Need a new cab for my JSX.

[Frankzappa]

I went to the store and tested some cabs. They didnt have the JSX so I played with the Mesa Single Rectifier. I tested the peavey xxx cab, some expensive Mesa cab, and the ENGL standard cab. The peavey and the mesa cab had V30 speakers, the ENGL v60. The single rectifier sounds horrible to me, and the mesa cab was the worst with that amp. Anyway the clear winner was the ENGL cab, since it was the only one who made the rectifier sound good. Is there anyone who has the Engl standard cab with the JSX? Any other suggestions on cabs for that amp?

 

[James-Doolan]

i have engl standard cab first thing i did was pull the speakers out (to much bass) replaced them with v30s and gt75's now it sounds like a monster ha but it was pretty good before just didnt like the v60's iv never played jsx through it but xxx sounded pretty good through it. Its good bang for the buck to got mine new from thomman for like €650

 

[AmirH]

Sounds like you had the single dialed up badly, or the tubes were going... really gotta keep the treble below 2:00 on those- 12:30 to one is best.

Anyway, I only have experience with the mesa and marshall cabs but I've played a jsx and a single rec through both. To me the mesa's have more of a focused sound to them and a little less top end which means less sizzle/fizz. Marshall cabs on the other hand are more open. Most guys here will point towards mesa but you could get good results from either. As for speakers, v30's tend to be a standard around here. I actually knew that when I was cab shopping and ended up with a plain 1960a because of the price(250 used). Thought at first that I would sell the g12t75's and throw v30's in there but to be honest I really really like the t75's. They've got a crispier high end to watch for and the mids aren't as thick but that's actually what I like- they sound more "open" or "airy." For full on brutal metal the mesa will give a thicker recorded tone but I think a 1960a would match quite well since the jsx has thick mids as it is. You're gonna have to bring your amp in and test to know for sure what you like.

 

[Frankzappa]

i have engl standard cab first thing i did was pull the speakers out (to much bass) replaced them with v30s and gt75's now it sounds like a monster ha but it was pretty good before just didnt like the v60's iv never played jsx through it but xxx sounded pretty good through it. Its good bang for the buck to got mine new from thomman for like €650

My current cab is a Peavey XL cab which is well constructed I guess but the speakers are amazingly bad. I actually wanted to sell my amp before I realized that it was the speaker Maybe I should just replace the speakers on those to v30 or something, but I'm not an expert on that stuff. What do you think?

 

[Frankzappa]

Sounds like you had the single dialed up badly, or the tubes were going... really gotta keep the treble below 2:00 on those- 12:30 to one is best.

Anyway, I only have experience with the mesa and marshall cabs but I've played a jsx and a single rec through both. To me the mesa's have more of a focused sound to them and a little less top end which means less sizzle/fizz. Marshall cabs on the other hand are more open. Most guys here will point towards mesa but you could get good results from either. As for speakers, v30's tend to be a standard around here. I actually knew that when I was cab shopping and ended up with a plain 1960a because of the price(250 used). Thought at first that I would sell the g12t75's and throw v30's in there but to be honest I really really like the t75's. They've got a crispier high end to watch for and the mids aren't as thick but that's actually what I like- they sound more "open" or "airy." For full on brutal metal the mesa will give a thicker recorded tone but I think a 1960a would match quite well since the jsx has thick mids as it is. You're gonna have to bring your amp in and test to know for sure what you like.

I had the treble quite low, but the problem was the picking response and also the distorsion was not very dense. I guess you really have to have EMG or a pedal to make that thing sound good.
Yeah I realize I have to get my JSX over there it's so heavy. I'm not even going to try the marshalls, I tried the JSX with a carvin 4x12 (not sure about the model) and the sound was amazingly big and heavy.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, Carvin's are kickass for the price; as far as I know, the Legacy and V3 4x12's are identical (as long as you get the V3 model with V30's), though I think the Legacy looks a lot sweeter, and the "Vai" logo is easily removed, I'm sure. As for swapping the speakers in your XL cab, I'm sure it would help, but something tells me the construction on that cab is pretty sub-par in terms of wood quality and density (which play a large part in the overall sound), so I'd definitely recommend a new cab altogether. My vote is definitely for a Legacy 4x12 in terms of bang for the buck, but of course, if money isn't an issue, Bogner or Engl all the way.

 

[James-Doolan]

My current cab is a Peavey XL cab which is well constructed I guess but the speakers are amazingly bad. I actually wanted to sell my amp before I realized that it was the speaker Maybe I should just replace the speakers on those to v30 or something, but I'm not an expert on that stuff. What do you think?

Ya peavy cabs suck if you replaced the speakers it would make an improvement but i would recommend you sell the peavey and buy a good quality cab ala engl, mesa, orange, bogner, splawn ect i recommend the orange but its expensive and doesent look very metal not that i would mind but different folks different strokes

 

[Frankzappa]

Yeah, Carvin's are kickass for the price; as far as I know, the Legacy and V3 4x12's are identical (as long as you get the V3 model with V30's), though I think the Legacy looks a lot sweeter, and the "Vai" logo is easily removed, I'm sure. As for swapping the speakers in your XL cab, I'm sure it would help, but something tells me the construction on that cab is pretty sub-par in terms of wood quality and density (which play a large part in the overall sound), so I'd definitely recommend a new cab altogether. My vote is definitely for a Legacy 4x12 in terms of bang for the buck, but of course, if money isn't an issue, Bogner or Engl all the way.

Yep you are right, the weight is 40,9 kg in comparison to the engl cab which weighs 50 kg, and the ENGL cab is smaller I think.

 

[Frankzappa]

What about an ENGL v30 2x12? Is it going to sound better than the ENGL standard 4x12 when miked? Only the miked sound is of importance since we put mics on the cabs even when we rehearse. I can't afford anything more expensive than those cabs at the moment.

 

[AmirH]

I had the treble quite low, but the problem was the picking response and also the distorsion was not very dense. I guess you really have to have EMG or a pedal to make that thing sound good.
Yeah I realize I have to get my JSX over there it's so heavy. I'm not even going to try the marshalls, I tried the JSX with a carvin 4x12 (not sure about the model) and the sound was amazingly big and heavy.

Bad tubes probably. I bought a single over a jsx BECAUSE it was denser

 

[AudioPhile777]

I've got samples of both my Mesa and Marshall cabs mic'd with my jSX... shouldn't be to hard to find...

 

[Frankzappa]

I've got samples of both my Mesa and Marshall cabs mic'd with my jSX... shouldn't be to hard to find...

Yes please

 

[AudioPhile777]

Heres a link to all the different mixes of my JSX through my Marshall cab... by the by, the Marshall is a 1960BV with two V30s and two G12T75s in and "X" pattern...

http://www.sneapforum.celtiaproductions.co.uk/AudioPhile777/XSr_test1.mp3
http://www.sneapforum.celtiaproductions.co.uk/AudioPhile777/XSr_test2.mp3
http://www.sneapforum.celtiaproductions.co.uk/AudioPhile777/XSr_test3.mp3

heres one through my mesa... 4x V30

http://www.sneapforum.celtiaproductions.co.uk/AudioPhile777/XSr_Mesa4x12_V30.wav

 

[Frankzappa]

Sounds good! I've heard those before actually, what were your settings on the JSX with the mesa cab.