Combo v stack

Jeanious

Hi there, long time reader first time poster (i think!)

Just wonderin, could anyone enlighten me as to why one would want to use a stack (for guitar)? I been playin for ages, still only have a practice amp and was lookin into gettin maybe this badboy (btw any1 recommend it?)

Just noticed that a lot of people have a negative view of combos these days as opposed to stacks. To my mind though, a head and a cab would just be one extra bit of gear to lose or forget to bring to a gig in the first place!

Also we had a few sound engineering classes a while back and i must say im a converted man since then. It goes that the more sound ya have on stage the crudder the overall mix would be.


So anyway, 2 reasons i can think of for havin stacks are:

1. So ya can use a different head with different (or "better") speakers.
2. My penis is bigger than yours link

(3. Probably somethin im completely missing)


As an aside, we played a small local (=no sound engineer) gig bout a month ago and a 100 marshall combo was grand, if not too loud altogether.



So, in summary any thoughts about why stacks are better than combos (or vice-versa)?

LundiMardi

opinions vary..

Please be aware though, you do mean half stack don't you? not a FULL stack? Cos i don't imagine anyone in ireland having one for local gigging.

You don't need a 4X12, you could get yourself a 2X12 instead, that way it's not *too* much bigger than a combo anyway

as i said though, opinions vary.

bombidol

Combos to me are the easiest way of playing a gig. they are smaller, easier to carry and sound decent. Stacks (in my opinion) are the way forward. Playing gigs with stacks is actually easier than with combos. cause only one band need to bring a set of Cabs, while the rest can just bring Heads which are smaller than combos. A 100 Wat marshall will suffice for a smaller / medium gig but step up to playing bigger venues etc and you are going to want a bigger beefier amp that can be turned up without going mad.
Apart from that, they look cool and fill out a stage well.
As for the orange, They are real nice amps but i wouldnt be into a modern one myself. It would have to be an old old old one. Again, depends on the type of stuff you play.

Giblet

With everything being mic'd up, stacks are overkill for most gigs. You might be playing some gigs without a PA or enough mics but I'd be worried about other things besides how loud my amp is then.

Jeanious

bombidol wrote:

Combos to me are the easiest way of playing a gig. they are smaller, easier to carry and sound decent.

Same here exactly.

bombidol wrote:

Stacks (in my opinion) are the way forward. Playing gigs with stacks is actually easier than with combos. cause only one band need to bring a set of Cabs, while the rest can just bring Heads which are smaller than combos.

Sh1t thats a great point. If theres one thing i hate its the wishy-washy way that smaller (eamo d's, voodoo etc) gigs are run here in relation to the equipment. I mean, ya never know whether to just assume ya can use the headliners stuff, or ask them, or if the house has gear or just bring your own or that. Id deffo agree with ya there. Stuff like impedence and that could be a pain in the ar$e, but if that became the norm over here itd be a sweet system.


Has anyone ever done that at any gigs?

Eoin Madsen

4x12s sound different to 2x12s, it has nothing to do with volume - besides which, you could get a 100 or 120watt 16ohm 4x12 or a 150-300watt 16ohm 2x12, all depending on the speakers you load them with.

Needless to say, if you're using some abomination of a circuit like a Marshall Valvestate (or pretty much any budget solidstate amp tbh) then the speaker or cab is negligable. Of course a high wattage amp on stage can spell trouble for the engineer, but much more often piss poor guitar tone is the real problem with a muddied mix. A good valve amp can make a mediocre guitar sing. A cheap amp is a cheap tone, no matter what you plug in to it.

Jeanious

Eoin Madsen wrote:

A cheap amp is a cheap tone, no matter what you plug in to it

You said it.

I suppose if ya take it up to big gig or stadium level, surely ever major act mics-up dont they?
I know back in the day The Who first got major sized amps cos PA or miking them just didnt exist.
And recently, ive heard a load of times about major acts havin a sh1tload of empty stacks on stage for effect, with a 30 watt amp in the back bein miced up.


Edit: Im just thinkin aswell, for dublin-sized gigs, that if ya have say a 100w+ amp, its not really gonna sing till ya crank it, which would be way too loud for the sound engineer to control.

Also monitors: never in me life have i had a reasonable stage sound, so if yave got a powerful amp youre guaranteed to hear it.

In conclusion, its all sound engineers' fault

bombidol

swopping heads at gigs? yeah we've done it a million times. For me at this level its power/tone in that order. In reality, driving and gigging up and down the country is hit and miss. some gigs wont have mics for the guitars, they may only have 1 feckin vocal mic. so the power is needed to compete with the other guitars, vocals and drums. If everything goes well and we start playing decent venues EVERY time then we can invest in sweet ass gear. but untill then, its gotta be reliable, loud, sounds decent and built like a tank.

Giblet

My new combo sounds great and would be way too over-powering with an extension cab.

Quattroste

I'm still waiting on my ****ing new combo. I paid the bastard last ****ing week! Jesus I hate ****ing waiting on new gear. COME ON FOR **** SAKE!!!

end of rant!

Eoin Madsen

Giblet wrote:

My new combo sounds great and would be way too over-powering with an extension cab.

Extra speakers don't increase the power of the amp.

sei046

they way it is boys for me.... IN the situation im in, giggig rock every weekend with our own pa system, If you have a big rig, like ours there is no real need for anything more than a combo, you get the same volume out of it and it sounds perfect, I personally use a half stack for myself though becuase i am more comfortable with it and know what to expect. Its down to what you want, and you have to remember aswell....take the Tsl100...Its Combo has severely reduced knobs than the head and cab version..... Its sometimes out of neccesity...are Stacks a must??? with a good pa..no

Jeanious

i take it you mic them do ya? And dya have your own sound engineer aswell?! happy days!

Maybe thats it then, if ya know ya have a good PA, and are guaranteed good monitor setup, ya can be confident enough to use, i dunno a 5 watt combo or somethin.

But with the way things go (in dublin anyway), with 3 bands on the bill in a small venue, and with limited soundcheck time, i suppose front sound takes priority over stage sound, (Understandable really, but a pain in the hole nonetheless!) so im startin to see the need for louder amps.

Giblet

Eoin Madsen wrote:

Extra speakers don't increase the power of the amp.

Doh... You got me, when it comes to anything except playing I suck. You think doing 4 years Electronic Engineering would help me...

sei046

if ur gigging professionally you will always be micing. Ye i have a sound engineer. You mic not for the volume but moreso for the overall sound of the gig. Its important to have a balance of instruments. I use 100 watt amps not for the volume but for the sound they are giving me. I could gig a 300watt and still be micing it