Comparing 2x12's, Mesa vs Carvin vs VHT vs Genz Benz vs Diezel

[Thor Von Clemson]

Yet another cab question.

I am wondering what you guys think of the following cabs. I will also include what I have read so far about them. I need a good cab to go with my current 2x12 (custom made with Sheffield 1234 speakers). Something that is warm, punchy, not harsh or fizzy, loud, and clear. Something good for metal. The amp setup would be a Carvin TS100 poweramp and a Pod XTL preamp.

Mesa 2x12- Have not really heard much about them. How do they sound? The cost is similar to Vht and Diezel

Carvin Legacy 2x12- Seems like they are built well and priced equally as well. I have heard at times they can sound harsh and fizzy.

Genz Benz- Many people have said this is the best 2x12 on the market. Loud as heck, great tone, and looks cool! Not a bad price either (around $600 I think?)

VHT- I like VHT stuff a lot for some reason. A lot of metallers use their heads ( I think our very own Ace has an endorsement with them or something). Apparently they sound great. Pricewise- it is similar to the Mesa

Deizel- I do not know a lot about them. Metallers talk religously about the Diezel guitar heads so I am assuming they make decent cabs. How much do those run?

*Edit.. Another cab I would like to compare is the Line 6 Vetta cab. The price is pretty good but I know nothing about the sound.

I guess I am looking for information more about things like how they sound, how loud they are, etc. The price is easy to research, but being stuck in podunk Minnesota limits me from trying them out.

Discuss.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i love my mesa 2x12 verticle recto. if you have a small to medium size head (that will fit on top without hanging over) they kick ass. (buy one used on ebay.) mesa is quality 13ply baltic birtch with solid dovetail joints.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Mesa-2x12-Vertic...QQcmdZViewItem


also check out www.avatarspeakers.com for affordable top quality construction and speakers. these babies are biult just as good as mesa or any other butique cab biulder and offers many options. or if you want a 4x12 looking 2x12 chuck out www.mojotone.com or www.portcitymusicsupply.com (this guys sells mojo 2x12 for less) all 13ply baltic birtch. i just got one and am waiting for speakers.

[thetruthguy]

I loved my Recto 2x12 vert. I had to sell it, but it was punchy and ballsy. Of course, my Rectoverb head did hang over the edges.

[yabba]

some others to look into:

splawn
http://www.splawnguitars.com/custenclos.htm

earcandy
http://www.earcandycabs.com/

Orange
http://www.orangeamps.com/cabinets/

Bogner
http://www.bogneramplification.com/SpeakersInfo.htm

[Dreamland_Rebel]

I loved my Recto 2x12 vert. I had to sell it, but it was punchy and ballsy. Of course, my Rectoverb head did hang over the edges.

yeah for bigger heads just turn it on its side. (kinda defeats the purpose thought) that cab is so loud!

my new mojo cabinet came in today. its like the size of the marshall avt or mg cabs. the small ones, but its made of 13ply baltic birtch instead of the particle board that marshall uses. and holds 2 speakers; 1 in each corner. i orderded 2 Hellatone 60's from Avatar today to go in it.

[toejam]

i love my mesa 2x12 verticle recto. if you have a small to medium size head (that will fit on top without hanging over) they kick ass.

My Jackson vertical 2x12 kicks ass with my little THD Univalve!

[jgcable]

Don't go for something too crazy. $600.00 is entirely too much money to spend for a 2 x 12 torun an XTL and a T100 power amp through. Afterall.. you have cabinet modeling with the XTL. Also, just because a cabinet sounds good with a traditional amp doesn't mean its gonna sound good with a modeler. Flat response speakers sound the best. Closed back cabinet. Get something that is wired in stereo.
Look at Avatar and other lower end cabs. Modelers are funy when it comes to cabs. Check out a Line 6 cab. They are designed for modeling.
Getting a Diezel cab for your rig sounds like way over kill.
Carvin makes good cabs.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

a good cab is a good cab period. i'll take well build with brand speakers over a cheap "full range" cab any day.

i also use the xtl and like to play with the cab modeling vs. type of cab i'm playing. and it all makes a huge difference.

yes it sounds good in through the cheap peavey 4x12, or a marshall 1960. but even better through better made cabinets. right now i like using the 25w green back sim and gt75 sim through an actual marshall gt75 (1960) cab. while i like using the treadplate sim, vin 30, and 25 greenback sim through my vert recto 2x12, and its so much louder and more presenT (much closer to the real thing) .

not saying john's wrong. i'm sure it sounds great with speakers that are more "full range" but cabinet construction makes more of a difference than most people think.

so thats why i suggest companies like Avatar. you can get quality biult cabs with the speakers of your choice at a fair price.

[Shawn Lutz]

I agree with John...$600 will get you a sweet 4x12. Look to buy high end stuff used. There are deals to be had. I paid 575 frm my Bogner and VHT cabs...loaded and in like new condition. I never got wht people spend 600 for a 2x12 new when you can grab an sweet old marshall 4x12 for less...well unless if you just hate 4x12's. Its my cab of choice and is not overkill imho....

I can also vouch for quality of VHT, Bogner, Splawn and Marshall cabs mentioned above.

[slash]

I bought a NEW Genz Benz 2 x 12 and I didn't pay $600 for it. And BTW it Rocks

[Robotechnology]

My favorite 2X12's in alphabetical order:

Avatar Open Back 2X12 (G12H30/VIN30)
Bogner Closed Back Oversized 2X12 (Stock Celestion Vintage 30's)
Earcandy BuzzBomb 2X12 (Mesa Black Shadow 90's or Celestion Classic Lead 80's as they're similar)
Mesa 3/4 Back 2X12 (Stock Mesa Black Shadow 90's)

[jgcable]

My favorite 2X12's in alphabetical order:

Avatar Open Back 2X12 (G12H30/VIN30)
Bogner Closed Back Oversized 2X12 (Stock Celestion Vintage 30's)
Earcandy BuzzBomb 2X12 (Mesa Black Shadow 90's or Celestion Classic Lead 80's as they're similar)
Mesa 3/4 Back 2X12 (Stock Mesa Black Shadow 90's)

Mesa 3/4 back cabs are my favorite too. Excellent cabinet for the money and the stock Black Shadow 90's are excellent.

[Thor Von Clemson]

I am debating whether to go with another 2x12 and run two of them in stereo, or use one 4x12. If I went with another 2x12, I would have ear candy build me one. The ones they build look sweet, they apparently sound pretty good, and it is the only company I could find that has 2x12 that would match my current no name 2x12 with Sheffields in it. I think it has 1230's. I kind of like the idea of mixing and matching speakers for different tones. My only dilemma is what am I going to set my rack on top of? I will have two 2x12s tilted up (otherwise they project at your feet during rehersal) and I will have to rig something up to hold up my rack. I guess if that is all that is stopping me, I do not have a lot to worry about eh? Another thing I could do is build or find a little stand to put my cabs on top of so they are higher off the ground.

(BTW, a lot of people have recommened that I get another 2x12 with my particular setup because I will get the most out of it by using 2 2x12's in stereo.)

[Thor Von Clemson]

Shawn Lutz.. where did you get your cabs for that price?

[screamindv]

Here is my stage rig. You can't beat stereo