Revsound RS88T Bass Cab – “Eight is Enough”

This Article Was Originally Published On: December 15, 2015 #Issue 17.

RS88T

As you might expect, the RS88T features eight 8″ drivers (Celestion TNO820 neodymium drivers, to be exact), along with the same Seismic Audio Super Bullet titanium tweeter which we saw in the RS112T. The distinctive feature which keeps this from being a true “mini-fridge” design is the large slot port at the bottom of the enclosure. For handles, the RS88T offers two high quality spring loaded handles on the side – which are positioned so as to allow for a comfortable one-person carry – as well as a single handle on the top, located closer to the back edge, for tilt-back rolling. This last bit is, of course, made possible by the integrated casters positioned on the bottom/back edge of the enclosure. There are four wide, but relatively short, rubber feet on the bottom near the front, and then two more near the back, which allow for a stable stance once placed in the desired position. However, their placement does not get in the way when you tilt the cab back to roll. And if you were paying attention, I did say that this cab can be comfortably carried, solo, thanks to the cab’s good handle placement and light weight (73.2 lbs). That is impressive for a cab that is nearly four feet tall! The 1/2″ marine-grade okume plywood certainly contributes to the RS88T’s light weight.

I really like the proportions of this cab. It takes up a pretty small footprint (one of David’s specific design goals), but it is also tall enough not only to position your bass head where it is easy to see and adjust, but also to get the sound up closer to your ears, where it’s easier to be heard on stage (even when standing fairly close). The “tall but thin” proportions also mean that it’s easy to transport – it should fit into the back seat of a typical compact car. If you want to go even smaller, Revsound now also offers the RS48VT, which features four of the Celestion 8″ drivers arranged like a line array (a vertical stack). David likes this approach: 

When I first unboxed the RS88T, it had this “retro meets modern (and slightly downsized)” vibe that reminded me of another hip piece of bass kit – the Demeter VTBP-M-800D bass head – which happened to be sitting nearby. Pairing the two proved to be quite rewarding, and looked hella cool. As much as I liked the pairing with the Demeter head, I was eager to try the RS88T with some tube power. After trying several different all-tube (or least “mostly tube”) heads with the RS88T, I decided that it was most definitely a tube-friendly enclosure. Only later did I learn that this ability to work with high-powered solid state amps and lower-powered tube heads was one of David’s specific goals for this cab. “Players now are all over the place with regard to what they’re carrying for power, so I wanted the RS88T to have the efficiency to run off an old Fender Bassman and the headroom to handle a 1,000-watt head.”

The RS88T is definitely a mid-forward cab, especially in the upper mids. When I use my GK MB Fusion, I normally leave the Contour (mid-scoop) control completely off, but this was one of the rare cabs where I found it very useful to crank up the Contour (using the 800Hz setting). This is not to say that the RS88T doesn’t sound great without a mid cut. It does, but in an obviously mid-forward way. The low end leans towards the “tight and dry” side. It isn’t one of those cabs with “seismic lows,” though it is plenty full down to a low B for my personal preferences. I can see where a 4-string with a drop-D would really be in the RS88T’s sweet spot. With the MB Fusion, I also preferred engaging the “Deep” setting, which can be too much for some cabs, but the RS88T ate it up. 

Regarding the high end, I do wish that this cab had an attenuator on the tweeter, as opposed to the on/off switch, as I think I would have preferred a little bit of the tweeter to either the full-on or full-off position. [Ed. note: David Luke tells us that future RS88T builds will include an L-pad on the tweeter.] When engaged, the tweeter more than holds its own against those 8” drivers, as is actually a bit hotter than I’d prefer. With the tweeter disengaged (which is how I used it most of the time), it has more of an old-school, SVT-like vibe. On the whole, the cab took to EQ pretty well, and I could definitely dial in some more modern tones. But again, I think an attenuator on the tweeter would have really upped the tonal versatility.

On the Gig

My first gig with the RS88T was at a difficult room (from a sonic perspective) which I have played several times before. In parts of the room, the bass almost disappears, but in other parts, it’s nothing but boom. I have previously had great results with my Mesa/Boogie Strategy head in this room. The combination of big, round, powerful “tube low end” with the ability to carve out “trouble frequencies” with the graphic EQ works very well in this room, so it got the call to go out on a date with the RS88T. The cab, itself, brought a lot to the table in this room. The cab has excellent dispersion – both horizontally and vertically – thanks in part to its tall, but slightly thin, profile. The strong midrange presence definitely helped it cut through the mix, as well. I did not use much, if any, EQ for the cab, itself, but I definitely used the graphic EQ to adjust to the room. Once again, I appreciated the “big sound from a small footprint” aspect of this cab.

The Bottom Line

The RS88T offers a unique mix of old school and new school traits. This is a “big boy” cab, but it is brilliantly proportioned such that it fits into about any vehicle. It brings a commanding presence to the stage, but occupies only a modest amount of real estate. With the tweeter off, it has an old-school, SVT-like vibe, and with it engaged, it features a prominent, bright top end. If you have not checked out what Revsound is bringing to the table, lately, then it’s high time you did so.

1-5 (unacceptable to impeccable)

Low: Tight and full
Mids: Upper-mid present and punchy
Highs: Subdued, or in your face, but not much in between