1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

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robmcgregor
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1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

Post by robmcgregor »

I noticed the Weber 18 watt combo kit can be ordered either as 1x12 or 2x10 for basically the same price and with the same size combo cabinet. It appears the 2x10 version really squeezes the two speakers in, while the 1x12 seems to have room to spare, since it's the same size cabinet. Would a 2x10 sound "bigger" than the 1x12? How would you guys describe the difference in sound between these two configurations? Thank you, and such a cool group!
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JMPGuitars
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Re: 1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

Post by JMPGuitars »

Welcome to the site!

It's not just a matter of "bigger." 2x10 vs 1x12 is a different sound, but the speakers you put in the amp make the biggest difference. Voicing is everything.

For bass guitar it's a little more straight forward where you could say 2x10 is 20 inches pushing air, and that's bigger than 12 inches pushing air. In that case those speakers are voiced for bass.

For guitar speakers, you need to really listen to different samples of speakers for yourself to make your own best informed decision. Will a 2x10 have enough bass response? Will your 1x12 have too much bass response? Look at tone curves, speaker efficiency, weight (especially if you'll be gigging).

...and then maybe research other kits before you decide to buy from Weber. There's much better kits available with less headaches. GDSamps.com has great kits with much better transformers, and I like the cabinets from mojotone or other suppliers better.

I'm sure other people have opinions to share too. ;)

Thanks,
Josh
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Daviedawg
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Re: 1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

Post by Daviedawg »

I found it so hard to decide I opted out and have 2x10 and 1x12 cabs side by side for my 18 watt and Fender Deluxe clone heads. Over time it has resolved to the 2x10 more with the 18 watt and the 1x12 more with the Deluxe.

But it is not that simple of course. The 1x12 is a recycled Fender speaker made by Eminence so was manufactured to a Fender spec. The 2x10s are Celestion V10s which seem not to be everyone's cup of tea. They are in an oversize cab which I built after not liking the neatly sized one I build first. Now there is plenty bass from the Celestions for the 18 watt.

From my experience, the safe choice for your cab is 1x12. As suggested by Josh, careful selection may be more effective than size v number. Also I am sure that there are plenty more opinions out there.

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crgfrench
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Re: 1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

Post by crgfrench »

It's good to recall that Jimmy Page had his Supro modified by removing the 2x10"s and installing a 1x12". Either way, 16 Ohms will sound bigger than 8 Ohms.
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Re: 1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

Post by Daviedawg »

Strange coincidence that this came up today. I spent some time at the weekend reviewing the use of my two cabs. Now the 2x10 is connected to both my main amps. The 1x12 is connected to my 6L6 Single ended "clean" amp which is never pushed.

As the Deluxe has settled in I found it sounds better through the two Celestions. But of course the space you are playing in has big part in forming the sound as you hear it. So there is never one simple answer.

As for 16 v 8 ohms. I have never found any tonal or volume difference at the relatively low volumes I use. But it has always been my understanding that 8 ohm speakers produce a better body to their sound and the 16 ohms a thinner sound. But it is so small a difference that it is not generally a consideration for small amp set ups like we are discussing. It will be different for a wall of Marshalls I guess (not that they are actually used any more). So for most people the choice is simply one to suit impedance matching criteria.

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Re: 1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

Post by JMPGuitars »

Daviedawg wrote:
Mon 05/06/19 2:21 am
As for 16 v 8 ohms. I have never found any tonal or volume difference at the relatively low volumes I use. But it has always been my understanding that 8 ohm speakers produce a better body to their sound and the 16 ohms a thinner sound. But it is so small a difference that it is not generally a consideration for small amp set ups like we are discussing. It will be different for a wall of Marshalls I guess (not that they are actually used any more). So for most people the choice is simply one to suit impedance matching criteria.

Dd
The other thing to consider is the output transformer. Most 18 watt OTs should be run at 16 ohm to get the full secondary winding. Lower impedance taps don't use the full winding. That does give a tonal difference. Whether everyone/anyone can actually perceive it or not is a different story.

The speaker impedance difference on tone is usually negligible, and only matters when comparing the exact same speaker, with the exact same amount of break-in time...and still probably isn't really perceivable. Things like speaker voicing, the amp circuit, and the cabinet the speaker is going into have a significantly higher impact on tone.

Thanks,
Josh
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kevola
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Re: 1x12 or 2x10 sounds bigger?

Post by kevola »

I have a Weber Blue Pup and a Weber Silver Bell, both 10" speakers, in my 2x10 18 watt combo. After playing with this amp for a several years now in a variety of contexts with other players with 1x12's mostly, I don't see much of a difference once the band starts in. I like 2x10s because I can mix and match blends of tones that you can't get with a single 12" speaker, and often 10" speakers are less costly.
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