Help me decide on a 4x12

[spawnofthesith]

Hey guys, right now I am in the process of deciding what 4x12 cab to get. I am torn right now between a Mesa 4x12 and an Emperor. I have played through a mesa before and really liked it, but naturally I don't have much of a chance to play through an Emperor being in Colorado. Emperors just seem to be pretty killer for the price, and the look is awesome too. One thing influencing me is that at the moment I probably have enough in my gear funds to pick up a used mesa, but I would need to save a few hundred more for the emperor. For sound, I tend to like less bright sounding tones. That is one of my gripes with my ENGL and part of why I am selling it is that it is just so damn bright, even through the Eminence Legends in my Vader 2x12. Tomorrow I am trading the ENGL for a Mark V though, and from what I have played on those the brightness is a lot tamer.

So anyways, which cab do you guys think I should go with?

 

[man eating apple]

Either are good choices. I would go with the Mesa just for the price difference and ability to play first.

 

[RaceU4her]

that engl must be very bright, my vader 4x12 isnt what i would call a bright cab at all. maybe a krank cab? those always seem darker to me

 

[orangekick]

Emperor makes some really nice cabs. They remind me of Orange cabs, but they resonate more instead of project.

 

[jrk5150]

I vote for the Mesa. I've never tried the Emperor, but the Mesas I've tried always sounded great... and they're built like tanks!

 

[Rocket Sauce]

Emperor makes some really nice cabs. They remind me of Orange cabs, but they resonate more instead of project.

Or just grab an Orange cab. Which model Engl did/do you have Spawn???

 

[spawnofthesith]

The Steve Morse signature

 

[oldmanmetal]

Hey guys, right now I am in the process of deciding what 4x12 cab to get. I am torn right now between a Mesa 4x12 and an Emperor. I have played through a mesa before and really liked it, but naturally I don't have much of a chance to play through an Emperor being in Colorado. Emperors just seem to be pretty killer for the price, and the look is awesome too. One thing influencing me is that at the moment I probably have enough in my gear funds to pick up a used mesa, but I would need to save a few hundred more for the emperor. For sound, I tend to like less bright sounding tones. That is one of my gripes with my ENGL and part of why I am selling it is that it is just so damn bright, even through the Eminence Legends in my Vader 2x12. Tomorrow I am trading the ENGL for a Mark V though, and from what I have played on those the brightness is a lot tamer.

So anyways, which cab do you guys think I should go with?

I have played both, and the Emperor is head and shoulders above it. I prefer the Mill Cabs above the Emperors. Mine are loaded with EV 200 Watters. Best 4x12 i have played.

 

[Rocket Sauce]

Hey guys, right now I am in the process of deciding what 4x12 cab to get. I am torn right now between a Mesa 4x12 and an Emperor. I have played through a mesa before and really liked it, but naturally I don't have much of a chance to play through an Emperor being in Colorado. Emperors just seem to be pretty killer for the price, and the look is awesome too. One thing influencing me is that at the moment I probably have enough in my gear funds to pick up a used mesa, but I would need to save a few hundred more for the emperor. For sound, I tend to like less bright sounding tones. That is one of my gripes with my ENGL and part of why I am selling it is that it is just so damn bright, even through the Eminence Legends in my Vader 2x12. Tomorrow I am trading the ENGL for a Mark V though, and from what I have played on those the brightness is a lot tamer.

So anyways, which cab do you guys think I should go with?

I have played both, and the Emperor is head and shoulders above it. I prefer the Mill Cabs above the Emperors. Mine are loaded with EV 200 Watters. Best 4x12 i have played.

Man, we moved a Recto loaded with EV's in it and that was a fucking TANK!!! Your mills must be at least as heavy..if not heavier

 

[DAVE OWENS]

I sold off my Marshall ( BX) and I still have a 5150 that sitting in storage, when i get a couple of $100 to
spend I'm getting a Mesa Recto cab..the big one with the angled face ( but) that sitting in the bottom
type cabinet..

 

[orangekick]

Emperor makes some really nice cabs. They remind me of Orange cabs, but they resonate more instead of project.

Or just grab an Orange cab. Which model Engl did/do you have Spawn???

The issue that I see with that is just that I have seen so many people say that they are turned off by the orange color. The Emperor cabs can be stained however you wish.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

from your two choices the Emperor but I would go with a Mills acoustics over both.

Guitarslinger here has some emperors...

 

[Gsxrbusa]

I like my straight Mesa cab. It is slightly dark but, nothing as dark as the Vader I had though. I am really diggin my Engl XXL it is tight and focused. Hey Spawn, you have got to come down here with that Mrak V. Please man, I really wanna hear it. Besides, you could plug in to whatever cab u like.

 

[Rob Tahan]

Find a USED Diezel, Bogner, or Mills Cabinet. The best of the best. And you cant beat a good deal on something used. Changing speakers is also like night and day but good QUALITY cabinet construction is also very important.
Ive never been thilled by any of the mesa's that ive played before btw..

 

[oldmanmetal]

Hey guys, right now I am in the process of deciding what 4x12 cab to get. I am torn right now between a Mesa 4x12 and an Emperor. I have played through a mesa before and really liked it, but naturally I don't have much of a chance to play through an Emperor being in Colorado. Emperors just seem to be pretty killer for the price, and the look is awesome too. One thing influencing me is that at the moment I probably have enough in my gear funds to pick up a used mesa, but I would need to save a few hundred more for the emperor. For sound, I tend to like less bright sounding tones. That is one of my gripes with my ENGL and part of why I am selling it is that it is just so damn bright, even through the Eminence Legends in my Vader 2x12. Tomorrow I am trading the ENGL for a Mark V though, and from what I have played on those the brightness is a lot tamer.

So anyways, which cab do you guys think I should go with?

I have played both, and the Emperor is head and shoulders above it. I prefer the Mill Cabs above the Emperors. Mine are loaded with EV 200 Watters. Best 4x12 i have played.

Man, we moved a Recto loaded with EV's in it and that was a fucking TANK!!! Your mills must be at least as heavy..if not heavier

Ridiculously heavy. My Alf Hermida 2x12 weith EVs are super heavy as well. Worth it for the tone.

 

[lolzgreg]

Get the Mesa cabinet, hands down. I've owned a Mills, and I prefer the Mesa. I know someone who has an Emporer and they sold it for a Mesa as well.

 

[mchn13]

+1 on the mesa. never played an emporer, but i like my mesa just as much as the mills i tried...and you can pick them up for a decent price used.

 

[Keebz]

Emperor is a better sounding cab IMO. The non-tolexed finish and wait time is what steers some people away though.
Get a cab built how you want it! Emperor built my 1x12 with my dimensions, ports, grill cloth, and speaker selection!

I currently own a 1x12 and a 2x12 Emperor.

 

[Les Zombie]

Find a USED Diezel, Bogner, or Mills Cabinet. The best of the best. And you cant beat a good deal on something used. Changing speakers is also like night and day but good QUALITY cabinet construction is also very important.
Ive never been thilled by any of the mesa's that ive played before btw..

i concur, i was gonna post the same thing.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Hmm I will have to try some of these cabs out.


So if I tracked down an Orange cab to try would that give me a rough idea of what an emperor would sound like?