2x12 vs 4x12

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cardinal

cardinal

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I've been on a bit of a cab binge.

One that I picked up is a Marshall 1936V (oversized, horizontal 2x12, all ply, Marshall G12 Vintage speakers).

It sounds amazing. I've long considered 2x12s just things that people use if they can't afford or carry a 4x12. But this cab sounds leaner and meaner than a 4x12 with the same speakers, and it works particularly well with my Tremoverb.

Any of you guys actively prefer a 2x12 cab over a 4x12, at least for some cases?
 
Man my V-Boutique 212 loaded with Redbacks will annihilate MANY 412's. It's almost as big as one FFS! LOL! I'll do a side by side with my Friedman BE412 for comparison.

I prefer a 412 on stage whenever possible.
 
I have an old Randall vertical 2x12 that I love, so much that I bought the 4x12 version which is good as well but not like that 2x12, leaner and meaner is the perfect way to describe it
 
I prefer my 2x12 on top of a 412. Don't know if it's the speakers in the 2x12 (K100s) or the cab, or combo of both, but no other 412 or speaker combo brings the attack, grit, aggressiveness, brightness that that 2x12 does. I sit it on top of may 412s and it just sounds right. 2x12 for bright aggressiveness and cut and the 412 for the chunk.
 
4x12 all the way, 2x12 just doesn’t have the same feel, and I’ve tried many.
I’ve always wanted to try one of those port city oversized ported 2x12s though
 
If you go 2x12 go vertical, far better sound dispersion. Mather built me a couple vert 2x12's, all I've used for a few years now
 
I always prefer a 4x12 especially with a full band but I have to say my mesa recto 2x12 fairs very well even with my full band. It's tight , has really good bass response , loaded with v30s. Here's some pics , this is this biggest sounding " little setup" I feel comfortable using.

Amp is a 100 watt toaster I built loaded with 1979 JMP iron set, amp has a tube loop and aldrich preamp circuit in it. Sounds killer , I use the ksr ceres and boss ms3 into the fx return mostly now though so I can have a clean , Rhythm and Lead channel. Cool thing is that the boss ms3 switches the channels on the KSR ceres for me in addition to any fx I want.
 

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Im definitely probably the minority here. I prefer my 2x12’s now days. At 100+ db’s i dont notice any difference. If i need it to be closer to my ears ill just stack the two. I dont. I even blocked off two holes in my old engl cab, and use it as an oversized diagonal 2x12.
 
The only 2x12s I’ve owned that even came close to rivaling a good 4x12 we’re almost as large as the 4x12, and therefore had almost no benefit. I want to like 2x12a but I’ve wasted too much money chasing that dragon, and resigned myself to having back problems later in life.
 
Bob Gjika swears by 2x12’s. I love my Zinky 2x12, which produces nearly 4x12 low end, but it isn’t my Mesa OS.
 
I dig both. Love the air push from a 412, but you're gonna mic one speaker live. I have found that no one can hear the difference once it hits the mains...lol!
 
I was excited to get this and so far it’s been less than stellar.
 

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This sounds huge despite the open back.
 

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Seems like we're all hearing the same thing, a 4x12 is a bit warmer/thicker.

I guess I'm now realizing that this doesn't necessarily make the 2x12 inferior. It's just a difference sound that can be helpful. The 2x12 really tightens up my Tremoverb such that I don't need a boost, but the 4x12 is a bit too thicc and needs a boost to lean it out.
 
cardinal said:
Seems like we're all hearing the same thing, a 4x12 is a bit warmer/thicker.

I guess I'm now realizing that this doesn't necessarily make the 2x12 inferior. It's just a difference sound that can be helpful. The 2x12 really tightens up my Tremoverb such that I don't need a boost, but the 4x12 is a bit too thicc and needs a boost to lean it out.
Click to expand...
Bro I got a siccness for the 4x12 thiccness
 
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