Good article about speaker cabinets.

[VBCheeseGrater]

As someone who has never really worried about the type of cab i'm using until recently, this was a very informative article.

GuitarPlayer: All About Speaker Cabinets

I checked to see if it had already been posted here, and found it in the corner of a thread back in 2007, so thought i'd share...enjoy

[ConnorGilks]

Thank you man, I'm in the market for my first cab so this is perfect. Thank you!

[Wrecklyss]

Good article, thanks for posting.

I'm surprised they didn't discuss the differences between front mounting and rear mounting drivers though. Front mounted speakers tend to have more clarity, articulation, and sweetness while rear mounted speakers have more warmth, tightness, and depth.

[VBCheeseGrater]

^^ thanks for the info - im not sure ive seen a rear mounted speaker. Or maybe i have and don't realize it? Whats an example of one?

[cardinal]

Mesa and Marshall cabs, for example, are rear loaded. Fryette and at leat some Engls, on the other hand, are front loaded.

Wish the article had discussed the impact of varying specific dimensions (like increasing the height/length vs increasing the depth).

[VESmedic]

Originally Posted by Wrecklyss

Good article, thanks for posting.

I'm surprised they didn't discuss the differences between front mounting and rear mounting drivers though. Front mounted speakers tend to have more clarity, articulation, and sweetness while rear mounted speakers have more warmth, tightness, and depth.

For what it's worth, this information is quite inaccurate. Front loaded cabs are much tighter and punchier. Front loaded cabs are the tightest and clearest cabs available. They also, most definitely do NOT have more sweetness. This is a term used to describe amps that are softer, with more rounded mids usually. something Front loaded cabs are not known for. Quite the opposite actually.

The biggest dfiference between rear and front loaded cabs, is how they will project the sound at you. You will notice front loaded cabs seem much more in your face, aggressive, and punchier. palm mutes will hit you much harder, and will seem MUCH tigther, and have more authority. They tend to be much more focused in all frequencies, and are much more in your face as said earlier. Front Loaded, in my opinion, is the way to go for modern metal tones, and to keep your bottom end as tight as possible when using low tuned/ 7 string guitars.

[VESmedic]

Originally Posted by VBCheeseGrater

^^ thanks for the info - im not sure ive seen a rear mounted speaker. Or maybe i have and don't realize it? Whats an example of one?

The longer you are around the guitar world, the easier you will be able to resight what cabs are what. Mesas, Marshalls etc are all rear loaded, while VHT/Fryette, some ENgls, and some diezels (they make either/or, depending on what you want) are front loaded. The easiest way to tell is, well, visually. Rear loaded cabinets will have screws in the back of the cab, making the back panel removable, and able to remove speakers this way. These are rear loaded cabinets. Front loaded will have a completely sealed back, unable to take off anything in the back, or the speakers out that way. Speakers are only removable from the back.

Another advantage I like with front loaded cabs is, the grille is removable, usually held in place by velcroe, making micing miking techniques/abilities easier IMO. You can really see exactly where you placing the diaphgram in relation to the speaker cone.

[VBCheeseGrater]

^^^ Gotcha, makes perfect sense now, and yes, i've seen both. I was picturing a speaker mounted to the rear panel or something crazy like that. Thanks for the clarification.