
Reviews
Player comments on the Silverstone
I've now gigged with the Silverstone a few times and it has changed my playing. When I'm playing live I'm just hearing more of what I'm doing so I'm self-correcting more. The difference is in the mids, they are just cleaner, better off axis, no mid suck out and no upper mid peak. The overall impression of this speaker is about cleaness and clarity. If you had to have just one cab, this might just be the best FRFR cab so far.
I've heard the Silverstone up against the Barefaced BB2 and the Vanderkley 12 and they aren't in the same league: they both have a more coloured sound. I've also compared the Silverstones with my RCF ART745's and the bass quality is cleaner.
Phil from Devon
How does it perform? The Silverstone is Full Range Flat Response (FRFR) so the tonal balance is very good, no lumps and bumps, peaks & troughs. Despite the fact that there is a high frequency driver, the usual fizz and tizz of a cheap horn is missing. The horn that handles the high frequencies is mounted vertically, and the result is that the mid and treble frequencies are projected towards your ears - no need to tilt the cabinet. The horn has a wide angle in both directions, meaning that your bandmates will hear you clearly.
There are lighter cabs out there, but this was designed with sound as the number one priority and quality neodymium drivers are not feather-light. It is still a lightweight cabinet, however, and an easy one-hand lift. The handle is big and comfortable, meaning you can carry it without bashing your leg. The protective cabinet corners are stackable in case you want to use two, although most people would be happy with just one.
John from Dorset
In the shootout at the SW Bass Bash with the Barefaced BB2, GR Bass 2x12 and RCF 745, these were the best sounding.
Peter from Wales
Player comments on the Monaco
The thing that was outstanding, especially when compared side by side against the Ashdown 410, was the dispersion. At first I was standing close to it, a bit to the side and in front. I walked around and it was pretty uniform, with some variations as expected, but I had to get nearly to the side of the speaker before the all-important midrange dropped too much. This was with the cab on the floor as well. The 410, by comparison, is a nightmare: get the right balance at around 30 degrees, and you're sounding too middy in front and lacking lows.
I really like the Monaco. It's very light, nice shape/size factor, well positioned recessed handle... it's got a very bassist-friendly tone, in that the 'default' low end is very present but tight... but it's definitely closer to the response of a good studio monitor than a typical coloured bass cab, which is a nice thing if you'd like to use it with other sources, like keys or guitar.
Jose from Edinburgh
I'd say the Monaco sounds close to perfect, meaning to me that it pumps out pure, even and uncoloured sound, and should be a perfect platform to shape your sound to your spec with the amp and pedals if the natural character of the intended cab isn’t doing it. Also, it's a one-hand lift and I don't think you'd need a second cab for the average pub gig as it seemed to handle volume OK. So two more plusses there.
Nigel from Kent
To me, the Monaco is more “old school” sounding than the Mesa Subway UltraLite 1x112. It has a better (more) bass frequency response, it’s punchier, it has less mid-range focus and appears a little louder at the same EQ and volume setting It’s easier to hear what you’re playing even when placed directly on a wooden floor (unlike the Mesa).
We are a loud 4 piece, and a single Monaco was used to replace my 2xVanderkley EXT112 stack. After an hour, I added one of my Vanderley EXT 112's (set up beneath the Monaco). This combination sounded great. Very full and certainly "better" than 2 VDK EXT 112’s. Very punchy and very easy to hear without being "in yer face" - a kind of magical property and somehow the opposite of what I usually find i.e. I'm plenty loud enough in the mix, but I can't hear what I'm playing!
There was very good sound dispersion around the rehearsal space - I could hear what I was doing throughout the room which is not the case when using the Vanderkleys alone – where off axis and relatively close to the speaker there is a noticeable decline in volume. I haven't compared my Mesa Subway directly in this regard, but I have noticed a similar property in the past, so I'd be confident that the same would hold true.
I had a Barefaced Big Baby 2 a few years back and, from memory, I’d say the Monaco is a more coherent speaker with a “better” low frequency response. Certainly, in terms of hearing more of what’s being played, the Monaco seems noticeably better and I prefer the overall sound of the Monaco to the BB2, as the former produces a surprisingly punchy bass for its size without being “boomy”. It is a more articulate and coherent speaker - you can really hear what you're doing. I’d say that a single Monaco would be more likely to be used successfully than a single BB2, VDK EXT 112 or a Mesa Subway Lite 1x12.
Ian from Cumbria
With the LFSys Monaco, I now have killer-sounding, 600W (AES)-rated, 8ohm cab that handles the reduced power from my 800W (into 4ohms) amp with headroom to spare while still being PLENTY loud enough to cope with any of our indoor gig venues AND compete with my decibel-junky band-mates. More importantly, it feels like the music we make has kind of more room to breathe.
