Post by windsen on Oct 15, 2007 16:50:48 GMT -5
Alright guys,
I got my new blacked out Splawn 412 today loaded with the Eminence Splawn Big Block/Small Block (65s) X-Patterson. I currently own another Splawn 412 loaded with the older X-Pattern speakers, the Governor and Man-O-War. Both cabs are essentially identical except for the speakers.
First off a few disclaimers. I am still waiting for my Nitro to come in so all I have now to play through the cabs is an Orange Tiny Terror, which can actually get pretty damn loud and mean. Second of all, I'm still breaking in the new cab...so this is just an initial review. I will continue to break the cab in and spend more time with it.
Initial impressions: MUCH more low end with the new BB/SB cab. If you thought the old cabs had thump, you haven't heard anything yet. I am kind of glad I am going with EL34s with my Nitro because KT77s or 88s would just be...I can't even imagine. The BB/SBs also seem to cover a much wider spectrum in terms of frequency response, particularly with respect to the lower frequencies. The MoW/Gov cab really emphasizes the high mids...it has that mid spike. The BB/SBs don't seem to have quite the prominent mid spike but it definately has a bigger, darker sound to it. One thing I notice is that because of this the MoW/Gov cab sounds very "in your face" while the BB/SBs kind of just fills the room more and isn't so direct. As of now, the MoW/Govs would seem to cut better in a band mix. The BB/SBs do seem to have a more 3D sound to it, if that makes sense. Because the MoW/Govs are so in your face, you really mainly get a lot of those highs and mids, but not necessarily in a bad way. With the BB/SBs, you seem to get a bigger, deeper and fuller sound. I can see how the new cab will compliment the Splawn sound very well. I imagine it will have a very balanced sound to it. The two cabs would probably really compliment each other well I think. All this stuff that I just mentioned was with respect to distorted tones, but the same generally applies to clean tones. I don't play a whole lot of cleans so I might not be the best judge of that.
Anyways, please keep in mind that this is just a very initial review. The new speakers will definately smoothen out a bit. They aren't harsh at all, but I imagine once they break in they will be very very smooth. Also, I don't want to post any clips right now. I want to wait until my Nitro gets here, probably early next week, so that I can make clips with an actual Splawn head running through the cab, which will hopefully be broken in more by then.
I hope this helps some of you. I spoke with Josh and Splawn briefly and he told me that they have been flooded by questions about the new speakers. Perhaps this review and the more to come will help lesson the load on the boys up there in Dallas =)
Stay tuned
-Windsen
*edit: here's a shot of the two monsters awaiting the arrival of the Nitro!
oh and if anyone is wondering, I will probably end up selling one of the cabs once the Nitro gets in and I can give them a good run through so stay tuned for that as well.
I got my new blacked out Splawn 412 today loaded with the Eminence Splawn Big Block/Small Block (65s) X-Patterson. I currently own another Splawn 412 loaded with the older X-Pattern speakers, the Governor and Man-O-War. Both cabs are essentially identical except for the speakers.
First off a few disclaimers. I am still waiting for my Nitro to come in so all I have now to play through the cabs is an Orange Tiny Terror, which can actually get pretty damn loud and mean. Second of all, I'm still breaking in the new cab...so this is just an initial review. I will continue to break the cab in and spend more time with it.
Initial impressions: MUCH more low end with the new BB/SB cab. If you thought the old cabs had thump, you haven't heard anything yet. I am kind of glad I am going with EL34s with my Nitro because KT77s or 88s would just be...I can't even imagine. The BB/SBs also seem to cover a much wider spectrum in terms of frequency response, particularly with respect to the lower frequencies. The MoW/Gov cab really emphasizes the high mids...it has that mid spike. The BB/SBs don't seem to have quite the prominent mid spike but it definately has a bigger, darker sound to it. One thing I notice is that because of this the MoW/Gov cab sounds very "in your face" while the BB/SBs kind of just fills the room more and isn't so direct. As of now, the MoW/Govs would seem to cut better in a band mix. The BB/SBs do seem to have a more 3D sound to it, if that makes sense. Because the MoW/Govs are so in your face, you really mainly get a lot of those highs and mids, but not necessarily in a bad way. With the BB/SBs, you seem to get a bigger, deeper and fuller sound. I can see how the new cab will compliment the Splawn sound very well. I imagine it will have a very balanced sound to it. The two cabs would probably really compliment each other well I think. All this stuff that I just mentioned was with respect to distorted tones, but the same generally applies to clean tones. I don't play a whole lot of cleans so I might not be the best judge of that.
Anyways, please keep in mind that this is just a very initial review. The new speakers will definately smoothen out a bit. They aren't harsh at all, but I imagine once they break in they will be very very smooth. Also, I don't want to post any clips right now. I want to wait until my Nitro gets here, probably early next week, so that I can make clips with an actual Splawn head running through the cab, which will hopefully be broken in more by then.
I hope this helps some of you. I spoke with Josh and Splawn briefly and he told me that they have been flooded by questions about the new speakers. Perhaps this review and the more to come will help lesson the load on the boys up there in Dallas =)
Stay tuned
-Windsen
*edit: here's a shot of the two monsters awaiting the arrival of the Nitro!
oh and if anyone is wondering, I will probably end up selling one of the cabs once the Nitro gets in and I can give them a good run through so stay tuned for that as well.
