Mesa Traditional cab sound "boxy" to anyone?

[53Crëw]

I've got a Mesa traditional 4x12 (the smaller Marshall-sized one) with V30's. I'm trying to tell if the cab sounds "boxy" to me. It seems like it might lack some of the fizzy highs that help give the sound some presence and like there might be slightly less lows than some of the other 4x12's out there. Anyone else have this experience?

Cheers.

 

[Notuern]

Open it up, look at everything in the box, check the cross sections to see if there is silicone or something else airtightening it(might not be needed, but it could still be a possibility), then try to put silicone on the backpiece, so when you screw it back, it will be airsealed.
Check the speakerbaffle too, so that the speaker is tight enough/not too tight(This might be hard if youre new to it).
Also tighten the screws that hold the handles in place, they should be really tight(Do not try to tight them when it feels like the screw wont move without much force though.), and if there is something sealing the air from getting out through the handles, remove it, if it doesnt sound right, airtight it again with silicone, and if its not there when you look, tight it with silicone.
Also, if its on wheels, you wont get a really tight bass from the box.

Edit:
This video might give you some pointers: [ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=Mze7-zhkx-4[/ame]

 

[Soundlurker]

Might be simply the room you are recording/playing in.

 

[GuitarHack]

Might be that you haven't hosed out your cab and made sure the Back cover screw was exactly in the centre of the the post inside the cab.

That video really hurt to watch. uke:

In all seriousness, I have the Traditional cab and think it has more of the "fizzy highs" as you referred to them than the Oversized Mesa. It definitely has less Low end, but tighter than the Oversized and has more of a present midrange. When you say "some of the other 4x12's out there" I think when comparing V30's in the Mesa's to say 75's in Marshalls what you are saying about the Highs is true but I don't think there is less lows in a Traditional cab than a Marshall. IMHO.

I think it's just the general character of the V30's to have less fizz (and therefore less 'presence') and more midrange and which could sound 'boxy' in comparison.

I know I post this link a lot but I think it is a great cab comparison. Samples with 1 in the filename are Smaller Traditional Cab, 3 in the filename are Larger Standard Cab and 2 are Krank with V12 not that it is relevant here.

http://sneapforum.kazrog.com/GuitarHack/Cabshootout.zip

 

[viggen666]

what a load of bollocks, everybody know water is bad for woods, and he suggest using a garden hose on it ?

 

[Notuern]

Well, I thought that everyone could tell the good stuff from the bad stuff in that video.
And that thing with the screw is partialy true, if it is in the centre of the pole, the pole will transport the sound much better.
Sure, its a small improvement, but 10 small improvements makes a pretty big difference.
So everything in that video except the retarded gardenhose thing is true, but that might have a point too, if the speaker box is watertreated.

 

[viggen666]

yes, but mesa cabs are very solid constructed already, don't think those cabs cab can be improved.

 

[Notuern]

yes, but mesa cabs are very solid constructed already, don't think those cabs cab can be improved.

That sounded almost as stupid as hosing your cab!
Nah, just exagurating abit.
I think every piece of equipment that is massfabricated has something that needs to be fixed.
And there is alot you can do with a 4*12 to change the sound, maybe not make it better, but different from what it was before.
Also, it can be like that marshall cab, theres alot of small things that could be better, and when you make all those small things better, you get a huge result.

 

[ElektricEyez]

There is a trick you can use to make the speaker "think" that it is in a bigger box, and I know that this does work because I have done it myself. The trick is to fill the box with polyfill, sold cheaply at your local Wal-mart or fabric store. I don't know all of the exact science behind as to why it works, but I do know that it has something to do with friction and dissapating the sound waves within the box in the form of heat, tricking the speaker into thinking that it is in a larger box. Maybe not a much larger box, but probably closer to what your hearing with the new Mesa Cabinets. It's the larger internal dimensions of the box that will make the speaker pump out the lows better, so a larger box would help to bring out the lows. Start off with a little at a time, about 2 lbs at a time, until you have brought out your lows more.

 

[53Crëw]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I'll check the cabinet over inside, and might try recording it in a different room as well.