WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

[WyrmCracker]

My main amp is a Peavey XXX with matching cab, and I get great tones in the room, but whenever I have tried to record, it sounds WAY different, as if the mic cant pick up and decode all the information from the speakers. It either sounds muddy or harsh or both.

As a last resort I have ended up using modellers for most of my recording.

I am a 20 year player, mainly a shredder. Most of my recording has been attempted with a SM57, but living in a house I rarely have the luxury of cranking up.

I bought the randall iso cab and wasnt sure what to expect. I figured that even if it was not as good as a direct miced cabinet, I could set it up in another room, and it would serve as a speaker load. Or I could add lots EQ and compression to goose the sound and get something passable.

In my first test, I put a mic right on the cone in the iso cab, cranked the XXX to about 70% of its maximum volume (loud), and ran the mic cable to my cheap Behringer submixer's preamp input, which plays out of my Truth monitors. I didnt bother with any outboard pres, eq or compression because they arent set up yet.

Oh man, gobs of chainsaw inspired goodness!


It sounds almost exactly like the amp played in the room, except there is a nice layer of natural compression that levels everything out. The highs are not harsh, but neither are they muddy. Still have good detail. And the sound is thick, with just one mic. I dont hear any weird resonances or overtones, but I usally play with the bass on the XXX below "3". However bass through the monitors is very strong. This is a THICK sound.

It definitely is a sound you could record albums with. Im excited because I did absolutely ZERO tweaking to the sound, just grabbed a cheap xlr, the mic, and ran it into the cheap mixer. It is only going to get better when I use outboard mic pre and effects, and start playing with mic position. So much potential here.. .


Anyway, check it out sometime. Maybe you guys already have your recording worked out, but for me this was leaps and bounds.

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

Its just like my amp is playing through my monitors! Clean sounds great. Can roll off the treble for a woman tone. Just amazing!

 

[JOLLY]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

I've always wanted to check one of those out. When you crank your amp, about how loud can you hear the isolation cab?

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

I've always wanted to check one of those out. When you crank your amp, about how loud can you hear the isolation cab?

I can crank the amp to its maximum volume. In the room its still pretty loud, maybe about 1/3rd the volume. But its not crazy loud bouncing off the walls and everything. It's more like a normal practice volume.

I'm going to build another enclosure to go around the iso cab. That should make it close to silent.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

I can crank the amp to its maximum volume. In the room its still pretty loud, maybe about 1/3rd the volume. But its not crazy loud bouncing off the walls and everything. It's more like a normal practice volume.

I'm going to build another enclosure to go around the iso cab. That should make it close to silent.

Cool. The extra enclosure should be nice.

 

[Virtual Kevorkian]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

My problem with these is that they're still really loud, and I can never run a V30 in one, since the wattage handling isn't high enough. That, and I find that it sounds a lot boxier than a 4x12, because of all the standing waves in the iso cab.

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

My problem with these is that they're still really loud, and I can never run a V30 in one, since the wattage handling isn't high enough. That, and I find that it sounds a lot boxier than a 4x12, because of all the standing waves in the iso cab.

I dont hear the standing waves or boxy sound you are talking about. Ive recorded with H&K redbox and this is better than that. It comes with a V30. I have been cranking my 120 watt peavey and it hasnt blown yet.

I think the peavey is at most 60 watts. I've had 40 watt fender combo amps that are just as loud as the peavey "120" watt amp.

Not all watts are created equally. Besides you dont have to turn it up all the way. It has a speaker throu so you can run more than one or a dummy load.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

Its meant to isolate the microphone from you. Not to silence the amp. Putting some fiberglass in the bottom half of the cab helps with the volume some and the 'boxy' sounding issue.

I worry about blowing my V30 when using the superdrive and pulling the outer tubes. That amp is really f-ing loud though.

The port tube in these is terrible and has a whistleing/drone sound at 120 hz. Replaced mine and it sounds much better.

There is no gooseneck....just a fixed mic stand at not my favorite location. Another thing I had to fix.

Great idea but poor execution.

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

There is no gooseneck....just a fixed mic stand at not my favorite location. Another thing I had to fix.

Great idea but poor execution.

I bought a short telescoping mic boom that I'm installing inside the cab. Repositioning the fixed mic stand and clamping to that.

I think they did a great job with it. Its not going to be perfect, and much depends on everyones amp and mic combinations, but the construction and design are good. Its solidly built, there are not strange resonances, and the port design appears to allow the speaker to move air.

It really sounds like I've captured the XXX, not just some high gain amp. It sounds like it does when cranked in the room. I've capturd the identity of the amp. I dont hear a boxy sound -- it sounds much bigger than previous recordings I've done with an SM57 on the cone of the amp or with the redbox. I suppose that by the time the XXX was loud enough to sound good, I was getting all manner of interference and reflections in my basement. Obvisouly these problems can be solved in a large enough space with sound dampening, but I just dont have that much space and I cant play that loud!

The best thing is that I dont need a separate room for the amps, I can layer tracks while listening through the monitors without having to worry about bleed or interference. I hear what the recorded sound will be like while tracking.

Tha alternative (what I did befor) was record on the 4x12, playing at a "reasonable" volume, while listening to the rest of the mix thru headphones (what a PITA). I wasnt getting the natural compression or speaker movement. It sounded small thru the mic or from the redbox. I would have to go back and add lots of compression and EQ after tracking to make it sound acceptable. By that time the identity of the amp was lost and it never sounded great.