Last but not least, this single-cab solution to my needs comes in at only fifty quid more (and a couple of kilos heavier) than just ONE of the matched pair of Barefaced 12” single-driver cabs I was previously gigging with.
What’s not to like?
Mike from Somerset
The construction is solid and very rigid, as no buzz etc! The handle is excellent and makes the 15kg very manageable. So far very pleased and confident about gigging. I have had many cabs (too many) inc. Greenboy...this looks as if it will be moving to #1...particularly the price which IMO is very reasonable.
Bernard from Northampton
A good looking, well-built speaker cabinet that sonically equals or betters anything I’ve played through. Clear, punchy and LOUD without the mush and boom that so many cabinets seem to produce. Great dispersion means the Monaco is ideal for small, cramped pub-type gigs, but has the volume and punch to deal with all but the biggest pub/club-type gigs.
FRFR means that you can decide what you really want to hear. I played a few frequency sweeps through the cabinet. The progression between driver and horn was smooth with no prominent volume gains or dips. I also played some pre-recorded music through the Monaco and found myself adding bass to an otherwise flat EQ. It was only once I moved away from the cabinet a little that I realised that the bass is most definitely there, but nowhere near as muddy or boomy as most cabinets I’ve used. It’s a really tight, punchy bass. Groovy!
We’re a five piece band, so a small stage generally means that my cabinet is making my flares flap around but my ears struggle to pick out the mid and upper end of my tone. This time, I could hear the mids and highs much better than the other “quality” cabs I’ve used in the same venue. I’ve gotten around this issue in the past by raising the other cabinets off the stage a little or tilting the cabinet back. The Monaco remained on the floor right behind me and my amp was not really breaking a sweat.
Would you need more than one of these? Unless you’re intending to rip the crowd’s faces off, then I doubt it. It’d be fun to try though….
Jon from Norfolk
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I think its amazing what you have managed to get such a small cab to do. It is clearly a very "tight" sound. And wow - accurate whilst loud! (It's accuracy was occasionally too accurate - unflattering!)
What blew me away was in situations with a lot of general sonic "racket", how clearly it cut through and how easy it was to hear. I experienced that in the church hall scenario, but the situation that amazed me was when I depped for a loud party band. I knew from experience that everything would go through the FOH PA, but also that the stage volume would be very loud. In fact, I never actually believed your cab would handle it, and had my Markbass 4x10 on standby. I was literally amazed that the LFSys kept up perfectly well without adding to the "din". In fact I could hear myself better than I've ever experienced before in that kind of situation.
The icing on the cake was a week later when the regular bass player got in touch to say the bandleader had commented on how great my sound was, and what was the make and model of your cab! aa
Guy from Stockport
The Monaco is as loud as my Ampeg 112AV cabs x 2 and clearer sounding. Pushes out a lot of bass in a small cab! Another very lovely discovery last night was, when using the EICH T900 and the Monaco, playing my P-Bass with a pick, I had the best sound I’ve ever had. Great rock tone that put my Ampeg gear to shame. First time I thought: hell yeah that’s the sound I want!!
Martin from Suffolk
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The cab has a nice shape/form factor i.e. not too small and not too big, I'm also very impressed with the build quality. Knowing the cab is fully braced and built of quality plywood and quality components fills me with confidence regarding the roadworthiness.
Describing the cabinet, tone-wise:
- Muscular, full-bodied tone (unlike some other cabinets where the bottom end has little definition and impact and the tweeters are artificial and spitty)
- Good transition from 12 to the compression driver
- Loud for the size of box
- Handles power well
- As mentioned by others, the mid range is great, even with the cabinet on the floor
Size, form factor:
- The quality top handle along with taller, shallower dimensions makes accessing/exiting venues a breeze
smaller stages no longer a problem
- Amps sit on top of the cabinet without issue
- Fits perfectly in a small car (bonus!!)
- Weight/size to output ratio is awesome
Stephen is a true gentleman to deal with, who goes above and beyond with his customer service and I would not hesitate to recommend him to other bassists!! In all, this is a fantastic, well-designed cab which performs better than any other cab I have owned.
Mark, County Durham
Player comments on the Monza
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In short, it's a peach of a cabinet which I think can be the first 10" with a real claim to compete with a loud drummer.
I'll try to summarise the main points for me.
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Every instrument I play through it sounds very natural, like playing through studio monitors.
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It has a solid but non-boomy bottom end and utterly clear midrange/treble.
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It can be heard very clearly standing directly in front of it, nearly on top of it, and well off axis.
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The driver can take a substantial amount of low end EQ, and even outright misuse, if the user happens to be foolish (slapping with big bass boost).
