Cabinet discussion - Orange vs Mesa - I need opinions guys

[Dylan S]

Hey guys,

So my other guitarist is running an ENGL Powerball, and he currently has an ENGL XXL cab, which he is trying to sell desperately. It just sounds too boomy and muddy in the low end.

He played his Powerball through my Mesa cabinet and it sounded a lot better. So now he is looking to buy one of these or an orange cab when he sells his XXL, but there isn't anywhere we can try out an orange cab.

I know plenty of people on the internet like to run orange cabs with ENGL amps, so we don't want to rule them out, but I thought I'd try to get some opinions from you guys - because you seem to know a lot about tonnes of stuff - to see whether we should actually consider an orange cab, or whether or not the Mesa would just be a better buy.

We're in a death metal band by the way, and sound sort of similar to Nile, Behemoth, Nevermore and Decapitated, so we're not one of the million other Meshuggah/Bulb clones out there, if that influences what you think we should do in terms of which cab to consider the most.

Thanks.

EDIT: My mesa cab is a traditional one too, NOT the oversized Recto one.

 

[GuitarHack]

I think there is an opinion that the Powerball sounds better through a Marshall Cab (speak to Lasse). As far as the Orange or Mesa choice, how many Producers/Engineers/Mixers of metal albums or metal Bands have you heard favour an Orange Cab over the Mesa?, probably not too many (I am not stating a fact, I am actually asking). Maybe he should keep the cab and change the Head?

 

[Dylan S]

I can't recall ANY professional recordings I've heard with an Orange cab, yet I know that Mesa Traditional and Rectifier cabs are used EVERYWHERE.

I also own a Marshall cab but don't have it with me where I live at the moment - it's at my parents house. We put his Powerball through that briefly (when I was considering buying a Powerball...at the time I owned a TSL100 head) and I thought it sounded great, but he is a tad more into the 'djenty' type of sound whereas I'm after a very full clear warm sound like as I stated before, a very Behemoth tone.

Also, selling the Powerball head isn't an option. He loves the head and doesn't have the kind of money to buy something else he might want. The new cab is going to be funded by the selling of his XXL cab and also selling his G major.

 

[GuitarHack]

I am not sure about the "djenty" side of things, but I think the safest bet OVERALL would be to get the tried and tested "Industry Standard (?)" Mesa Standard (Oversize) before the Orange.

 

[Dylan S]

I think it could be safe to call it an industry standard. I've never tried a Recto oversize cabinet, but we'll be sure to try both that and a traditional one. The issue is having too much bass so maybe a traditional would be a safer bet, but we'll see when we give them a go.

 

[Metaltastic]

Nah, the Recto Oversized can have plenty tame bass, that's why you have a knob on the amp (and a Tube Screamer, though it's apparently unnecessary with Engls). I've yet to hear a recording with an Orange that didn't sound unpleasantly dark to my ears, and I love my Recto Oversized cab (I had a Traditional/Stiletto for awhile, but sold it for the Recto and have not once looked back!)

 

[GarethSE]

Bulb plays an Invader through an Orange

Says it all IMO.

 

[Metaltastic]

Bulb plays an Invader through an Orange

Says it all IMO.

we're not one of the million other Meshuggah/Bulb clones out there, if that influences what you think we should do in terms of which cab to consider the most.

And even for those who like Bulb's tones (myself not included simply because I'm not too keen on djent), I can't remember the last thing he posted that wasn't 100% digital...

 

[Dylan S]

The Invader is voiced a lot different to the Powerball though.

Marcus: I know that's what a bass knob is for on the amp, but my mate actually has his bass knob completely OFF at rehearsals and the cabinet still sounds like there is too much bass. I did use an overdrive pedal in front of the Powerball when it was through my traditional Mesa cab and it didn't sound too good. It was just too wet, even dialing the gain back on the amp, it just didn't compress as nicely as it compresses my Recto head.

 

[GarethSE]

Ever seen any of the live clips of Periphery?
holy shit.
and that video he posted of the axe fx through a power amp into the orange cab
bricks were shat
huge, but tight and musical, low end

thing o beauty
dont have to be one of the endless djent clones to appreciate that sorta bass.

 

[Dylan S]

I have seen videos of Pierphery, and I am sure that Orange cabs are great, but we don't have very good access to Orange cabs where we live.

I'm not so much after a general consensus to grab one cab over the other with this thread. I'm more so just trying to see if people think Orange cabs REALLY are that amazing, that we should go out of our way and make a 2.5 hour drive (one way) just to try one out, when we have Mesa cabs here readily available, and are certain they sound great.

 

[Metaltastic]

Ever seen any of the live clips of Periphery?
holy shit.
and that video he posted of the axe fx through a power amp into the orange cab
bricks were shat
huge, but tight and musical, low end

thing o beauty
dont have to be one of the endless djent clones to appreciate that sorta bass.

Meh, haven't seen any live clips, but that AxeFX demo vid was cool, I guess, though it's a freakin' camera mic, come on now My motto is: (Mic'ed) Clips or GTFO! (and in that respect, the Mesa has of course more than proven itself)

 

[Dylan S]

Meh, haven't seen any live clips, but that AxeFX demo vid was cool, I guess, though it's a freakin' camera mic, come on now My motto is: (Mic'ed) Clips or GTFO! (and in that respect, the Mesa has of course more than proven itself)

I agree.

I don't really trust camera mics very much.

 

[beyond dead]

I've yet to hear a recording with an Orange that didn't sound unpleasantly dark to my ears,

true that! I have tried orange cabs, and they are quite dark sounding.

My motto is: (Mic'ed) Clips or GTFO!

I hate when people argue that they think the sound of the amp in the room is a better way to judge an amp/cab. considering that what you are referencing as a "good tone" is probably a cab miced with a 57 on your favorite album!

 

[KeithRT99]

The orange looks cooler. Sound is overrated.

 

[Dylan S]

It looks cool because it's different, but if I were on stage with a metal band I wouldn't want an orange cab under my head.

Different people prefer different things though.

 

[GarethSE]

It looks cool because it's different, but if I were on stage with a metal band I wouldn't want an orange cab under my head.

Different people prefer different things though.

because black is teh br00talz

i want to get my 5150 and my cab retolexed with bright pink tolex
well i dont
but id motherfucking do it if i had the money

 

[Dylan S]

because black is teh br00talz

i want to get my 5150 and my cab retolexed with bright pink tolex
well i dont
but id motherfucking do it if i had the money

It's not about black being teh br00talz. It's more about it not looking like it stands out in a negative way in a death metal context.

I mean honestly, the looks don't mean that much to me really, but I do like the look of black. It's classy.

 

[GarethSE]

It's not about black being teh br00talz. It's more about it not looking like it stands out in a negative way in a death metal context.

I mean honestly, the looks don't mean that much to me really, but I do like the look of black. It's classy.

so is neon pink

seriously man
get your amp and cab tolexed pink and bring the most apocalyptic br00talz ever.
no-one will say a fucking word.
its sweeet

 

[Dylan S]

Well that's up to my friend.

I'm happy with my halfstack how it is.