Blackstar 4x12 vs others

[baddmann28]

What's special about the Blackstar 4x12 that would be different than any other 4x12 running the same 70/80 speakers? Is there anything special about the porting?

I ask because I currently use a HT40, and moving up to a Club 100W head that should arrive next week. need a 4x12 cab, but if I can save on a used cab here locally that's running the same speakers, I would like to for now. Can't find these used really anywhere, and no one here carries any blackstar stuff for me to A/B against.

[thephantum]

It's a standard closed back, slanted front 4x12 cabinet. To my knowledge there is no porting at all. It's built like a tank and can handle 320 watts in mono. It can also be run in stereo at 160 watts per side. So you could drive it with dual 100 watt heads and not worry about blowing a speaker.

I'll be honest with you though, I would look at the Egnater Vengeance 412. I have not heard one so I can't tell you what it sounds like, but on paper it's a better deal. The only real differences are that the Egnater only handles 300 watts in mono and 150 watts per side in stereo...so it will do everything the HTV412 will but for $100 less. It also has Celestion "Elite 75's" in it. From what I understand, those are just a variant of the 70/80 and sound similar.

[baddmann28]

Thanks for the reply. the one I was looking at was an older Carvin cab, the guy at the store thought it had Classic 80's, but may have seventy 80's in it. Maybe I'll take the HT 40 over and run it through it to see what it sounds like. The head will be here on Friday- would love to load it all in the trailer for Saturday's gig.

All I hear from online reviews is how the seventy 80's just match this line so well, so I was thinking of just sticking with them (since I"m THIRLLED with the tone I'm getting out of the 40 Watt.) I just wanted a 4x12 to make it seem louder. The extra power is just a little bonus.

BTW - running an HD 500 using the 4 cable method as effects only - this is the tone I've been chasing for 30 years. These Amps flat out sound amazing.

[thephantum]

Since it's an older Carvin cab, you might be able to get it on the cheap and upgrade the speakers. If it has Classic 80's, you don't need to swap them as they are pretty good speakers. The advantage and drawback is that they have BIG magnets. Those magnets is why they sound so good...but they are heavy, making the cab heavier.

As far as 70/80's, personally I don't like them. They sound OK...but that's about it. Just OK. The 70/80 tries to do to much with too little and fails at most of it. In other words, it tries to have the low mid growl of an American voiced speaker as well as the high mid snarl of a British voiced speaker. The result is a kind of undefined mushiness across all the mids....at least to my ears.

I have an HTV-212 that I swapped out the 70/80's for a pair of Patriot Texas Heats. The difference in sound quality is night and day.

[Enlive]

The htv 412 is a really good cab although like some of the others said, the speakers are good not great. I had the 100watt head and found it much better with V30s in a 212 cab.

[Enlive]

Also it's not a big difference if any at all to just have the same speakers in a different cab ImO. You'd be fine with a different cab

[JohnBNY]

I have the Blackstar 4x12, and it is not ported.

I personally did not like the 70/80 speakers that came in the cab. The highs were too shrilly, and I thought the speakers lacked warmth. I play mostly classic rock, with a lot of clean tones, and the 70/80s did not work for me. I swapped out the speakers with Celestion K100s, and they sound outstanding with the HT100 or my Series One 200. The 70/80s may work fine if you play mostly heavy distortion/metal.

I'm also a big fan of the Eminence Patriots. I have that in a Mesa combo, and it is a very nice speaker.

[Enlive]

You have a Series One 200 I hate your face!

[baddmann28]

Yeah my gigging band is an 80's hair metal band- so the stock speaker in the ht 40 sounds fine. Here's the band's website if any of you are interested in a taste of the tone.

http://www.80sbushrocks.com/media--1.html

[123racetra]

Thanks for the reply. the one I was looking at was an older Carvin cab, the guy at the store thought it had Classic 80's, but may have seventy 80's in it. Maybe I'll take the HT 40 over and run it through it to see what it sounds like. The head will be here on Friday- would love to load it all in the trailer for Saturday's gig.

All I hear from online reviews is how the seventy 80's just match this line so well, so I was thinking of just sticking with them (since I"m THIRLLED with the tone I'm getting out of the 40 Watt.) I just wanted a 4x12 to make it seem louder. The extra power is just a little bonus.

BTW - running an HD 500 using the 4 cable method as effects only - this is the tone I've been chasing for 30 years. These Amps flat out sound amazing.

If you can get that Carvin for cheap....Buy it. They make good stuff. The older cabs had good speakers in them. I have a set of 4, G12T-75 Celestians for sale if interested $75 ea plus what ever it costs to ship.
I like you have been chasing a sound and seemed to have found it with the Series 1 el34. I run into a Marshall 4x12 with v30s.. I am using my Fractal Audio Axe Fx for effects and using the MIDI controller to change amp channels. I do want to play with preamp tubes to lose a little of the raspy tone.