Mesa/Boogie standard os vs. traditional

Metalmann13

Metalmann13

New member
I'm looking into buying a new cab for my Peavey 6505+ and it will most likely be a Mesa/Boogie rectifier cab. I have seen two types of the cab: standard (oversized) and traditional. I've heard that the standard has flubby bottoms and the traditional has a tighter sound. I play in d standard and prefer scooped thrashy tones. I have also watched a video that shows the Mark V sounding better with the oversized cab and the dual rectifier sounding better with the traditional. I eventually want to upgrade to a Mark V within a few years so I don't know which cab I should go with.
 
I've had a 2C+ for a few yrs now, and a few Triple Rectos and I don't feel the oversize is flubby with either amp. Just bigger sounding in the low end...and still tight. But the traditional or Stiletto cab is tighter than the oversize, but not as big sounding. Both are great but for the tightest response traditional. biggest low end oversize.
 
swamptrashstompboxes":c3ku6iot said:
For a 6505, I liked the OS. That is not normally the case for me though.
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Same here. I really only liked a 5150ii and a 6505+ through a OS cab. Just sounds right. Other than that to me the Recto's sound best in their respected cabs. They help tame some of the brighter sizzle. I did like a few JCM's that where brighter as well. Other than that I don't really care for either Mesa cab's tone. Makes my Fryette CLX too dry and dark for instance.
Between the 2 mesa cab's I prefer the traditional straight. It is more versatile than the OS and better suited to cover everything with above mentioned amps. The OS nails the brutz with it's low end, deep punch but that's where it stops for me.

Traditional- more middle punch and meat- tight
OS- Deeper and darker tone, tight if amp set right - needs volume before it starts to shine. Not as good as traditional at bedroom volumes.
 
I like both, but I like the oversized cab better. There's less stuffiness in the mids, particularly, low mids. It trades it for a bigger deep low-end.

Sometimes the trad works better, though. Especially with really scooped amps.
 
The OS is the right cab for a Recto, and the 6505 is a lot closer to a Recto than it is to a Mark. I'd vote OS.

Right now I have OS slant & straight. I think the straight SOUNDS better (recording / solo), but all the band guys agree that the slant sits better in the band mix.
 
So how "tight" can the OS Recto get? I'm trying yet again with a Rectifier head. I have an Engl XXL cab right now that with my other amps is pretty bright and tight sounding. It's doing pretty well with the Recto head, but I'm OCD and would prefer to have the "correct" cab, which my mind tells me is the OS 4x12.

Can the OS hang in there for unboosted tight rhythms with a Recto? Or is it just not going to happen?

There's one available locally for a nice price, but I know it'll be hell to sell if I don't like it.
 
cardinal":10dx5v7m said:
So how "tight" can the OS Recto get? I'm trying yet again with a Rectifier head. I have an Engl XXL cab right now that with my other amps is pretty bright and tight sounding. It's doing pretty well with the Recto head, but I'm OCD and would prefer to have the "correct" cab, which my mind tells me is the OS 4x12.

Can the OS hang in there for unboosted tight rhythms with a Recto? Or is it just not going to happen?

There's one available locally for a nice price, but I know it'll be hell to sell if I don't like it.
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One ‘mod’ you can do to the OS is to put foam or batting on the back panel. Tightens it up. Easily removed depending on how you put it in.
 
I flipped like 6 heads when I had the OS cab. Since getting the traditional, I have not flipped a head, or a cab for that matter. I bought a second traditional. Make sure you get a straight though, not a slanted.
 
Racerxrated":31ickkeb said:
cardinal":31ickkeb said:
So how "tight" can the OS Recto get? I'm trying yet again with a Rectifier head. I have an Engl XXL cab right now that with my other amps is pretty bright and tight sounding. It's doing pretty well with the Recto head, but I'm OCD and would prefer to have the "correct" cab, which my mind tells me is the OS 4x12.

Can the OS hang in there for unboosted tight rhythms with a Recto? Or is it just not going to happen?

There's one available locally for a nice price, but I know it'll be hell to sell if I don't like it.
Click to expand...
One ‘mod’ you can do to the OS is to put foam or batting on the back panel. Tightens it up. Easily removed depending on how you put it in.
Click to expand...

This is full of win. I have done this to several cabs. Quick, easy, cheap, and can have a massive impact on tone.
 
Another opinion I'm forming is that the OS REALLY shines with the big Triple & Coli power sections. The 4 tube power section amps I have don't sound as good with it as they do with a smaller cab. Probably not a popular opinion, but something to think about. More space wants more HP.
 
I've had both... at the same time.

I preferred the OS with my 1st gen Dual Recto, but I liked the traditional better with my Marshall JMP and my block lettering 1st gen 5150. I eventually got rid of both and stuck with an old Marshall cab from the early 70's. It all depends on what and how you play.

Ed
 
acalaf":2k58rjh2 said:
I flipped like 6 heads when I had the OS cab. Since getting the traditional, I have not flipped a head, or a cab for that matter. I bought a second traditional. Make sure you get a straight though, not a slanted.
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:confused:
If you want to hear what you really sound like, get a slant. With a straight cab you need to get on your knees to hear what's actually coming out of the cab. More perceived low end, I'll give you that. But I always go with a slant because I want to hear myself. B cabs muffle the high end too much for me.
 
GJgo":1y2cjsi4 said:
Another opinion I'm forming is that the OS REALLY shines with the big Triple & Coli power sections. The 4 tube power section amps I have don't sound as good with it as they do with a smaller cab. Probably not a popular opinion, but something to think about. More space wants more HP.
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I had a 60w SRG C+ at the same time as a Strategy 400, also had an OS and a Traditional. Still the same general response between cabs regardless of power sections. C+ slaved the 400 through OS-tight but MASSIVE low end. Traditional-tight as a frogs ass, still good lows. 60w through the OS-tight but big low end. Traditional-tight as hell, good lows. But when I got a Triple Recto it wanted the OS more. Not as loose as the C+/Strategy was through the OS, tighter but monster low end. It didn't like the traditional as much, and you lost a lot of the lows. Tight though. So my experience with the Recto was it HAD to have the OS, not the Traditional but the C+ slaved or not loved both cabs.
 
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