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Sound Difference Between Rigs, Discussion

yakmastermax

yakmastermax

Mar 1, 2015
671
444
33
Boulder Colorado
#1
Hey TB, I thought about titling this thread "Sound Difference between 12"s and 15"s" But that probably wouldn't have ended well. Anyway I was at practice today and was comparing two rigs. First is what I'm mainly using, a BX700 on top of a TC Electronic K212 2x12" cab.

I also have an Acoustic 406 2x15" that I tried out today under an old GK 800RB.

Oh man did the Acoustic and the GK sound good. Very very full, and surprisingly more "clear" and "present". This may be a matter of apples and oranges but I can't but feel that it might simply boil down to the cabinet? I'm gonna try the Carvin on top of the Acoustic cabinet, and then I'll know for sure.

Little bit disappointing though that my brand new rig is outshined so handily by a 1981 2x15" and an old 800RB.
 
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#2
I think a lot of it depends on what we're expecting to here. We've all got our own idea of what it's supposed to sound like, but we don't know how to get there, until we get there.

That "presence" you spoke of, maybe that's a big part of what you're looking for & that old rig had more of it than yours.

I might hear you play through both rigs & prefer the sound of your rig as presence isn't a big part of my holy grail.

& I've never been a big fan of 15" speakers. I prefer the focused sound of a good 4x10.
 
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#7
Bent77 said:
Aren't cabinets known for needing a break in period before the cones settle in?
Click to expand...

Cab is certainly already broken in. Lots of practice, and an open mic.:thumbsup:

Okay so I tried the BX700 through the Acoustic 406. I couldn't try the GK 800RB through the TCE K212 because the K212 only accepts speakon. :rolleyes:

The Acoustic 406 cabinet certainly has some mojo. I swear it is the 15"s, or maybe I should avoid generalizations and just say that the Acoustic 406 from 1981 sounds a whole lot better than the brand new TCE K212.

Whether under BX700 or the GK 800RB the Acoustic 406 just sounded so much more fulldrool. Hard to describe, but much more full and real in the lowend. The BX700 was certainly more brittle and "clear" in the mids and the highs. Even after tweaking the EQ I couldn't quite get it to sound like the GK 800RB. I'm almost positive that the fullness is the cabinet. I suspect it is the 15"s vs the 12"s.:bag:

On another note I wonder if the class A mosfet power (please correct me if I'm wrong about this!:bookworm:) section in the GK 800RB vs the class D in the BX700 could be contributing to the difference in sound. The GK 800RB just sounds more organic and real. It sounds better to my ears, and even more, both the guitarist and the vocalist agreed, the best sound was the GK 800RB on top of the Acoustic 406....

I'm at a complete loss. I bought the BX700 and TWO TCE K212s just two months ago...
Don't get me wrong, the BX700 and the K212 stack is pretty killer. It sounds good, it really does. Plus the form factor is absolutely perfect. The K212 cabinets are 50lbs each and I can fit both in my tiny Impreza (yeah I'm in colorado haha) at the same time.

I'll be honest though If I could get the GK 800RB and Acoustic 406 tone/sound into the BX700 and K212 though I would prefer that.
 
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#10
Your GK and Carvin amps sound different. That difference is often the basis for choosing one or the other. Nothing wrong with either. It's a matter of what you like. The Carvin is not inherently brittle - it's a matter of EQ and the voicing of the cab being used. Same with the Acoustic and TCE cabs. The TCE is a modern, compact design. In fact it's a little tight (internal volume) for two 12's. It's just not going to have a full tone AND be as efficient as the Acoustic. TCE promises to be everything... which is not possible (for engineering reasons), although they seem to have (re)invented vertical, inline stacking. The difference is not about 12's vs 15's. It's about engineering goals and compromises. Its up to us to listen and decide. Since you like the tone of the Acoustic 406, you might really like the new Rumble 115 cab (or a pair).
 
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#15
I've been reading all the comments, I probably want be of any help because I've never tried any of the amps you've mentioned but I will give my opion on speakers an amps. I've played through 10's, 12's, and 15's for some reason12's just don't deliver the tone and presence that 10's and 15's deliver. Now I play through an Ampeg SVT Classic with 4-10's 1-15 and a bullet horn, now that thing moves some air. For smaller venues I use the SVT Head with a GK 4-10 cab. No matter which cabnet I use it's the SVT Tube amp that delivers the sound that I like. Lately I've been playing with just a tube pre amp through the PA and I have found that I can EQ it in and get a pretty good sound, bring it in to the monitors and there you go. I may never use an amp again. I've been playing sence 1967 my first amp was an Ampeg Porta Flex B2-15 I love the tone and feel of a tube amp.
 

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