4x12 vs 1x12 in a live setting - my observations

[Stramm8]

So I played my first show tonight with my ratty Sovtek 1x12 cabinet. Sounded great! If your miking it up and going through the PA, I think the difference between a 4x12 and a 1x12 is so small that it doesn't matter. I was going to get 2x12 but after this; what's the point? And my back couldn't be happier

 

[guitarmike]

Here's the point:

Your audience is not going to know or care whether you play through a pod or a full stack. They won't, in almost 30 years of playing live (covers) the crowd is there to dance or be entertained. They did not come out to see your gear. You (I really mean all of us) however, rely on the vibe you receive from playing through a killer rig. I agree that mic'ed the 1x12 sounds fine, but the look and feel of a rock amp is missing, at least to me. You after 5 back surgeries I still move a 4x12.

 

[lespaul6]

I agree.. the 1x12 will definitely work but I do the 4x12 for me.

 

[LP Freak]

Yep, 4x12 all the way. I've giged with a 2x12 before and while yes, it's all the same to the mic, but my pants didn't flap the same so it threw me off.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Single source audio will always sound the best, not surprised you like it!

 

[steve_k]

Shit....I am going no cabs altogether. Gigged this weekend with a Diezel D-Moll through a Two Notes Torpedo Live with cab sims to the FOH and split to two active RCF stage monitors. With the sims, you can dial in the cab/mic/EQ. At the end of the day, it doesn't make two shits how many 412's you have. It's stage noise to contend with and blowing people's hair back.

For me, I choose no cab. YMMV.

 

[Stramm8]

I get the lack of cool factor part. The other guitar player joked about how lonely my little rig looked on my side of the stage but it can move some air. Not as much as 4x12 . But like Steve said, it's about cleaning up the stage volume. We've actually started listening to the sound guy and turning down some and it's made all of the difference. I would love to try a Two Notes or some other solution like that but the cost/benefit relation just isn't there for me or my band at this time...

 

[blackba]

My biggest problem with 112s is that you are limited in what speakers you can use in their you using a 50watt or higher amp. I tend to most use 212s as I find its a good compromise.

 

['63-Strat]

I was just reading About the two notes stuff, very interesting. I have used my Bogner os 2x12 for a few gigs since getting it and really don't find it much diff than my bog 4x12 tho it's also not much smaller lol.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

I will say another advantage to a 112 is it is much cheaper to try different speakers. I haven't gigged for quite a while, but I think I am used to the sound of 112s I have had four different 412s in the last couple of years, sold them all. There is some limit to what speakers you can put in a 112 but running a full 50 watts to a single speaker, and getting it really working is a cool sound!!

 

[rcm78]

My biggest problem with 112s is that you are limited in what speakers you can use in their you using a 50watt or higher amp. I tend to most use 212s as I find its a good compromise.

Nah, If you're keeping the stage volume low you can use whatever speaker you want and not blow it...

 

[Heritage Softail]

Shit....I am going no cabs altogether. Gigged this weekend with a Diezel D-Moll through a Two Notes Torpedo Live with cab sims to the FOH and split to two active RCF stage monitors. With the sims, you can dial in the cab/mic/EQ. At the end of the day, it doesn't make two shits how many 412's you have. It's stage noise to contend with and blowing people's hair back.

For me, I choose no cab. YMMV.

When I saw Rush, I believe Lifeson was doing that. Or he had a killer backing of Washers and Dryers..

 

[JerEvil]

Doing my first gig with my Splawn 2x12's on the 15th. I was using an F-50 como and widebody 1x12 and it was pretty killer and easy to move. I am very excited about the new 2x12's. I used to use a full stack. Looked cool but was a bitch to haul.

 

[blackba]

My biggest problem with 112s is that you are limited in what speakers you can use in their you using a 50watt or higher amp. I tend to most use 212s as I find its a good compromise.

Nah, If you're keeping the stage volume low you can use whatever speaker you want and not blow it...

The thing is I am not always keeping the volume low. A practice I tend to run my amps louder than at gigs. So for me it's a still a concern with a 112.

 

[Zachman]

After MANY years of gigging with various rig setups, I've used 1x12's, 2x12's, 4x12's, combos, combos w/ extensions cabs of various sizes with various speaker combinations. I've used mixed blends (1x12's and 2x12's and 4x12's, mono, stereo, and w/d/w rigs).

Not once has the smaller rigs sounded better, to me-- though I admit the smaller solutions worked fine. The thing is, by contrast-- I end up hearing what's missing, and realized that it's because I was NEVER aiming for "Fine".

 

[Zachman]

Shit....I am going no cabs altogether. Gigged this weekend with a Diezel D-Moll through a Two Notes Torpedo Live with cab sims to the FOH and split to two active RCF stage monitors. With the sims, you can dial in the cab/mic/EQ. At the end of the day, it doesn't make two shits how many 412's you have. It's stage noise to contend with and blowing people's hair back.

For me, I choose no cab. YMMV.

I notice, when using a bunch of 4x12's live, that I don't have to turn up as loud as when I use a smaller setup, AND I can hear myself anywhere on the stage without my guitar in the monitors (I usually don't like my guitar in the monitors). Having gone a few times the way you described (No speakers on stage), was a train wreck for me, as those occasions were engineered by idiots. I decided NEVER again was I going to give up that much control to the sound guy.

 

[orangekick]

My issue with using less speakers always has to do with how I play. I tend to play with the feedback and balance a lot of the sound based on my interaction with the amp. When I turn down too much, I lose that connection with the amp. I have to wonder how the guys with no speakers on stage handle this. I just assume that none of them are using feedback.

 

[firegate]

Shit....I am going no cabs altogether. Gigged this weekend with a Diezel D-Moll through a Two Notes Torpedo Live with cab sims to the FOH and split to two active RCF stage monitors. With the sims, you can dial in the cab/mic/EQ. At the end of the day, it doesn't make two shits how many 412's you have. It's stage noise to contend with and blowing people's hair back.

For me, I choose no cab. YMMV.

When I saw Rush, I believe Lifeson was doing that. Or he had a killer backing of Washers and Dryers..

Yup, Lifeson runs all of his heads through Palmers.

 

[lespaul6]

My issue with using less speakers always has to do with how I play. I tend to play with the feedback and balance a lot of the sound based on my interaction with the amp. When I turn down too much, I lose that connection with the amp. I have to wonder how the guys with no speakers on stage handle this. I just assume that none of them are using feedback.

exactly.... there is no substitute for a well mic'd speaker

 

[thiswaythatway]

Here's a great 2x12 that will flap your pants and push air.
http://store.mesahollywood.com/0-2fbbp-e.html


I've had Bogner OS2x12 but for some reason they don't do it for me, especially since there about as big as a 4x12 and don't sound nearly as good. Yes, I've compared them directly next to each other, a Marshall 4x12 and the Bogner 2x12.