Combo vs Head/CAB

RobbieZ

Hi all,
Due to personal circumstances my valve amp project had to put on the backburner for a few months, but I can still complete the planning. ?

I was wondering :-\ between a combo amplifier and a head/cab combination. My logic tells me that a combo’s main advantage is portability; however with all the equipment we carry around, one more box will not make a major difference.

Now, first, do I understand it correct if I say that a head is the amp without the speaker and the cab is the speaker without the amp?

Second, why would I want to go either way?

Thanks.
Robbie

flatfourfan

I did the best of both worlds........combo for when I have to move around or when I can plug into a PA, head and cab that stays at home.......

Nicholas-L

The thing with head/cab is that different cabs with speaker combinations can give you different tonal qualities... ie open back vs closed back vs hybrid cab; 1 x 12 vs 2 x 12 vs 4 x 12 or 10" speakers if you prefer. Where as a combo doesn't quite give you all those options... usually single or two speakers and pretty much open back. Although a 4 x 12 combo would be interesting and near impossible to carry :roflmao: .... the biggest thing I guess with combo or head/cab is what do you want to get out of speakers, punch, low end, definition. At the end it comes down to what sounds good to you.

VellaJ

RobbieZ wrote: Now, first, do I understand it correct if I say that a head is the amp without the speaker and the cab is the speaker without the amp?

Correct

RobbieZ wrote: Second, why would I want to go either way?

Well, IMO, the separate head and cab has a little more "romance" to it, but let's put the subjective things aside.

As Nicholas L says, head and cab separately allows you to mix and match your head with new speakers in different cabs with ease. You can also do this with most combo amps, which allow for your external cab, but I think it's easier with the head on it's own. You don't have to lug the speaker around as well as an external cab.

I only own combos at the moment, as they're more portable, and I really don't do enough gigging to be fiddling with other cabs.

Hope that helps somewhat. I personally wouldn't have a problem with either configuration. Personal preference!

BluJu

For me aesthetics play a big role. I got the Ibanez TSA15 head and cab because it looks so cool but is still light and not to bulky.
Of coarse sound is still the most important.
A head with a 2X12 cab is always nice. If you only micing up one speaker I don't see the point of a 4X12 cab.

Wizard

May be health reasons too.
If you carry the head in one hand, and the cab in the other, then your spine is better aligned than carrying a combo.
?

Nicholas-L

Wizard wrote: May be health reasons too.
If you carry the head in one hand, and the cab in the other, then your spine is better aligned than carrying a combo.
?

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Yay for aligned spines!!!

ezietsman

I have what you can call a fairly portable head + cab setup. The truth is, a proper 2x12 cab is quite ungainly. Mine has many scars and bruises from bumping into stuff already. Also, I CAN carry the head in one hand and the cab in the other but it makes me tired (and I'm strong), my cab is a fair 24kg and the head is about 10kg. So its not balanced at all and will most likely cause an injury at some point.

That said, a 2x12 combo is even worse (valve amp). I'd suggest a 2x12 if you go with head+cab or 1x12 combo + 1x12 cab if you go combo. Use the combo for quieter jams. Take the extra 112 when you need more volume.

That said, I LOVE my little quarter stack, I'll just live with the extra effort of moving it.

Hammeron

VellaJ wrote:
RobbieZ wrote: Now, first, do I understand it correct if I say that a head is the amp without the speaker and the cab is the speaker without the amp?
Correct

RobbieZ wrote: Second, why would I want to go either way?
Well, IMO, the separate head and cab has a little more "romance" to it, but let's put the subjective things aside.

As Nicholas L says, head and cab separately allows you to mix and match your head with new speakers in different cabs with ease. You can also do this with most combo amps, which allow for your external cab, but I think it's easier with the head on it's own. You don't have to lug the speaker around as well as an external cab.

I only own combos at the moment, as they're more portable, and I really don't do enough gigging to be fiddling with other cabs.

