Members JeffBass Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 I was looking at Avatar cabs fairly seriously (now that I found a buyer for my old rig) but I have to admit that the reviews on these Dr. Bass cabs are very enthusiastic and the prices are reasonable. I like the heavy duty finish on them as compared to carpet (or Tolex). Dr. Bass owners claim these cabs sound as good or better than anything they have ever tried, including some high-end cabs like Aguilar GS and Eden cabs. They really praise the clarity and smoothness of the tweeters, which is very important. Please elaborate on your experiences with either (or both) cabs. THX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members B-Bottom Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 it's my understanding that the Dr. Bass cabs are better. But you'll be waiting a long time to get one. Where as Avatars are pretty damn good for the money and they'll ship it to you lickity split Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ender_rpm Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Yup. Dr. Bass is WAY behind (like months) so if you need something quick, Avatar is the way to go. That being said, I have yet to find another cab that I like better than my 410 NEO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mike fitzwell Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Dr. Bass > Avatar all day long. I've had both. Still have the Drs. Can't help you out with tweeter comparisons, I don't do tweeters. I bought the Drs. used from our very own no-logic, but from what I've read the build times--especially for custom configs--will take a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bholder Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 it's my understanding that the Dr. Bass cabs are better. But you'll be waiting a long time to get one. Where as Avatars are pretty damn good for the money and they'll ship it to you lickity split I have both, and I think this is a fair and accurate statement. If you're in a hurry, or are ultra-budget-conscious, Avatar is your best bet. If you want high end sound on a reasonable budget and aren't impatient, Dr. Bass cabs rule. (Edit: I've never personally played through high end brand cabs like "Aguilar GS and Eden" or Epifani, so please don't read my comments as an endorsement of Dr. Bass over any of them. My BL2260 (model now renumbered BL2460) is the best single cab I've ever played through, however.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 78pbass Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 I've got DR Bass's and love mine. I have a gold lame baffle'd RX212 that I dont need and have never actually used if anyone's interested. I bought it for a gig that I never took. PM for more details PS: my rx210 airhead is STAYING WITH ME! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t3ch Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 I've got an rx210 dr bass with 2u airhead and neo upgrades that I was debating selling... I love it, though I haven't played enough other cabs to feel comfortable recommending it flat out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockBass Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Regarding shipment, I ordered my cab from Avatar at 3:45PM and they held the DHL truck until my order processed so it would go out the same day. Awesome, in my book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 While Avatars are great cabs for the money, Dr Bass are just plain great cabs. If I were playing in smoky taverns and they were getting splattered w/booze and such, I'd just order Avatars. In that situation, they'll do the job very well. Otherwise, I'd consider Dr Bass. That said, I'd look into the wait times. If they were still horrific, check out Peavey's new Tour Series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members justinbass Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Also, keep in mind, most times you play live, the audience will only hear your bass through the PA system, and you cabinet is going to provide your stage volume. I don't understand why a bassist in a band with a PA that uses a DI box would ever get an expensive rig. Now, someone like T. Alan Smith, who is playing a smaller, coffee house type gig, and doesn't use a PA, needs a great cabinet, because that is all the audience will hear. What I am saying is, depending on your use, different cabinets/prices are better choices. I have an Avatar 410 Neo. Personally, I think it is a great sounding cabinet. I can't think of a better, comparable cabinet within $300. Bergies and Epifanis are better, yes, but in the environment I play in, no one will notice a better cabinet. my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bholder Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Also, keep in mind, most times you play live, the audience will only hear your bass through the PA system, and you cabinet is going to provide your stage volume. I don't understand why a bassist in a band with a PA that uses a DI box would ever get an expensive rig.Now, someone like T. Alan Smith, who is playing a smaller, coffee house type gig, and doesn't use a PA, needs a great cabinet, because that is all the audience will hear.What I am saying is, depending on your use, different cabinets/prices are better choices. I have an Avatar 410 Neo. Personally, I think it is a great sounding cabinet. I can't think of a better, comparable cabinet within $300. Bergies and Epifanis are better, yes, but in the environment I play in, no one will notice a better cabinet.my .02 This statement is true only if your band is regularly playing places with full PA support, or your band owns its own PA large enough to support the entire band. That is not the standard for lots of "smaller market" areas, including around here where I live. I can think of maybe 4-5 venues within an hour of here that meet that criteria, and hundreds that don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JeffBass Posted July 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Good info guys. I like the focus of single 12" cabs and I'm looking at buying two of them. As standalone both the Avatar and Dr. Bass 12" cabs seem powerful enough to handle small gigs and rehearsals while stacking two of them should be enough for any gig situation. Dr. Bass has two different lines, BL and RX. Seems the BL's have better cabinet materials and more powerful speakers (they cost a bit more too). I really dig the polyeurothane coating on these cabs also, sounds like they're nearly indesructable. Here's the 3 cabs I'm looking at; Avatar 112 NEO - 250w RMS, two-way, heavy duty coating available for 289.00 + shipping. 39 pounds Dr. Bass RX 112 - 300w RMS, two-way, poly coating for 269.00 + shipping. 32 pounds Dr. Bass BL 112 - 500w RMS, two-way, heavy duty cab w/poly coating - 389.00. 40 pounds The BL 112 looks awesome. Owners describe it as giant sounding for a single 12" cab. I wonder if it's worth 120.00 more than the RX model. I've played in large clubs with full PA (and monitor support) and small clubs without and I have never had to really push my GK rig very hard. Most of the time my volume is around 4 (outa 10) and even then I get yelled at by soundmen to "turn down". I'm planning on getting a Markbass 500w head to drop on the new cabs. I'm leaning towards the Dr. Bass. I haven't heard anything that isn't glowing about these cabs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members no-logic Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Just prepare yourself for a wait. I just waited 3 months for my RX310. And it arrived with a damaged speaker so I still can't use it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpsands Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 If I could afford to pay as much for a single 12 as for two 12s, I would've ordered 2 x Drbass 1260s instead of a BL 2x12. They look awesome My thinking on going BL, is that in the long run it's not that much money and they're made of better materials and have better speakers. If I ordered RX cabs, I'd buy them empty and put my own drivers in probably, or get the Beyma upgrades Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emprov Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 Just prepare yourself for a wait. I just waited 3 months for my RX310. And it arrived with a damaged speaker so I still can't use it. Wow. Marc makes a great cab and all but man, that sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chubrocker Posted July 16, 2007 Members Share Posted July 16, 2007 For me, I liked my Avatars better. I've had both a 2X12 and 2X10. I ordered a 2X10 Dr. Bass and waited for two months. I needed a cab to gig, so bought an Avatar since the Dr. Bass had not arrived yet. Mind you, I had NUMEROUS bull{censored} excuses from Mark. He always seemed to move the conversation to something else. Yada Yada Yada. Three days after ordering the Avatar, I had a cab on my doorstep. The Dr. Bass FINALLY arrived and I got to compare them. The Avatar was noticeably louder. Although the Dr. Bass seemed to have a tighter low end, it wasn't that audible IMO. I immediately sold the Dr. Bass. Avatar today, Avatar tomorrow, Avatar forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted July 17, 2007 Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 Good info guys. I like the focus of single 12" cabs and I'm looking at buying two of them. As standalone both the Avatar and Dr. Bass 12" cabs seem powerful enough to handle small gigs and rehearsals while stacking two of them should be enough for any gig situation. Dr. Bass has two different lines, BL and RX. Seems the BL's have better cabinet materials and more powerful speakers (they cost a bit more too). I really dig the polyeurothane coating on these cabs also, sounds like they're nearly indesructable. Here's the 3 cabs I'm looking at; Avatar 112 NEO - 250w RMS, two-way, heavy duty coating available for 289.00 + shipping. 39 pounds Dr. Bass RX 112 - 300w RMS, two-way, poly coating for 269.00 + shipping. 32 pounds Dr. Bass BL 112 - 500w RMS, two-way, heavy duty cab w/poly coating - 389.00. 