Carvin RL410T Bass Cab

Bought this cab in 2005, used it for a year. Played many rehearsals and gigs, it worked out fine for a couple of months, then just started going out on me. I play reggae, so I needed a lot of bass, especially to carry over the drums. I did not get that type of volume with this cab. Features include 1/4" and Speaktron jacks, with also a high attenuator. This cab did not have the power I needed what so ever, very weak, but I guess you get what you pay for.

I play an American Deluxe Fender Jazz bass, with unfortunately at the time a Carvin RL1000 head. The cab does not deliver or produce the presence a reggae bass player needs. I'll turn up my Master Volume just to 4 or 5 with the bass volume at 3 and the speakers will distort already.

This cab was halfway useful during the first few months I owed it. Speakers buzzed, then eventually 2 of them blew out. Maybe because during outdoor shows, I would push it past its limit (which is only at 5!) Thank god for live sound guys and direct out.

I feel Carvin took advantage of me by selling me this cab. At first I took it in for the buzzing, they returned it and said nothing was wrong with it. Then I took it in later for the 2 broken speakers, but they weren't covered on the warranty anymore. I live near the factory/showroom, you'd think they wouldn't rip off local musicians like this.

Being a struggling musician, I didn't have a $$ to buy a quality rig. Totally regret buying this cab, I highly suggest buying something else. I don't even think they sell this cab anymore, maybe they found out what garbage it was. If this were stolen, it'd be a burden off my back, and maybe get me off my butt and start saving for a real 4X10 cab, like an Eden or SWR.

Bought April , 2006. This cab is 18" deep, 23" wide and 25" high. I believe it is a redesigned model of the original RL410T from the late 90's. I believe the older ones, the same ones that have had bad complaints of no bottom end, are only 16" deep.
Basic 4x10 cabinet with a high frequency horn.
Features 1/4" input jack, Speak-on input jack, extention cabinet output jack and a 5-way rotary switch for horn attenuation.
Good solid construction and not all that heavy for a cab this size.

I mostly play a G&L L2500 bass with a Pensa pre-amp in it. It kicks out a great tone.
Right now, I'm using an old Ampeg SVT 200T head from the 80's that has seen better days, but it works.
After reading a lot of the negative coments on this cab, saying it has NO low end whatsoever and that it is a guitar cab at best. I decides to take the plunge, put on my Indiana Jones hat and look for the elusive bottom end of this cabinet.
I didn;t have to look too hard because after cranking the Ultra Low frequencies in the EQ, all my dishes were rattling in the cabinets. And the cab stayed clean as much as I drove it. I pushed it to the point that I thought my head was going to explode.
Using this cab with a 5-string will work. you just have to set the EQ correctly. With my Ultra Low boosted up (I believe it is 33Hz or something), only one or two notes on my B string sound a bit faint, namely the E on the 5th fret. It gives off a lot of low end harmonics, but the note itself sounds a bit quiet. I'm guessing that the frequency of that note doesn't agree with the speakers' useable range.
But if I remove that Ultra Low button and just drive the lowest EQ knob (62Hz) for the low end, it sounds fine. This cab has more low end and more handling capacity than the Hartke 410XL I had years ago. Blows it out of the water.

It's a solid cab. I don;t think it'll blow up or break any time soon.

Overall, I think it is a very good product for the price I paid. Couple it with a 1x15 and you got a tight rig.

If I blow the speakers, maybe I'll swap them out with the Eminence Neodymium speakers that Carvin uses in the new BRX cabs. Supposedly, they are truly awesome.

4x10 with a horn. Has a 5 position hor attenuation twist-switch, if that's what you call it. Also has an output for an extension cabinet. The dimensions are nice, 25H x 23W x 18" deep. Deeper than my older V115 cabinet from Carvin which is 16" deep.

The specs on the 200 watt speakers are 60Hz to 16kHz, but they are not listed at -3dB or -10dB or anything. I will ASSUME these are @ -3dB. I have read many bad reviwes for this cabinet, saying that it has NO bottom end and that it is a guitar cabinet..etc. I started getting very nervous about getting this cab.
Once I got it, and played around with it, using my Amped SVT 200T amp, raising the low frequency eq gradually. I decided to put on my Indiana Jones hat and start looking for this mythical "bottom end" that is supposed to be non-existent. What I found was my dishes vibrating in their cabinets, tea kettle walking around on the stove, and other numerous noises around my apartment that seem to be related to the bass frequencies eminating from this cabinet. Very odd. I really didn't have to look too hard. I play a 5-string, too and according to some previous reviewers, you can't do this with this cab. I did, and got results. The low B string sounds decent through these speakers.
It sounds very similar to an SWR 4x10 I played through in a rehersal studio. I HAD a Hartke 4x10 XL a few years ago, and comparing the low end of the two cabinets, the Hartke would be breaking up real bad at the point to which I drove this cabinet. This one stayed fairly clean. Running on my B string between E and D (5th and 3rd frets), there is a tremendous volume of air flowing from the front porting. For a speaker to produce sound, it has to move air.

