Searched around the forums but couldn't find an answer. I have a stereo 2x12 cab and i am currently running 2 amps into it for our live show. I'm running a blackface '67 bassman into 1 speaker and a shaw full tilt 30 into the other speaker. the shaw is a variation of a matchless dc30 or ac30 kind of thing - ef86 and el34. right now the bassman is running into a reaper hp and the shaw is running into a blackhawk. To my ears, the way the cab sounds now can get a little bright but also feels a little barky. woody or boxy might be another way to describe it. i'm going to experiment with it a little more this weekend but im open to speaker suggestions. was thinking about trying out an et65 and something else.
2 x 12 cab for 2 amps at same time
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Hi stewhit1,
are you running the amps simultaneous or alternate, depending on song/clean vs crunch? If you are running both amps at the same time (you could possibly split your signal, so I am asking), I´d go for either two single 112 cabs or divide the cab. Sometimes speakers don´t interact well. If the amps sound that different, the speakers are not only sound different by themselves (some combinations simply don´t work well), but also get a totally different harmonic content. I doubt there being a chance making it work right. So at least the box shoulb be chambered to avoid phase cancellation effects.
Another possibility could be the speakers being out of phase. This can only occure, if you are playing simultanously. But it could be an explanation for a bright, rather thin or tinny kind of sound.
If you are not running the speakers simultaneously, there is always one of the drivers muted. In that case, the running speaker will work against the "passive cone" of the other speaker. This can cause phase cancellation effects itselves and might mute or emphasize certain frequencies as well.
I can´t imagine a reaper hp or a blackhawk sounding boxy - at least if the cab has enough building volume. As long as only one speaker is running, it has the whole volume of the cabinet. The dampening effect of the muted speaker should, in most cases, enlarge the cab acoustically. But I guess Vaughn should chime in, who has the profound knowledge of these things (please please correct me, if I am wrong, Vaughn).
I´d decouple the speakers acoustically by using two 112 cabs or chambering the 212. A simple fitted in wooden board should do the job, at least do the job good enough. It´s easier with an open back... Maybe particle board would be the way to go in this case (instead of ply or birch) - for its absorbing qualities (that´s why we usually DON´T use it for the baffle and the cab). Btw - with closed cabs a birch cab with particle back is often the better choice, especially when playing LOUD.
best regards
Heiko
Yes! I totally was going to say most of what Heiko said ... the idea of two speakers in the same cab with two different amps very seldom works well ... except if the two sides of the cab are totally isolated ... or if you are simply using a stereo amp (not two different amps) ... for all the reasons already mentioned.
yeah i've ended up just running 1 amp at a time into the 2x12. i think i actually want to put 2 of the same speaker in the cab. what is a speaker that works well with both my shaw fulltilt 30 (think matchless dc30) and an original blackface bassman?
Two great options leap out to me ... either a pair of Reapers or a pair of ET65s.