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Question About Cabs in General

M

Mosher

May 18, 2005
16
0
Atlanta
www.myspace.com
#1
Alright, so here's my sob story: kid without a job, bought a tiny used Fender combo amp--probably 10-25 watts--that I knew nothing about when I still couldn't remember standard tuning off the top of my head. :rollno:

I've pretty much grown out of it, I'd venture to say. :)

Now I've got myself a rock band, and I can't even hear myself at practice. At ALL. At gigs, I always feel weird, because I'll usually borrow someone else's amp, and I'll hear this strange sound in our songs and realize, Hey, that's ME! :D

Thus, I'm looking to buy a stack that I won't need to upgrade for a while, on a budget that has yet to exist. (I only have a $1.50 to my name as of now, looking to get some employment soon-ish.)

I'm thinking a Yorkie XS400H'll do quite nicely--I hardly play larger venues, but I do have outdoor shows a bit regularly--and from what I've read around here, Avatar cabs are the bomb for their price, but what I can't figure out is this:

Which types of speaker arrangements are for what kind of sound?

What advantages and disadvantages do 4x10's, 2x10's, 1x15 or 18's, and 1 or 2x12's have over each other?
 
#2
It all depends at the specific cab. Speakers and cabs all sound different. As for a head, take a good look at the Traynor YBA-200 and the Kustom Groovebass. Both are about $600 new, and both sound good. Personally for rock, I'd take the Traynor. It is all tube, but don't be decieved by the 200 watt rating. It is about equal in volume to a 800 watt SS amp.
Generally:
10s have punch, but lack lows
12s really depend on which specific 12 but can have both punch and lows
15s lack efficency and punch but have lows
18s have tons of lows, more than you will ever need
 
#3
The following are gross over-generalizations based on what you are likely to find floating around in an average guitar store. There are many expensive items that break these guidelines ... but I'll assume you're not interested in those right now ;)

1x15s have lots of bottom end, but less overall volume. Good 1x15s are some of my favorite sounding speaker cabs, with a very balanced warm tone. But they are usually a little quiet.

2x10s have simmilar volume to a 1x15, less bottom end, more high mids ("presence"). A lot of the time on a gig, you'll be able to clearly hear a 210 , where a 1x15 would get "lost in the mix". But you're not going to be "feeling" a lot of bass. The Eden D-210XLT is a great all around cab, and a bit of an exception to the bottom end "rule".

4x10s have lots of punch, lots of volume, and the good ones have plenty of bottom end, and great tone. IMO these are the basic cabinet of rock.

2x12s ... you'll have to ask somebody else since I've never used one, but on paper they look like they have simmlar volume to a 4x10, but with more bottom end and a little less punch.


I went a long way in my progression with a 150w peavey head and 1x15 cabinet, but was consistenly under volume. My advice for a basic rock rig on a budget is to get a quality, modern, efficient used 8 ohm 4x10 cab (such as an SWR goliath II, Eden 410T or 410XLT, Aguilar GS410, even a Peavey 410TX or Carvin Redline) . Then get a head that will put out at least 3-400 watts into 8 ohms. Later, when you've got more money, add another 8 ohm 410 or a 115 and you'll be booming (and you'll get more power out of your amp since the total load will be 4 ohms).

Another good combo, though a little more expensive just because it is two cabinets, is a 210+115.
 

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