Cabinet for Mini - revisiting

Revisiting an old topic -

Has anyone tried a Royal Atlantic 1-12 cabinet (or similar) with their mini rec?

I'd really like to get a 1-12 cabinet that I could use not only with the Mini, but possibly with my Electra-Dyne head and maybe even as an extension for my Lonestar combo if need be.

I know the RA cabinet would work great with the Lonestar and ED, just not sure about the Mini - everything I keep reading says use a closed back with a V30 speaker with the Mini. Those other amps prefer a partially open back with a C90...

Unfortunately, no one around seems to stock that cabinet - so if I buy, I have to do it without ordering.

Would appreciate any comments

Thanks

I use mine with a vertical recto 2x12 and a 4x10 with good results. My experience has been that you need a lot of air volume in the cabinet or the amp sounds anemic. I couldn't find a 1x12 that I liked with it, though I did not try the Dyne/RA wide 1x12. I tried it with the MR 1x12, a full recto 1x12 and a 3/4 1x12, and didn't like any of them.

Without the ability to plug and play before you buy it's going to be a crap-shoot; no getting around that. Since you think that the RA cabinet will work with your Lonestar and ED, there's no loss there; you'll have a use for it anyway.

I really think, though, that for 1x12s the Mesa guys did their homework matching the Mini Rec and speaker cabinet. I just can't believe how massive the amp sounds with that cabinet, especially once you get it up on the pipe; for me that's with the master in the noon-2 o'clock range on either channel.

Seems like for now you're going to get the same small sampling of opinions about this, until the amp has more adopters. :lol:

Anyway Mike, just curious: what sort of music do you play with your Mini?

Regardless, I think you can't go wrong with the RA cab. I think you tried the Mini going into your Lone Star combo cab -- seems like you dug it, right? I have run mine through my LS cab and it sounded awesome. IMHO the RA cab, which is pretty similar to the old Mesa 3/4 back cabs, should give you basically the best of both worlds: closed-back thump with some open-back air, with a little more emphasis on the thump probably.

I maintain that that cab size is a great all-purpose platform for any size venue, as it'll hold its own until you're really pushing it. It sounds like elvis didn't like it with any of the 1x12s he tried, including the V30-loaded Mini cab and the 3/4 (C90). Just keep in mind speakers & cab opinions are as subjective as it gets, and it'll depend on your ear, musical style, expectations and contexts in which you're playing the amp. In my experience, the louder you go, the smaller ANY cab starts to sound; that includes 4x12s as much as 1x12s (only it takes more volume for a 4x12 to get to that point). Point being: when you're pushing a cab to the point where it starts to sound boxy, you're really in need of some sound reinforcement (aka, the PA).

Also in question is the actual speaker in the cab -- a whole other kettle of fish. Amazingly, the Mesa site doesn't specify what speaker is in the Royal Atlantic 1x12, but it must be the C90 (because the 1x12 is rated for 90 watts). The 2x12 says it has two V30s. So these two will sound fairly different. If you're going for heavier tones, the V30 is supposed to be better and works better in a closed back. Might be splitting hairs at this point, but that's what we do here I guess.

Yeah I am. Darn, I wish I could walk into a store and try this.

As for the Mini - I play most 80's classic rock (Journey, Def Lep, Bon Jovi, etc). The ED has been my main gigging amp for several years, problem is it is brutally loud and the band is trying to focus on keeping stage volume as manageable as possible (we hire sound for every show). So I bought a Mini head for the smaller venues - still plenty loud.

At times (we are 6 piece band) I stand so close to the amp that I hits me in the back and I can't hear it the way I want. So I thought about buying a single 12 cabinet that I could angle back for those uses. That is why I think about the RA cabinet - its wide and works well with at least 2/3 of my amps.

The other alternative for me is to use the Lonestar Classic Combo - I love that amp, but it is a heavy dude to carry - I am not a big man and it can be a struggle!!!!

I appreciate everyone's replies while I try to sort this out!!!

Mike

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Yeah, you don't want to drag around the world's heaviest 1x12 cab for this.

Might want to keep an eye out for used 3/4 back cabs, because they come up once in a while and if it's local you might be able to try it out. It's the exact same size as your LSC but about 20 lbs lighter.

elvis said:

I use mine with a vertical recto 2x12 and a 4x10 with good results. My experience has been that you need a lot of air volume in the cabinet or the amp sounds anemic. I couldn't find a 1x12 that I liked with it, though I did not try the Dyne/RA wide 1x12. I tried it with the MR 1x12, a full recto 1x12 and a 3/4 1x12, and didn't like any of them.

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While there are some great sounding 1x12 combos out there, I generally agree with you; specifically in regards to the Mini Recto. Every 1x12 I plug it into sounds boxy to me, whereas stepping up to just a 2x12 really makes the sound open up. It's a far weightier sound. The Mini 1x12 cab looked the part more than it sounded.

Mike, I do use a 1x12 live in the cover band. However, I face it back and run a H&K Red Box direct to the PA. We try to keep stage volume as low as possible (even the drummer uses hand percussion and an electric kit), so the cab is really about supplying a load. I'm talking about the ability to play dinner crowd low, and turn it up later for the bar crowd. It sounds like you can stand some more stage volume, and those 2x12 Recto cabs sound fantastic with these amps. You'll get more of that gut punch out of it.

Based on the post I quoted, I think this might be perfect for you: http://www.avatarspeakers.com/Pro%20Monitors.htm

mikeller said:

Yeah I am. Darn, I wish I could walk into a store and try this.

As for the Mini - I play most 80's classic rock (Journey, Def Lep, Bon Jovi, etc). The ED has been my main gigging amp for several years, problem is it is brutally loud and the band is trying to focus on keeping stage volume as manageable as possible (we hire sound for every show). So I bought a Mini head for the smaller venues - still plenty loud.

At times (we are 6 piece band) I stand so close to the amp that I hits me in the back and I can't hear it the way I want. So I thought about buying a single 12 cabinet that I could angle back for those uses. That is why I think about the RA cabinet - its wide and works well with at least 2/3 of my amps.

The other alternative for me is to use the Lonestar Classic Combo - I love that amp, but it is a heavy dude to carry - I am not a big man and it can be a struggle!!!!

I appreciate everyone's replies while I try to sort this out!!!

Mike

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

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