combo vs head+ cab

[black_labb]

hi guys, i know this is a very basic question, but i cant decide wether i want to make a combo amp or a head and small 2x10 cab.

im making my variation on a 5e3 (slightly different preamp) and i dont know which i should do. having an amp and head would probably mean that i wouldn't damage the amp as easily as lugging around a head will be easier than a whole combo, but it would also take up a bit more space (im thinking for fitting into a car as opposed to floorspace). having the cabinet would also be nice to save money on speakers for future builds.

having a combo just seems like it would look nicer and more traditional. im not planning on making it tweed looking, im more thinking a raw wood or stain and some type of material to protact the speakers.

i know its completely my choice and has very little to do with any of you, but i just cant decide. if theres any other advantages i havent thought of please mention them, might help me decide.

thanks, and sorry for the useless post

[drewl]

I prefer seperate heads/cabs so I can use a particular head with many speaker combinations depending on the size of the gig.
1x12, or a halfstack or a fullstack!

[Jag]

+1

I really only like combo amps for the convienience. If I'm flying out for a gig or clinic, or going to a jam or something, I'll take a combo. Otherwise, I prefer a head since I can mix and match cabs as appropriate for the situation. I also prefer a sealed back cab. I think making a sealed back tube combo generally ends up looking ugly.

[Paul P]

I'm about to build an amp and I've decided on separate head
and speaker cab since it will allow me to position the speaker
facing me from a distance away, like a monitor, while allowing
me to adjust the knobs without getting up (I usually play seated).

Paul P

[black_labb]

well considering i was leaning towards a head i think im sold on the idea. didnt even consider that a head would be better for getting the right volume at gigs, and just the versatility of separate units seems like the best idea. now i just need to get a plan for the aesthetics of the head...

[Le Basseur]

(some) combos....BOOOOOO!!

+1 for the head/cab against combo.
Aside of the combining options,as already stated,it's because...
I had this brand-new Rivera Fandango combo on repair a few months ago (well,not quite a "repair" job but the owner complained about strong microphonics) and I couldn't do very much to improve it.
Because of an overly-well built quality of the chassis/box (no kidding...everything looks perfect!),there's a very strong propagation of the vibrations from loudspeakers through the box and chassis,up to the level of literally destroying the inner structure of every EL34 type I put in there....within a few dozens of hours of playing.
I ended up by abbandoning every attempt (of course,it could be solved by a heavy mechanical mod of the entire output tubes/sockets/PCB ensemble but I didn't want to end up with a Frankenstein and neither the owner didn't agree with such a surgery).
Bottom line,I suggested the owner to sell the combo and buy instead a head/box tandem,assuming that the later offers a way better mechanical decoupling between elements.
HTH!
Regards,

[Steve Conner]

Thanks Le Basseur, another vote in favour of shock mounting all the tubes in my Ninja Deluxe combo project.

http://music-electronics-forum.com/s...ead.php?t=3365

[drewl]

No kidding with the Fandango.....I've found that quite a few boootique $$$$$$ amps with very heavy well built cabs are much more prone to various oscillations and preamp tube microphonics.

Steve, I'm glad you liked my comment!

[corwin81]

im building a pp parallel combo with 4 6cm6 tubes....it is running two ten inch organ speakers.....sounds great BUT.....now i am worried about vibrations messing up my amp...should i be? the chassis is hanging down vertically mounted on the back wall of the cabinet with the knobs sticking up through the top....so far cant hear any difference with the chassis in or out of the cab.....or the back on or off for that matter....its loud of course but its not a monster.....should i worry or just throw the sucker in there.

[stokes]

FWIW I keep hearing people refering to combos rattling tubes to death,but in over 30 years playing/working on amps I have never seen it happen.Preamp tube microphonics in high gain amps are very common,but it is due to the high gain circuit,not vibrations.All tubes are microphonic to some degree,I have had tubes that,when they got older would scream in a Boogie,but in one of my Fenders they were fine,and last a long time.Now dont get nuts on me,I aint saying that a combos vibration cant hurt,it just aint as common as some people seem to think.I tend to think a tube that lives a short life was just poorly built or had some defect anyway.I would bet more tubes get damaged from handling a head too rough.If combos were that bad on tubes,I think you wouldnt see as many of them.

[antiunderscores]

i just like the ease of changing heads/cabs to experiment with different sounds easier. although combos do cooler than half stacks and less wanky than full stacks... up to you, just my 2 cents.

[stokes]

Didnt intend to sound like I was saying combos are better,just pointing out that a combo shouldnt be avoided because of a concern about vibrations damaging things.Of course,you cant beat a head for verstility in using alternate speaker set-up.

[Chuck H]

Try some things out with combo's and head/cab stuff. Plug a 5E3 into a closed and open back extention cabs and listen to it as a combo only. You could probably do this at your local music store. Decide what "sounds best" and do that. After all, you do have to play through it.

Chuck