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It takes a low B well.
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The finish is top notch and it looks great.
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The handle is set flush with the top and so can accommodate any head.
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11kg is a good weight for a 1 cab solution.
Pete From Edinburgh
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I've done three gigs with the Monza and another week in venues of all different sizes and everywhere it’s held it’s own. You really have something special there. A great cab. Really blown away.
Ryan, Herts
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Definitely the best sound I've ever heard coming from my fingers in 40 years of bass playing.
Carl, Cambridgeshire
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Astonishing!
What you have created is nothing short of remarkable. I've got wireless on my bass so was able to walk around the room to hear how it sounded and it was exactly as others have described. I can't see the need to have anything bigger or more powerful for most people's needs. And to think that 25 years ago I was using a Trace BFC that weighed 87kg!
Will, Somerset
I've used the Monza on four gigs - two pop functions, a jazz trio and a quintet with drums, and it has performed really well. The response is amazingly even across the frequency range, including with five string. It really shows off the different sounds you can get from blending the pickups on my jazz basses - two Fenders and a custom 5 string with Lindy Fralin pickups.
The cab looks very smart and I appreciate the subtle colours and logos, although I wouldn't complain if it was black.
My amp is a Euphonic Audio doubler, very clean and not a loud amp, it puts max 350W into 8 ohms. For the pop gigs I ran the amp flat with volume about 12 o'clock. The sound was full and very clear. I'm often playing in places with difficult get-ins like central London hotels yet I want to be heard and for it to balance with the drums, so this is the thing. I might get a small trolley so I can wheel it like those airport carry-on bags.
For double bass, I was happy with the sound with the amp set flat, which is very good going for db. The sound was very tight and articulate but I probably need to cut some bass to compensate for the pickup I use, Realist Lifeline, which is a bit muddy and lacking in top end compared to the natural sound of the instrument. I had the amp set very low which makes me think the Monza was bigger than the gig needed and maybe there scope to develop something smaller. My speaker for small db gigs is a EA Wizzy 10 inch that I fit in a cajon case backpack. I bought the Monza for bigger gigs.
The short answer is I think I will be using the Monza quite a lot, thanks.
Dominic, London
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First impressions: it’s a very good looking cab IMO. The grey finish makes it a bit different without being as in your face as an Orange cab. I like the steel grill and being able to see the woofer, compression driver and port. The handle is excellently placed and comfortable in the hand. It is recessed enough to allow the bottom of most heads to clear it: e.g. my MB LMIII but not my Warwick Gnome iPro (280 watt). The cover is exactly what I expect from an aftermarket cover manufacturer: tough cloth with proper padding, nicely fitted, with exactly the right positioning of the cut-out for the handle and a discreet LFSys logo. Size wise, it’s taller and broader than some other 10s, e.g. a BF One10 but similar in depth (if I recall my One10s correctly). It’s almost as wide as my Two10 but not as tall or deep.
OK; so how does it sound? Well everything others have said. You hear everything you put into it, which can be quite a shock, if like me you are used to cabs with a coloured tone. There is plenty of bottom end available and it’s distinct, not flabby. The mids and highs are very present. I then swapped to the LMIII and started to notice how every tweak to the EQ settings is noticeable. You really do get out what you put in, including any fret rattle from poor technique. I have the feeling that, whatever you need, it can give it. Provided you put the right source and EQ in, the Monza will deliver, whatever your tone and style.
I got to use the Monza at a rehearsal for the blues band I play in. For rehearsal it was the Monza/Warwick Gnome iPro/Flyrig 2 combination with my Boss wireless. To say I was pleased with the Monza’s performance is an understatement. Although this is the loudest band I play in, we tend to avoid ear-ringing volume at rehearsal. Still loud enough for a small pub. Anyway, I had the Gnome with Gain around 11 o’clock and Master between 9 and 10 o’clock, with the EQ settings following Phil Starr’s recommendations. I could hear myself so clearly that I thought I must be too loud but I took a wander around the room and the balance was perfect, with the bass cutting through clearly. What really impressed me was the amount of low end coming through.
Patrick, Norfolk
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I’ve not long taken delivery of 2x Monzas. Decided a modular set up was best for me so I can utilise the full 4ohm of my Tecamp Puma 900 with the two when (if) needed. I’ve only used one at a rehearsal so far but first impressions are very very positive. The clarity is amazing ( I always prefer a clean sound anyway) and I found the bottom end nice and tight but certainly enough to not sound’thin’ at all. The two together are very pleasant indeed but only had the chance to play them together at home and what with everything rattling it’s hard to get a proper’ idea if you know what I mean. I’ve had six different BF cabs over the years that have served me brilliantly, but I think these bring something else to the table.
Jeff, Surrey
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