Elf Series Portable Speaker Cabinets for Upright and Electric Bass

I had a Trace Elliot bass head way back in the 90s for my electric bass rig. They have always been a very highly respected brand, especially back then. In later years, my guitarist used one of the Trace Acoustic rackmount preamps to truly amazing effect, making his piezo-equipped electric guitars sound VERY acoustic in our band.

I hadn't really seen a lot from the brand firsthand since their acquisition by Peavey. And, considering my focus on mostly upright-specific gear over the last couple of decades - my electric bass amp needs are more than fulfilled by my current gear - I haven't been shopping brands like Trace Elliot recently, so I wasn't very familiar with their more recent products.

But a few of the Trace Elliot Elf amp products recently caught my eye; small, well-powered bass combos, heads and speakers for a reasonable price. Seeing some of the combos and speakers they have available to go with the diminuitive Elf amp - 1x8, 1x10, and 2x8 - small and perfect for upright - I decided that I really needed get a few of them in for a hands-on trial.

Having done exactly that, I've gotta say that these are definitely a new dark horse in the upright bass amplification game. (Of course, they're great with electric bass guitar and other bass instruments, too.) They are super-portable, well-made, and well-appointed (The amp comes with a carry bag, the combos come with fabric covers!) - and they sound great! Plugging directly into in from several basses with different piezo pickups (Realist Lifeline, Realist Copperhead, Fishman Full Circle, KNA DB-1) with NO PREAMP REQUIRED, they just sound great, with the knobs all set flat. So now we've got the head, a couple combos, and a couple speaker cab options available.

So, what's the deal with the speaker cabs?

The speaker cabs from Trace Elliot are designed to work perfectly with the Elf amp (also sold here). We currently carry two of the models they offer - a 1x10 speaker cabinet and a 2x8 model. That describes the woofer(s) that provide the sound; bigger is deeper (and usually louder) but there are other factors to consider.

Both the 1x10 and the 2x8 provide SMOOOOOTH and deep bass, and couple perfectly with the Elf amplifier. in fact, there's even a small Elf-shaped "divot" in the top of the cabinet to provide a "locked in" spot to put the amp when using them together; the Elf will very politely sit in that little spot and not "walk around" the cabinet as it vibrates with sound. (There are also divots to accommodate the feet of the two combos; the 1x8 combo will "lock in" on top of the 2x8, and the 1x10 combo stacks very securely on the matching speaker.) Nice touch! 

Both cabinets are ported (the 1x10 has a rear port, the 2x8 is ported on the front) which allows for a lot of big, full sound to be produced.

No Tweeter?

Neither of these cabinets have a tweeter or "horn" - that is a common second speaker in an instrument speaker cabinet which is designed to provide the very highest frequencies. The absence of this tweeter is actually a benefit for upright players (in my opinion) - for one, it reduces cost and weight (the speaker and the crossover, which is a circuit that splits the frequencies of the signal to each speaker, are both removed from the design). But for many bassists, the extra high frequencies of a tweeter often emphasize the fingerboard noise of one's play, and make you sound "clacky" and noisy. Many upright players actually defeat (turn off) the tweeter. So, not having one just saves that extra step (and the money and weight.)

That said, many rockabilly slap players WANT that extra "clacky" sound that a tweeter can provide. So if you play that kind of music style, you may want to note that this speaker (and the combos) have no tweeter.

Verdict

Like I said - I like these cabs for upright (and they sound spectacular with electric bass and electric upright bass as well!) They're very light and manageable, and sound great AND loud! They work perfectly with the Elf amp, as well as in use as an extension with an Elf combo. You can also use it with an amp you already have; see below.

Recommended amp capabilities

Already have an amp (from another manufacturer?) Here's what to know about matching it with these cabs.

These speakers are rated at 300w (1x10) and 400w (2x8) at 8ohms (either cab). A solid-state amp with a rating (at 8ohms) between 150-500w is probably going to be excellent for either cab.

If you have substantially MORE wattage than the cabinet is rated for (>200w higher than rating), be conservative with your master volume levels.

If you have LESS wattage than the cabinet is rated for, be smart about not pushing TOO hard; if the amp sounds like it's "farting" (pardon the expression) then back off the volume and/or bass control - underpowering a speaker and causing the amp to break up into ugly digital distortion can damage your speakers.

If you have a BIT more wattage than the rating calls for, I personally consider this "the sweet spot" - you should get efficient sound production without stressing the amp or the speakers.

Specifications (2x8)

• Two 8", 8 Ohm high efficiency Faital neodymium full-range drivers
• 400W (rms) power handling
• Durable painted cab
• Dual paralleled Speakon/phono combo input jacks
• Recessed top rear handle
• Built-in cradle for ELF bass amp / feet cradles for ELF 1x8 combo
• Heavy duty metal grille
• Unpacked Dimensions: 10.3"W x 21.2"H x 12.3"D
• Unpacked Weight: 27 lbs
• Packed Weight: 31.97 lb (14.5 kg)

Specifications (1x10)

• One 10", 8 Ohm high efficiency Eminence neodymium full-range driver
• 300W (rms) power handling @ 8 ohms
• Durable painted cab
• Dual paralleled Speakon/phono combo input jacks
• Recessed top rear handle
• Built-in cradle for ELF bass amp / feet cradles for ELF 1x10 combo
• Heavy duty metal grille
• Unpacked Dimensions: 12.0"W x 12.5"H x 14.0"D
• Unpacked Weight: 16.2 lbs
• Packed Weight: 21.17 lb (9.6 kg)