Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

[toneseeker74]

Anybody mix different speakers in their 4x12 this way? Seems that almost everybody says mix in an X pattern or one type on bottom and the other type on top. Right now I have Vintage 30's in the bottom of my 4x12 and G12-65's in the top. When each pair is played individually I hear similar amounts of bass. The V30's have more high mids and are louder.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

Not in a 4x12, buy I have a g12m and g12h in my EVH 2x12.

I think in a 4x12 I would want the X pattern so both speaker types are getting the benefits of being closer to the floor and up top

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

Ive done it before side to side for a stereo set up using V30's and 80 watt celestions. If you are more than 3 feet from the cab you cant hear the difference between it and the x pattern.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

Anybody mix different speakers in their 4x12 this way? Seems that almost everybody says mix in an X pattern or one type on bottom and the other type on top. Right now I have Vintage 30's in the bottom of my 4x12 and G12-65's in the top. When each pair is played individually I hear similar amounts of bass. The V30's have more high mids and are louder.

Not worth losing any sleep over. The only real concern is that YOU actually know which is which for micing purposes, otherwise......just play and do not worry about it.
Its not like the sound comes out of the speakers in a straight line, and you will hear V30 across the bottom and H30 along the top.
best

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

The x-pattern is the one that's usually used, but is there a better mix that way, IDK.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

I've tried it every way, and prefer it with a pair on top and a pair on the bottom. The logic is that you can walk around your cab and the sound doesn't change.

I've tried this with the punchier speakers on bottom and sweeter weaker ones up top, or with midrangey V30's on top and bass/treble ones like G12-75T's on bottom.

Another thing to note is that I've questioned many speaker gurus on this topic, and they tell me they honestly like all of one kind in a cab. Because they love the character of their favorite speaker, they want to hear only that.
For this reason, I may stay with matching speakers in 212 cabs. I still like top/bottom mismatches on 412's.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

^ This is how I ended up, with all speakers matched in my cabs... mixing and matching just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Darg1911]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

Got two 4x12's. Don't "need" either but I have them anyway. One is loaded with the same 4 speakers. The other with a pair on bottom and a different pair up top. There are no "rules". But I didn't like the x pattern in the mixed cabinet because I'm usually close to the cab and prefer the balance with the top/bottom pair arrangement. Back some distance I don't think it would matter. I don't think I've ever tried left side / right side pairs. Never stereo'd a cabinet but it would make sense for that. Also maybe with a switch arrangement where you can switch to pairs or all 4. But with that, X would probably work just as well. I just keep it simple, speakers are wired to 16 ohms and I use a speakon. I have a 2X12 but that's a different subject.

 

[toneseeker74]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

So, I switched the speakers to V30's on the left and the G12-65's on the right. I like this a lot better than V30's on bottom and the G12-65's on top! I usually play one pair at s time, and it is much easier to hear the tonal differences in the speakers now. They sound good when I run all four too.
Even though I like the V30's better overall it's nice to have the option of two distinctly different sounding speakers. Big thumbs up!

 

[the toad]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

Mesa does it.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RoadKCab412SL

 

[toneseeker74]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

Mesa does it.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/RoadKCab412SL

Very cool. Good on you, Mesa!

 

[some_dude]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

I'm another one that prefers one pair on top and the other on the bottom.

That said, having experimented with mixing speaker types I found I like the sound of a cab better when all the speakers match. I think it's because mixing speakers in a closed back cab causes them to fight each other a little and the end result doesn't have the same clarity.

If I'm going to mix speaker types I'd rather use two separate cabs.

 

[Sleepy]

Re: Mixing different speakers side by side, not top bottom or X

I did side by side setup wired in a stereo cab as well so that I could switch between them

It was not for playing live but for recording, so I actually very much liked how I could mic one side and just get a bit of bleed over from the other, or experiment between them, or turn off one entirely.

If I am going to use a "normal" cab where everything is on at once I prefer uniform speakers, mixtures tend to sound a lil busier muddier.