Fads

[Jacew]

Re: Fads

Dumb question -what market need are they filling?

If an amp can be effective and small -then a gigging musician is going to want that in a combo instead of lugging around 2 things right?. So I don't see it being a Club Gigging Live need.

If you want the flexibility of multiple cabinet options for recording, well a studio isn't going to pick a mini head over the usual suspects in their arsenal for tone for a legit recording. plus most modern combos have insert points, loops and speaker ext outputs -so I don't see it being a Studio need.

So what is it for? Dorm and Apartment home recording cuteness? Being able to saturate at low volumes? This reminds me of the Marshall Mini Stack Fad

I'm being sincere here - other than cute and small and neat to look at -What purpose dose it solve that a combo with good I/O doesn't meet and exceed?

Maybe I'm missing something obvious.

I prefer small heads. Most standard sized ones are just ridiculously big for the job anyway.

You can drop those in a shoulder bag, pick up 1x12 and you're good to go. Much easier than lugging tube combo around. Even as 1x12 they're pretty heavy.

I definitely want the ability to just switch the cab if needed as well. So I have not much interest in combos anyway.

[dystrust]

Re: Fads

Yeah, I can kinda see that -but High Wattage Heads and stacks really haven't been useful in a technical sense for 35 years - -just awesome looking and the standard to say your pro. and power braking/dummy loading, pulling A/B sets out or using lower wattage amp versions has ALWAYS been the solution -it's not new. We are really just talking about the fad of the Tiny head form factor itself- So I get what your saying -but why not solve the same tiny head solution in a combo -so at least you have a stage amp to DI into the soundboard.

I went from running a Marshall Jubilee 2555 into a 4x12 and then a 2x12 to running a Mini Jubilee head into a ported 1x12 cabinet. The 4x12 is overkill in terms of weight; the ported 2x12 on a stand sounds just as good and is plenty loud at half the weight. I picked up the Mini because 100W or even 50W is just too loud in most rooms. I've tried attenuators and I've also run the master volume lower, but it just doesn't sound that great. With the Mini I can run the amp in its sweet spot which is around 2.5 - 4 on the output master without being too loud for the room. I still have the full size head and 2x12, but those only leave the house when I need the extra volume.

As far as head & 1x12 vs. combo amp, I prefer the sound of a ported closed-back cabinet to an open one. I also have the option of taking the Mini head & 2x12 cab for rooms where the 1x12 doesn't cut it, but the full size head would be too much.

[PFDarkside]

Re: Fads

Yeah, I can kinda see that -but High Wattage Heads and stacks really haven't been useful in a technical sense for 35 years - -just awesome looking and the standard to say your pro. and power braking/dummy loading, pulling A/B sets out or using lower wattage amp versions has ALWAYS been the solution -it's not new. We are really just talking about the fad of the Tiny head form factor itself- So I get what your saying -but why not solve the same tiny head solution in a combo -so at least you have a stage amp to DI into the soundboard.

This was my point. The metal case mini head. You can have a regular headshell (small enough for a 1x12” cab) and still have it low wattage.

Anyway, I expect it to be a fad in the sense that 10 years from now they will he more rare.

[NegativeEase]

Re: Fads

I went from running a Marshall Jubilee 2555 into a 4x12 and then a 2x12 to running a Mini Jubilee head into a ported 1x12 cabinet. The 4x12 is overkill in terms of weight; the ported 2x12 on a stand sounds just as good and is plenty loud at half the weight. I picked up the Mini because 100W or even 50W is just too loud in most rooms. I've tried attenuators and I've also run the master volume lower, but it just doesn't sound that great. With the Mini I can run the amp in its sweet spot which is around 2.5 - 4 on the output master without being too loud for the room. I still have the full size head and 2x12, but those only leave the house when I need the extra volume.

As far as head & 1x12 vs. combo amp, I prefer the sound of a ported closed-back cabinet to an open one. I also have the option of taking the Mini head & 2x12 cab for rooms where the 1x12 doesn't cut it, but the full size head would be too much.

This all makes good sense. for a Marshall I like that tight closed back sound too.