J
Junk Yard Dog
Well-known member
Ok, the head I have is a 50 Watt EVH 5153. I love it.
Myself and 3 other GC employees did a shootout of the EVH Fiddy and these 3 cabs and here are the results, but first, a little background...
I bought a used Splawn on CL, and it sounded great, but something was missing from it. Also, at higher volumes, something wasn't right. Maybe the back baffle. SO...I went to GC and tried out 3 other cabs:
-OS Bogner with V30s
-a Dr. Z cab that I CANNOT find what kind it is! It's open back with 2 G12H30's, looks like a Z Best, without the port. Hmmm...
-The Z cab looks like this: http://tjmusicaz.com/images/amplifiers/D-AMP-102.JPG , which is a pic of the 2x10, BUT the dimensions
on this Z are somewhat BIGGER than the Z best.
-This "Z" cab VERTICAL is 32" H x 20" W x 11" D
-Egnater Tourmaster
I started EVERY test with the EQ at noon for all channels and the volume on 3/90clock for all channels. To make sure it was a fair comparison. I played a Fender American Deluxe HSS, which is what I have at home.
Dr. Z vs Tourmaster vs. Splawn
-I plugged into the Z first and it was vertical. It sounded really good. I could tell already it was dispersing more sound than the Splawn. I could hear the nasty grit from the G12H 30's which sounded to piercing to me in the Splawn, BUT it was not as overwhelming in the Z; I wonder if that's due to the open back design. I played all 3 channels and all sounded really good.
-I plugged into the TM next, with the back closed, and it sounded like a blanket was put over it compared to the Z. This was a great example of how flavored speakers make a difference in your guitars sound. It has some punch, but and it sounded good overall. For a while the main GC rep and I went back and forth, switching the cabs by moving the speaker cable (both cabs were next to each other). We opened the amp up at 4/11o'clock. The TM had a lot of punch, but again, the speakers are so neutral that I had to dial in more "cut". It held up well, UNTIL we heard a rattle. I think it was the vent piece that you see when the back panel is OFF. It has a few slits and is the same size as the panel. I believe this is there so that you can attach and reattach the panel, but you can see that it has screws in some places and then holes where the panels screws would go. I believe the earthquake tone of the 5153 FIDDY was causing that to rattle a bit.
-Then plugged back into the Dr. Z at loud gig volumes and it was just more open and more cut. It thumped well and the Resonance switch really helped palm mutes and Pantera and Sepultura type chugs come through nicely. I decided on the Dr. Z over the Splawn and Eggie TM.
-Between the Eggie and the Splawn, that's a tough call. Both had the rattle on the back panel somewhere. Not the case on the Z.
NOW, HERE'S WHERE IT GETS MESSY....
Bogner OS vs. "Dr. Z" - now putting in quotes, b/c I'm not sure it's really a Z. Could be just a Z logo on some cab someone made.
-We went to the super boutique sound proof room where they all all VHT, PRS, and Bogner. I've heard so much how the Bogner OS 2x12 is the cat's tits, so I wanted to give it a whirl.
-Same thing, all EQ at noon, EXCEPT this time we started the volume at 3.5 (pretty loud), that's 10:30o'clock
-The Bogner sounded really good. I loved the V30s instantly with this EVH. Great tone. Jammed some on all 3 channels. This amp really comes alive at this volume, btw!
-Plugged into the "Dr. Z" - HOLY JEEBUS IT F'ING STOMPED ON THE BOGNER OS. The sales guy and I could NOT believe it. It was INSTANT. So, so, so, so, so strange, befuddled, shocked and disappointed. The "Z" just filled the room and had way more punch and presence. I was considering buying the Bogner, though it wasn't in the budget, but I so desparately have been wanting an OS 2x12 since I sold my OS Port City Wave 4 years ago. I still cannot believe it.
-Don't get me wrong, the Bogner sounded great, and it definitely sounded better than the Eggie TM and the Splawn, BUT, the "Z" really smoked it. Yes, smoked it. I hate to say it, but it did.
So there you have it. I walked out with a used, fake or knock-off Dr. Z cab that sounded better with my EVH Fiddy Watt than a Splawn with Hellatone 30's, Eggie Tourmaster, and Bogner OS.
Just my experience...Oh, and the 3 guys that worked at GC all agreed with with this. It just goes to show that...
1) It is all subjective, even if all things are equal (amps, guitars, cabs, etc.)
2) One can play all out assualt metal with an open back (with the right amp)
3) One man's treasure is another man's hype, until he has a different experience the next time
4) The Dr. Z knock-off cab really outshined all these other cabs
I'm very happy with my purchase. Cheers!
