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Proper cab for disto effects?

moosapotamus

moosapotamus

Jul 16, 2002
321
8
New Hampshire USA
moosapotamus.net
#1
Maybe this is blindingly obvious to some, but I think more than half the challenge of finding a good sounding fuzz/OD/disto effects that sit well and can punch through the mix in a live performing situation may be that you need to have a speaker cabinet that is capable of reproducing thost kinds of sounds. Yes? No? Maybe? What do you think?

I have lots of dirt pedals that sound great on their own and even in a recorded mix. But, on stage or even in rehersal with the whole band, my fuzz sound still gets lost. So, I'm starting to think that the reason for this has much less to do with the pedals than it has to do with the fact that I'm playing through a 200W combo with a single 15" speaker (BXR200), and that a single 15" is just not capapable of delivering the kind of high frequency response that is needed to reproduce a decent fuzz/OD/disto sound. Make sense? Agree? Disagree?

If you want to have a decent fuzz/OD/disto sound, is it best to have a range of different driver sizes in your cabinet... like horns or tweeters or just smaller speakers (~8" maybe) in combination with larger (12" to 15")? I've never tried a 2x10 or a 4x10. But, I know there are lots of folks who swear by them and say that the still provide plenty of bottom. Any firsthand experiences? Recommendations?

Thanks!
~ Charlie
 
#3
I like the sound of distorted bass through twelves- there is a reason guitarists use them... much warmer when you distort.
I run a slightly dirty sound through the mains, a clean through tens, and a heavy crunch through a 12. But that is just me...
 
#5
I'm a big advocate of upgrading the cabs. I think having clean, articulate cabs will make a big difference in all areas. From making your Amp sound better, to the effects your running.

So, I'm starting to think that the reason for this has much less to do with the pedals than it has to do with the fact that I'm playing through a 200W combo with a single 15" speaker (BXR200), and that a single 15" is just not capapable of delivering the kind of high frequency response that is needed to reproduce a decent fuzz/OD/disto sound. Make sense? Agree? Disagree?
Click to expand...
I think it depends on the 15" speaker. I had a Genz Benz 15 and the response was kind of muddy with distortion. But the GB was not a super versatile 15 by itself. I upgraded to a Bag End S15d and an S15x-d which are very full range cabs. Distortion, OD and Fuzz sounds great though them. They cut through really well in a live setting clean and w/ effects.
 
#7
moosapotamus said:
...I'm starting to think that the reason for this has much less to do with the pedals than it has to do with the fact that I'm playing through a 200W combo with a single 15" speaker (BXR200), and that a single 15" is just not capapable of delivering the kind of high frequency response that is needed to reproduce a decent fuzz/OD/disto sound. Make sense? Agree? Disagree?
Click to expand...
Agree.

That's among the several reasons why I use a PA cab for my on-stage rig. It's a JBL JRX125 - 2X15s, and a 1"-throat horn that's about a foot across.

..the other main reason is that it puts-out this great tone eeeeeevenly, across a nice wide dispertion pattern.

Another reason is that when I use the post-send on my GK head, then if soundguy doesn't mess with it much, I should be able to expect that the audience is hearing what I am!

I'd like to get a subwoofer for it too, at least for when I don't have full-range PA support (which is pretty-much all-the-time for now, but I got plans, Baby!). This cab has great punch and burp and bark and all, but it peters-out way-down into those pillowy subs below 40Hz.

Another thing I'm thinking about a little-bit is using the bi-amped sparkly-highs amp that's built into my GK (the crossover is set way-up at 5KHz) to drive a super-tweeter... Sheesh! That'd have me running - between the passive and active crossovers - a five-way system! I guess cab micing would be pretty-much out of the question anyway...

Joe
 
#8
Cool. pretty much confirms what I've been thinking for a while... I need to upgrade my speaker cab(s) and get something that's more full-range compared to my single 15".

I think I need to just hit the stores and audition as many as I can find, Bag End, Schroder, so on and so forth... and, bring along a couple of fuzz pedals. Using a PA cab on stage is a really interesting idea. Thanks y'all!

~ Charlie
 

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