Bass Gear Review

Reviewer	Tom
Experience	35
Review date	May 08 2003
Manufacturer	Ampeg
Model	BXT-410HL
Price	$650
Item owned for	Less than 1 month

Dimensions	26 x 26 x 19
Weight	122 lbs.
Power	600 RMS
Speakers	4 - 10' Cast-frame speakers with 56 oz. magnets, tweeter with L-pad
	control
Ohms	4 Ohms
Other	Metal grille, carpet-plush covering

This is one great cabinet. I searched around for a lightweight cabinet to get an "old school" sound out of my GK 700RB head. At first, all I looked at was 1x15's and 2x12's, figuring the bigger speakers would give me a fatter sound. After trying out all the lightweight cabs, I ruled them out due to lack of power in a gigging situation. I realized I would have to go to a bigger cab to get THE TONE. In desperation, I plugged into an Ampeg SVT-610 and was floored! Way more bass than any 12 or 15 inch cab! Then I started listening to cabs with 10's. The SVT-410HLF is a very impressive cab, with tons of low end. The only problem I had with it was pitch definition. If I played a chromatic scale, all the notes sounded like the same note! This was definitely NOT what I was after, even though the low bass was awesome. I tried the BXT-410HL and knew immediately that it was the one. My local Guitar Center was discontinuing them, so they cut me a deal. Mine is a 4 Ohm cab, which makes my head put out 380 watts. I can't add another cab, but I can't imagine the situation where I'd have to. Victor Wooten and Steve Bailey had a hand in developing this cab, and the musician's input really shows. Coherence from top to bottom, with a nicely detailed top end without being sizzly. THIS THING MOVES SOME AIR! Absolutely huge sounding and the tone controls on my amp are usuable from one end to the other. Whatever you put upstream in the signal chain including guitars, strings, pluck point, etc. will be faithfully reproduced at the speaker end. I like the cosmetics on this cab better than the SVT series; it is covered with the carpet-like plush and the grille is metal, like most other pro cabs. The SVT's tolex and fabric grille cloth seem like they won't take much moving about. I'm not slamming the SVT's, they are cool cabs. However, if you are looking for a more accurate sound with lots of Ampeg drive, then check out the BXT-410.

Construction	100%
(Built like a tank!)
Clarity	100%
Volume	100%
(Plenty for medium sized gigs)
Portability	75%
(122 lbs. ain't light, but it is on high quality casters)
Value	98%
Overall	98%
(Nothing's perfect, but this one is awfully close!)