4x12 vs 2x12 in a band setting/live - your experience?

[university81]

So i have a 2x12 i use at home for practice essentially, and a 4x12 that i use in the band practice room , where we do play pretty loud

I'm lucky enough also to play through a friend's half open boogie 4x12 that sounds stellar

practical reasons aside, i was curious how many people here regularly use a 2x12 in a band setting ? and how they might compare to say a 4x12 in a similar situation ?

our practice room is quite muffled so the volume tends to get cranked, i'm not sure if a 2x12 could really handle that as well,

and would a 2x12 be enough for non mic'd bar gigs?

thanks

 

[mboogman]

A 2x12 can get pretty loud. You might need to give it a little more than the 4x12, but I think you could get there. It's also about directionality of the speakers though. If you were to tilt the 2x12 up to your ears, and not pointed at the backs of your knees, you'd probably notice a pretty huge difference.

 

[kriswatts]

I run two 2x12s on both sides of the stage. Both are elevated up (one on my JVM head case, one on a road case). Makes for a huge 'wide' sound. Probably losing some boom, but I really like this setup.

 

[MrDan666]

Hey Paul,

I used a V30 loaded 70's Marshall 4x12 for nearly all the gigs i did over the summer, and it sounded killer..

However.. On the last gig we played, i had to use a rented cab because there was no room to transport the 4x12's. The cab i used was a Marshall 2x12 with 75w Celestions. Normally i hate those speakers so i had my doubts about the situation before even plugging in my rig..

Fast forward to show time that night.. and believe it or not, my tone that night was the best tone i got all summer!!

I personally think that the 2x12 helped because it allowed me to push my amp's Master volume higher for more power tube crunch, and it helped to keep the sound punchy and defined. The 4x12 adds a lot of sub-bass that isn't actually needed, since the bass player covers that territory. So my sound was a lot more focused and defined than usual (in a good way) and my tone sat in the mix so much better than usual.

Needless to say.. I'm now using a 2x12 for gigging and the 4x12 is staying at home

 

[MrDan666]

And i also agree that elevating the cab off the floor will help, so you can hear it better. You can tilt it back a little too if needed, and if you aren't using floor monitors out front.

 

[Sierra Voodoo]

I've made the switch to 2x12's after using both Marshall and Mesa 4x12's. I'm currently using Orange PPC 212's and have no issues in the rehearsal room or in a live setting. Note: This includes the fact that there is a second guitarist as well.

 

[IndyWS6]

I bought a pair of Avatar 2x12 contemporary cabs to use with my rack rig; partly so I could easily run it in stereo and also because I figured that hauling (2) 2x12 cabs would be easier than hauling a 4x12. The genius that I am, I didn't pay close attention to the size of the contemporary cabs before ordering. Two of those cabs together are far larger than any of my 4x12 cabs, so there is no advantage in terms of hauling them. When I ordered them, I also got a pair of the tilt-back combo amp stands from Musician's Friend.

We mic our cabs for every gig, so I can easily get by with a single 2x12. I found that putting the 2x12 on a tilt-back stand let me hear myself more clearly and lower my stage volume.

This is the stand I use. It has adjustable height, folds for relatively easy transport and is more than sturdy enough for a 2x12 cabinet. Hard to beat for $20...
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessor ... 5000001000

 

[rupe]

Been using a 2x12 exclusively for a little over a year now...my 4x12s have been relegated to furniture

That said, it really depends on the 2x12...I went through a bunch of them before I found one that could hang with a 4x12. The one that did it for me is the CAA ported 2x12...it sounds huge.

 

[university81]

thanks for the replies, 2x12 does seem more alluring and practical to boot

i guess i'll need to take the 2x12 to rehearsal at some point, see how it works out, i have my eye on that bogner alchemist cab with 1xv30 and 1xg12h30 if i'm not mistaken, but the ported cabs look really good too

And there's also a host of second hand options, see what i can find and try out, well it is xmas after all

* edit turns out it's one greenback and a 1xg12h30 , still a great sounding cab

 

[gtrwun]

Funny you mentioned this. I have a VHT fatbottom 2x12 that I've used in place of my 70's Marshall, a few times and I always thought it sounded to small. My drummer is very heavy handed. So this las practice, I hooked up the 4x12 as always, and also hooked up the 2x12 and put it over on the bass players side facing in. Holy shit.... What a huge sound. Drummer was the first to comment.....gonaa be hard to go back to a single cab now. So I say... 2x12 AND 4x12!!!

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

This is what I am looking at getting to replace my 412. I am going to load my scumbacks in there.

http://voltageamps.ca/Voltage_Guitar_Ca ... S212D.html

I have never been a 412 fan. Even when I was playing live I prefered my mkIV combo with an extra 112 cab below to a 412. That cab that I am getting is perfect for a rack, or my 20" wide peters, or the 20" wide 5150 III mini. To tilt my cabs up I usually install removable casters in, and just remove the back ones so that it tilts up.

http://fortemusical.com/tolexgrillclothoptions.html

Look at the bottom of the forte page, and you will see their kickstand. I think that would be a great idea, but I would prefer two of them for stability. Might be hard to find.

