Swap a 4X12 for a 2X12 or single 12?

[AugustWest]

Hello, I'm new to the board, but lurked here a few years ago to learn before I bought my current rig. I've been playing a 50W Single Rectifier thru a 4X12 cabinet & really like it! I rarely play out, but I did a gig 2 weeks ago & not only was it a PIA to move my big cab it also wrecked my back! I love my sound, I'm using an MXR 10 band EQ on the effects send, and on the floor I have an MXR carbon copy & Morely Classic Wah.... A very basic setup that sounds fantastic clean or crunchy. Even tho I rarely play out, i share my studio (spare bedroom) with my wife who's an avid sculptor, painter, artist extrordinair! I can score major brownie points by downsizing my rig, and I'll save my back if/when I play out. So, my question is "Will I be happy going from my 4X12 to a 2X12 or possibly a 1X12? I've been studying my options, and notice the rectifier cabs are closed back, the royal Atlantic open back, Road King half open half closed, etc.... My instincts tell me the rectifier cab will be clsoeer to what I'm used to (ballsy!), but I'm curious about the open back's effect on tone (especially in a small room or potentially on stage). Has anyone else dumped the once ultra cool half stack to save space and their back? Thanks in advance!

A.W.

 

[YellowJacket]

Has anyone else dumped the once ultra cool half stack to save space and their back? Thanks in advance!

A.W.

That would be me.

I'm not going to lie. Nothing sounds like a halfstack and nothing can really replace that sound

BUT

Some 2 x 12s are good and there is a 1 x 12 model that also is surprising. Downsizing doesn't diminish the SPLs that much, but it does tend to give better tones at a bit lower levels, mostly because the speaker can get really involved sooner.

For 2 x 12s, the Rectocab and the Road King cab are both pretty awesome. For me, I'd recommend the Road King cab as a top option but you may find you like the Rectocab better. The Road King cab has an open back c90 side and a close back v30 side. It's more balanced sounding and does cleans and leads as well as rhythm tones. The Rectocab has more upper mids and excels at thumping crunch tones. The downside is that you need a cab stand so you can hear the thing on stage. We don't have ears in our ankles, hahaha.

For 1 x 12s, the Royal Atlantic 27" 1 x 12, previously known as the Electra Dyne 27" 1 x 12, sounds absolutely huge. I have plugged my Dual Rectifier through it, and it sounds surprisingly good. Of course, a v30 might be a more appropriate speaker but the mc90 worked perfectly well. As good as it sounds, it does NOT sound like a halfstack.

My suggestion:

1) Try before you buy. Maybe rent some and see what works best for you. For most, a 2 x 12 is a perfect compromise but I find they can still get quite loud.

2) Hold onto the 4 x 12 for a bit. You never know, you might miss it.

 

[AugustWest]

Thanks for being the voice of reason Yellowjacket! I'm going to take my guitar to the Mesa store in hollywood & check em out before I make a jump. Often, once I get a bee in my bonnet, I charge ahead without thinking things thru. Also, when should "being practical" interfere with tone! I'm thinking my best bet would be to have a spare 2X12 cabinet for those times I play out, and leave the 4X12 where it is (I really do dig the sound). Thanks again!

 

[kdorsey]

I'm thinking my best bet would be to have a spare 2X12 cabinet for those times I play out, and leave the 4X12 where it is

+1
Even at lower volumes, a great 4x12 is unmatched. Just yummy. I made the leap to 2x12 cabs many years ago and schlepped 2 of them around for even out outdoor gigs with great success. But I'm downsizing my rig and am selling one of my old school Boogie half-back 2x12s. If by some weird chance you're close to the Indianapolis area, you could check this one out. It's currently loaded with 2 C90s.

 

[screamingdaisy]

The Recto 2x12s sound really good, but they don't sound like the 4x12.

I switch between the two regularly and I like both. I 2nd the suggestion to check out the Royal Atlantic 1x12. Make sure it's the 27" version (same size as the RA 2x12. Sounds huge for a 1x12.

 

[Third Age Amps]

You should check out Mako Amplification. He just made a 1x12 that is supposed to sound incredible.

