front-loaded?

hellatone

New member
what does it mean when a speaker cabinet is said to be front-loaded? other than that it loads from the front........
 
Re: front-loaded?

Just like it sounds. The speaker holes in the cabinet are routed or recessed so that the speakers can only be installed (loaded) from the front. My VHT is front loaded. There is no rear panel. It must be glued/tabbed into the side wood. You can take off the input jack cover, and pear inside. But the tolex is continuous from the sides all over the back.

Some say that front loaded cabs sound different than rear loaded one. Maybe someone with more experience can chime in on that.
 
Re: front-loaded?

When you load a cabinet from the front it spreads the sound.

/ \

When you put it in fromt behind it is more directional

| |
 
Re: front-loaded?

front loading makes the dispersion better, rear loading is in-effect like using a megaphone.
 
Re: front-loaded?

I can't speak with certainty, but I hear frequently that front loaded cabs are more responsive. Meaning faster attack response.
 
Re: front-loaded?

Front loaded speakers in a sealed cabinet means that less of the speaker is inside the cabinet. In theory that would make the cabinet sound like it had a bigger interior volume. Lew
 
Re: front-loaded?

I seriously doubt that the thickness of the front panel is going to make a very effective megaphone.

Front loading of speakers in guitar cabs was "invented" by Acoustic Control Corporation during the 1960s and first used in their 261 (2-15" with the horn) and 262 (4x12") cabs.

Their two advertised reasons for doing it were 1) faster speaker changes should that ever be necessary and 2) stronger cabinet (these cabs used tongue and groove construction) providing less cabinet vibrations.
 
Back
Top