Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

ledzepp29

ledzepp29

New member
Well, I just bought a 4x12 slant cab, marshall style, wheat grill, I'm gonna put a quad of helltone 30s in it(worn in g12h30).
I was just curious to see what the preference is in 4x12s. Do you like slanted or straight? Tonal differences?
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

I prefer straight.

I haven't really found any tonal difference between the two. I just like the straight look with a head on top. The slant makes everything look too bulky in my opinion.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

it's all visual. after owning both i can say this for sure. also Jim Marshall himself said the only reason he made a slant cab was because it looked better to him and it had no real tone change at all, it was pure asthetics. some will talk about the focus of the sound due to the angle of the speakers but once you move anywhere in front or next to or behind the cab while playing the sound will slightly change anyway. so that slight tilt of the speakers makes little to no difference in overall tone.

-Mike
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

XSSIVE said:
it's all visual. after owning both i can say this for sure. also Jim Marshall himself said the only reason he made a slant cab was because it looked better to him and it had no real tone change at all, it was pure asthetics. some will talk about the focus of the sound due to the angle of the speakers but once you move anywhere in front or next to or behind the cab while playing the sound will slightly change anyway. so that slight tilt of the speakers makes little to no difference in overall tone.

-Mike
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Any time you change any aspect of the construction of the cab, something is going to change, whether it's size, speakers, thickness or resonance of the walls or back... A slant cab is going to have less air inside it, because a straight cab has a larger internal volume- that's going to change the voicing of the cab. As well as the speakers pointing slightly upwards.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

The Golden Boy said:
Any time you change any aspect of the construction of the cab, something is going to change, whether it's size, speakers, thickness or resonance of the walls or back... A slant cab is going to have less air inside it, because a straight cab has a larger internal volume- that's going to change the voicing of the cab. As well as the speakers pointing slightly upwards.
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maybe, but i hear no difference
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

James Murphy has done this test before, recorded and live. He found that live, it really made zero difference, unless you were standing right next to your cabinet the whole night. Recorded, straight cabs have a little more low end.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

you guys have a point.
I remember reading an article about paul kossoff saying he only used straight cabs because he thought they had more low end, but he also was using bass speakers in them...
but I guess coming from jim marshall himself it doesn't really make that much of a difference

o ya heres the link to the cab i bought in case any one is interested
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7342979520&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT&rd=1
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

That's a pretty damn good deal on that cabinet if it's solid, man! I got my Fender 2x12 HM cabinet for 115, doesn't look as good as yours, though.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

ledzepp29 said:
but I guess coming from jim marshall himself it doesn't really make that much of a difference
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that Jim Marshall's claim to fame is that he f*cked up when building a Fender Bassman.....

...nor has he managed to build a better sounding amp since...

...although I respect what he's done, Jim Marshall is definately not on my list of people to talk to when it comes to discussing tone.



Anyway, back on topic....I prefer the sound of slants and the look of straits. Fortunatly, Mesa makes a strait cab with a slanted baffle.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

I don't think the speakers are slanted are they? It would increase production costs over the straight cab anyway. I thought the edge was just cut back a bit. If you look at them the bottom is kicked out as well so the speakers can be mounted on a flat board.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

APB_4 said:
I don't think the speakers are slanted are they?
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Mine are. There's about a 25deg difference between the top and bottom baffles.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

screamingdaisy said:
Keep in mind that Jim Marshall's claim to fame is that he f*cked up when building a Fender Bassman.....

...nor has he managed to build a better sounding amp since...

...although I respect what he's done, Jim Marshall is definately not on my list of people to talk to when it comes to discussing tone.



Anyway, back on topic....I prefer the sound of slants and the look of straits. Fortunatly, Mesa makes a strait cab with a slanted baffle.
Click to expand...

+10000
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

screamingdaisy said:
Mine are. There's about a 25deg difference between the top and bottom baffles.
Click to expand...
I've always wondered why they have the slated baffel on the stardards and not the traditionals as well...
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

i like the straight cabs sound a little better but the slants look better in a half stack
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

I think a straight one with a top on it looks ugly, so Iprefer slanted ones... althpogh I don't have a 4x12 yet :(
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

just as a quick thought I made one of each and yep no difference in performance.Just seemed a bit easier putting the slanted 4x12 on the straight and if ya think about it where do the top two speakers go to and I am talking bs... caffine infussion.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

I've never been a 4x12 guy, but I may become one sometime soon. I sorta assumed the slant would allow for better onstage monitoring if the top speakers are slanted. Have you guys experienced this?
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

I'm sure there is a difference in tone and how the speakers project the sound but it is too small for me to tell, so for now i'll like which ever one is cheaper.
 
Re: Do you prefer slanted or straight 4x12s?

jeremy said:
i like the straight cabs sound a little better but the slants look better in a half stack
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+1 For me, the look is more important than the nominal difference in sound.
Slant cabs seem to look better to me. If I had both, and was going to choose which one to mic up, it'd be the straight though. I actually use my Marshall Jubilee 4-12 straight for use with my Vox modeling head. It fattens up the SS sound so well, it almost sounds 'tube fat.'
 
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