 

[YellowJacket]

I switch between the two regularly and I like both. I 2nd the suggestion to check out the Royal Atlantic 1x12. Make sure it's the 27" version (same size as the RA 2x12. Sounds huge for a 1x12.

Seconded. They're a portly 40lbs and they sound massive, especially as you crank them. I have one I use with my Electra Dyne and it sounds amazing.

 

[brich]

I have been playing my Single Rec through my 2x12 Rectifier cabinet for the past 10 years. Around 6 months ago I decided to add a 4x12 Rectifier slanted cabinet and keep the 2x12 for when I don't feel like hauling the 4x12 around or for smaller gigs. I like the 4x12 a lot more and the 2x12 has been sitting at the house since I picked up the 4x12. The 2x12 is a great cabinet and great sounding. It gets loud as hell and has a ton of bottom end, but for me you can't compare to the 4x12 for the huge sound. If you do purchase another I would definitely keep the 4x12 for a long time before deciding to get rid of it. Let the newness of the new cabinet wear off so you can make a decision after playing on both for a while. I have no intentions on getting rid of either cabinet after owning both.....hope this helps.

The 2x12 will save your back though. Our singer/rhythm player has the 2x12 and has the hard case for it. He stacks the cabinet on top of the case for some lift at gigs to hear it better. Mine was always on floor level so I used to crank my amp to hear it and piss off the sound guys. I have a buddy who plays his dual rec through two Mesa 3/4 back 1x12 cabinets stacked on each other and it sounds amazing too.

As far as saving space, my 2x12 is just as wide and deep as my 4x12 so you just save on a little height, but no floor space.

 

[bluestometal]

I downsized from a 4x12 to a 2x12 recto std and can't be happier. OF COURSE nothing's more ballsy and meatier and hot-posing and blablabla than a 4x12 but I don't play in big venues so much lately and I've to carry my rig from my studio on the 2nd floor to my car and back. Is there too much tone difference? Nope! Is there enough tone difference? Maybe, but I don't notice it, specially in a band context (in both metal and blues/rock contexts). Do I miss that huge beast roaring behind me? Sure I do! Do I miss moving that huge beast around like a drunk panda? Of course NOT! The 2x12 Recto std sounds huge, warm and full but I can't tell for the 1x12 'cause I never tried one but sometimes I think that having one around could come very handy and, being your Recto a 50W you could easily grab a v30 cab instead of the usual c90 one.

 

[DWAKO]

The Stiletto 4x12 is most definitely my favorite cab, however I'm not playing out at the moment and decided to scale down my rig, I owned both the recto 2x12 and the Road King 2x12 the same time. I sold the rectifier 2x12 and kept the RK 2x12, and it was an easy decision. There is more depth with the V30/C90 combo, and the open back allows for a bigger tone, yet the isolated v30 keeps things tight. As everyone has said, nothing replaces a 4x12, but the RK 2x12 is the best alternative for me.

 

[joe web]

i use a recto 4x12 std. slanted with my DC-5 and i´m happy with that sound, but as most of you guys, he thought it would be good to have a small option by the hand if needed.
so i got a 1x12 3/4 widebody with C90 and a 1x12 compact halfback with C90 for testing.

the 3/4 widebody is an awesome cab! good and tight low-end response, very open sound because of the construction, and as loud as my 4x12 cabinet. so this is a great cab if you want to downsize.
the compact is a nice cab as well, but here i was missing the low-end feeling of the 4x12, which i haven´t missed as much with the 3/4.
so the compact it good sounding, but totally different as the 4x12 or the 3/4, but it´s easy to carry around and produces a good sound as well - but different.

overall i decided to keep the compact 1x12, because the 3/4 is a big cabinet for a 1x12. it´s larger as some other 2x12s on the market!
so most of the time i use my 4x12, but if i go out for a jam with someone else as with my band, i take the 1x12 and the DC-5 and that´s it.

there is one cabinet i want to try in the future, the Recto 2x12 vertical.
all the advantages of a 2x12, but it´s slanted and vertical - like with all vertical cabs, you can hear your guitar much better as with a horizontal 2x12.