4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

[Chris of Arabia]

Apart from the weight, what would I lose in using the smaller unit? Bear in mind that the only comparison I have from personal use is of playing through 1x12" combos.

[Red_Label]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

While being tighter than the 4X12, the 4X10 gives up some girth and hugeness of tone. I personally think that for most guitar tones out there, the 12" speaker is the ideal because it's such a well-rounded, full-sounding speaker. I've never got along with any of the 10" speaker combos/cabs that I've owned. They just always sounded thinner to me, no matter what cab/combo they were in.

[gvis]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

+1. I could never warm up to the 4x10 setup I had for years, even after speaker swaps. While the ramrods I have now happened to get the closest to a 12 inch, they still don't have the fullness of when I run the same amp through 12 inchers.

Mine were in a 4x10 open back deville cab. Maybe 4x10's in a larger cab with a larger baffle. I'm convinced the baffle size of cabs has a lot to do with fullness results, having recently gone from smaller, dual 1x12 cabs to larger 1x12 cabs. I tested them side by side with the same amp and same 12inchers in both and the difference was huge. Maybe a bit less punchy, based on internet research on baffles, but I didn't see a noticeable difference. I also found that mostly open or closed/sealed work better than closed without a tight seal in the back, which sounds very boxy.

A 4x10 sound isn't a bad sound. I think it's more what you're looking for.

[gvis]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

I meant it depends what sound you're looking for...lol...in case anyone took what I wrote literally.

[ItsaBass]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

I love Ampeg VT-40's and Fender Supers. But for some reason, I've never met a 4x10 guitar extension cabinet that I got along with extremely well. They work. They aren't terrible. But don't sound as good as 12's to me.

[beggar_guitar]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

I loved my 4x10 cab. I played it with a Crate Vintage Club 50 watt head. Even with the stock speakers it was tight, punchy and crisp.

I've owned 4x12 cabs too. There is no comparison to me. But it is all in what you want 10's suited my tone perfectly at a point, but when I played in an Alt Rock band I don't feel they would have done what I wanted.

If I ever add a cab to my AC15 I will most likely add a 1 or 2 "10 cab. I'm just a fan of that tone.

[mwalluk]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

While being tighter than the 4X12, the 4X10 gives up some girth and hugeness of tone. I personally think that for most guitar tones out there, the 12" speaker is the ideal because it's such a well-rounded, full-sounding speaker. I've never got along with any of the 10" speaker combos/cabs that I've owned. They just always sounded thinner to me, no matter what cab/combo they were in.

I rocked out a 210 cab with tone tubbies in the studio.... it rawked... hard

[Red_Label]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

I rocked out a 210 cab with tone tubbies in the studio.... it rawked... hard

I'm sure it did. I just always like a big, fat bottom end and have just never played a 10" loaded cab that could compete with 12" cabs. Maybe I should be looking at something with 15s in there! But I don't wanna steal my bass player's thunder...

[flangermann]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

I had the 4x10 marshall yrs ago. 2x12 or a 4x12 is were its at for me.

[philthis]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

4/10 cabs that have a closed back or 3/4 closed back sound better to me. When I play thru a 4/10 I play it for clean tones becouse to me, a 4/10 has great chimey clean tones like you would want wile playing a strat in the neck or neck/middle pickup position. A 2/10 cab is ok for this but somtimes it can be so bright on certain notes that I find my self reaching for the treble to turn it down even more. A 4/10 seems to balance out the chimey nature of the 10 inch speakers better and still add some biger ambiance-a little more bass-to the chimey tone. For distortion I dont like 10's becouse they lack the bottom end of a 12 and 10's tend to accentuate the fizzy gain of a speaker in an unpleasent way. Clean however they are tight and punchy and sparkle great like a fender super reverb or a bassman. For Jazz clean tone I still like 12's better becouse of the overall deeper rounder bass tone you get from a 12 inch speaker. For distortion I like 12's all the way.

[gvis]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

4/10 cabs that have a closed back or 3/4 closed back sound better to me. When I play thru a 4/10 I play it for clean tones becouse to me, a 4/10 has great chimey clean tones like you would want wile playing a strat in the neck or neck/middle pickup position. A 2/10 cab is ok for this but somtimes it can be so bright on certain notes that I find my self reaching for the treble to turn it down even more. A 4/10 seems to balance out the chimey nature of the 10 inch speakers better and still add some biger ambiance-a little more bass-to the chimey tone. For distortion I dont like 10's becouse they lack the bottom end of a 12 and 10's tend to accentuate the fizzy gain of a speaker in an unpleasent way. Clean however they are tight and punchy and sparkle great like a fender super reverb or a bassman. For Jazz clean tone I still like 12's better becouse of the overall deeper rounder bass tone you get from a 12 inch speaker. For distortion I like 12's all the way.

This pretty much sums up what I went through, especially the fizzy gain because I play more distorton than clean.

Does anyone mix 10's and 12's to get the best of both? Such as a 2x10 cab on top of a 2x12 cab. While I've still got 4 practually new and currently unused ramords (to be sold soon), I have already committed to 2 1x12 large cabs, so I'm just curious.

[Lazarus1140]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

If their sensitivites were equal could 10s and 12s be mixed in one cabinet?

[beggar_guitar]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

This pretty much sums up what I went through, especially the fizzy gain because I play more distorton than clean.

Does anyone mix 10's and 12's to get the best of both? Such as a 2x10 cab on top of a 2x12 cab. While I've still got 4 practually new and currently unused ramords (to be sold soon), I have already committed to 2 1x12 large cabs, so I'm just curious.

A friend of mine had an old amp... maybe a Gibson. But he paired 2x10 and 2x12. I thought he had pretty great tone. I would Love to duplicate it.

If I ever have the time and money I will be adding a 2x10 cab to my setup.

[Aceman]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

I love the punch of 10" period.

[gvis]

Re: 4x10" vs. 4x12" cabinets?

Hmmm...and I was so close to going with a 2x10 open back on top of a 1x12 large closed back.

But when I fell in love with swamp thangs I ordered another: so I'm now using a large open back 1x12 on top and, when it comes in next week, even larger 1x12 closed on bottom.

I was having such bad luck trying 4x10's that, with the happiness of the swamp thangs, I gave up on them.