I guess I would try it at a gig by itself, and see what happens...
but it is a solid cab with good contruction. @ 69 lbs, it's easy to move around.

Don't know about their customer service, hasn't broken yet.

This cab works. It isn't THE best cab out there, but it isn't the worst either. I'm not sure what some people look for in a cainet, but this is a 4x10, and it performs like many other 4x10 cabinets out there, and it has the same frequency rating specs as one particular Ampeg cabinet(SVT 410HE) that costs twice as much (or more). I read somewhere that they use the same Eminence speakers, too. It will not, and NO 4x10 can, reproduce frequencies equal to that of a 1x15. If you are looking for thundering lows that will split the earth, then get a 1x15 or 1x18. Couple this 4x10 with a 1x15, and you got a tight rig.
If I blow the speakers, then I'll put in those Eminence Neo speakers that everyone seems to rave about lately. One thing that I'm wondering about is that I only recently heard of those Avatar cabinets that are only a bit pricier than this RL410T, but does have the NEO speakers in it. Supposedly those are "The Sh*t" as far as cabinets go right now.

I'm guessing my cab is an older one (no speakons, an actual knob for the tweeter). Does its job very well. I don't know what features a cab is supposed to have.

Sound is good(I like it) For a cab with no supposed bass response I have no problems getting bowel inducing lows out of it. I mean I drop my low B to an A on some stuff. Don't get me wrong it does break up on some of the lows but I like a slightly dirty tone. It blows away an Ampeg 8 x 10 cab I used to use.

Never had a problem except the abuse I cause.

Don't know.

I like it(period). It doesn't sound as good as a $1000+ cabinet and it shouldn't. Something is wrong with a $1000+ cab if it can't sound better than this one.

I am not sure of the year on this amp. I bought it used and it is rated as a 600 W amp. The one's on the website are 800 watts. So, mine is a little older than those, at least. It has a horn, but I have not changed the setting on it since I bought it. It does everything it is supposed to do.

I have been using this cab with a hartke head. Typically, I have been using a carvin fretless four string and a USA Custom bass tuned BEAD. I love the sounds that I am able to get out of this cab. The sounds are very smooth and mid-rangy (which is what I like). Harmonics sing through the speakers.

Recently, I changed the eq on the head and have been playing my guitars through the same set up. The notes cut through with these speakers, as well. I use a metal zone distortion pedal and both the distortion and clean sounds through this amp are perfect. Each note in a chord is audible in both the clean and distorted settings.

Very reliable. I believe one of the speakers is just beginning to go. When I snap a string or punch out something very quickly, I heard an occassioal crackle. No big deal, though. The sound is uneffected to this point.

Like I said, I bought this used. However, I have bought a bass neck and a bass guitar from Carvin.com. The customer support is fantastic. I returned the neck with no problem and received a full return. I have kept the bass. Ordering is easy. Anytime I have emailed a question to Carvin, I have recieved a quick response. The customer support that take the phone calls have always done a nice job for me, too.

The guy that complained was right, it makes a great guitar amp. The four speakers are also great for the bass. I love this unit.

see features above. overall it has decent features. its nice to have the tweeter control, but the control switch is kinda weird. theres nothing real special. pretty light for a 4 by 10.

I play a 5 string ibanez bass through a 350 watt hartke head and i am really dissapointed with the lack of bass. this cab is unable to run without a sub. now i know why in the magazine they only show it with subs. this is definately not a solo unit. i think if you got a sub with it, it would probably sound good. a 4 string probably would sound ok, but a 5 string is way to deep for it. i play mostly metal and stuff like that.

its pretty reliable. its still in good condition and i've had it over 6 months and i play it a lot and travel with it. its never broken down or anything but i just think it sounds like crap. you should get an ampeg or eden. they sound way better. and theres way more bass too. i give it an 8 because its reliable but it sounds like crap so reliability doesn't matter.

i think the carvin customer service is pretty good. but then again i've never really had to call them. but i had no trouble ordering it.

i'd give it a 4, because its reliable and might sound good if you got a crossover with a sub, but by itself i'm really disapointed. if it were stolen i would definately buy something else. definately get an ampeg or eden, do not buy this, i regret it.

Same features as have been noted in previous reviews.

Didn't any of you guys read the spec sheets available on the Carvin website before you bought it? If you are spending the money, KNOW WHAT YOU ARE BUYING! If you get something and are displeased its your own fault. Plus, Carvin has a return policy. If you are too lazy or stupid to take adavantage of that...again, it's your own fault.

And by the way: while speakers themselves start rolling off at 120hz- the cabinet itself has a usable frequency response down to 60hz, thanks to it being a front ported cabinet. Having the cabinet front ported gives a significant increase in the frequencies from 40hz-100hz, thereby equaling whats missing from the natural roll off of the speakers. Do some research kids. And for christsake, save your money for a good head and some good pickups for your crappy bass.

