HT Stage 60 combo with cab?

[BlackstarMillz]

This is probably not the first time this has come up but I need some experienced advice, I've got a Stage 60 212 combo pretty much factory (I bought it used but like new although it has TAD power tubes, Is that the norm?) and I do love it BUT I miss that closed back cab sound. Is it worth getting a 212 cab to sit it on or is there a better speaker combination to achieve "closer to" closed back sound. I mainly play rhythm and my bad is rock based but generally not down tuned except for drop D, any advice is appreciated. Thanks

[thephantum]

Blackstar was putting Ruby power tubes in them from the factory, but sometime last year they switched to TAD's. So it's a good possibility those tubes are original.

The only way to get a closed back sound is to use a closed back cab. You will be able to get a better sound by changing the speakers, but not a closed back one.

My only real recommendation is to make sure the cab you get is 8 ohms. That way you can run both the cab and the combo speakers together, if you want.

Off the top of my head the Marshal 1936 cab is probably perfect. It's closed back, it's 8 ohms, it sounds fantastic. The Orange PPC212 is a very close second. Not in terms of sound, but because it's 16 ohm, not 8. So you wouldn't be able to run it with the combo speakers...at least not without rewiring something.

The EVH cabs are awesome as well, but the 212's are only 60 watts. You might be able to get away with it, but the general rule of thumb is that the cab can handle 1.5x the power of the amp. So you would need to run it with the combo speakers, which you can't because it's 16 ohms...again, unless you rewire something.

Best bet is to go audition some.

[BlackstarMillz]

Thanks for the awesome reply! I've been eyeballing an avatar vintage 212 with greenbacks, I don't have much experience with greenbacks but running that together with the combo speakers "might" be cool. I don't hate the 70/80s that are in the combo I just grew accustomed to a close back sound. I guess I "could" go with a blackstar head and 212 and skip the whole combo thing but I do like that Stage 60. Locally I see someone selling an HT20 head for $275 in like new condition. I don't have access to hear one otherwise, has anybody paried one with a decent cab? Thanks again

[thephantum]

I actually have an HT-20 head. I typically run it through an HTV212 that I replaced the Celestion 70/80 speakers with a set of Eminence Patriot Texas Heats.

It sounds fantastic. If you want pristine, crystlal cleans at gig levels, go with the HT-50. But for OD sounds, it has more than enough power to play small venues.

For a closed back sound, I would pair the HT-20 with either a Masrshall 1936 or an EVH 212.