1 x 12 x 2 or 2 x 12 x 1 or 2 x 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 x 1

[Ting Ho Dung]

Okay, these are all boxes:

1 x 12

2 x 12

4 x 12

Is a small stack 2 x (1 x 12) = to 1 x (2 x 12)?

Which sounds better?

is a small stack 2 x (2 x 12) = to 1 x (4 x 12)

Which sounds better?

I know it's all subjective but can you give me an idea. I have an Egnater rebel 1 x 12 and was considering getting another to make a cute little stack but now wondering if I should get a 2 x 12 and turn it on it's side. So then I thought if I did that I'd eventually want to get 2 2x12 and then thought why not get a 4 x 12. Other than I would have to have help lifting the 4 x 12 what would be the advantages / disadvantages of these setups? For that matter why couldn't I just get 4 1 x 12 as long as the impedance is correct?

[JohnnyB]

The problem with most sound guys who love being in total control of what the audience hears is that they rarely give a rat's ass about the monitor mix. So, pointing a closed-back cab toward the back wall and getting enough of your guitar in the monitor is impossible. Side-filling is an option, though.

You just need to tell the sound guy what's what, and provide the motivation.

[hardheartedbill]

JB Im using either a bruno ug 30 limited or a really old mesa mk I ,both heads. Also used the Tophat club royale into it. Mine has kendrick blk frames and bigass wire tricked out by Scott Henderson in his blues phase

[Ting Ho Dung]

Many of these cabs are out of my range at the moment. One guy suggested the Egnater Tourmaster convertable cab. It has 2 Celestion Elite-80s in it. They can be had used for around 300 bucks. Anyone have experience with these? Right now I'm running a Jule modded Night Train 15 but probably won't gig with it.

[silentman]

$300 will put you in Mesa Theile territory - though there are versions with the black shadow not the EV. Again - if you care about carrying crap and jamming a 2x12 in a car, then the Mesa is the way to go. I have 2 that I use with my Mark V or sometimes my Axe-Fx and they are sweet sounding. YMMV

[Ting Ho Dung]

Are your Mesa Theile 1x 12 or 2x12? I'm missing something somewhere.

[Lockbody]

I'll jump on the Thiele bandwagon. If you're patient, you can pick one up used in the $300 range.

I think the Thieles sound best when paired with an open-back combo. I use an EVM-12L loaded one with my Boogie Mk IV combo, and it's just about broke me of wanting to keep a 4x12 cab around. I have an old Mesa halfback cab loaded with Celestion G12-65s and EVMs, and while the combo/Thiele setup doesn't quite have that big, huge 4x12 thump, it's damn close, and a lot lighter on this old back.

[Lockbody]

Are your Mesa Theile 1x 12 or 2x12? I'm missing something somewhere.

Mesa Thieles are ported 1x12s. I think he was just alluding to the hassles of trying to carry stuff and a 2x12.

[Ting Ho Dung]

Are your Mesa Theile 1x 12 or 2x12? I'm missing something somewhere.

Mesa Thieles are ported 1x12s. I think he was just alluding to the hassles of trying to carry stuff and a 2x12.

Thank you. These Mesa Thiele sound like 2x12 or 4x 12?

[kizanski]

Anything louder is just uncivilized.

Yeah, you wouldn't want anyone to walk over to you and just click your amp off while you're playing.

Talk about uncivilized!

[kizanski]

Cool parking spot.

Is your car in the house?

[django49]

One Thiele 1 x 12 has about has much "thump" and power handling capability as most 2 x 12s and many 4 x 12s. I agree with the above comment that they sound best with an open back 1. x 12, such as a Celestion. The Thiele handles a lot of power and is harder to drive into SPEAKER distortion. The Thiele is "airier" and breaks up earlier. The combination of the two gives a great big sound with both clean and dirty components.

I have a pair of Pacific Wood Works 2 x 12s......A slightly smaller sized version of the Mesa Halfbacks. (PWW is long since out of business and hard to find). The bottom is a closed Thiele with the EVM 200W 12". The top (Slanted) is an open back 1 x 12 with a Celestion V30. You can do the same thing with a Thiele 1 x 12 and an open back top, you just have to hook up twice as many speakers. These sound GREAT in a stereo setup, for anyone that still does that. I used to drive them with a Mesa Two Ninety.....90 wpc. HUGE.

Someone locally is selling a pair of EVM 300 watt 12s (!!). I am tempted to buy them and build two more Thiele cabs. Which I need like a(nother) hole in the head.

One other thought......Maybe the best sounding cab I have ever heard is a THD (Univalve fame) cab with 2 x 12 with mismatched speakers in a semi-open back. Taint cheap, at a list of $750, I think. If you can find a used one for a reasonable price (think I paid half of list), it is well worth searching out. Relatively small and compact for easier transport.

[Len]

Cool parking spot.

Is your car in the house?

Yes ... My car is inside the Store ... Dave has indoor parking now ...

[LordsoftheJungle]

The problem with most sound guys who love being in total control of what the audience hears is that they rarely give a rat's ass about the monitor mix. So, pointing a closed-back cab toward the back wall and getting enough of your guitar in the monitor is impossible. Side-filling is an option, though.

You just need to tell the sound guy what's what, and provide the motivation.

Motivation with just half-a-twenty! now that's pure HFC mind-control...

[hamerhead]

As 2x12s go, this Mojotone is a great cabinet:

It's about the size and weight of a 4x10, got the 'look', and has nearly the whump of a 4x12. Not cheap, but extremely well made.

Here's a link: http://www.mojotone....2-Slant-Cabinet

[Turdus]

at some time in the 80's, I saw the Hooters at the 20,000 seat Capital Center (DC area). Rhythm guitar player used a pair of 50 watt, 1-12" Marshall combos... and I'm pretty sure one was a backup, lol.

One does not need a lot of speakers to get good stage tone.... but having a massive PA to blow away the audience does not hurt.

[Ting Ho Dung]

Thanks for all the input. I have a line on a couple 4x12 5150 for 250 each. What do you think of them? I have a strong son who has a friend or two to lift them, hehe.

[Roshark]

The bottom/straight 4x12 5150 is the one to get . Peavey spent a lot of time and money modeling that cabinet to replicate Eddies favorite Marshall cab .