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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
 Posted - 12/08/2007 : 04:15:22
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I am thinking of buying a 1x12 extension cab for my classic 30. I found a company in the states that have some nice ones, reasonable, even if I factor in the shipping to Canada.
My problem is that there is an option of closed back cab or open back cab, same price. So which one is better? Also there is a choice in cab size, I don't think size matters with the open back, but with the closed back would the larger cab sound better? These cabs are available empty or loaded, more conundrum. would I be better off getting the celestion or should I get the same speaker as in the amp? The Celestion would be a few cents cheaper than the Peavey Blue Marvel if I got it as a loaded cab plus it would arrive at the same time. So, what do you think?
Here's the link if you want to have a look;
http://www.lopoline.com/home.html
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 05:02:54
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Closed cabs offer tighter bass response & front directional volumes. Open cabs obviously lose sound behind but sound more "open" & warm. Tuned ports are usually designed closely with rigorous testing but I would like to see a closed-cab with a forward facing port which might be the best of both worlds. The larger the cab, the deeper the punch but good quality cabs are quite heavy.
I was thinking about getting the 1x12 speaker in the 2x12 cab to go with my closed-back Mesa because that particular cab has a port to aid the solitary speaker move. I got the 2x12 cab to go with the 2x12 combo instead, so.. 4 V30s. Many people mix their speakers for a rounder sound & would like to do that next time for sure.
Those Lopo's look decent. |
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timbo
Silver Member
Australia
252 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 06:24:39
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i guess it depends on what sound you want. for rock etc get a closed back, but if you want clean or mild OD get an open backed cab. a closed cab is more efficient, meaning you have to drive it less than an open backed cab.
i once closed of half of my old 4x12 so the bottom half was sealed and the top was open. best of both worlds! so in saying that, maybe get the open backed cab and only close half of it. i think its all experimentation. |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 12:09:56
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i have both...well sort of...the musicman amp is an open backed 2x12 combo and the marshall has a closed back 2x12,the marshall is a hell of a lot louder with the closed back cab with the celestion v30's in it even though i have the power amp valve converters in it and it should only be outputting 32 watts and the musicman is rated at 130 watts.....  a lot of players(as timbo and DeFrag pointed out)experiment with different speakers in the same cab ..i.e a greenback and a vintage 30 and players used to experiment by cutting openings in the backs of 4x12's years ago to widen the sound and probably to try and lower the volume a bit.... personally i like open back cabs and i plan on building one for the marshall as soon as i have time and dropping the greenbacks in( i found two originals in an old .p.a. cab a couple of years ago... ) ..i find the closed back 2x12 a little 'boxy' sounding for my style of playing.... |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 14:34:06
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Hi Guys
By open back, I am assuming that you guys mean, 1/3 one third open back.
My Fender 75 is a 1/3 open back, I prefer the tone of the 1/3 open back cabs like in Fender amps.
I have a couple of smaller closed back amps, fitted with Lorantz speakers.
Lorantz is a local guy/company that manufacture some real superb Australian made speakers, they even do a JBL clone, all their speakers are considered very highly.
http://www.lorantz.com.au
15 mins drive from my home, and about 5 mins from where I work.
Here is another link worth reading about Lorantz Speakers.
http://www.woodworkforums.com/showthread.php?t=59360
The Closed back cabs, are nice if you are going to really rock out & want that low end boom.
I also sometimes use them for my fender acoustic, the close back cabs seem to really bring out/compliment the acoustic.
For stadium size & outdoor gigs, I have a both a 4x12 Cerwin Vega closed back cabinet, actually more like a large chest freezer, need roadies for that one;
http://www.cerwinvega.com/
& I have a custom Dr. Bob built 4x10, that has a brighter freq. response than the Cerwin Vega cab.
I hooked both of these up to my Mesa 50-50 twin head rack, one on each channel, for some real ear bleeding sound pressure, & bottom end.
The Cerwin Vega's are very efficient, but sadly, these sit in storage these days.
But one never knows??
Thanks for listening to my 2 cents worth.
Regards Dr. Bob |
Edited by - Dr. Bob on 12/08/2007 14:48:10 |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 19:50:00
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I can't decide what to do. I dont have the coin to spend experimenting so I want to get it right. The trouble with on line shopping is you can't try before you buy. There is a convertable cab with a removable baffle, but in the regular size only. The regular size is about 10cm narrower than the amp, so it wouldn't work as a stacked unit and is $40 more than the regular sized cab. The large 1x12 cab is about 10cm wider than the amp so it would stack real good but the convertable back is not an option. At this point I am leaning toward the large open back cab. Thanks for your help guys, i'll let you know if I do get it. |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 12/09/2007 06:38:48 |
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jack
Platinum Member
USA
1418 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 20:51:36
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quote:
Originally posted by pedals 4 pv
I can't decide what to do. I dont have the coin to spend experimenting so I want to get it right. The trouble with on line shopping is you can't try before you buy. There is a convertable cab with a removable baffle, but in the regular size only. The regular size is about 10cm narrower than the amp, so it wouldn't work a a stacked unit and is $40 more than the regular sized cab. The large 1x12 cab is about 10cm wider than the amp so it would stack real good but the convertable back is not an option. At this point I am leaning toward the large open back cab. Thanks for your help guys, i'll let you know if I do get it.
Get both on 1 cab. I know Ear Candy cabs has an option where you can add a removable panel to the back of the enclosure so you can have either an open or closed back cab.
