Front loaded or rear

[MontyW]

Hi,

In real simple terms what are the differences and benefits between a rear loaded cab and a front loaded one?

I've sort of searched on here for an "idiots" guide but not found anything definitive.

Can anyone help?

 

[mark-anthony]

Hey hows it going?
Ive been wondering the same thing, and I read in some threads on this site that people find the front loaded cabs sound better and punchier, and are especially good for hard rock etc. I did try a Diezel cab recently, and it was great, but I forgot to ask if it was front or rearloaded.
But I read that for the most part, people preferred the front loaded.

 

[King Crimson]

...I read in some threads on this site that people find the front loaded cabs sound better...

Don't you think that your assumption of other peoples thoughts on this is subjective?

 

[AngryGoldfish]

You shoud watch this video with Peter Stapfer. It's very detailed and informative, particularly regarding his field - cabinets.

That one might not be the exact one that mentions the sound differences between rear and front loaded cabinets. You may have to watch them all. Not an easy task, but it's certainly enjoyable.

From my personal experience, the rear loaded Diezel cabinets with Vintage 30's are airy and free sounding. They are good for the studio, I predict, because it allows the miccrophone to pick up more of the sound that is in the room rather than what comes directly out from the speaker. But that's just a guess, don't take my word for it.

Front-loaded cabinets, particularly with high-wattage speakers like G12 Hot 100's or G12 K100's, have a great presence to them. Live they are awesome because no matter where you stand in conjunction with the cabinet, you know where the sound is and where it is going. Mic'ing it up for live situations might also be better because it's not picking up anything else up; just your guitar.

I know I'm only giving you an idiots rough guide again, but that video might be a bit more specific and helpful for you.

 

[MontyW]

I know I'm only giving you an idiots rough guide again, but that video might be a bit more specific and helpful for you.

That video was very very helpful. So for the "sludgy bluesy" stuff - the rear loaded cab is the one

 

[Ventura]

I know I'm only giving you an idiots rough guide again, but that video might be a bit more specific and helpful for you.

That video was very very helpful. So for the "sludgy bluesy" stuff - the rear loaded cab is the one

Yep...
V.

 

[King Crimson]

So for the "sludgy bluesy" stuff - the rear loaded cab is the one

Depends what cab you are thinking of. You won't find much variance in your typical front loaded cab. You will find that front loaded cab is more directional and less 3D (so-to-speak) than your classic rear loaded cab.

As for 'sludgy' is concerned as a characteristic used to describe some rear loaded cabs, this is not an endemic property of all rear loaded cabs - most certainly with Diezel cabs. A Diezel rear loaded cab is far from sludgy or muddy to say the least. IMO rear loaded cabs emit a more complex character than a front loaded cab - but to each there own. Ideally it would be nice to have both in the arsenal.

 

[MontyW]

Ideally it would be nice to have both in the arsenal.

I sort knew this would be the ideal but budget currently dictates only one. If the rear loaded is more three dimensional and complex in tone, it sounds as though it will be better suited to my needs.

 

[King Crimson]

I sort knew this would be the ideal but budget currently dictates only one. If the rear loaded is more three dimensional and complex in tone, it sounds as though it will be better suited to my needs.

MontyW, is there no possibility for you to try both cabs before you purchase?

This may seem a little crazy, but what if there was a 4x12 cab that could have two FL speakers and two RL speakers in a X pattern...haha.

Here's one of my two 4x12 cabs in a X pattern. Two Diezel custom speakers and two V30s - X pattern.

 

[uwgestein]

the design of a frontloaded cab and a rearloaded cab is completely different.
I talked with Peter S. about it. RL an FL speakers in one cab is not possible.

 

[Gutmann]

the design of a frontloaded cab and a rearloaded cab is completely different.
I talked with Peter S. about it. RL an FL speakers in one cab is not possible.

It also might cause phasing-issues...

 

[King Crimson]

It was just a thought.

 

[PBGas]

Combining speakers can yield some great results as well!

I have a Diezel FL 2x12 and I put a V-30 on the left and a G12K100 on the right. Absolute sonic mayhem! Great mid crunch but a nice blend of bottom and top. Very clear and defined.