Myself and 3 other GC employees did a shootout of the EVH Fiddy and these 3 cabs and here are the results, but first, a little background...
I bought a used Splawn on CL, and it sounded great, but something was missing from it. Also, at higher volumes, something wasn't right. Maybe the back baffle. SO...I went to GC and tried out 3 other cabs:
-OS Bogner with V30s
-a Dr. Z cab that I CANNOT find what kind it is! It's open back with 2 G12H30's, looks like a Z Best, without the port. Hmmm...
-The Z cab looks like this: http://tjmusicaz.com/images/amplifiers/D-AMP-102.JPG , which is a pic of the 2x10, BUT the dimensions
on this Z are somewhat BIGGER than the Z best.
-This "Z" cab VERTICAL is 32" H x 20" W x 11" D
-Egnater Tourmaster
I started EVERY test with the EQ at noon for all channels and the volume on 3/90clock for all channels. To make sure it was a fair comparison. I played a Fender American Deluxe HSS, which is what I have at home.
Dr. Z vs Tourmaster vs. Splawn
-I plugged into the Z first and it was vertical. It sounded really good. I could tell already it was dispersing more sound than the Splawn. I could hear the nasty grit from the G12H 30's which sounded to piercing to me in the Splawn, BUT it was not as overwhelming in the Z; I wonder if that's due to the open back design. I played all 3 channels and all sounded really good.
-I plugged into the TM next, with the back closed, and it sounded like a blanket was put over it compared to the Z. This was a great example of how flavored speakers make a difference in your guitars sound. It has some punch, but and it sounded good overall. For a while the main GC rep and I went back and forth, switching the cabs by moving the speaker cable (both cabs were next to each other). We opened the amp up at 4/11o'clock. The TM had a lot of punch, but again, the speakers are so neutral that I had to dial in more "cut". It held up well, UNTIL we heard a rattle. I think it was the vent piece that you see when the back panel is OFF. It has a few slits and is the same size as the panel. I believe this is there so that you can attach and reattach the panel, but you can see that it has screws in some places and then holes where the panels screws would go. I believe the earthquake tone of the 5153 FIDDY was causing that to rattle a bit.
-Then plugged back into the Dr. Z at loud gig volumes and it was just more open and more cut. It thumped well and the Resonance switch really helped palm mutes and Pantera and Sepultura type chugs come through nicely. I decided on the Dr. Z over the Splawn and Eggie TM.
-Between the Eggie and the Splawn, that's a tough call. Both had the rattle on the back panel somewhere. Not the case on the Z.
NOW, HERE'S WHERE IT GETS MESSY....
Bogner OS vs. "Dr. Z" - now putting in quotes, b/c I'm not sure it's really a Z. Could be just a Z logo on some cab someone made.
-We went to the super boutique sound proof room where they all all VHT, PRS, and Bogner. I've heard so much how the Bogner OS 2x12 is the cat's tits, so I wanted to give it a whirl.
-Same thing, all EQ at noon, EXCEPT this time we started the volume at 3.5 (pretty loud), that's 10:30o'clock
-The Bogner sounded really good. I loved the V30s instantly with this EVH. Great tone. Jammed some on all 3 channels. This amp really comes alive at this volume, btw!
-Plugged into the "Dr. Z" - HOLY JEEBUS IT F'ING STOMPED ON THE BOGNER OS. The sales guy and I could NOT believe it. It was INSTANT. So, so, so, so, so strange, befuddled, shocked and disappointed. The "Z" just filled the room and had way more punch and presence. I was considering buying the Bogner, though it wasn't in the budget, but I so desparately have been wanting an OS 2x12 since I sold my OS Port City Wave 4 years ago. I still cannot believe it.
-Don't get me wrong, the Bogner sounded great, and it definitely sounded better than the Eggie TM and the Splawn, BUT, the "Z" really smoked it. Yes, smoked it. I hate to say it, but it did.
So there you have it. I walked out with a used, fake or knock-off Dr. Z cab that sounded better with my EVH Fiddy Watt than a Splawn with Hellatone 30's, Eggie Tourmaster, and Bogner OS.
Just my experience...Oh, and the 3 guys that worked at GC all agreed with with this. It just goes to show that...
1) It is all subjective, even if all things are equal (amps, guitars, cabs, etc.)
2) One can play all out assualt metal with an open back (with the right amp)
3) One man's treasure is another man's hype, until he has a different experience the next time
4) The Dr. Z knock-off cab really outshined all these other cabs
I'm very happy with my purchase. Cheers!
