Robotechnology
Active member
I got my Tourmaster half stack last month. A couple of people asked how the comparatively inexpensive Egnater Tourmaster 4X12 cab fares against competition such as my Bogner cabs. Tonight my wife went to the movies to see Sex in the City and I got to stay home and play musical cabs 
From 9 PM until 9:30 PM I tweaked all 4 channels on the Tourmaster head to taste using the Tourmaster cab. I proceeded to play a little bit and just plain listen to the half stack while switching thru channels and noodling. After getting a feel I proceeded to grab the 1st cab:
Bogner 4X12 Closed Back Straight
3 words describe this cab to me--Dark & Sweet! This cab is just voiced so well, it's not funny. A little compression (just the right amount in fact). Obviously can handle all the bass anybody can hit it with (a little more low end than the Tourmaster cab was heard without touching a knob). Cleans, rhythms, leads--no problem. Next up:
Bogner Uberkab
This is my favorite of the 4. I have to specify that mine is custom. Instead of the stock X pattern of VIN30's and G1275T's, mine has VIN30's on the bottom and G12H30's on the top. They are also separated. The top part of the cab has an oval cut out so it is partially open (approximately 12" x 3"). This is the biggest sounding cab I own. If you like clean tones. THIS is your cab! But, it EVERYTHING well. Bass response similar to the other Bogner cab. A little more 3D sounding in the room because of the partially open top section. Little to no compression. V30/G12H mix nicely to my ears. I really can't find a fault. EXCEPTIONAL for cleans, rhythms, and leads. Now we come to:
Marshall Mode Four MF280B
I had one of these before and I sold it (mistake), found one again and bought it to keep. There is something about how the MF cab's single notes bloom that the sustain is just "more." Truthfully this cab sounds the thinnest of all 4 cabs but, it is not in a bad way. It is just voiced differently. Great cab for leads and rhythms, not as stellar for cleans. Not as much sparkle as the other 3. Lastly:
Egnater Tourmaster 4X12B
When I auditioned the Tourmaster half stack in the store, I wasn't really listening so much to the amp (I wanted to hear it on my own terms) but, to the differences between the Slant and Straight cab. I felt the Straight was more up my alley. In fact, all 4 of these cabs are straights
Back to the Egnater cab... it is open sounding like my Uberkab just not as big sounding and without as much low end bass response (can and puts out more than enough though-Bogners are just rediculous). I'd take one of these over a 1960AV ANY DAY. It will only sound better when the V30's are broken in too! If I had to rank:
Bogner Uberkab 10
Bogner Closed Back 9
Egnater 8
Marshall 7
Do you see where the Egnater cab sits!?! These are ALL world class cabs. The Bogners cost DOUBLE new but, don't sound 2X as good. Maybe 15% better. The Egnater is a very good all around cab. Cleans, Rhythms, & Leads are great. Great job Egnater!
I'm currently uploading an 8 minute video on YouTube (taking FOREVER), that I'll post a link to here when completed. The playing is not my best, that wasn't the point. It was to play a couple of minutes thru each of the channels and try and share some of the tonal goodnes. EXCELLENT amp for under $1,500. By the way you can't here it (unfortunately) in the vid but, if you use channel 3 and put the contour in/classic model and spin the knobs a little you can get Metallica Master of Puppets era tones out of it! This channel is REALLY growing on me. I'm going to have to swap some tubes and see if I can get another 5% or so out of channel 4 now but, I have it set to modern/contour out with the gain at about 10 o'clock and I can totally live with it there (especially thru the MF280B cab for some reason). Channel 2 is AWESOME for single note bluesy stuff and if you back off the gain (I have it dimed) or the volume knob, bluesy rhythms too. Channel 1 has one of the best clean channels you can find on a channel switcher. Sorry for the little Tourmaster head review
From 9 PM until 9:30 PM I tweaked all 4 channels on the Tourmaster head to taste using the Tourmaster cab. I proceeded to play a little bit and just plain listen to the half stack while switching thru channels and noodling. After getting a feel I proceeded to grab the 1st cab:Bogner 4X12 Closed Back Straight
3 words describe this cab to me--Dark & Sweet! This cab is just voiced so well, it's not funny. A little compression (just the right amount in fact). Obviously can handle all the bass anybody can hit it with (a little more low end than the Tourmaster cab was heard without touching a knob). Cleans, rhythms, leads--no problem. Next up:
Bogner Uberkab
This is my favorite of the 4. I have to specify that mine is custom. Instead of the stock X pattern of VIN30's and G1275T's, mine has VIN30's on the bottom and G12H30's on the top. They are also separated. The top part of the cab has an oval cut out so it is partially open (approximately 12" x 3"). This is the biggest sounding cab I own. If you like clean tones. THIS is your cab! But, it EVERYTHING well. Bass response similar to the other Bogner cab. A little more 3D sounding in the room because of the partially open top section. Little to no compression. V30/G12H mix nicely to my ears. I really can't find a fault. EXCEPTIONAL for cleans, rhythms, and leads. Now we come to:
Marshall Mode Four MF280B
I had one of these before and I sold it (mistake), found one again and bought it to keep. There is something about how the MF cab's single notes bloom that the sustain is just "more." Truthfully this cab sounds the thinnest of all 4 cabs but, it is not in a bad way. It is just voiced differently. Great cab for leads and rhythms, not as stellar for cleans. Not as much sparkle as the other 3. Lastly:
Egnater Tourmaster 4X12B
When I auditioned the Tourmaster half stack in the store, I wasn't really listening so much to the amp (I wanted to hear it on my own terms) but, to the differences between the Slant and Straight cab. I felt the Straight was more up my alley. In fact, all 4 of these cabs are straights
Back to the Egnater cab... it is open sounding like my Uberkab just not as big sounding and without as much low end bass response (can and puts out more than enough though-Bogners are just rediculous). I'd take one of these over a 1960AV ANY DAY. It will only sound better when the V30's are broken in too! If I had to rank:Bogner Uberkab 10
Bogner Closed Back 9
Egnater 8
Marshall 7
Do you see where the Egnater cab sits!?! These are ALL world class cabs. The Bogners cost DOUBLE new but, don't sound 2X as good. Maybe 15% better. The Egnater is a very good all around cab. Cleans, Rhythms, & Leads are great. Great job Egnater!
I'm currently uploading an 8 minute video on YouTube (taking FOREVER), that I'll post a link to here when completed. The playing is not my best, that wasn't the point. It was to play a couple of minutes thru each of the channels and try and share some of the tonal goodnes. EXCELLENT amp for under $1,500. By the way you can't here it (unfortunately) in the vid but, if you use channel 3 and put the contour in/classic model and spin the knobs a little you can get Metallica Master of Puppets era tones out of it! This channel is REALLY growing on me. I'm going to have to swap some tubes and see if I can get another 5% or so out of channel 4 now but, I have it set to modern/contour out with the gain at about 10 o'clock and I can totally live with it there (especially thru the MF280B cab for some reason). Channel 2 is AWESOME for single note bluesy stuff and if you back off the gain (I have it dimed) or the volume knob, bluesy rhythms too. Channel 1 has one of the best clean channels you can find on a channel switcher. Sorry for the little Tourmaster head review