 

[philbag]

I was turned off using different speakers in the same cab or even different cabs through the one head when I got my 1960BV (v30) to keep my 1960A (t75) company. I have only tried playing through them both with my Marshall TSL so might give the diezels a run through them. However I've found I prefer the tone of the Diezel's through my 1960A than my 1960BV, but I MUCH prefer my TSL through my v30 cab. Odd.

I too am tossing up between the front and rear loaded cabs. I dont want a cab with a super quick attack, I want some give/sag in my picking. I'm not big on surgical precision, I want mojo! But it must be able to handle high volumes and reasonably high ampounts of gain, whilst also cleaning up beautifully. I considered the 412RL with Tone Tubby's but have only heard horrible sounding clips on youtube of them, obviously I'm not expecting youtube to be a perfect reference, haha. The clips I've heard of front loaded with G12K100's seem to have that really quick attack and it seems to have a bit of a sterile/surgical feel from what I can gather.

I had heard the g12k100's were similar to the G12t75 speakers, which pushed me in that direction - as well as hearing that the tone tubby's don't do marshall tones very well, and I'm a marshall tone kinda guy. I want a modern day brown sound on steroids, I guess you could say.

I wish Diezel had cab's in Australia , buying both would just mean I'd have to wait longer to buy them as I'd try and save on shipping that way. If I didn't like one, I'm sure I'd have no trouble selling it on the Aussie market. Arrgh, this is annoying business! Perhaps some demo videos of both cabs through different diezel heads are in order, any one at Diezel HQ got some time on their hands?

 

[Gutmann]

I might be able to give you some clips of the schmidt with a hempcone rl cab and a V30 rearloaded (no Diezel, but similar size).
Just need to find the time to record some clips.

 

[philbag]

Thatd be excellent gutmann! I adore my Schmidt through my 1960a, its just so nicely balanced, tonewise. I can leave almost every knob on the amp at noon (including volume and gain) and it will simply drop the jaws of any one I play it for. So naturally I'm super curious to hear it through higher quality speakers/cab construction styles, ala diesel cabs .

 

[Gutmann]

I had a 1960 Standard which sounded a bit to scooped for my taste - I used a Marshall 6100 with it.
I switched to a 2x12 with G12H30 and Greenback for the Marshall and sold the cab. Unfortunately, I couldn't try the Schmidt with the 1960.

The hempcone is a perfect match for my taste.

 

[King Crimson]

I had heard the g12k100's were similar to the G12t75 speakers, which pushed me in that direction...

philbag, this is true. The only differences that I found from the specs are bigger magnet, deeper footprint and 25W increase. A few other subtleties that only a German Shepard would detect...

I want a modern day brown sound on steroids, I guess you could say.

Then like me, you'd probably be more satisfied with the Diezel RL straight cab w/V30s. I personally don’t like the G12T-75s for their inherent sterile tone. They lack of warmth when you need it. The V30 is IMO more versatile in this regard.

 

[philbag]

I had heard the g12k100's were similar to the G12t75 speakers, which pushed me in that direction...

philbag, this is true. The only differences that I found from the specs are bigger magnet, deeper footprint and 25W increase. A few other subtleties that only a German Shepard would detect...

I want a modern day brown sound on steroids, I guess you could say.

Then like me, you'd probably be more satisfied with the Diezel RL straight cab w/V30s. I personally don’t like the G12T-75s for their inherent sterile tone. They lack of warmth when you need it. The V30 is IMO more versatile in this regard.

Thanks for the replies dudes. I would have gone ahead and chosen the v30 RL cab had I not been kinda unimpressed with how both my VH4 and Schmidt sounded through my Marshall 1960BV. Bass wasn't controlled, mids were kinda scooped a bit and there was a slightly weird high treble spike. Are the v30's in the diezel RL's the chinese made ones? I suppose the diezel cabinets handle the bass of the v30 a crapload better than the marshall v30 cabs also .

 

[King Crimson]

Are the v30's in the diezel RL's the chinese made ones?

Can't help you there philbag. All I know is that my X cab sounds like serious money. Cleans are insane, metal and everything in between is 36DD.

The man himself may chime in on the origin of his V30s.