Bag End Q10XD Cabinet

Please see previous review for the specs... he was very nice to find them.. it's hard to find them as the cab is discontinued.

Highlight the DEPTH MEASUREMENT!!!!!: 12" THAT's AN ENORMOUS ADVANTAGE. I can fit this 4x10 into my trunk (Camry'98) with space for my bass and many other things. who can say that about a 4x10!!!!??? a 10 just for the portability alone.

Please look at my other reviews in Harmony Central.... I am not generous. This particular piece of equipment deserves a 10 here. I am a big tone snob in that I want ultimate clarity without sacrificing presence. This cab gives the most wonderful tone... simply because it doesn't "contribute" much tone at all. It does seem to buffer the faults of a particular instrument that I would normally hear going DI without EQ, however, the tone really is preserved. This minimal coloring certainly doesn't do me any harm. Smooth, warm AND articulate.... AND it stays that way at high volumes. Mind you, it is very underpowered by my head (YBA200 - refer to my less than stellar review on that), so I don't know how capable it is with a more powerful amp. The clean and clear smooth tone with warmth and a decent amount of punch is all I ask for out of a cab, and I have tried lots of them, and this was the only one that delivered.

MOST IMPORTANTLY for all budding bass players out there (in which I like to include myself too in some ways), the most important role of your gear is to make your bass sound good in the mix, and hence to make your band sound good. This cab makes your bass sit perfectly in the mix. In comparison, the Eden XLTs sound great on their own, but I think they sound too overbearing in the mix without making the whole band sound better.

The only 10 I have ever given for sound quality

Bought it used. and the cab looks like I wasn't the only one who bought it used. for me that's a good sign, as it still holds up after having been through the trenches and back.

As they don't make them anymore, what will happen if this thing keels over?? for me, it's the last line of defense for tone. can't give a 10 or else I'll jinx myself.

N/A

Again, I'm not generous with my compliments. Beautiful tone (see above) with all the portability you can ask for out of a 4x10. I can't give anything lower than a 10. Both separate this cab from any other that I have seen or heard.... and I've only owned an eden and an ampeg, but I've shopped around A LOT. Bag end is very pricey new... and I would decrease my overall rating if I had bought it new. if you can find one used, you will be one lucky bass player. Another reviewer described owning a bag end as being part of a tone club... you only understand if you play one. No disagreement here.

Sometimes hard to find, so a copy paste job from Bag End's website:

Model: Q10X-D
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Continuous Sine Wave Power Handling: 800 W
Peak Music Program Power Handling: 1600 W
Sensitivity 1 Watt/1 Meter: 103 dB SPL
Frequency Response: 50-20kHz
Crossover Frequency 3.7kHz
Parallel Input Connectors: 1/4", Banana, and Speakon
Dimensions HxWxD (in inches): 27x22x12
Net Weight (in pounds): 92
Components: 3- E-10, 1-E-10X


This fantastic cab is about five years (ab)used on the road by a pro in the Netherlands several times a week. According to him it has seen practically every place over here. After that, he replaced all speakers but one. The woofer of the 'tweeter-included' speaker in the cab. I've owned it by now for about 2 years. It has serious dings and scratches on the outside, the carpet is damaged but it has it charmes. It proves that it can handle... a lot!

As you can read the power handling is rediculous. Even bridging is possible, it just is capable of handling it all. Not that I use it. My amp is a Peavey T-Max (280W @ 8 ohm; 350W @ 4ohm; 550W @ 2ohm) It has two preamps, a tube and a solidstate. Selectable or combinable, which is great to test the cab with. Together with the EQ with low and high shelving you'll get the point.

The best thing about this cab, is that it is the shallow version of the normal 4.10" cab of Bag End. (Which is called Q10BX-D) It gives a less bulky character and it can be lifted over short distances easily by 2 persons and you can put it in your trunk by yourself. I can imagine it will be practically impossible with the deep version.

The sound is very neutral, but not too neutral. What you put in, you get out... almost. It took about ten years of developing this cabinet, in collaboration with the great John Patitucci. Together with Bag End they managed to get the 'ideal' tuning. Well... to leave that in between, it just sounds good. Really good. Almost perfectly projected harmonics, tight bass response -which seems too heavy in the deep version some people say, including the pro I bought it from- which is unbelievable if one just looks at the cab. It is smaller than normal, so that image gives you other expectations, but don't be fooled. It is loud too... omg.. when I set the preamp at 'non-clipping' setting (normal) and the master at 1,5 to 2... my band begins complaining. So don't worry. I've never set the master louder than 2 on a scale to 10.

The tube distortion (the head has pre- and postgain knobs) comes out natural. The sound is just open. Solidstate-wise it is very tight. Very suitable for modern style slapping, but I prefer the tube-channel with a tubey edge. Not that most of the findings here depend on that channel.

I play rock, pop, world-music, jazz and funk. The cab suits every style well and I can't imagine a better one for the price. It is a very professional great sounding cab... very simple. I always use earplugs which bring the total 'bass frequency image' a bit down, but the bass response is great. Perhaps an extra cab could be an option at really large venues, but I don't think it will be necessary. It pumps out everything you want. I know some people who put an extra 15"... or I sometimes think of adding a GS112 Aguilar with it.. but it's a bit luxury talking. Definitely not a obligatory aspect.

I've owned an Eden 210 MBX before and the 210 version (shallow) of this cab too. This one is the master. To people who like Eden and never heard a Bag End. Try one... and you'll thank me for waking up out of a muddy past. I was anyway.

I've played this cab with a Lakland Skyline 55.02 and since a few months an Andre vd End Jazz Bass fivestring. If you have some doubts about the cab, try a professional bass like this one. The cab won't let you down, it's only the rest of your gear.

Note that I'm someone who has always something to complain about sound concerning to natural sound and this needs the perfect tuning. Too natural is flat, this is perfect. Seriously... I'm quite precise about these aspects in my sound. Not too that if your skills are not good enough... than you will hear it through the cab too. It took some time over here as well...

It's been made of sevengrade plywood I believe. It is heavy, but perhaps if you throw it of a flat, it will still work. Check the history I wrote about and it has no problems at all. In one word, fantastic.

The plastic corners aren't that fantastic, but wth... who cares? It's the only aspect of the cab which is damaged together with the carpet. It has never let me down. Just buy it.

Haven't had the need to contact them. The local guy over here provides replacement speakers, so I'll go to him anyway.

I've been playing 15 years in music now. First I started on acoustic guitar, then electric guitar. The last four years I play bass every day and I sold my guitar stuff. My skills are well enough to talk about gear properly imho. I got the advice to make my living out of it by some pros, but I'm a veterinairy student now. I thought it over and over again... believe me.

If it were stolen I would hunt down those people who stole my baby. I love this cab, on the secondhandmarket it costs about 600 euro. I can't remember the price correctly, but it's about in the range of that. I would perhaps check for secondhand Aguilar, but that's it.

Ok.. it's heavy... but it's not a really complaint. If you find one and have the money... buy it!

Feel free to ask, I'll be glad to lighten things up for you.