do casters kill tone?
- Thread starter newking70
- Start date
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: do casters kill tone?
I've heard that theory too, but it sounds a little hard to believe. If it doesn't have casters, it's going to be sitting on 4 rubber feet anyway, right?
Plus, any difference in tone that's robbed by sitting on wheels is weighed against the idea of breaking your back carrying the amp. It seems to me that a cab sitting on casters would allow the wood to resonate better, than being dampened by sitting on the floor with rubber feet.
Sometimes, I think they're more concerned with adding $25 cost to their amp, and they tell you it's because of tone. I might be wrong though, and if I am, I'd like to hear why.
I've heard that theory too, but it sounds a little hard to believe. If it doesn't have casters, it's going to be sitting on 4 rubber feet anyway, right?
Plus, any difference in tone that's robbed by sitting on wheels is weighed against the idea of breaking your back carrying the amp. It seems to me that a cab sitting on casters would allow the wood to resonate better, than being dampened by sitting on the floor with rubber feet.
Sometimes, I think they're more concerned with adding $25 cost to their amp, and they tell you it's because of tone. I might be wrong though, and if I am, I'd like to hear why.
newking70
GrumpyWorfologist
Re: do casters kill tone?
:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: you da man:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:
:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: you da man:bowdown: :bowdown: :bowdown:
krankguitarist
Krankitupologist
Re: do casters kill tone?
I know that my mesa cabinet sounds a bit more focused when I take off the casters. Next step is to put it on a piece of foam to isolate it from the ground.
If ya got removable casters, ya get the best of both worlds.
I know that my mesa cabinet sounds a bit more focused when I take off the casters. Next step is to put it on a piece of foam to isolate it from the ground.
If ya got removable casters, ya get the best of both worlds.
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: do casters kill tone?
Casters, because of the moving parts (wheels, ball bearings, etc.), do not couple the cabinet to the floor and so the floor cannot add as much of its own resonance to the tone.
The more solid the connection to the floor, the deeper and more resonant the overall tone.
Lew
Casters, because of the moving parts (wheels, ball bearings, etc.), do not couple the cabinet to the floor and so the floor cannot add as much of its own resonance to the tone.
The more solid the connection to the floor, the deeper and more resonant the overall tone.
Lew
newking70
GrumpyWorfologist
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: do casters kill tone?
When a cab sits directly on the floor (with sliders or rubber feet) there's a coupling effect that brings out the bass response.
When up on casters the cab is decoupled from the floor and you'll have a less pronouced bottom end.
Whether this is good or bad depends on your viewpoint. Some floors (particularly some elevated stages) tend to vibrate when the cab is coupled to it....in effect the floor becomes a speaker surface and it can make the bottom end really boom. De-coupling the cab using casters can alieviate this problem and take the boom out of the cab.
Then again, sometimes the cab sounds really good sitting right on the floor.
So....in my experience whether cab casters bad for tone is both purely subjective and dependant upon the situation
On the other hand, that deadlifting a 4x12 cab and trying to walk with it is a big pain in the ass is not subjective....it's fact.
If you're really worried about wither it'll kill your tone or not then build a dolly to drag it around on.
When a cab sits directly on the floor (with sliders or rubber feet) there's a coupling effect that brings out the bass response.
When up on casters the cab is decoupled from the floor and you'll have a less pronouced bottom end.
Whether this is good or bad depends on your viewpoint. Some floors (particularly some elevated stages) tend to vibrate when the cab is coupled to it....in effect the floor becomes a speaker surface and it can make the bottom end really boom. De-coupling the cab using casters can alieviate this problem and take the boom out of the cab.
Then again, sometimes the cab sounds really good sitting right on the floor.
So....in my experience whether cab casters bad for tone is both purely subjective and dependant upon the situation
On the other hand, that deadlifting a 4x12 cab and trying to walk with it is a big pain in the ass is not subjective....it's fact.
If you're really worried about wither it'll kill your tone or not then build a dolly to drag it around on.
jerryjg
PinkElephantologist
Re: do casters kill tone?
In hi-Fi, you want your speakers on spikes. In guitar, I think that putting your cab, on casters in the hypothetical "perfect environment sound room"may take away some bass. Hi-FI is so diffrent than guitar. For all intents and purposes, in most rooms which are overly damped,I would say casters are a good thing ,because it will balance out the bass with the mids and highs(but take that as hearsay from an hi-fi perspective) unless your amp is too bright( but then it isnt the casters fault). If you are playing in an underdamped room you tend get more Bass and lower mids(sheesh , lower mids?!) from direct coupleing to the floor or placing against the wall. If you are playing on solid concreet( and here in south Texas there are some concrete floor dancehalls), then nothing you do will matter. Basically, I dont know :dance:
In hi-Fi, you want your speakers on spikes. In guitar, I think that putting your cab, on casters in the hypothetical "perfect environment sound room"may take away some bass. Hi-FI is so diffrent than guitar. For all intents and purposes, in most rooms which are overly damped,I would say casters are a good thing ,because it will balance out the bass with the mids and highs(but take that as hearsay from an hi-fi perspective) unless your amp is too bright( but then it isnt the casters fault). If you are playing in an underdamped room you tend get more Bass and lower mids(sheesh , lower mids?!) from direct coupleing to the floor or placing against the wall. If you are playing on solid concreet( and here in south Texas there are some concrete floor dancehalls), then nothing you do will matter. Basically, I dont know :dance:
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L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: do casters kill tone?
