Cab comparison

[stratotone]

Was curious if anyone did clips of the same amp through different cabs... I was thinking of doing this for grins. I have the following 4x12s easily accessible for clips:

1) '72 stock Marshall with greenbacks and a plywood back
2) '76 stock Marshall with blackbacks, mdf back
3) '80s stock Marshall JCM800 w/75s
4) '00s stock Marshall Lead w/V30s
5) Bogner w/V30s
6) Mesa armored oversize V30
7) Mesa halfback cab (black shadows top, EVMs bottom)
8) VHT fatbottom cab (P50s)

Might be interesting, was thinking of doing them with the the '72 Superlead or maybe even the jubilee, as it loves some cabs and hates others.

Pete

 

[jet66]

That would be interesting. I'd like to see an even deeper comparo: Several types of heads, several types of cabs, but with various speaker combos swapped between the lot. Probably more effort than anyone would be up for, though.

 

[headlessdeadguy]

Do it!

 

[guitarslinger]

IMO, you should use the same amp, but tweak the EQ of the amp for each cab until you "like" the sound.

It won't be fair to have the treble at X for a V30, and also have the treble at X for a G12T75.

 

[JakeAC5253]

This is a very interesting topic, I'd say do it. My advice would be to keep it away from a true A/B comparison (all settings the same) and tweak the amp to interact well with the individual cab. Reason being is that whatever cab you use first will sound the best because the amp was tweaked to sound good with that particular cab. Allows the personality of each cab to come through.

 

[guitarslinger]

This is a very interesting topic, I'd say do it. My advice would be to keep it away from a true A/B comparison (all settings the same) and tweak the amp to interact well with the individual cab. Reason being is that whatever cab you use first will sound the best because the amp was tweaked to sound good with that particular cab. Allows the personality of each cab to come through.

beatchya to it! agreed 100%

 

[JakeAC5253]

Great minds think alike

 

[Nico]

IMO, you should use the same amp, but tweak the EQ of the amp for each cab until you "like" the sound.

It won't be fair to have the treble at X for a V30, and also have the treble at X for a G12T75.

Yes tweek the settings of course!

 

[stratotone]

But if I left the settings the same you could hear the differences between the cabs. I'm not looking to see what can be tweaked to be the best, Just what they sound like so I could go back later and say "I want something with more low mids, so hello armored recto cab" - etc.

Pete

 

[guitarslinger]

But if I left the settings the same you could hear the differences between the cabs. I'm not looking to see what can be tweaked to be the best, Just what they sound like so I could go back later and say "I want something with more low mids, so hello armored recto cab" - etc.

Pete

IDK.

That Rivera speaker comparison on Youtube makes the EVM12L sound like the thinnest weirdest speaker ever, probably because of their strict A/B comparison. I find it misleading.

 

[D-Rock]

But if I left the settings the same you could hear the differences between the cabs. I'm not looking to see what can be tweaked to be the best, Just what they sound like so I could go back later and say "I want something with more low mids, so hello armored recto cab" - etc.

Pete

IDK.

That Rivera speaker comparison on Youtube makes the EVM12L sound like the thinnest weirdest speaker ever, probably because of their strict A/B comparison. I find it misleading.

I've always said the same thing.
I hate that people use that Rivera shootout vid as a basis for buying/comparing speakers.

 

[thegame]

I'd love to hear it. Though every cab would have to be recorded at the same session as different recording gear/mics will throw off the results.

 

[Digital Jams]

I do not agree with the tweaks for each cabinet, it will hide what each cab is doing naturally.

Some cabs are dark, some boomy, etc so that should be left alone.

 

[Dallas Marlow]

I'd love to hear that, can you do it re-amped so we have exact comparisons with each cab, amp settings and guitar licks/riffs?

 

[Meathead]

Clips aren't even made yet, but let the bitching ensue.

 

[D-Rock]

I do not agree with the tweaks for each cabinet, it will hide what each cab is doing naturally.

Some cabs are dark, some boomy, etc so that should be left alone.

True, but then some will attribute those things as being a result of the speakers being used, not the cab.
Cab comparisions are hard when all of them have different speakers loaded.
If all the cabs had the same speakers, then the comparisions would be more accurate. That's why we rarely see accurate cab comparisions though, because players don't have six different cabs with all the same speakers and it's too much of a pain to rotate four of the same speakers through six different cabs.

 

[stratotone]

I do not agree with the tweaks for each cabinet, it will hide what each cab is doing naturally.

Some cabs are dark, some boomy, etc so that should be left alone.

True, but then some will attribute those things as being a result of the speakers being used, not the cab.
Cab comparisions are hard when all of them have different speakers loaded.
If all the cabs had the same speakers, then the comparisions would be more accurate. That's why we rarely see accurate cab comparisions though, because players don't have six different cabs with all the same speakers and it's too much of a pain to rotate four of the same speakers through six different cabs.

Right, but some combinations you can't get. All of my cabs are 'stock' meaning they came with the speakers the cab shipped with. I don't see what the point would be to say, put G75s in my Mesa Recto Armored cab or to put the vintage '72 greenback speakers in say the mesa halfback.

Think of it as a comparison of stock cabs. Heh, I feel like I opened up a hornet's nest with this. My main reason was to find which cab sounds best with a certain amp.

Reamping would be the best way, but I don't have that capability unless I just play a phrase into a M13 looper and use it. Just getting the mic the same way on each cab is going to add some variance too - there's no way I can get it EXACTLY the same spot each time. It will be easier on cabs that are the same dimensions (I think all are close but the mesa cabs).

Pete

 

[guitarslinger]

Does anybody else think reamping is a bad idea for a product comparison?


the reason:

I might like the tone of two items, they may even sound VERY similar, but they make me play differently, which is why I like one item more. (first thought that comes to mind is comparing Big Muff Clones)

 

[sinfish]

How about not tweek the tone at all. Leave everything at 12 o'clock. Use the same mic at the same distance and cone placement. This way you are not favoring the first cab at all. Or have 3 EQ tweeks and record all three for each cab.

 

[guitarslinger]

How about not tweek the tone at all. Leave everything at 12 o'clock. Use the same mic at the same distance and cone placement. This way you are not favoring the first cab at all. Or have 3 EQ tweeks and record all three for each cab.

what if 12 o clock sounds bad on all of them.

Lots of amps sound best with certain things on ten or zero.