I own 2 of these cabinets, with a Demeter Tube Preamp and a Crown Microtech 1200 poweramp bridged: that's 1200 watts into a 4ohm load. My Bartolini equipped Fender Jazz bass and Warwick Corvette 5 sound amazing.

These cabinets don't compete with Eden 410 XLTs. BUT- for the money, the Carvins a great deal. By the way, I actually own an Eden 410 XLT. If a gig I'm playing requires a single cabinet, the Eden is my absolute first choice. For the larger stages I play however, it's Carvin cabinets all the way.

So far so good.

I've never had to contact them.

For the money, these cabinets kick butt. And no, I'm not a Carvin company man or a Carvin endorsee.

Made in 2001. The Carvin RL410T is a versatile bass cabinet that will suit virtually any style of music. This unit has 4 10-inch speakers (each with 80 oz. magnets and 2-inch coils) and a high-frequency horn with high-frequency attenuator switch. Handles 800 watts, RMS. I use this cabinet in many different rock venues around the DFW area and beyond and it does a great job, stand-alone or in conjunction with the Carvin RL115. Weighs in at about 80lbs, so it's not too heavy, yet not extremely light either.

I use Fender Precision basses with maple or rosewood fingerboards and a Carvin B4 bass with an ebony fingerboard and 2 jazz pickups. I may run these through a Trace Elliot tube preamp or a BBE solid-state preamp and then through a Carvin 1000-watt power amp and then the RL410T cabinet (and often the RL115 bottom). I play many different styles of music, but my focus is on classic metal with a modern or progressive tinge. I often strive for a Steve Harris type tone and this cabinet reproduces the desired sounds just fine. Cuts through an extremely loud drummer and 200 tube watts of guitar with no problem. I receive compliments about my tone from the sound tech at shows on a regular basis.

This cabinet did have one problem about 6 months ago: Toward the end of a rehearsal, I noticed that the high frequencies were not cutting through anymore. Once I started troubleshooting it and found that the horn had stopped working, I pulled the crossover from the back of the cabinet. The finding: one of the resistors had come un-soldered from the crossover circuit board. I got Carvin on the phone and they sent a new crossover out, OVERNIGHT, no charge. Installed the part and everything was back to normal and has been since. I have played this cabinet at numerous shows with virtually no problems at all. I play this cabinet regularly without a backup. I'm at 1.5 years of hard use and it is truly reliable.

Carvin customer service has been top-notch. Very friendly in support, service, and sales. Carvin is very lenient regarding things that have gone out of warranty. 1-year warranty on cabinets.

Regarding some of the other reviews below, I'm speechless as to why these musicians find so many problems with the RL410T. I have always been happy with this cabinet. Don't really have any complaints, it does a good job. I have also played Ampeg and Hartke cabinets and don't find that they excel much beyond this one if at all. FYI: I'm a bass player of 10 years and have played lots of different rigs.

200 Model. If you're looking for a country cabinet, pass on this one! If you like slap bass, don't buy it new. If you can find it used for under $200, you might have a deal. Nothing extra special about this cab. The construction is solid. It's got good tight inputs.

Roll-off at 120mhz???????? This is not a bass cabinet! It would make someone one hell of a guitar cab. I play a Musicman 5-string. The cabinet breaks up like a big dog on the low-B string. Thats happening with a 250 watt amp! Suggestion to Carvin. If you're going to build a cabinet with these specs, you should consider putting in a low pass filter with a cut-off to match the frequency roll-off. Otherwise, this speaker could be damaged right out of the box. You can look for this cab out on eBay. Maybe I can salvage something out of this.

No thoughts.

Too many salesmen, and not enough Engineers AND Players. Does anyone at Carvin even play bass?

The price I paid was for the casters and cover as well. I've been playing for 12 years. I've been through a lot of different equipment. Beware of the deals that you just can't pass on. There has been more effort put into selling, than has been put into design. Generally, good sounding, reliable equipment will sell itself. I own some Carvin PA equipment, of which I am very proud of. The Pro Audio boys came through on their end.

Basically no features other than being cheap. Useless junk. Rolls off at 120hz in their own specs. What was I thinking? Saving a buck? I ended up saving nothing.

The worst 4x10" cabinet in history. No bottom end at all. Harsh sounding horn. This is a guitar cabinet, not for bass. What where they thinking?

You need to add so much EQ to try to get bass out of it that I deem it unreliable. Warantee has you paying shipping both ways on this cabinet to So. California. Forget it! It works but not for bass.

High turn over in sales & you have to go thru them for service. Also bought a Carvin bass and had pick-up problems. Very bad customer support. How about a 800 number to service instead of going thru sales? All they care about is a commission.

PASS ON THIS CABINET! Buy a used SWR or EDEN....