What's the differenc between a head with a cab and a combo ?

[Dror520]

as the title says what is difference between those two setups .. which one is better ? I assume that the combo is easier to move around but is it load enough and gets the same sound as a head and cab ??

 

[Elpelotero]

First of all, it depends on how many speakers you are using. You can have a 50 watt head with 8 speakers and it will sound much louder than a 150 watt head with 2 speakers.

Secondly, cabs are not as functional as they seem for transportation because they are extremely heavy. Many people prefer to make two trips to the car rather than heavy trip.

Lastly, there is no "better," just different. Some people like the sound of an open back combo, whereas others like a closed back cab. You can also have an open back cab. Generally anything with an open back will have less punch and bass because a lot of the air dissipates out through the back. As a result, the tone feels more 3d because it fills the room more evenly. A closed back cab projects the air straight forward; there is little to no dissipation through the back. As a result, the sound is very punchy and great for hard rock/metal.

EDIT: I meant to say COMBOS are not as functional as they seem because they are very heavy.

 

[edward]

"Better" is defined by what suits your purpose. I like both ...which is why I own both a few combos, a couple of cabs, and a one head.

Theoretically, a Boogie head + a cab with equal internal volume of a like-sized and identical Boogie combo should sound the same. The nice thing about having a 1x12 cab, though, is that you could use it to supplement the combo, so it's not like you "have" to own a head to get full use of another cab. The Thiele cab is the first thing that comes to mind, but there are a myriad of cabs out there that can get you add'l dispersion and/or diff flavor to complement the tone one's combo is producing.

Edward

 

[ToneAddictJon]

I'll pretty much second everything that's been said. I prefer heads and cabs, because combo's get to be very heavy. Some combo's also have the problem of having the tubes right behind the speakers, which can cause issues. Some combo's are also very awkward to move, because of their size, weight and where the handle(s) is/are located.

 

[Dror520]

thx for the reply !! I would consider a Head and Cab ...

BTW, is a Mark IV combo is really heavy ?

 

[Itsik]

LOL yep ... it's **** heavy ...

 

[Xqzdust]

It ain't heavy it's my Boogie!

Naw that's a lie it weighs a ton!

 

[devilrob1979]

With a head and cab you control your own sound. You can go open back or closed back depending on your tastes. You can also add or subtract speakers to get to where you need to be. With a combo you're stuck with an unsexy heavy lump o' amp. No matter which way you go make sure you go short so you can rackmount it when you realize that tolex and hard wood might look nice but for lugging around nothing beats a rack case.

 

[inmyhands]

I own multiple heads and multiple speaker cabinets. I would not have it any other way.

Speakers play a huge part in what you hear. The same goes with cabinet styles and builds. I've found speakers that excel at different sounds / tones just like amplifiers or guitar pickups do. I try and match the best speakers to the best cabs to the best amps to the best pickups to the best guitars to come up with the very best tones for whatever I'm recording at the time.

I know that this is going foolishly overboard, but, in a head to head comparison, each piece adds or detracts from the quality of the finished product.

I don't like combos because they limit the exceptional abilities of the amp involved. No amp is at its best for every tone and gain level with the same set of speakers. If your use is very narrow, ("I want the most beautiful high gain tone with strong mids, sweet highs, and am willing to sacrifice a bit of bass and punch"), by a Mark II, III, or IV combo. If on the other hand your recording something or performing something that needs more punch or more bass you'll sound better with a head within the same grouping matched with one of any multiple of speaker cabinets that provide the enhancement needed for those tones.

 

[Dror520]

I own multiple heads and multiple speaker cabinets. I would not have it any other way.

Speakers play a huge part in what you hear. The same goes with cabinet styles and builds. I've found speakers that excel at different sounds / tones just like amplifiers or guitar pickups do. I try and match the best speakers to the best cabs to the best amps to the best pickups to the best guitars to come up with the very best tones for whatever I'm recording at the time.

I know that this is going foolishly overboard, but, in a head to head comparison, each piece adds or detracts from the quality of the finished product.

I don't like combos because they limit the exceptional abilities of the amp involved. No amp is at its best for every tone and gain level with the same set of speakers. If your use is very narrow, ("I want the most beautiful high gain tone with strong mids, sweet highs, and am willing to sacrifice a bit of bass and punch"), by a Mark II, III, or IV combo. If on the other hand your recording something or performing something that needs more punch or more bass you'll sound better with a head within the same grouping matched with one of any multiple of speaker cabinets that provide the enhancement needed for those tones.

THX !!! you were very helpful !!