Marshall JCM900 1960 4x12 question/help?

[SRD86]

I bought an A & B jcm900 4x12 and I've been running them together so I never really noticed how different they sound seperately.

the top is very in your face mid rangy and harsh, and the bottom is (obviously) lower ended and smoother.
They both have the standard G12-75s in them.

I was at a friends over the weekend and he has a 1960a and his compared to mine was was much more like my bottom cab.

So my question is, is it the cab construction, or the speakers?
If it's a comonation of both, if I switch speakers will it balance out the two?

Should I look for a new top cab because now that it's been pointed out to me, it drives me nuts each time I plug into it.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i could be wrong, but i really think it was where you were standing. try listening to each one with your ear right in the speaker. they should at least sound a whole lot more similar.

this is why mic placement makes such a huge different.

[Tim_B]

do I reply here, on or the BCR forum?

try putting your cabs side by side, instead of one on top of the other, then walk across them as you're playing.

if there's still a big difference, take the angle cab apart to check for loose woodwoork, and check out the speakers while you're in there

I've never noticed a that big a difference between straight and angled cabs in sound, there might be something awry that's giving you the problem. Just remember, a bigger cab is going to sound deeper/smoother than a smaller one, all other things being equal .. so look for the things that should be equal but aren't!

[SRD86]

Ha, either is fine!

I have, they been side by side going back and forth between the two.
when I plug into into both, they sound equal in volume, but if I play through each one separately, it sounds like the top on is much louder.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

that's because the angled top is pointed toward your ears while the striaght cab is pointed towards your legs.

get down on your knees and listen to both, they should be fairly even. but not completely because the internal dimensions are slightly different.

[Spivonious]

The angled cab points the sound towards your ears, hence louder and more high-end.

The straight cab points at your knees, hence softer and more bass.

I doubt the cabinets really sound different.

edit: Dreamland Rebel beat me to it.

[SRD86]

I was sitting on the floor listening to the two of them

[Cleveland Metal]

Seems I've always noticed a small difference between angled cabs and straight... Straight always seemed to have more bottom end and seemed fuller to me.

[KINGSFAN]

Bottom cabs always seem much heavier in tone, especially Marshall cabs

[Endrik]

Seems I've always noticed a small difference between angled cabs and straight... Straight always seemed to have more bottom end and seemed fuller to me.

+1 that's why I always prefer straight cabs

[triplehold]

It has always been a known fact that straight cabs sound better. Marshall knows this and the reps have been telling dealers that since the 70s. Look at what the pros and the big boys use- 1960B cabs all the way.