Here's a link: http://www.earcandycabs.com/ |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2007 : 23:08:53
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quote:
Originally posted by pedals 4 pv
I can't decide what to do. I dont have the coin to spend experimenting so I want to get it right. The trouble with on line shopping is you can't try before you buy. There is a convertable cab with a removable baffle, but in the regular size only. The regular size is about 10cm narrower than the amp, so it wouldn't work a a stacked unit and is $40 more than the regular sized cab. The large 1x12 cab is about 10cm wider than the amp so it would stack real good but the convertable back is not an option. At this point I am leaning toward the large open back cab. Thanks for your help guys, i'll let you know if I do get it.
Comparison of a few speakers: http://www.proguitar.de/AudioDemo/CompareSpeaker/CompareSpeaker.html
not open vs. closed cabs but maybe will help a little? |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2007 : 04:14:35
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I know that sound is the the main thing, but I want the cab to look like the amp (what a nerd)  |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 12/09/2007 06:39:53 |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2007 : 15:36:45
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quote:
Originally posted by pedals 4 pv
I know that sound is the the main thing, but I want the cab to look like the amp (what a nerd)
no.....not at all,matching cabs look really nice with a combo or head....my amps are too old to get original cabs, i could probably get a marshall cab but i don't want a 4x12 and the original cabs are getting very expensive... like all the other gear lately...the newer stuff is made i think out of M.D.F or some sort of particle board and not 18mm ply like the old ones.. the tube amp doctor is selling retro cabs for blues jr's and some other fender models made out of ply with the tweed covering on them,you just pull the amp chassis and speaker and reto fit them in the new amp for a vintage effect.....but back on topic i'm not really too fussy so i will probably just build one myself unless i come across something in the meantime.... |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2007 : 03:56:10
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| I thought of making my own cab, but by the time I by the wood, the speaker jack, the handle, the feet, the covering and grill cloth and find access to enough tools to do the job it will be as cheap to buy a factory made one. I do have enough tools to build a basic speaker box, but not with dado joints, and the like. And no matter how good job I do it will still be homemade and won't command much value if I want to sell my amp and cab and upgrade. I have also thought of savaging the old Peavey Bandit and using it for a cab, but it still works to good. |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 12/10/2007 04:01:42 |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2007 : 06:57:44
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I got the speaker cab for my amp on Xmas eve, about an hour after my son and wife left with their camera. I am going to buy one as soon as the budget stabilizes from this amp and cab purchase. The Lopo line cab is very well made and the tweed matches the amp perfectly. The grill cloth is faded some on the amp, and I wish that I had ordered a new piece with the cab. Anyway what it looks like is secondary to me, it's the sound one is paying for. These Lopoline cabs a good buy for the money, especially for U.S. customers as its free shipping for them. Even so I got the cab for 260 dollars including 65 bucks shipping and nearly 30 for tax and the border fee of 5 dollars. It's made of 11 ply birch with an open back, loaded with a 16 ohm, 60 watt, gh12 celestion vintage 30, which is in the L&M music store Xmas brouchure for $130 plus tax. I have it in a stack arrangement, this raises the amp up so the control knobs are easy to reach. The sound; 
Stand alone the Peavey blue marvel speaker has too much growling, brassy, bass, and I have read reveiws that say this as well. I was going to change it, and then decided the get the cab. I won't be changing it now. With the Celestion in parralel, the Blue Marvel handles the boom, and the Celestion delivers the chang, if you will. The whole range of sound is improved. This amp really comes into it's own with an extra speaker, the until now, useless, boost button works great when the cab is connected. With just the amp the boost only serves to aggravate the brassiness of the Blue Marvel and introduce static. The Peavey manual is vague about the boost button, but I think it is designed to be used when connected to a cab. I cannot properly describe the improvement that the extra speaker makes. Even the reverb works better, it is a spring reverb so it gets the vibrations from the cab speaker as well as the amp speaker, I guess. Peavey used to make a matching cab, 1x12, but it was the same dimensions as the amp and was pretty wobbly when used as a stack. My cab is oversize so when the amp is on top and centered there is 40mm (1 and 1/2" for those of you who live in Liberia, Burma or the U.S.) on all four sides of the amp so it's very stable.
So the total;
Classic 30 used $320
Tubeguard $20
4 el 84 Goove tubes $60
Cab and speaker $260
Speaker cable $20
Total $680
Good deal. great sound.
I love my new (used) amp and speaker cab.  I'll post a pic as soon as I can. |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 12/27/2007 10:38:46 |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2007 : 07:05:33
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| I've asked this elsewhere to no avail. Does a set of speakers sound the same wired up in parallel as compared to series assuming I match the impedances spot-on? |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2007 : 14:57:29
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quote:
Originally posted by DeFrag
I've asked this elsewhere to no avail. Does a set of speakers sound the same wired up in parallel as compared to series assuming I match the impedances spot-on?
i would imagine( but i'm no expert) that series wiring means the signal hits the first speaker before going to the second and that parallel it goes to both at the same time..i know that brian may has his famous red special guitar pickups wired in series and i think i remember him saying in an interview that it rolled some of the top end of his tone and gave him a more midrangey fatter sound,possibly series wiring might do something similar in speaker cabs...if you have the means at your disposal DeFrag it might be an interesting experiment...... |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
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Topic |
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speaker cabs open or closed back?
