Help, its just toooooooo bassy

[überfuzz]

You could probably trust the marking, but the battery test is a real thrill.

Rewiring speakers aren't that hard actually. Not dangerous as other gear tinkering can be. Just make sure you solder properly, get good connections. Google something like "4 speakers parallel" and you should get loads of hits.

[mike_bax]

Is that the one?

[überfuzz]

Well exactly how the wires goes is a matter of taste, as long as + goes to + etc. The diagram you linked to seems to be dandy.

[mike_bax]

And this may cancel the bassiness out?

I guess it will be a 4ohm rated cab, what will the power handling be?

[überfuzz]

If you've got a gnarly in the wiring. Yes.

When I come across a speaker that sounds bad I always check:
1. Speaker caps
2. Wiring - This is actually a thing you see every now and then in bad speakers.

"Bassy, thick and muddy" is exactly what you'd expect from a speaker where one or more is working, eh, lets say backwards.

[mike_bax]

If you've got a gnarly in the wiring. Yes.

When I come across a speaker that sounds bad I always check:
1. Speaker caps
2. Wiring - This is actually a thing you see every now and then in bad speakers.

"Bassy, thick and muddy" is exactly what you'd expect from a speaker where one or more is working, eh, lets say backwards.

Is it worth taking a speaker out of the loop one at a time? see if I have a guilty speaker

[mike_bax]

Or reversing the connections one at a time?

[mike_bax]

Been and had a look, (luckily my 4x12 is at work, as is my head, and a spare guitar)

Tried each speaker individually, they all sound kak. With the bass turned right down, and the treble right up, and the mid halfway, it sounds kinda OK, still not acceptable though, with the same settings through other cabs, it sound like a bl00dy 50cc moped, all toppy and buzzy.

Maybe I have to accept I have done something to my speakers. All of them, individually sound bad

Could I have tightened them onto the baffle board too much?, the holes in the baffle board are 280mm diameter, and in no way impede movement of the speakers, so I don't think its that.
Is the baffle board too thick (18mm), I know the 1960A has the speakers mounted on 12mm board

[pdf64]

'"Bassy, thick and muddy" is exactly what you'd expect from a speaker where one or more is working, eh, lets say backwards.'
uberfuzz, I hate to disagree but I think that most people would describe an out of phase speaker as thinning the sound out, creating a nasal tone.
If your cab is very bassy, then it's very likely that all the speakers are working / wired in the correct polarity with each other. Though changing to 4 ohms should get more power out of your amp.
See what it sounds like with the back panel removed - that's how almost all combos are, many people prefer the tone of open backed cabs, finding closed back cabs too bassy, just as you describe.

[mike_bax]

May try the other speakers I have. Even with the back off, I can't get a crispness to my tone, not even on the clean channel

OK, my Amps aren't top end, but I've tried a Marshall MGHDFX100, a Marshall 8100 Valvestate, and a Crate FW120H, all sound muddy.

Just getting bl00dy depressed about it now.

[überfuzz]

uberfuzz, I hate to disagree but I think that most people would describe an out of phase speaker as thinning the sound out, creating a nasal tone.

You're welcome dude.

[mike_bax]

"Could I have tightened them onto the baffle board too much?, the holes in the baffle board are 280mm diameter, and in no way impede movement of the speakers, so I don't think its that.
Is the baffle board too thick (18mm), I know the 1960A has the speakers mounted on 12mm board "

Anyone have any comment?

[pdf64]

I can't think of anything like this that could make a speaker too bassy - if the frame became mis-shaped by over / uneven clamping pressure, then the cone may become unable to move freely, possibly causing voice-coil rub. But I'd expect that to reduce bass.
But it wouldn't hurt to re-torque the nuts - just take up the free thread, then a further 1/4 turn after it bites, enough to compress the gasket a little.
The baffle needs to be flat (so that the frame, when clamped, doesn't get mis-shapen), so 18mm is usually recommended. Certainly if was very flimsy material, then bass would be lost. But I can't see how going from 12 to 18 mm baffle material would change the bass much, certainly not so as to emphasise the bass.
What grille material have you used (if any, yet).

[mike_bax]

I can't think of anything like this that could make a speaker too bassy - if the frame became mis-shaped by over / uneven clamping pressure, then the cone may become unable to move freely, possibly causing voice-coil rub. But I'd expect that to reduce bass.
But it wouldn't hurt to re-torque the nuts - just take up the free thread, then a further 1/4 turn after it bites, enough to compress the gasket a little.
The baffle needs to be flat (so that the frame, when clamped, doesn't get mis-shapen), so 18mm is usually recommended. Certainly if was very flimsy material, then bass would be lost. But I can't see how going from 12 to 18 mm baffle material would change the bass much, certainly not so as to emphasise the bass.
What grille material have you used (if any, yet).

I have stripped the material off, so the speakers are completely open on the front. Trying to source some "invisible" mesh
I'm going to try a less dense back board. Currently, as said, its 18mm top end ply. Gonna try some 12mm shuttering ply, its quite lightweight, and much less dense

[Steve Conner]

You said a "compact" cabinet.

If the cabinet internal volume is less than a classic Marshall 4x12" then the bass resonance will be emphasized and moved up in frequency.

4x12s already have a high resonant frequency as speakers go, and pack a big midbass punch, so shrinking the cabinet could easily give you too much.