speaker cabs

[bluesfloyd]

hi guys,
i hear the term open back speaker cabs and closed back speaker cabs,so what differents does this make to the sound/tone of a speaker cab, please explain ????

all the best, bluesfloyd

 

[jtougas]

Re: speaker cabs

Closed back tends to bring up the lows and low-mids.

 

[Securb]

Re: speaker cabs

I think this quote from Steve "Lips" Kudlow gives you the open cab part. The inverse can be said about closed back cabs the project in a single direction but will give you tighter more percussive bass. Back in the day I used a closed back 4x12 on the bottom with a open back 4x12 on top. Seemed to work well.

I've got to tell you, man, Fender Twins are the loudest amps you're ever going to use. You don't turn the thing past three unless you want to drown out everything on stage.

Because they're open back amplifiers, the sound is dispersed all over the place. They're not really unidirectional; they're omni-directional in a huge way, so that anywhere you go in the room you can hear it.

- Steve "Lips" Kudlow:

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: speaker cabs

Open back gives you greater dispersal of the sound, more airy tone, softer/smoother lows.

Closed back gives you more straight forward directional sound with greater punch and tighter bass.