2x12's: Orientation, Why, and Brand Experiences...

Mesa 2x12 Rectifier and ENGL 2x12 Pro, both with V30, closed back, love them both, sound nearly the same. Prefer ENGL's recessed 4x12-like side handles to Mesa's strap on top, but Mesa has the removable casters, and ENGL comes with no casters, though easier to stick in a case...
 
A sleeper cab is the Carvin vertical slanted 2x12. Mine is from the 90's and has the carpet covering (similar to the old ADA's). It is solid, sounds great, and can be found used on the cheap. I replaced the speakers with a V30 and a CL80. Vertical 2x12's are the only way to go. You can hear them much better than your standard horizontal cab placed on the stage floor. The only thing the horizontal cab has going for it is that it holds a standard sized head with more stability.


 
I've tried a bunch of different 2x12s and the CAA model stands head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. It's ported in a way that gives it a deceptively huge bass response, it's fairly light weight, sounds great with everything that I've thrown at it (so far), and can be used vertically or horizontally. Mine has a pair of M75s in it.

 
Robotechnology":1qw8002x said:
My go to 2x12 is a Mesa 3/4 Back 2X12. They sound better as you turn them up, I guess because of the tuning of the cab. I have two of them and don't miss a 4x12 when I use just one of the Mesa's. More pluses is that they are compact and light in weight.


Yes, don't count out Mesa cabs. I have the Mesa widebody 3/4 back ported 1x12 that I pair with a Mesa/Boogie DC-5 widebody combo and it sounds huge for some reason, almost like its running through a 4x12.
 
That one you like that was sold as a Dr Z looks like an older Avatar. I have the same cab with 2 greenbacks and I use it all the time.
 
In the future I'd love to get a horizontal 2x12 cab that has a super tight chunky low end, roaring midrange and searing crunchy top end- to use with my MarkIV.

Maybe CAA?
 
petejt":23s1fg4q said:
In the future I'd love to get a horizontal 2x12 cab that has a super tight chunky low end, roaring midrange and searing crunchy top end- to use with my MarkIV.

Maybe CAA?

If you have a Mark IV... get the Mesa 212. It's a superb sounding cabinet that sounds fantastic with a Mark IV. If you don't get a killer tone out of that combination (assuming you love Mesa tone), then the problem lies in your guitar or in your fingers.
:)

p.s. If you happen to live anywhere near northern NJ, I'm selling my Mesa 212, blue tolex w/black grill, upgraded with the BECOS stereo/mono jackplate... for reasons that have nothing to do with the sound or functionality of cab. (I need a 212 from the amp company I have an endorsement deal with and can't afford one cab without selling the other). But assuming you're nowhere near hear, I have nothing but praise for this cab, and used it with my Triaxis/2:Ninety rig (in stereo) as well as with a Road King II for those times I didn't need my 412.
 
petejt":2und4q6t said:
In the future I'd love to get a horizontal 2x12 cab that has a super tight chunky low end, roaring midrange and searing crunchy top end- to use with my MarkIV.

Maybe CAA?
I can't recommend the CAA enough...should sound stellar with the Mark IV. I went through several Mesa cabs in my search for "the" 2x12...the CAA really stood out over any of them. The Mesas weren't bad, the CAA was just better.
 
Love the Splawn 2x12 cabs. We have a dozen of them in the studio. They are built really well and sound awesome. The problem you has with your Splawn cab was a fluke ... or possibly the cab was damaged by the previous owner. Splawn customer service is second to none!
 
apophis":1sd7rie6 said:
Earcandy buzzbomb w/ eminence v12....can be set either horizontal or vertical ;)

Is that guy still taking customer deposits and not delivering the cabinets, or is he finally officially out of business?
 
Mesa\Kramer":11t079ki said:
I'd also check out the Whitebox stuff.

Can be ordered with removable panels to make 3/4 or 1/2 back as needed.

Great prices and US made.

http://www.whiteboxeng.com/


I have a 2x12 from them with Eminence Swamp Thang/Texas Heat. Sounds great closed or 3/4 back and is very high quality all around.
 
...Yes, the Splawn I had was definitely a fluke. I know those cabs slay, just unfortunate the used one I got was defective. I'd love to try one of their 4x12's.
 
rlord1974":3uo71vfp said:
apophis":3uo71vfp said:
Earcandy buzzbomb w/ eminence v12....can be set either horizontal or vertical ;)

Is that guy still taking customer deposits and not delivering the cabinets, or is he finally officially out of business?

I think he is back,saw some of his cabs in ebay....my cab took 8 months to get here originally...i later got 2 more from ebay but in the end only kept one...some speakers sound really really nice in these cabs
 
scottkahn":n5mbp3tx said:
petejt":n5mbp3tx said:
In the future I'd love to get a horizontal 2x12 cab that has a super tight chunky low end, roaring midrange and searing crunchy top end- to use with my MarkIV.

Maybe CAA?

If you have a Mark IV... get the Mesa 212. It's a superb sounding cabinet that sounds fantastic with a Mark IV. If you don't get a killer tone out of that combination (assuming you love Mesa tone), then the problem lies in your guitar or in your fingers.
:)

I used to have a Stiletto 4x12 closed-back cab which was fantastic. Although over time I started to get annoyed with the V30s.
I sold the cab as I needed the money, but I managed to get hold of some MC90 & EV speakers, and installed them with some WGS ET-65s into two secondhand 4x12 cabs. They sound pretty good, but I would like to make the impedance 8 ohms per side rather than 16 ohms per side.


scottkahn":n5mbp3tx said:
[p.s. If you happen to live anywhere near northern NJ, I'm selling my Mesa 212, blue tolex w/black grill, upgraded with the BECOS stereo/mono jackplate... for reasons that have nothing to do with the sound or functionality of cab. (I need a 212 from the amp company I have an endorsement deal with and can't afford one cab without selling the other). But assuming you're nowhere near hear, I have nothing but praise for this cab, and used it with my Triaxis/2:Ninety rig (in stereo) as well as with a Road King II for those times I didn't need my 412.

Well I live about 20,000km as the crow flies to northern New Jersey. Just a tad outside the neighbourhood ;)
 
rupe":3dekza84 said:
petejt":3dekza84 said:
In the future I'd love to get a horizontal 2x12 cab that has a super tight chunky low end, roaring midrange and searing crunchy top end- to use with my MarkIV.

Maybe CAA?
I can't recommend the CAA enough...should sound stellar with the Mark IV. I went through several Mesa cabs in my search for "the" 2x12...the CAA really stood out over any of them. The Mesas weren't bad, the CAA was just better.

I'd love to get hold of a CAA one day, run it with a slave feed from the MarkIV to my Jazz Chorus combo amp- would sound huge.
 
petejt":468r9c59 said:
Well I live about 20,000km as the crow flies to northern New Jersey. Just a tad outside the neighbourhood ;)

No worries. I'm really not dying to sell it since I know I'm going to own more Mesa gear (probably a Mark V, actually), and I'd want to play it through my Mesa cab. In fact I'm not even running an auction for it anymore... it's too good sounding.
 
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