Pros and cons of the best 4x12s for recording and live performances.

[Robert W]

I've heard tell that Mesa are great for recording and the Orange 4x12s are great for playing live.

That got me thinking, what other 4x12 cabs are good for recording and gigging? I'm talking mostly metal here.

 

[mickrich]

I don't play live but my Orange cab sounds great recorded.
The Mesa cab is too forward for most non metal stuff but the orange sounds great with any style.

 

[guitarguru777]

I am a big fan of the Mesa OS in the studio (I dont own one but the ones I hear recorded on here sound better then my Marshall to me)
But for my live sound I really love my Marshall. Any cab will work live as long as its got the speakers you want it in. Reason being that FOH guys suck and mic you with shit mic most of the time .... hahhahahahahahah


















(Ok bitches calm down, I am a FOH guy ...lol)

 

[slashvanyoung]

Same here, the balance of the Mesa OS is great for recording but some of the characteristics that can become a bit overbearing recording certain styles with a standard Marshall 1960 actually makes them my favourite cab for live usage. Those prominent upper mids just cut right through the crap.

 

[53Crëw]

FWIW - One thing about the Orange cabs for live use is they are heavy and don't have casters...

You can always use a furniture dolly, though.

Marshall cabs are lighter weight than either the Orange or Mesa if that is a concern.

 

[aortizjr]

My ENGL cab sounds great in the studio and live. It is loaded with Vintage 30's.

Downside is that Vintage 30's are F'n heavy, and a good cab, F'n heavy. So moving it around is a bitch even with castors. So it gets all torn up since it is harder to maneuver. Plus they are expensive.

Any cab good for recording will be great live. Many cabs though may sound good in the room, but sound bad under a close mic. So to me that makes them no good live either...

 

[greyskull]

love my orange.. It's in a flight case so easy to get about... I say easy. It's heavy as hell in that thing. Getting old
Im getting an ac30

 

[Lasse Lammert]

if you mic your cab live I don't see the difference tbh.
mic in front of a speaker coming through speakers/PA.
so what sounds good recorded should sound good live.

it's a different thing if you don't mic the cab live of course, but I guess I wouldn't play those gigs anyways. Cabs should always be mic'd