04/15/2025
Hey decent little informative video for those considering the difference between a combo and in a head with cabinet option.
As a side note to this, however...
You can never have too many heads. You can never have too many different cabinet options. While this video mentions the head determining the tone you produce, your cabinet will make a big difference.
If you are using an amp head with a speaker or a combo amp and for any reason are not happy with the tone. You should understand one thing first. Your amplifier should sound great by itself regardless of the cabinet you were using. You should be able to tune that tone quality to a standard that you are happy with. There are differences that will come from the cabinet regarding whether it is a closed or open back. However, the quickest way to change your tone quality is going to be to upgrade your speakers selection. This statement will apply to whether you are using a combo amp or a head and cabinet combination. With a combo amp before purchasing a different amp, you should definitely test out different speaker options. This could be the difference between less than $100 and over $1,000. And don't feel bad about making this choice versus buying a new setup and trading out your old setup to a local store or "bless your heart", A corporate box store. You can still order individual or sets of speakers through local stores or whatever option is available. Just understand that upgrading the speaker cabinet you have could make a big difference and there are plenty of videos showing that fact; A good reference to research would be from one of many favorite pages on YouTube, . This gentleman does a side-by-side in one of his videos comparing the actively recorded sounds and tonal ability of multiple amplifiers and proves that you can dial in the same tone spectrum with many different options based off of a Hertz and decibel rated frequency baseline. His videos show, In real time, side-by-side comparisons of the same exact track played through multiple amplifiers, from different brands and price ranges, physically adjusted through their own EQ parameters to match recorded data to the extent of hurts-based frequency charts side by side with values down to a five point off the decimal standard.
Personally, outside of 10-in combos, I would much rather prefer head and cabinet configurations. Even if you start with a combo setup and upgrade the speakers, you can still over time. Make upgrades that include getting amplifier heads that could be used even with the combo amplifier cabinets without the head actively utilized in the setup which means if it's a 112 combo, you have a 112 cabinet on hand if you were to unplug the speaker from the head built into the combo. So basically, if you end up the opportunity to pick up an amplifier head as a combo user, you already have a cabinet that could be utilized that you may have already upgraded regarding the speaker, and if that isn't enough, you can always get another cabinet and see how you like that and potentially upgrade the speakers. Which overtime will end up leading you to the position of having multiple amplifiers and multiple speaker options which will give you a well-rounded ability to handle any venue or sound. Francis, based off of the music you're playing. The old golden mean of being a minimalist as a musician should always be a standard regarding setup options because if you can't play it as an instrument plug directly into an amplifier and be happy with what you get then it doesn't meet the baseline. Whether it's without gig or rounding off that piece of equipment to the category of trade fodder. And outside of that ideology will always exist. The fact that it's better to have more than you need and not need it, then need more than you have and exist in a paradigm, controlled the standards of supply and demand on a time-based schedule. The equipment you use from your instrument to your amplifier are all existing in the same category that would hold tools, machinery and components that are necessary to maintain performance and success for anybody working in a trade field. This could be Farmers with heavy equipment, construction workers with tools, plumbers or electricians with specific tools to complete a prioritize task, or a medical professional carrying potentially life-saving equipment for different purposes. At the end of the day, regardless of what it's used for, it's to complete a job and if you don't have it, you're either going to want it or wish you had it where you're going to live in a world where you aimlessly argue about the idea of people needing more than they have to have, which is a limiting standard and that only says the ability of a person performing a task. F**k using a $160. We have a fire for every gig you play regardless of venue size and then trying to convince you yourself and everybody you play with that water is better when you aren't even touching one on the volume. Potentiometer when you could just get a head that's smaller than that and use the same nobody respects somebody who brings a gun to a knife fight and you wouldn't want to show up with a riding lawn mower and a shovel to a job requiring a vacuum cleaner and a broom.
Of course, this whole post seems like it's full of tangents, but they are a purpose based off of my experience as somebody who has multiple amplifiers and tube heads to choose at the end of the day. Just understand that the tone your amplifier produces whether it's a head or combo amp can be significantly changed using a different speaker option and no matter what, if you have a combo amp, you still have a head. Which means you can unplug the speaker from the head of your combo and use that exact amplifier setup in combination with different speaker cabinet options. So don't be afraid to unscrew four screws and then put them back in with a different speaker with two different connect plugs, but in a situation that you need a difference. Also understand that you can utilize plenty of options available outside of your current setup and good results that may potentially be exactly what you want without a fool change of your setup, which could leave you in a regret. At this point this is my list of gear:
2x12. 5150 closed backed cabinet
2x10 Laney closed back cabinet
112 Mesa open back cabinet
1x12 Carvin closed backed cabinet
2x10, 30 w open back Laney combo
1x12 15/4 w open back Laney combo
2x12 Roland Jazz chorus combo
1x8 Roland micro cube combo
50 w fender 5150 3 tube head
100 w. Carvin V3 tube head
Laney IRT studio 15/ less than one 1 w rack mount tube head
160 w. Peavey stagemaster tube head
Just based off of that list, I can cover any tone I need ever to include any sized venue. However, I would love to have an additional evh 212 cabinet and I would also like to have an additional clothes back 212 Mesa with a slanted face. Other than that, the only thing I could possibly think I would need would be a powered PA setup. Allow me to do many other things outside of performing music alongside one of the board setups that I currently have for running sound. Alternatively to the Laney IRT studio which I can go direct in regarding venues with a PA eliminating the need for a cabinet additionally and adding the potential benefit of acquiring a speaker simulator. Anyways, if you made it this far and you have any questions feel free to reach out to me!
