnyAngle]

I am looking for some advice on a second cabinet for my bass amp. Currently I am using either a jazz bass or a thunderbird pro through a black russian big muff, bass wah, mxr phase 100 and in to a 1974 peavey series 400 bass amp. The peavey is pushing a single peavey 2x15 cabinet which I believe is 300 watt @ 4 ohms. I would like to add some 10s to this, but I am not exactly sure what I should be looking for. I have seen peavey 2x10s that are also 300 watts @ 4 ohms, but will this be sufficient? I feel like I know just enough to realize that there is too much that I don't know yet.. do I need 4x10s for 2x15s or would 2x10s be a good match assuming that the cabinets are both rated for roughly the same output?

Thanks in advance,
SMH

What specifically are you trying to do? Which head are you using? Most of the old ones can go down to 2Ohms, but not all of them can.

I'd add a matching 215, TBH. Speaker size alone has nothing to do with the sound.

[nonakosa]

The head that I am using is a Peavey 400 Series Bass amp with a matched Peavey 2x15 cabinet. The head can go down to 2 Ohms, I believe it is 210 watts into 2 Ohms. I am very pleased with the 15s, but I would like to tighten it up a bit and I was under the impression that 10s may help to accomplish this.. I have only ever used 15s, so I don't really know if this is the case. I understand that speaker size alone has nothing to do with the sound, but it does have something to do with the sound and that is why I am asking for advice here. Adding a cabinet of 10s is a viable option for me, but it could also be an unnecessarily expensive lesson if there is nothing to be gained from it.

[JonnyAngle]

The head that I am using is a Peavey 400 Series Bass amp with a matched Peavey 2x15 cabinet. The head can go down to 2 Ohms, I believe it is 210 watts into 2 Ohms. I am very pleased with the 15s, but I would like to tighten it up a bit and I was under the impression that 10s may help to accomplish this.. I have only ever used 15s, so I don't really know if this is the case. I understand that speaker size alone has nothing to do with the sound, but it does have something to do with the sound and that is why I am asking for advice here. Adding a cabinet of 10s is a viable option for me, but it could also be an unnecessarily expensive lesson if there is nothing to be gained from it.

The lore of 10s being faster or tighter is just an old wives tale.

The issue you’ll have with mixing cabs is uneven dispursement of power. Say you add a 4 ohm 410 cab. The 215 will get the same amount of power as the 410. You’ll risk applying too much power to one cab because the 410 won’t be as audible.

I am a fan on the old silver stripe cabs, but they’re definitely not “good” in today’s standards. If you want a more clear sound, a cab with a mid driver will get you where you want to be. A tweeter could help, but you might get “the bees” sound on the top unless you add a lpf in your chain.

[nonakosa]

The uneven disbursement of power is kinda what I was worried about, and that is why I was leaning towards a 300 watt cabinet of 10s to match my 300 watt cabinet of 15s - this is where, like I said, I feel like I know just enough to have some idea of how much I don't know. But if, as you say, the lore of 10s is an old wives tale, then I suppose I won't even bother with it. I too am a fan of the silver stripe cabs, it is what I am playing through now.. and I have only ever played 15s anyway so if there is not much to be gained by adding another cabinet then I will just leave it as is.

Thanks again for helping to clear this up for me, I am happy with the 2x15.. now I can stop thinking about other cabs and just continue to be happy with it.

SMH

[JonnyAngle]

If you're looking to get louder, keep your eyes out for a 412F. It's a little wider, but the same height.

[nonakosa]

Does it matter that it is a guitar cabinet? I once blew an old Regal 2x12 guitar combo when I was a 11 year old punk kid playing bass through guitar amps. Would this work for a bass cabinet alright?

[JonnyAngle]

I've been using it for a bas cabinet and havent had any issues

[nonakosa]

Excellent! I see a few of them for roughly what I would have paid for the 10s. Since we are having the discussion about different speaker sizes, if I am not necessarily looking to get louder then what else may be gained from adding and/or switching from the 2x15 to the 4x12? I play in a 3 piece that consists of my brother on guitar, my son on drums, and me.. I currently feel plenty loud fir this arrangement.

Don't mean to keep adding another question to my original, but I am learning a fair bit from this conversation.

Thanks again,

SMH

[JonnyAngle]

Excellent! I see a few of them for roughly what I would have paid for the 10s. Since we are having the discussion about different speaker sizes, if I am not necessarily looking to get louder then what else may be gained from adding and/or switching from the 2x15 to the 4x12? I play in a 3 piece that consists of my brother on guitar, my son on drums, and me.. I currently feel plenty loud fir this arrangement.

Don't mean to keep adding another question to my original, but I am learning a fair bit from this conversation.

Thanks again,

SMH

In theory, you won’t have to turn up as much, which should yield a cleaner sound

[odontophobia]

Peavey makes 2 versions of that 215 and 412, although I could be mistaken.

One is deeper and is designed as a bass cabinet with the 215 version.

412m is maybe the bass cab version of the 412 -- should have center ports, like two split 412s. honestly, just riff on the fucking thing until you blow speakers and then buy cheaper, more efficient ones down the line.

[systemofameow]

Peavey makes 2 versions of that 215 and 412, although I could be mistaken.

One is deeper and is designed as a bass cabinet with the 215 version.

412m is maybe the bass cab version of the 412 -- should have center ports, like two split 412s. honestly, just riff on the fucking thing until you blow speakers and then buy cheaper, more efficient ones down the line.

I used to have a 412m and that bastard could handle anything and everything I could throw at it. Fucking bombproof.

[JonnyAngle]

Yeah, I have a 215d and a regular. Not sure there is any noticeable difference for me.

I’ve only played the 412f

[nonakosa]

After our discussion here I spent the weekend reevaluating my current bass rig with great results and I no longer really feel the need to add another cabinet. I do have a new question to add to this discussion that I don't think will be too off topic at all. In addition to the Peavey that I am playing bass through I also have an Orange Rocker 15 Terror with a single PPC112. I am more of a classical/flamenco guitarist so I pretty much just use the Orange for the fun of it, and to write guitar parts for my brother.

The talk about Peavey 412 guitar cabs for bass has me wondering if it would be possible to add the Orange to the bass rig and run it alongside of the Peavey? I am not certain that I would want to, that the results would be desirable, but assuming that it would be safe for the Orange and the PPC112 I do think that I would like to at least try it out.

Is this a safe idea to try out and how might I go about doing it? Would I need some sort of eq or crossover to filter the bass frequencies away from the guitar amp, or could I just jump the 2 heads together and eq to taste? Is there even any benefit to doing such a thing other than just the satisfaction of experimentation?

I am pretty curious about this one, thanks in advance..
SMH

[odontophobia]

it's probably a single, 60watt vintage 30 in there. it probably wouldn't be the wisest move.