small cab mojo?

[Segue in CB]

I've recorded with small amps before and had good results. I've also read many-a-time about small, say less than 10watts and 10" or 8" driver, amps working well for others. This is not where I'm headed...

Maybe it can't always be the case given the variables, but is the domain of small-amp-mojo largely due to the small wattage amp rather than the speaker it's driving?

I'm starting a recording project with my buddies in the next month and was thinking about throwing together a small 8" speaker loaded cab and driving it with my Budda Super-18.

Can anybody share experiences running a small cab with a larger amp? Am I likely just fucking with an amp sound I already am happy with.....after inserting a Master Room spring reverb in the fx loop and spanking the power stage.

[weedywet]

I'm not a fan

I am, in fact, a fan of the OPPOSITE

like I'll run the little Brain May Vox into a big 4x12

[Zoesch]

Pretty much on the fence, there's advantages (Which in some cases are disadvantages) from dealing with a small cab, but really if it works and it's the right sound, it works.

[otek]

On my current project, we are recording 4x12" Marshalls as well as a Fender 1x12" Deluxe.

It's all about what kind of tone fits the tune. Doubling large and small amps can be a great way of creating texture and depth.


otek

[iCombs]

I'm generally with Weedy on this one...though I'll add that I don't think there's any correlation--inverse or otherwise--between wattage and "mojo." Wattage is just a power rating. A great amp is a great amp regardless of wattage. Use the great amp through the great cabinet and if you're any good at playing, you'll get at least a usable tone.

As a sort of tangent, I find that I don't mind 1x12 cabinets...so long as the box is big enough. I think what I like the best about big cabinets is that big chunky low resonance that the box has...which I think is crucially important to big guitar sounds.

[weedywet]

wattage isn't at all the issue

it's speaker size


a 12" is my minimum
I just almost never LIKE the sound of 10's or smaller

the only exception I can think of is that Deacy sound once in a blue moon.

[Segue in CB]

Thanks for all the input. We'll be having at least one guitar od day. Everyone brings a smattering of amps and guitars. We set up and mic all the amps so we can quickly switch things around. It's a day full of mix n match and try out as many combinations as possible for each part.

[Keks]

a 12" is my minimum
I just almost never LIKE the sound of 10's or smaller


I seem to have problems to dial in good dirt sounds with 10' or smaller speakers, whereas clean sounds seem to work reasonably well with smaller speakers than 12' for me.
Dunno, weedy, do you dislike them for clean as well?

All the best,
the keks

[brunopolski]

I'm not a fan

I am, in fact, a fan of the OPPOSITE

like I'll run the little Brain May Vox into a big 4x12

FWIW, I find this to be true as well. One of the best recording setups I have is a small amp I built using some transformers I had laying around. Circuit is similar to an older Orange amp(concertina phase inv). It's only a couple of watts, but it sounds best through an old 4X12 cab I have. It sounds big.
Gary

[Slipperman]

I love small amps and cabs for layering tracks or "cameo appearance" gtrs.

Had regular use of a Valco, Supro , Park, Silvertone and a Marshall 4x10" Mini Stack for many years. The last being BIZARRE sounding but cool in it's own way. Still got a few combos.

Anybody every use the "MattAmp" or the Mesa Single 12" Rotating Speaker?

SM.

[John Eppstein]

What you need to look at is speaker efficiency vs. amp wattage.

If you have really low wattage/high efficiency speakers with a relatively low power amp the cones will jump just the same as more average speaKers wituh a bigger amp.

What is key is CONE VELOCITY.

A low power/high efficiency cone with an average amp will achieve the same or better impact as a high power/low efficiency cone with a much larger amp.

[otek]

Anybody every use the "MattAmp" or the Mesa Single 12" Rotating Speaker?

A friend of mine has the original Orange Matamp, serial #003. :D

He also has a recent one, custom built. The company is still alive and kicking in London.


otek

[Segue in CB]

This (http://www.jinglepunx.com/media/sack.mp3) was the result of my first experimentation with recording a small combo amp. It was a Crate Vintage Club, a 20 I think. It had a 10' driver. Anything with a tone control that has a flying-fist-graphic label is worth trying once.

It's definitely layered. Maybe that has more to do with it's sound than the amp itself. I got what I wanted out of it, but what I wanted might not be good :grin: .

[Flipper]

I've noticed the Matamps are getting more popular around the place over here, Also don't mind the little Randall RM20, versatile little fucker..