CABS!

[downrodeo]

I'm sure there are some really great cabs out there and they are something people never really talk about...I'm not really in the market for a new cabinet (4x12 or 2x12, doesn't matter) but I know there has to be something much better than the Marshall 1960 cab. So, what are the really choice cabs out there? Just want to know for future reference...i.e. when i get enough money to cough up for a new cab I want something better than the 1960.

Thanks, you guys.

[TwilightOdyssey]

Some great cabs out there:

Rivera
Hiwatt (the older, Fane-loaded cabs)
Matamp
Ear Candy
Avatar

[n_mountain]

Yeah that's an interesting one.
And what makes one Cab better than the other??
(I'm not talking about speakers, those are exchangable)

[TwilightOdyssey]

And what makes one Cab better than the other??

Mass & rigidity in structure.
A cheap cabinet will 'flex' when you push a decent amount of SPL through it.
The end results are called chuffing, tubbiness, and overhang. They all refer to the fact that the cabinet cannot handle the low freqs well, and the bass gets smeared, bloated, and slow sounding. A good cabinet will not flex, will probably weigh about 7-8 stone, and will probably be made of solid birch maple. The result is a much cleaner sound with higher resolution.

[jordan]

The Rivera powered subs are in a totally different league (both in features and price!). If you're feeling flush, have a look at them.

[HTH AMPS]

The Bogner cabs have a very good reputation and more recently I've heard that Diezel cabs are the dogs doo-dahs too.

For something more vintage but still with a solid thump you could try an Orange/Matamp cab.

Also (as a general rule) straight cabs have a little more 'umph' than slant cabs.  This is supposedly to do with phase cancellations inside the cab from the slanted baffle but it could all be shite - my own slant cabs have always sounded awesome.

 :twisted:

[TwilightOdyssey]

The Bogner cabs have a very good reputation

VERY solidly built. I'm not over the moon on the sound, tho.

and more recently I've heard that Diezel cabs are the dogs doo-dahs too.

They're okay. I could live with em/without em.

[March]

I use VHT and Matamp cabs, both are built like brick outhouses and tonally excellent.

Matamp cabs are difficult to beat for the money though, easily as good as cabs costing twice the amount.

[snipesace]

I've got a standard mesa rec cab...its good and all, but it is very awkward to carry, more so then a normal 4x12 :P its just so damn big!, I am currently looking for an older mesa cab, ones that have a half closed back with metal grill, they are smaller and have more punch, just my luck that I found one for $400 CAD

[Tricalibur]

Those ENGL XXL 4x12's look like monsters

[lepersmeesa]

Yeah, I really like my Engl cab. The low end response is extremely tight. I know alot of bands who play ing A flat, and the Engl cab still responds excellently.

[dave_mc]

aye, engl cabs are really tight. Dear though.

For the same price (or even cheaper) than the marshall 1960, you can get a laney tt cab with vintage 30's. It's pretty nice, at least the equal of the marshall, IMO. Or more accurately, I like it better than the marshall.

Some of the laney combos aren't built too solidly and fart out a bit, but my cab seems fine.

[Andy RV]

Framus cabs are meant to be fantastic for the money, they come as standard with V-30's, also have a look at Engl and Mesa Boogie.

[Brow]

Orange cabs are very sturdy and well built. As are the MESA cabs I've used.

[deg0ey]

Orange cabs are very sturdy and well built. As are the MESA cabs I've used.

The problem with orange cabs (and the reason I've not considered buying their amps) is that they're orange...They just look stupid to me, even if they do sound good (never tried one) - and I'm too much of a poser to give them a chance