For someone who is willing to put a little time into making it work, this thing is a godsend.

I just wanted people to know not to believe some of the negativity, this is leaps and bounds ahead of modellers, maybe not as good as what you get in a recording studio directly on the cone, but it solves the problems faced by a home recordist. And the unit itself is well made in the USA!

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

Its meant to isolate the microphone from you. Not to silence the amp. Putting some fiberglass in the bottom half of the cab helps with the volume some and the 'boxy' sounding issue.

I worry about blowing my V30 when using the superdrive and pulling the outer tubes. That amp is really f-ing loud though.

The port tube in these is terrible and has a whistleing/drone sound at 120 hz. Replaced mine and it sounds much better.

There is no gooseneck....just a fixed mic stand at not my favorite location. Another thing I had to fix.

Great idea but poor execution.

BTW, I listened to your myspace and really liked it. You guys are good!

 

[ksmith63]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

The best thing is that I dont need a separate room for the amps, I can layer tracks while listening through the monitors without having to worry about bleed or interference. I hear what the recorded sound will be like while tracking.

For someone who is willing to put a little time into making it work, this thing is a godsend.

I just wanted people to know not to believe some of the negativity, this is leaps and bounds ahead of modellers, maybe not as good as what you get in a recording studio directly on the cone, but it solves the problems faced by a home recordist. And the unit itself is well made in the USA!

I agree that it is a great tool. I use mine quite frequently and enjoy the results BUT Randall could have done a much better job with it. The gooseneck thing was probably the worst part. I bought mine over 2 years ago and THEY STILL ADVERTISE THAT IT HAS A GOOSENECK MIC STAND.

But like you said, if you know how to fix the few problems it will be a great tool.

Rivera also makes one now.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

BTW, I listened to your myspace and really liked it. You guys are good!

Thanks...we are much different and better now. Bass player actually plays bass and locks with the drums and we have a new singer. Went to the studio some time ago but that is still being worked on and we will have a new band name. All the demo stuff was done with the randall iso cab.

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

The gooseneck thing was probably the worst part. I bought mine over 2 years ago and THEY STILL ADVERTISE THAT IT HAS A GOOSENECK MIC STAND.

But like you said, if you know how to fix the few problems it will be a great tool.

QUOTE]

I was originally annoyed by the lack of a gooseneck, but I thought about it and a gooseneck is probably a bad idea because it will move.

Curently I am using a threaded mic boom that is about 2" longer than the one supplied which I screwed into the bass. This lets me move the mic over the center of the cone. I can control height by sliding the mic up or down in its holster.

I also bought one of those $10 short mic booms that clip onto the side of a mic stand. The idea is to remount the threaded base next to the speaker and slide the boom up/down the pole for height adjustment, I can also swing it left/right to get off center position. And of course the mic clip can be rotated for off axis. This will be much better than a gooseneck.

But rigt now, I am really enjoying the tone straight on the cone. Much more than I thought I would.

This is the best guitar thing I have bought in the last 10 years.

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

I checked out the rivera one and its similar but not ported.

It supports two mics. I am going to buy some $5 XLR jacks from MF and add another mic to mine.

I cant tell you how happpy I am rigt now. Clean punchy jazz chords. Heavy, thick evil power chords. Solo tones are warm yet detailed. Everything is slightly compressed and has air. Unlike modellers, everything reacts just like the amp, roll off the volume or tone and it sounds just right. Small EQ changes at the head get picked up by the mic. Then ive got the EQ on the mixer to fine tune the overall sound.

Its like I'm playing an idealized version of the XXX through my studio monitors.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

I think the rivera one uses a transmission line design...They claim that other iso boxes the speaker works as a plunger to the mic, blah, blah, blah. While this seems true, their design seems to make the speaker work harder (sealed top). I would like to compare it to my randall.


EDIT: Holy crap the rivera one is $1000. wtf? I think I'll stick to the modified Randall for now.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

EDIT: Holy crap the rivera one is $1000. wtf?

That's what I said yesterday when I was reading about them.

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

That's what I said yesterday when I was reading about them.

When I ordered mine from music123.com, I had priced them from a local seller. The price was $369+tax, but I would have to wait 2-4 weeks.

So I asked music123 if they would eat the shipping, and they did. It was $399 shipped.

 

[357mag]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

So does it reduce the volume of your amp by a fair degree? I certainly would not be cranking my head but I've heard that it's still loud.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

So does it reduce the volume of your amp by a fair degree? I certainly would not be cranking my head but I've heard that it's still loud.

Reduces the volume quite a bit. People expect it to be almost silent.....but it's made to isolate the mic + speaker from everything around you. I have some blankets and such that make it a little quieter.

 

[WyrmCracker]

Re: WOW! Randall Isolation Cab 12"

So does it reduce the volume of your amp by a fair degree? I certainly would not be cranking my head but I've heard that it's still loud.

Its not as loud as I thought. I turn the XXX up to the point where it doesnt get any louder just saturates more, and its at about a normal home practice volume. Open the top and it is crazy loud!

To give you an idea, I push it around the corner in the basement and I cant hear it over the monitors at a normal listening volume. If I drop the monitors to a really low level I can hear it. Its not quiet, but its not crazy loud either. Its quiet enough that you can track with it in the same room with your monitors and easily hear the mix., but probably not quiet enough for apartments.

I am planning on building an MDF enclosure shell to go around the outside which should make it very quiet. Air is the best insulator, and as long as the outer shell is not touching, it should be very quiet.