Think of the floor as being like one side of a huge horn.
Even if it's concrete, there will be some coupling and the tone will be differant if the speaker in directly on the floor than it will be if it's an inch or two above it...and if the speaker is on a 18" high platform (like a folding chair) it'll be differant again.
Everything affects tone. Everything.
Learn what you like through simple experimenting and trial and error.
It's all good
..or bad :smack: - just depending on what you want to hear.:laugh2:
Lew
Think of the floor as being like one side of a huge horn.
Even if it's concrete, there will be some coupling and the tone will be differant if the speaker in directly on the floor than it will be if it's an inch or two above it...and if the speaker is on a 18" high platform (like a folding chair) it'll be differant again.
Everything affects tone. Everything.
Learn what you like through simple experimenting and trial and error.
It's all good
..or bad :smack: - just depending on what you want to hear.:laugh2:Lew
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: do casters kill tone?
I agree with what Lew's saying, although there's so many variables. The phrase 'everything effects everything' is one of my favorite sayings, regarding tone.
If you think about it, your amp is usually sitting on carpet anyway, so it's already de-coupled, in a sense. I tend to think the best thing for tone is wooden walls.
I've got all my amps on casters or roadcase platforms, and I have no lack of bass, but it has a lot to do with the amp. It mostly has to do with the surfaces of the walls around the amp.
There's no place I've had a better tone than at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, and anyone that's played there will say the same thing. It's a wood stage, with 4 wooden walls, and bands sound SO good on that stage.
And almost every band I've seen there has casters under their amp.....because gigging without them is friggin torture!
I agree with what Lew's saying, although there's so many variables. The phrase 'everything effects everything' is one of my favorite sayings, regarding tone.
If you think about it, your amp is usually sitting on carpet anyway, so it's already de-coupled, in a sense. I tend to think the best thing for tone is wooden walls.
I've got all my amps on casters or roadcase platforms, and I have no lack of bass, but it has a lot to do with the amp. It mostly has to do with the surfaces of the walls around the amp.
There's no place I've had a better tone than at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, and anyone that's played there will say the same thing. It's a wood stage, with 4 wooden walls, and bands sound SO good on that stage.
And almost every band I've seen there has casters under their amp.....because gigging without them is friggin torture!
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Cory_Dylan
New member
Re: do casters kill tone?
What everyone has said here is true, especially that it all depends on what you want to hear.
I actually remember someone making an aluminum cone that replaces the rubber feet on the bottom of your cab. The points were as small as they could be to eliminate as much coupling from the floor as possible.
It really depends on where you are and what you want to hear. I for one could use those little cones (but I would sure as hell not spend 50 bucks or however much they were) because my cab sitting on the floor creates tons of bass and rattles the sh*t out of my house and hides my tone somewhat. I need to get an amp stand, maybe that will help.
What everyone has said here is true, especially that it all depends on what you want to hear.
I actually remember someone making an aluminum cone that replaces the rubber feet on the bottom of your cab. The points were as small as they could be to eliminate as much coupling from the floor as possible.
It really depends on where you are and what you want to hear. I for one could use those little cones (but I would sure as hell not spend 50 bucks or however much they were) because my cab sitting on the floor creates tons of bass and rattles the sh*t out of my house and hides my tone somewhat. I need to get an amp stand, maybe that will help.
jerryjg
PinkElephantologist
frankfalbo
In Fluence Y'all
Re: do casters kill tone?
CASTERS WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR TONE!!
So long as you install them on the top or sides. Otherwise I agree with everyone else here.
:laugh2: :fest7:
CASTERS WILL NOT AFFECT YOUR TONE!!
So long as you install them on the top or sides. Otherwise I agree with everyone else here.
:laugh2: :fest7:
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: do casters kill tone?
If it's really an issue for you, stop eating tofu and drinking soy milk!
:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :chairfall
If it's really an issue for you, stop eating tofu and drinking soy milk!
:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :chairfall
Stevo
Tonus Maximus Pacificas
Re: do casters kill tone?
I have noticed a difference, but only from the perspective of standing by the amp. I don't think it makes a significant difference to the audience, especially if the cabinet is mic'd.
No casters = tighter connection to floor. Depending on the floor, and the casters, the tone may change a little, when you are standing by it. Either way, my amp makes the floor shake amok :laugh2: :smokin: :fingersx:
No! I will keep eating tofu, drinking soy milk, but I'll take my darn casters off :smokin:
I have noticed a difference, but only from the perspective of standing by the amp. I don't think it makes a significant difference to the audience, especially if the cabinet is mic'd.
No casters = tighter connection to floor. Depending on the floor, and the casters, the tone may change a little, when you are standing by it. Either way, my amp makes the floor shake amok :laugh2: :smokin: :fingersx:
jerryjg
PinkElephantologist
S
Skarekrough
Guest
Re: do casters kill tone?
Good tone can be a small consolation when your Chiropractor is smashing the hell out of your back to get it back into place.
Good tone can be a small consolation when your Chiropractor is smashing the hell out of your back to get it back into place.
