PRODUCT REVIEW
SP410 Isobaric Bass Cab
Orange
BY BILLY VALENCIA
“Pride of the UK, those Geezers are.” That’s
what my friend from Manchester, England,
tells me about Orange Amplification. More
than 40 years of superior quality and innovation have earned Orange quite a name in
the industry. When the company got started
they dabbled in a bit of everything—drums,
microphones, PA gear, and DJ gear, as well
as Orange Publishing, Orange Agency,
Orange Records, Orange Music, and Orange
Recording Studios. These days, Orange
focuses its energy on some sick guitar
and bass gear—including their new SP410
Isobaric 4x10 bass cabinet. Good thing for
us. Let’s take a closer look at this baby.
Deceptively Diminutive
My initial inspection of the SP410 left me
thinking, “I got the 4x10 cabinet, right? I
mean, seriously. I only see two speakers.”
I was surprised by the ultra-compact size,
as well. Orange’s standard 4x10 cabinet is
quite stout at 95 lbs. and 24. 5" x 25" x 18".
That’s how big most 4x10 bass cabs are.
But the SP410 weighs in at just 68 lbs and
measures 24. 5" x 16" x 15". That’s right, the
SP410 is a good 25 lbs. lighter and almost
half the size of a traditional 4x10 despite
being made of heavy-duty Baltic birch ply-
wood. And with a 1200-watt power-handling
capacity, it still brings all the bottom end
you could wish for. Cosmetically, it sports
the classic orange covering, black grill cloth,
and killer Orange logo. It also has metal cor-
ner covers, two heavy-duty handles on top,
two Speakon and two ¼” speaker jacks, two
wooden bottom rails, four lightweight neo-
dymium Eminence speakers, and a port that
runs across the bottom of the front panel.
Feature-wise, the only way I could see this
cab being improved was if it had a tweeter,
a handle configuration that made it easier to
position an amp head on top, and perhaps
even some wheels.
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Iso-What?
I’ll admit I wasn’t familiar with this technology prior to receiving the SP410. Most bass
cabinets I have played through are of the
traditional ilk. You know—big, heavy, monster sort of things that have a wide footprint
onstage. Not this little citrus buddy. Two
of the 10" speakers are visible from the
front panel, while the other two are situated directly behind them. Orange says the
SP410’s design avoids the need for a large
enclosure because the front speakers’ movement is in phase with the back drivers, which
creates an isobaric chamber (that is, a chamber of constant pressure) that functions as
an infinite baffle for the rear driver. The rear
driver therefore maintains its minimum phase
and is free of linear distortion, all while