 

[rcm78]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I use a Boogie half back 4X12 with V-30's at rehearsals and an Avatar 2X12 Traditional with V-30's at home and for gigs.

The boogie cab is louder and brighter, but I think it's because the top section is open and that's what I hear. The lower speakers are much warmer and fatter sounding being in the closed portion of the cab.

The avatar cab is nice and warm, not as loud as the boogie (Two less speakers), and works great for live sound. I can push the master a bit more with this cab too.

Overall I like the 2X12 for sound, and portability. Those Boogie halfbacks are HEAVY!!!

 

[Badronald]

Nothing, NOTHING, sounds like a 4x12.

But..........all I use are 2x12's these days. The cabs they are making these days sound so good. I use a Hermida ported 2x12 with Vintage 30's and and Avatar Traditional 2x12 with the open back/closed back conversion panel with Eminence speakers. They sound incredible. I likely doubt I will ever use a 4x12 again.

 

[nevusofota]

I am a huge fan recently of vertical 2x12's live. I put one next to me as a side feed so I can move around the stage. Another one in the backline. I bought an old used carvin, replaced the speakers and it sounds great. Yes, a 4x12 has more punch but it doesn't matter to the FOH when your running through a pa. best stage sound I have had in years and much easier to transport. Old carvin and ADA vertical 2x12's are sooo cheap now.

 

[university81]

This is what I am looking at getting to replace my 412. I am going to load my scumbacks in there.

http://voltageamps.ca/Voltage_Guitar_Ca ... S212D.html

I have never been a 412 fan. Even when I was playing live I prefered my mkIV combo with an extra 112 cab below to a 412. That cab that I am getting is perfect for a rack, or my 20" wide peters, or the 20" wide 5150 III mini. To tilt my cabs up I usually install removable casters in, and just remove the back ones so that it tilts up.

http://fortemusical.com/tolexgrillclothoptions.html

Look at the bottom of the forte page, and you will see their kickstand. I think that would be a great idea, but I would prefer two of them for stability. Might be hard to find.

that does look interesting, i guess taking a beer crate and a 2x12 to gigs could be another solution =)

i'm digging the 4x12 + 2x12 idea as well lol

some tests are definitely in order

 

[moltisanti]

I used to use a 4x12 then got sick of moving it around and went to a 2x12. Several of which have served me well over the years. Recently i've started using two 1x12s instead for a few reasons :
Versatility, with two cabs you can have one pointing up at you and the other out at the audience
Transportation, the last Orange 2x12 i had was huge and heavy, moving two small cabs is much easier, and they are easier to load in a car
With 1x12s compared to compact 2x12s you get more cabinet space per speaker so they can sound fuller and punchier, and two together sounds great

This is my rig

 

[blackba]

I'm in the same boat as the OP. I use a Boogie half back 4X12 with V-30's at rehearsals and an Avatar 2X12 Traditional with V-30's at home and for gigs.

The boogie cab is louder and brighter, but I think it's because the top section is open and that's what I hear. The lower speakers are much warmer and fatter sounding being in the closed portion of the cab.

The avatar cab is nice and warm, not as loud as the boogie (Two less speakers), and works great for live sound. I can push the master a bit more with this cab too.

Overall I like the 2X12 for sound, and portability. Those Boogie halfbacks are HEAVY!!!

The only 412 I have is a boogie halfback (with both sections closed) and yes its a beast. Hasn't left my basement since I bought it. It sounds great, but too much of a pain to lug in and out of the basement. I have used 212's for a long time (sometimes 2 112's). For the horizontal 212's I turn them on their side and then set the head on top. It gets the one speaker closer to my ears. All things being equal, if I had a somewhat lighter 412 and someone to help me manage the stairs, I would probably use that as nothing sounds like a good 412 or two.

One thing to keep in mind with 212's is that it does limit you on speakers. Running a 50Watt tube amp through a 212 with 2 25Watt rated greenbacks is just asking for trouble for example.

 

[supersonic]

I went from a 4x12 to a 2x12 for a couple of years. Now I'm back to a 4x12. It works best for GBs' with a 100w head. Carting isn't an issue, I can lift the cab uptairs by myself no problem. Regardless of matching wattage the 4x12 sounds better to me and is worth the extra weight/size.

 

[glassjaw7]

I went from a 4x12 to a 2x12 for a couple of years. Now I'm back to a 4x12. It works best for GBs' with a 100w head. Carting isn't an issue, I can lift the cab uptairs by myself no problem. Regardless of matching wattage the 4x12 sounds better to me and is worth the extra weight/size.

+1, My thoughts exactly!

 

[verderacer]

Sold all my 4x12's, though I am considering finding a 1960A cab again, but currently live or practice I use the 3 GenzBenz 212 G-Flex in a W/D/W config. All driven by a pair of Carvin DCM150's at about 1/3 or less and believe me, they are more than loud enough. We have one other guitarist and a bassist in particular that likes it loud.