Choose a cab model:

Simply put, the speaker cab is the box that holds the speaker. Normally made of wood, it acts as a resonating chamber, shaping how the speaker sounds. There are many factors shaping how different cab models sound, such as size, number of speakers, baffle design and back type (included in another section). Here we’re going to look at size, by starting small and ending up with a 4x12.

Bigger cabs, bigger sound — mostly

Now within each grouping, 1x12, 2x12 etc there are a number different build types that will sound almost as different within the group as the groups themselves. Getting the type or model of cab right for you is one of the most important steps, as the wrong type of cab can have a major negative impact on the sound you want to achieve. When it comes to size and number of speakers, the rule of thumb is, when comparing cabs like for like, larger cabs with more speakers will have more low end and sound bigger. Some people like this, some people don’t.

Why “our 1x12 sounds as big as a 4x12” doesn’t hold up

I say above that getting the wrong cab type can really mess things up. Some manufacturers say things like, our 1x12 sounds as big as a 4x12… well it doesn’t. You can get small 1x12s that sound surprisingly big and 4x12s that can sound surprisingly thin but like for like, a good quality cab with the same build type, then larger cabs generally sound larger. I will say though, unless you are getting a cab from a custom builder you probably wont get a lot of choice when it comes to build type, so aspects of the cab such as baffle and back type may not be obvious, but will still determine how the cab sounds.

An example: two 2x12s that look alike

I’ll give some examples from the Zilla range here so I can say things that may seem negative. Looking at 2x12s we have quite a few designs, but let’s look at two, our Small Vintage and Fatboy 2x12s. The Small Vintage is a small cab with the depth being the most notable physical thing about it, where as the Fatboy is an oversized cab, not that much different in size when it comes to width and height but much deeper….. In the room it’s obvious but looking on a shops website the size difference is less noticeable.

If Zilla weren’t a custom cab manufacturer, or didn’t offer much customisation then the Small Vintage would almost certainly come in open back and the Fatboy in closed back, and this is what you have to watch out for… two cabs that from the front look pretty similar but sound very different. If you were to look at the face on on a web page they’d look the same, so we have to take a look at the dimensions, and in this case more importantly the depth of the cab. The SV sounds great, in open back it is very open and ambient, it cuts through but doesn’t have that much low end… now for me, someone who generally plays oversized 2x12s and 4x12s in a relatively heavy setting I love that cab, the Small Vintage.. I have one and it works great for me when I play it, but I don’t use it for heavy playing. If I used a Small Vintage in my three piece back, with my favourite speakers, it would sound too thin for me and I would be disappointed. It would lack focus and generally miss that thud. Ideally I’d probably want to take a 4x12 but say I can’t take my truck or van to the gig, I have to take my mini (actually I can fit a 4x12 in there, but let’s pretend I can’t)… I’d want to use the closed back Fatboy 2x12. That will give me some of the umph of a 4x12 but in a small lighter package where the pros definitely outweigh the cons.

Please note this isn’t a sales pitch, I’m using Zilla cabs as an example here so I can say this……. If you were to turn up to play a metal gig with an open back Small Vintage cab you’d most probably hate it, you’d think it was a bad cab… well it’s a great cab, but totally wrong for the situation… like using a lovely acoustic guitar for a hard rock solo.

So what should you decide?

• Smaller cabs: how much low end you want, as well as how much ambience against control and focus is important to you.
• Larger cabs: how much low end and umph you want.

One quick rule of thumb test…. Would you consider yourself to prefer combos, or head and cab? If you’ve had experience of using both:

• If you prefer combos, open and ambient is probably close to the top of your list.
• If you prefer head and cab, it’s probably low end, focus and umph/impact that you value most.