# Laney Ironheart cabinet consensus



## JLP2005 (Dec 13, 2013)

My friends, it has been too long. 

Far too long, but I hope to soon emerge from the depths of this holiday season with a glorious NAD, but I have a question.


I'm shooting for a Laney IRT 60 2x12 combo, and all indicators are  , but I have a question about the 'HH Custom Designed' speakers it comes loaded with.

Has anyone been able to test a cab with these speakers in it? All the audio I've heard generated by this amp is killer, and the EQ is reportedly insane in the versatility department. But I wonder whether I should just buy the head/cab separately? I hate lugging shit around, so I'd prefer the combo. 


Can anyone offer me any insight? Are the HH speakers decent?


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## guitarfishbay (Dec 13, 2013)

I'm an Ironheart head user myself. I did my own cab tests a while ago with the IRT120h, you might find them useful.

Blackstar S1412B (V30s) -> Marshall 1960B (T75s) -> EVH412 (Greenbacks)

https://soundcloud.com/maxmoujaes/laney-ironheart-irt120-guitars

Same again, in mix

https://soundcloud.com/maxmoujaes/ironheart-ironheart-irt120

A different test, EVH412 on left, Blackstar S1412B on right

https://soundcloud.com/maxmoujaes/ironheart-song-2-guitar-tones

SM57, Ironheart 120h lead channel on all the clips (no boost), Gibson Les Paul with BB3 bridge pickup for all humbucker tones, the last clip has some Telecaster on it too.

My current favourite cab for it is my Mesa Rectifier 4x12. Sounds absolutely awesome. Darker and smoother than the Blackstar cab but not a million miles away from that sound.

I've also tried it through an Orange PPC412 (pretty decent), Mesa Stilletto 4x12 (ace), a Laney TT412 with V30/Seventy 80 X pattern (a bit bright but ok), Zilla Super Fat Boy V30 2x12 (good), Mesa Rectifier 2x12 (fantastic), Harley Benton G212 Vintage (surprisingly tight sounding, great for the price), 1960A (prefer the B, but still good).

But, I have never tried it through a stock Ironheart cab! 

All I can offer regarding the Ironheart cabs is anecdotal myself, unfortunately. A guy I know just bought an IRT120h and he seems to like the tones through a V30 4x12, however he did not like the combo when he tried it. I seem to notice that more often than not, people posting negative things about the amp have been using the combo. Again, I've not tried it myself so I'm only telling you what I've heard or read. Most people who I know have owned the IRT heads have really liked them, though all those guys are using higher end cabs, mostly 4x12s with V30s or T75s.

I prefer a head and cab myself. There are a lot of discussions already on the benefits of combos vs head/cab setups. For metal/hard rock I think I prefer 4x12 cabs, hence why I go for heads. I still think there is merit to doing a head + 2x12 cab setup too, incase you ever change your mind about the cab you want or if you do any cab share gigs (taking a head is more practical in that scenario).


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## JLP2005 (Dec 13, 2013)

Guitarfishbay, 

Thanks so much for the reply. You bring up a few great points, and I do get the sense that the combo might not be the best route. I hear a lot of shit being thrown on the HH Speakers, and the deeper I dive, the more I hear about complaints being linked to the actual combo. 

Once again, I appreciate your post.


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## JLP2005 (Dec 13, 2013)

.... it; bought the IRT-60H today. NAD Incoming.


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## Kullerbytta (Dec 13, 2013)

I've got the IRT60 Head so I'm gonna chime in on this!

I can't really comment on the 2x12 Ironheart cab as I've not tried it, but if it's the same speakers in 'at one and the combo I'd stay away from it  
I've got a Harley Benton g212 vintage with V30's that I'm starting to love and if you're gonna buy the combo the speakers *will have to be replaced*. I've tried the combo several times and I never liked the sound of it with the stock speakers. 

Get the head and a 2x12  
Now that my V30 speakers are breaking in I'm really starting to fall in love with the sounds I'm making 

Edit: Just saw your latest post, HNAD in advance  disregard my post then. Ye dun' did a good thing, brother!


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## JD27 (Dec 13, 2013)

I don't typically care for Combos in a metal setting, they tend to lack bottom end. I went with a 15w IRT-STUDIO (just dont have a need for more than that) and I love it through my closed back Orange 2x12 (v30's). I like the IRTs for the money, very nice modern metal tones out of them.


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## viesczy (Dec 13, 2013)

All Laney did with the Ironheart 2x12 cab was rebrand it from their existing 2x12 with the HH speakers in, it isn't "new" just newly branded. Those HH speakers are the nearly identical to the ones that were in the VC50. 

As I gigged for years with a combo as my monitor and then ran a cab off the combo, I prefer having the controls right @ my reach and I get/got some incredible sustain/feedback with the combo "right" there. 

Don't over look that option.

Yes most combos tend to be HEAVY bastages!

Derek


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## tscoolberth (Jan 2, 2014)

JD27 said:


> I don't typically care for Combos in a metal setting, they tend to lack bottom end. I went with a 15w IRT-STUDIO (just dont have a need for more than that) and I love it through my closed back Orange 2x12 (v30's). I like the IRTs for the money, very nice modern metal tones out of them.



I just got the 15w IRT-Studio so thanks for the recommendation .. and since you have a Ghost BC pic as your profile, your credentials are in order.


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