One 2x12 Cab for Multiple Heads?

starscream67

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Hi,

I'm after your opinions if I may. I'm thinking about stepping up to vertical 2x12 cabinet. Ideally in the future I'd like to have 1 cabinet and multiple lunchbox heads, but as the heads all vary in ohms, would getting a 16ohm 2x12 be the most compatible for multiple heads even though you'd be safe mismatching with an 8ohm head? Or does it sound better to correct match ohms and find the space / money for 2 cabs?

I currently have a 16ohm lunchbox head with 1x12 cab and an 8ohm combo amp, but my dream lunchbox head is 8ohm too.

I'd be interested to hear what heads/cabs you guys run and why?
 
I have a Marshall 425A 412 cab. (It is the companion cab for the Marshall VM.) I know you said 212, but it accommodates 16 ohms and 8 ohms in stereo. If you are running multiple heads at different ohms this may be your answer. Plus you get stereo if desired. They are discontinued, but available used.
 
Somewhat similar to that Marshall option.......I built some of my own 2 x 12 cabinets with a jack plate with three inputs. Once it is wired, there is no need for switching. Depending upon which jack(s) I select, I can get the 2 x 12 in either 4 or 16 ohm OR run the individual speakers at 8 ohms each. The latter works great with such as the low watt Swart Stereo Head.

I am not sure if this is the place I bought them, but it is the same thing.

https://reverb.com/item/2996992-jac...y1tUgNniiXU54lXkmglSvyPrAcjfBoClMvw_wcB&pla=1
 
If you are picking the best option then a 16 ohm cab is the way to go. You are totally fine if the cab is the same or higher in ohms.

There is only a problem when the cab is LESS this makes the head work too hard.
 
Hi all,

Many thanks for the replies.

So I guess to get into specifics, I currently have:

- Vox Night Train 15 head and 1x12 cab
- Fender Bassbreaker 007 combo

My dream lunchbox head is the Mesa Mini Recitifier 25.

I figured since Mesa is so expensive, if I got a 2x12 cab that would work with my current and future needs, it would make just the Mesa head a bit more affordable later.

Based on what's been said so far I'm currently considering the Victory V212VV cab which is 16ohm and has V30s in it.

It's a pity PRS doesn't make a vertical 2x12 or lunchbox heads to be honest.
 
I figured since Mesa is so expensive, if I got a 2x12 cab that would work with my current and future needs, it would make just the Mesa head a bit more affordable later.

Based on what's been said so far I'm currently considering the Victory V212VV cab which is 16ohm and has V30s in it.

It's a pity PRS doesn't make a vertical 2x12 or lunchbox heads to be honest.

Looks like there's a Carvin that you can upgrade with optional V30s.
 
It looks like the Vox and the Fender will both run an 8 ohm cab too, correct?

You can run a 16 ohm cab from an 8 ohm out on an amp, but it may decrease the volume of your amp and alter the tone a little. Some people actually like the sound of the mismatch, it makes the amp work harder at lower volumes. But there would be no problem running an 8 ohm cab with any of the amps you mentioned either. Personally, I would go for the 8, but your choice is probably limited more by the availability of vertical 2x12's.

I'd like to have a vertical 2x12 someday, but for the time being I've found that my regular 2x12 turned up on its end works pretty well when I'm out and I want to get the sound off the floor a bit. At home, I bought some plastic storage shelves at Lowe's and I use them as a platform to prop my cab up a couple feet off the floor. If your focus is home use, I would consider that option. Putting a cab right on the floor reinforces bass frequencies and can make your amp sound awful boomy, especially for recording purposes. And if your floor has a base of plywood on trusses, with a big heavy 2x12 pushing lots of vibration down into the floor, that plywood will start to resonate, and you've effectively turned your floor into something like an acoustic guitar top, and you will have bass upon bass (not good). Happens to me at home if I put my amps on a floor anywhere but the basement.

Check this out: https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/amps-elevated-pros-cons.776629/

Just something to consider. I won't say you're wrong if you still want a vertical 2x12, they are handy especially if you're going to gig with it.
 
My Vox Night Train head is 16ohm out and this is why I have this conundrum. I sorta regret not making this cab decision before getting the Fender Bassbreaker as I probably should have got the head, but the tiny combo is super portable.

I don't gig (unsure if that may change in future). But recording is defo on the cards, so I'd like something well built with good speakers, V30s and closed back.

A 4x12 is out because of space and I used to have a Marshall JCM 2000 half stack back in the late 90s in Oz and needed help to shift it even then.

I did consider getting something to stand my amps on to get them off the floor. Although a cheaper option, it doesn't let me get a new cab. I guess for matching ohms, 2 good quality 1x12s could be an option and I could just use the one not plugged in as the amp stand. But a 2x12 is still probably more economical.
 
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I'd go with 8 Ohms. You can run a 16-Ohm output into it and just lose a little low-end. You can run a 4-Ohm output into it and gain a little low-end. And you can run 8. So it's going to match the most amps.

You can also get an impedance matcher like a Fryette Power Station, Weber Z-match, etc. They will let you set different impedances in and out to match amps to cabs.
 
...would getting a 16ohm 2x12 be the most compatible for multiple heads even though you'd be safe mismatching with an 8ohm head?
Yes. With something like a Radial Tonebone, it would be perfect. Even without a switcher the 16 ohm cab will be perfect, unless you have solid state amps without 16ohm taps...then you must match output impedance.
 
unless you have solid state amps without 16ohm taps...then you must match output impedance.

SS amps generally do not have an output transformer, so you just need the cab to be large enough impedance so that the amp isn't overloaded. Otherwise they are not sensitive to loading and even in overload mostly have overcurrent protection. Really tough to hurt a SS amp.

Output tube bias is affected by loading and has a much more pronounced effect on tube tone and dynamics.
 
There is a switcher on the market that allows you to switch heads into one cab, or between multiple heads and multiple cabs, and the word on the street in studio-land is that the thing automatically handles impedance matching somehow.

It's by Ampete.

It is not cheap, but it seems to be pretty wonderful.
 
It's by Ampete.

I think I've seen some YouTube vloggers use that. The amp heads on shelves with a switcher is what I'd love to be able to afford one day.

Thanks again for all the comments, it's really spun my thoughts on this topic. Those that said 8 ohm may be onto something as I've been checking out different amps and the ones that I like the look of either have 4ohm / 8ohm outputs or 8ohm / 16ohm outputs. So maybe I could get an 8 ohm cab... o_O
 
I had an Ampete 222, allows you to switch between two outputs, and two effects loops: that I found very useful when running effects loop. Yeah kinda expensive but very useful, but also takes only one rack space. I've tried the Radiohead bone, and that had issues, plus your going to have some sort of two channel loop system for effects loop.
 
The only 8ohm 2x12 vertical cabs with V30s I could get in the UK are the Engl Pro or the Mesa.

Now I'm thinking maybe two 1x12s that can stack or split to run separate heads. Like the Mesa mini recto 1x12s. This would also be a bit more budget achieveable in stages.
 
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