Difference between Combo and Head+Cab?

[grass132456]

Is there any other differences besides you can mix and match?
What if the head and cab has the same things as the combo? What is the difference?

[pringlw]

Umm. They're forever connected?

Not much other than that. I have a Markbass 102p combo cab. It's basically a Markbass II head and a Markbass 2X10 cab - forever connected. Thats pretty much it.

[RickenBoogie]

Most combo's have smaller boxes for the spkrs than the stand alone cab.

[lomo]

Combo advantages: cost and simplicity.
Combo -ves: cab volume is virtually always smaller, resulting in higher tuning, often not optimal. One heavier, bulkier piece to haul (some like this). If you grow tired of the head or cab, you have to ditch both.

Personally, I much prefer separate head and cab unless you're talking about a very small (sub 50 lb) unit used to grab and go for lower volume stuff.

[Russell L]

It also costs a lot to get out of a combo into separate components, so make sure you know what you want before purchasing anything. I'm going through that right now.

[jlepre]

Why not give us the example of the combo you have in mind?

[drdunwoody]

Separates just give you more flexibility to mix and match. They take slightly more time to set up (two more connections) but I prefer them for the flexibility. But if you have a rock solid combo you like, then cool!

[Joe Nerve]

I was a combo guy for a long time. Used a Peavey TNT for it simplicity and the ability to fit it in my trunk. When that finally crapped out (after about 25 yrs of serious abuse from me and the previous owner) I couldn't find anything that size, that could put out that volume, without breaking up. Wound up after buying countless amps with a Carvin BX500 head, a Bergantino NV610 for most gigs, and a GK Neo 212 for smaller gigs. I couldn't be happier, and have since come to the conclusion that there are many advantages to going the cab/head route as opposed to to combo.

1. Most of the gigs I play the backline consists of a bottom and the venue ONLY wants me to bring a head. With the Carvin I can throw it in my backpack and don't even feel the extra 5 lbs.

2. Cabs without heads are smaller, lighter and easier to fit into trunks and transport than combos. Again, with all the micro heads around carrying the head seperately is no longer the issue it used to be.

3. I'm not limited to speaker configuration of the combo. I can use the club backline cab, my 212, my 610 or any other cab I suddenly get the gas to buy.

4. I'm not limited to using my head should I wake up one morning (which I"m pretty sure I won't) thinking I really should be using something else.

5. Makes it a whole lot easier to have backup equipment with seperates. And take up less space in your house. Plus a good powerful head can be found relatively cheap these days.

6. If something craps out it's easier to fix (and be able to still gig) because it doesn't mean the whole rig has to go into the shop.

7. I also think seperates sound better, but there are so many variables that go into that which can easily be argued. I know though that I had a GK 212 Neo Combo, and my Backline 600 with the 212 Neo cab sounds way better.

8. Many combos, I guess for the sake of keeping them compact, have no wheels. That makes a 50 lb combo a whole lot tougher for me to walk a block with (or even from curbside to stage), than my 100 lb. Berg that I can tilt and wheel with one hand.

Could probably come up with more reasons, but those are the main ones. I'm happy I went the route I did.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Most combo's have smaller boxes for the spkrs than the stand alone cab.

+1, and a smaller box means less bass output. In most cases combos trade utility for convenience, though IMO the weight of carrying the amp and speakers in the same box instead of separately isn't all that convenient either.

[will33]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

+1, and a smaller box means less bass output. In most cases combos trade utility for convenience, though IMO the weight of carrying the amp and speakers in the same box instead of separately isn't all that convenient either.

+1

Until recently. Nowdays with these little 5lb. micro amps, you can make the box portion proper for the drivers, graft that little amp on it somewhere and you have a well designed combo. I expect to see more guys using combo/ext. cab rigs of this type although when the amp fits in the gigbag pocket, I guess separates are less of a hassle and don't require another trip to the car so 6 of one/half dozen of the other. I like Ibanez's Promethian system when it comes to convenience like that. Combo convenience when you want it, yank the amp out and stick it on bigger cabs whrn you need it.

[seanm]

I use a combo amp for 96.8% of my gigs[*]. To be honest, there isn't that much advantage at gigs. Where there is a big advantage is for rehearsals and auditions where I can load in/out in one trip.

My combo is just a normal speaker with a space on top for the head. So the cab is normal size, not smaller.

I bought mine before the micro amps really took off. If I could fit the micro amp in my gig bag, then really there is no advantage to the combo amp. But I have it, it works great, so I am not tempted to get something else.

* I don't use it if I am playing outdoors and I am expecting heavy rain. Then I use my backup rig

[grass132456]

Originally Posted by jlepre

Why not give us the example of the combo you have in mind?

Well I wasn't thinking of getting a combo amp to upgrade, but I do have a combo amp currently.

I was looking at guitar center and the GK MB115 Ultralight Combo is for $400. If I "separate" the combo, then I get a GK MB115 Ultralight cab for $225 and a GK MB200 Ultralight head for $250. The Combo is $400, but the head+cab is $475. What is the difference?

And I was thinking of a GK MB500 and GK Neo 155-III head and cab.

[seanm]

Originally Posted by grass132456

Well I wasn't thinking of getting a combo amp to upgrade, but I do have a combo amp currently.

I was looking at guitar center and the GK MB115 Ultralight Combo is for $400. If I "separate" the combo, then I get a GK MB115 Ultralight cab for $225 and a GK MB200 Ultralight head for $250. The Combo is $400, but the head+cab is $475. What is the difference?

And I was thinking of a GK MB500 and GK Neo 155-III head and cab.

This is economics that really has nothing to do with the advantages of a combo amp.

There may be some small efficiencies to the combo, for example it is one item to pack, inventory, and store than two. But a big advantage to the seller is a bigger sale. While you *might* by the GK head and cab, you might also buy just the head or just the cab.

With the combo amp, the seller is getting a $400 sale rather than a $250 or $225 sale.

[klokker]

Some combo's have a tilt back feature which makes them good for a stage monitor if you spend a lot of your time playing through the house. Given the right circumstances, that's a big plus.

Most of the time though, separates seem the way to go at least to me.