Hope that helps somewhat. I personally wouldn't have a problem with either configuration. Personal preference!

Yea, I think Vella hit the nail there.
The combo can be used as is, or if need be, be plugged into a cab.
Don't have much experience with stacks but I would imagine that the JCM 900 combo, for example, would be more affordable than the JCM 900 head and cab.
So with the combo you get a more manageble unit that can be cabbed if need be and cost you less to lay on.

But having said that, I'd sell my Soul to own a JCM 800 Kerry King 2000 stack !! ?

AlanRatcliffe

Wizard wrote: If you carry the head in one hand, and the cab in the other, then your spine is better aligned than carrying a combo.
?

I find this to be pretty true - I'd always rather have two small boxes to carry than one large one.

Anyway, you have to compare apples to apples - a Marshall head and 4 x 12 cab may be bulky, but imagine it was a combo...

Another reason for having a head is vibration - the combo version the Vox AC15 HW has a reputation for the vibration making the EF86 valves go microphonic a lot quicker than the head and cab version.

Gearhead

Up to a 1x12 I guess the combo is easier to lug around, but if I were to like anything bigger I would opt for separate head. I always feel sorry for the people with AC30s or Twin Reverbs or JCM900s... My setup revolves around two 1x10 combo's and a rack but maybe that's me being weird.

bottledtone

What type of tone and character are you going for? With a cab, there is a better chance you could make it a closed back, which would give a more defined bottom end (hmmmm tight bottom end :-[.......sorry got lost in thoughts ?), a focused distortion. If you play cleans and mild grit, then a open back is fine. If you're going for all out heavy crunch, a combo might have the poor valves shaken to mechanical distruction before normal working life.
Soooo combo normally open back and head/cab more of a choice

Gearhead

Good point :applause:

Hammeron

bottledtone wrote: What type of tone and character are you going for? With a cab, there is a better chance you could make it a closed back, which would give a more defined bottom end (hmmmm tight bottom end :-[.......sorry got lost in thoughts ?), a focused distortion. If you play cleans and mild grit, then a open back is fine. If you're going for all out heavy crunch, a combo might have the poor valves shaken to mechanical distruction before normal working life.
Soooo combo normally open back and head/cab more of a choice

Are you suggesting that playing all out metal continuously on a combo valve can shorten its lifespan? ???

Gearhead

He is saying that in terms of cab construction and tube cooling it is hard to build a closed back combo.

aja

bottledtone wrote:would give a more defined bottom end (hmmmm tight bottom end :-[.......sorry got lost in thoughts ?),

hahahaha you have had too much solder fumes this morning...

Hammeron

Gearhead wrote: He is saying that in terms of cab construction and tube cooling it is hard to build a closed back combo.

OK, cool!
So keeping the valves as cool as possible will result in a longer lifespan?
I ask this as I am having what appears to be cooling issues with my JCM 900 combo.

bottledtone

Tamla Kahn 'Hammeron' McMahon wrote:
bottledtone wrote: What type of tone and character are you going for? With a cab, there is a better chance you could make it a closed back, which would give a more defined bottom end (hmmmm tight bottom end :-[.......sorry got lost in thoughts ?), a focused distortion. If you play cleans and mild grit, then a open back is fine. If you're going for all out heavy crunch, a combo might have the poor valves shaken to mechanical distruction before normal working life.
Soooo combo normally open back and head/cab more of a choice
Are you suggesting that playing all out metal continuously on a combo valve can shorten its lifespan? ???

Valves can be easily shaken up to destruction. The little guys run hot through a gig, and now the tiny metal pieces can get close to molten and now are being shaken up by bassy airwaves. It can cause all out failure or render the valve miccrophonic. Valves can go microphonic in new packaging by couriers who were a bit rough with the packaging. And somesomes straight after a gig, someone rips away his amp off stage without letting it cool can cause filament damage. Amps running at lower volumes or less heavy rythyms don't take as much abuse.