40 pounds The BL 112 looks awesome. Owners describe it as giant sounding for a single 12" cab. I wonder if it's worth 120.00 more than the RX model. I've played in large clubs with full PA (and monitor support) and small clubs without and I have never had to really push my GK rig very hard. Most of the time my volume is around 4 (outa 10) and even then I get yelled at by soundmen to "turn down". I'm planning on getting a Markbass 500w head to drop on the new cabs. I'm leaning towards the Dr. Bass. I haven't heard anything that isn't glowing about these cabs. Jeff, I think a pair of single twelves is a most excellent way to go. Before I went with my Bergie, I tried the Epifani, Aggie, Boogie, 'Peg & EA. If you want bang for buck, you owe it to yourself to try the Aggie. Do what I'm doing- buy one now and the other down the road. Did you get to run thru my rig? If not, get your fanny down here, bring your ax and rock mine. Come on a Wed eve and give it a real world test at the improv. I tested the Boogie & 'Peg with a V4b head and they were excellent cabs as well. The EA sounded too harsh to my ears, and the Epifani was just meh after playing thru other cabs. Hell, bring your ax and amp down and I'll drive us to Flores in Peoria so you can try the Boogie & 'Peg cabs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JeffBass Posted July 17, 2007 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 You're talking Aguilar GS112, Ampeg, and Mesa Boogie cabs, right? All have 12" cabs? I remember the Aguilar won the Bassplayer 12" cab shootout which included around 10 cabs... I'd consider Markbass cabs but they are pricey. I agree that even though a 2x12 would be cheaper, I want two separate cabs because the sound should be tighter plus I can still play if one fails. I always keep an extra head in my car in case my main head fails also. Extra bass, extra chords and a Sansamp too! As soon as my buddy pays me for my current stack I'm good to start auditioning cabs. I'll try the Aggie and the Boogie but I'm not familiar with an Ampeg 12" cab. I'm a rocker so I need good rock tone without cranking up to insane volume levels (key) while also being able to handle getting cranked up loud. Not necessarily a transparent sound but not too colored either. I find Chubrocker's response to be intriguing because he's the first to say the Avatar is actually a better cab! Most say the Dr. Bass is better but Avatar is faster and has great customer service. I didn't realize that Avatar was offering the heavy-duty coating until yesterday either, which I find to be more desirable because they won't stink up and get dirty (like carpet) or tear (like tolex). Tolex looks good though... Not sure when I can come down to Peoria T. Alan, I'll try but I gotta see T-Brooms band first! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Captain Fathead Posted July 17, 2007 Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 Regarding the Aggies, Guitarcenter is closing out their stock. They're listed at the musiciansfriend price on the website, but when I visited my local GC, they were around 60-80 bucks below retail. The salesman said they're gonna be discounted til they're gone. I'm saving for a couple GS112s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted July 17, 2007 Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 Oh yeah...I forgot that I finally got to play thru T Broom's GB 1x12 and it was quite impressive as well. I KNEW I was missing one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JeffBass Posted July 17, 2007 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 This is the Genz Benz Central bass forum so get with the program!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted July 17, 2007 Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 Your choice of color tolex is a CLASSAY move for Avatar, I must say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Emprov Posted July 17, 2007 Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 I find Chubrocker's response to be intriguing because he's the first to say the Avatar is actually a better cab! I've owned both and I like Dr. Bass better. That being said, I'm playing through Avatars right now. The differences between the two are pretty simple: think of Dr. Bass as more of a hi-fy sounding type cab and Avatar as more of a traditional sounding bass cab. As far as construction is concerned, Dr. Bass blows Avatar away. I'm pretty sure that Avatar has the cabs mass produced in Mexico or somewhere like that. Dr. Bass's are made individually by Marc and are solid as all get out. My Avatars are pretty cool though. I ordered them on a Monday and got them the next Wednesday. And, they're inexpensive enough so that, if anything were to happen to them, I wouldn't stress too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JeffBass Posted July 17, 2007 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 I know Alan, that Orange tolex is sweet and so is Blonde. With a Markbass head on top the rig will get more attention than me.... doh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JeffBass Posted July 17, 2007 Author Members Share Posted July 17, 2007 I've owned both and I like Dr. Bass better. That being said, I'm playing through Avatars right now. The differences between the two are pretty simple: think of Dr. Bass as more of a hi-fy sounding type cab and Avatar as more of a traditional sounding bass cab. As far as construction is concerned, Dr. Bass blows Avatar away. I'm pretty sure that Avatar has the cabs mass produced in Mexico or somewhere like that. Dr. Bass's are made individually by Marc and are solid as all get out. My Avatars are pretty cool though. I ordered them on a Monday and got them the next Wednesday. And, they're inexpensive enough so that, if anything were to happen to them, I wouldn't stress too much. What kind of music do you play Emprov? Did you own the RX or BL model Dr. Bass? Is the "hi fi" sound you describe more suited for say, jazz and pop while the "traditional" sound of the Avatar more suited for rock and blues? Can you crank them both up loud or is one better at loud volume levels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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