a loud guitar cab?

[killa]

I was talking to my brother today and he was complaining about haw his head starts to sound bad when it is pushed hard because it switches from tube to some sort of digital output. He said it sounds good at loud volumes but when he really has to push it he doesn't like it ( he plays a lot of metal in crappy clubs but also plays blues). I forgot the brand of his current cab. I think it was crank or something like that and of course it was a 4x12.
So what I was thinking was build him a very high sensitivity cab and if he doesn't like it i'll use it So I am wondering what you would do? Maybe a horn design? And what drivers would be good? Obviously price would need to be around the price of a normal 4x12 or lower.

[jont]

I was talking to my brother today and he was complaining about haw his head starts to sound bad when it is pushed hard because it switches from tube to some sort of digital output. He said it sounds good at loud volumes but when he really has to push it he doesn't like it ( he plays a lot of metal in crappy clubs but also plays blues). I forgot the brand of his current cab. I think it was crank or something like that and of course it was a 4x12.
So what I was thinking was build him a very high sensitivity cab and if he doesn't like it i'll use it So I am wondering what you would do? Maybe a horn design? And what drivers would be good? Obviously price would need to be around the price of a normal 4x12 or lower.

Never see horn guitar cabs but a full stack of 8x12"s would deliver the +135db deafening stage volume that metalheads believe is necessary for "good" sound. Hope everyone uses ear protection.

[Paul O]

The problem isn't the speakers it's the guitar amp(head), get one that is pure tube and he'll be happy.

[killa]

Never see horn guitar cabs but a full stack of 8x12"s would deliver the +135db deafening stage volume that metalheads believe is necessary for "good" sound. Hope everyone uses ear protection.

I don't think he believes it is necassary but he has to keep up with the others that do

[killa]

The problem isn't the speakers it's the guitar amp(head), get one that is pure tube and he'll be happy.

True but it would still be cool to make a high sensitivity cab for lower powered amps and of course to ocassionaly show off

[billfitzmaurice]

True but it would still be cool to make a high sensitivity cab for lower powered amps and of course to ocassionaly show off

That goes completely against the grain for guitar cabs, which rely on pushing the drivers into compression to get their tone.

head starts to sound bad when it is pushed hard because it switches from tube to some sort of digital output.

Say what?

The problem isn't the speakers it's the guitar amp(head), get one that is pure tube and he'll be happy.

+1.

a full stack of 8x12"s would deliver the +135db deafening stage volume that metalheads believe is necessary for "good" sound.

No one needs more than a 2x12 for all the stage volume one can need, ask anyone who owns or has been even in the same room with a Vox AC30. As for the huge stacks seen used by metal acts, they're eye candy for the kiddies. Most of the cabs aren't even plugged in, and in some cases it wouldn't matter if they were:

[killa]

Say what?

I don't know for sure what he was trying to tell me but it sounded like it switches to some sort of digital stage somwhere once you push it to a certain point. Sounds odd to me too. He more than likely could just be clipping the amp. It is rated at 100w but we all know that means absolutely nothing. I believe it was a peavey.

[killa]

Found his head http://line6.com/spidervalvemkii/specs.html . "Class AB tube amp with two 12AX7 preamp tubes and four 6L6 power tubes". Can a tube amp be class AB

[Sydney]

Can a tube amp be class AB

Yes

[killa]

So what two 12s would you pick if you were building a cab and why? Also I had a interesting (someone has probably done it already) idea. If you were to seperate the two drivers then you could just run one for smaller venues and you could drive the speaker harder to get the same kind of sound you would get driving both in a large venue.

[Sydney]

Also I had a interesting (someone has probably done it already) idea. If you were to seperate the two drivers then you could just run one for smaller venues and you could drive the speaker harder to get the same kind of sound you would get driving both in a large venue.

Yes that approach is possible commercially - there are numerous single 12" cabs that have a parallel out jack for a 2nd cab.
The choice of driver is one of those areas that guitar players can obsess over. Guitar drivers are sold by virtue of the tone they produce.
For instance the Eminence web site has examples of the tonal differences of the numerous drivers they offer which include ( for one example ) a classic Celestion sound.

[AMC]

So what two 12s would you pick if you were building a cab and why? Also I had a interesting (someone has probably done it already) idea. If you were to seperate the two drivers then you could just run one for smaller venues and you could drive the speaker harder to get the same kind of sound you would get driving both in a large venue.

Please go to the eminence web site, not only can you see the huge assortment of drivers that are available, but can hear them through different applications, and know exactly what they sound like. There is NO BEST GUITAR DRIVER! everyone will have their preference, and they all seem too have their appeal. They used to make one called the cannibus rex (hemp cone) and I liked it alot.

If you truly want a loud cab (but as Bill said it goes against the guitar paradigm) maybe Bill could tell you/us which ones might work in his Jack or Jack lite (2X12) cabs. It is most definitely 'off-label' use, but it could be very impressive. Any ideas which, if any, might work there BFM?

[billfitzmaurice]

If you truly want a loud cab (but as Bill said it goes against the guitar paradigm) maybe Bill could tell you/us which ones might work in his Jack or Jack lite (2X12) cabs.

None, they are not guitar cabs.

Found his head http://line6.com/spidervalvemkii/specs.html . "Class AB tube amp with two 12AX7 preamp tubes and four 6L6 power tubes".

Nothing in that amp is 'digital' with respect to the power amp. If he doesn't like how it sounds he should try other 100w guitar amps, there's plenty of them out there.

[killa]

Please go to the eminence web site, not only can you see the huge assortment of drivers that are available, but can hear them through different applications, and know exactly what they sound like.

Will do. I didn't know you could listen to them online. I know it all comes down to preference. I was just curious to hear others opinions on drivers.

[killa]

If he doesn't like how it sounds he should try other 100w guitar amps, there's plenty of them out there.

I agree but I still want to build a cab

[AMC]

Found his head http://line6.com/spidervalvemkii/specs.html . "Class AB tube amp with two 12AX7 preamp tubes and four 6L6 power tubes". Can a tube amp be class AB

I am not a tube amp guy, but could it be a bad tube or two causing the problem?

[rudyjakubin]

I agree but I still want to build a cab

This is a real fun place for guitar drivers.

http://wgs4.com/all-products

I bought 2 Veteren30's to replace 2 Celestion Vintage30's.

http://celestion.com/product/1/vintage_30/

I didn't think WGS would pull it off as the Celestion's are premo drivers in Marshall cabs but it did.
They played louder and cleaner off of 45 amp tube amps...
I noticed a lot of players mixing drivers for a particular sound like the Reaper and Retro etc.

Have fun. I do...