Combo, Heads and cabs

Lestratcaster

Never owned a combo for a gigging amp. Always a head and a cab. Can fit my 4x12 in my car (used to have a van) and always have bodies available to help out. Usually play with loud drummers so need something to compete!

ecc83

Then, since most people agree that a good (...)* % of your sound is due to the speaker, IF the amp blows you can still crack on with a spare. Very unlikely to blow a 4x12. Yes! I know you could jack into the dead comb's speaker but not all are that accessable.

*Put your personal number in there.

Dave.

Moe_Zambeek

The only speaker I’ve ever blown was in a 4x12...

LuttiS

I've used both.. I like to think I prefer head/cab yet I don't own any currently and have no plans to get one... 
I have a great combo though and it has satisfied all amp gas.. 

hotpickups

LuttiS said:

I've used both.. I like to think I prefer head/cab yet I don't own any currently and have no plans to get one... 
I have a great combo though and it has satisfied all amp gas.. 

what combo do you have then @LuttiS ;

LuttiS

hotpickups said: 

LuttiS said:

I've used both.. I like to think I prefer head/cab yet I don't own any currently and have no plans to get one... 
I have a great combo though and it has satisfied all amp gas.. 

what combo do you have then @LuttiS ;

I've got a Kustom 36 Coupé. It had been on my ''to try' list for a while, one came up at a great price and went with it. Was a bit of a gamble as was broken (hence the great price of about 10% of new..). Once repaired it completely blew me away. 
Really great cleans and pedal platform, also very responsive and organic drive channel..

hotpickups

LuttiS said:

hotpickups said: 

LuttiS said:

I've used both.. I like to think I prefer head/cab yet I don't own any currently and have no plans to get one... 
I have a great combo though and it has satisfied all amp gas.. 

what combo do you have then @LuttiS ;

I've got a Kustom 36 Coupé. It had been on my ''to try' list for a while, one came up at a great price and went with it. Was a bit of a gamble as was broken (hence the great price of about 10% of new..). Once repaired it completely blew me away. 
Really great cleans and pedal platform, also very responsive and organic drive channel..

Never seen one of them in the flesh yet

stickyfiddle

Combo, because you all the best amps are combos - AC30, DRRI, PRRI, 

I suspect most of this ultimately comes down to whether you’re a Marshall/Mesa person or a Fender/Vox person

LuttiS

hotpickups said:

LuttiS said:

hotpickups said: 

LuttiS said:

I've used both.. I like to think I prefer head/cab yet I don't own any currently and have no plans to get one... 
I have a great combo though and it has satisfied all amp gas.. 

what combo do you have then @LuttiS ;

I've got a Kustom 36 Coupé. It had been on my ''to try' list for a while, one came up at a great price and went with it. Was a bit of a gamble as was broken (hence the great price of about 10% of new..). Once repaired it completely blew me away. 
Really great cleans and pedal platform, also very responsive and organic drive channel..

Never seen one of them in the flesh yet

Highly recommend if you do come across. Imagine Fender cleans with a cranked Marshall and everything on between. 
Then imagine that they are usually a silly low price as people don't usually like tuck n roll finishes for some reason

prowla

Some of the current combos are just a cab with a head attached.

ICBM

prowla said:

Some of the current combos are just a cab with a head attached.

But if they're valve amps, they still have some of the microphonic interaction between the speaker and the valves via the cabinet, even if the speaker isn't in the same enclosed space.

Kitsune

I've got a combo, but if I were buying today it would 100% be a head and cab setup. That allows more switching around and changing of items.

hotpickups

Kitsune said:

I've got a combo, but if I were buying today it would 100% be a head and cab setup. That allows more switching around and changing of items.

Yes that thought has occurred to me too. However, I rarely swap stuff around continually. Just because I can't be bothered to do so

chrisjac2

Was happy with a combo until I tried a marshall cab and 4x12. Just seems to be more versatile. And sound better than I thought at lower volume and looks bad ass!

rico

I dread to think how heavy a 100w Matamp combo would be. Certainly over 1000 kilos!

hywelg

I have tried the same amps (Redplate Backverb, Ceriatone OTS, 1987 clone, Carr Rambler) in both combo and head/cab format a number of times and every time the sound is better from the head/cab. Its the response of a big cab allowing the speakers (EV and Red Fang) to breathe. Combo always sounded compromised to me, but very convenient.

Legionreturns

I only own a head... no cabs. 

I do have a PA system and a couple of powered speakers that I route my head too.