Stumped between real Marshall cabs or going direct...Help Me Choose!

Hello all,

As my rack rig is nearing completion with Eventide PitchFactor on the way to wrap up my effects side of things, I've been struggling to choose between going direct with my rig, or to save up for speaker cabinets. As an FYI, my rig is a stereo rack rig based around the Synergy SYN-2 with Friedman BE/BB and HBE modules, Fryette 2902 power amp, line mixers with Strymon's, Boss MD-500 and Eventide Pitchfactor, and RJM Mastermind PBC-10.

Route 1: Going Direct - Two Notes Torpedo Captor X's OR st. Rock React:IR's - This route will be the most convenient for the studio setting as I won't have to mic up speaker cabinets, as I'm living in an apartment situation. However, this will make live performances inconvenient for me as I cannot use in-ears due to personal health conditions that I will not mention here, meaning I won't have a way to monitor myself if I choose to go live with this rig. Also, if I plan to use the React:IR's, they'll take up the 2U rack space that I've reserved for the backup Fryette power amp.

Route 2: Micing up speaker cabs - 2x Marshall 1936's that I plan to save up for modding with Celestion Vintage 30's - This route will solve my conundrums for live performances as they'll allow me to bring studio tones into a live environment AND allow me to monitor myself with the stage volume, while still being able to make room in my rack for a backup Fryette power amp just in case anything were to happen to my main power amp. However, the tradeoff is that it'll make studio recording sessions more difficult as I cannot just mic up my speaker cab during any given time of day, as I'm living in the apartment setting.

As much as I would love to consider going for both, I'm on a borrowed time to save up to finish my rack rig, so I'm at a point where I have to choose one or the other.

Which route would you guys recommend for my situation - abandon the backup Fryette's for st. Rock React:IR's, OR save up for speaker cabs even if it means limiting the days in which I can crank up my amp for recording levels?

Go cab, 100%. Mic up the cab, gives loads more options, plus you can always get a ReAmp device, and expand your sound even more.

That's my two bits on the issue. As ever with my advice, though, take it with a grain of salt, a wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.

Good to know. I'm guessing that if my health conditions are preventing me from using in-ears, then it makes no sense for me to have a setup that's dedicated for going direct in the first place eh?

I wouldn't go quite that far, as there are always options to overcome any health issue (usually). I don't know what you've got going on (not my business), but if you can't use in ears, Brad Delson from Linkin Park used over ear monitors. There are ways around most issues, if you don't mind getting creative.

Main thing about going the cab route is it has (in my opinion) more flexibility out of the box than going direct does, both for playing and recording. Plus the aforementioned ReAmping, then again, you could probably do that with direct, now that I think on it. /shrug

Course, you don't have to limit yourself to a Marshall speaker cab. Find a speaker you like the sound of, don't be afraid to mix it up. For instance, my da really likes Vox amps, but friggin' loves the speakers in his old Orange combo my uncle fried. Next thing you know, his Vox now has Orange speakers in it. Now, with cabs, you don't have to rewire anything like he did, you just pick a cab, pair it up, and rock.

I got to run my Orange through some Celestion G12H Redbacks not too long ago, they had a great sound to 'em. Felt it was really balanced, really crunched up nice with the Orange doomy tones, kept tight and punchy when it did, didn't get real loose like some speakers do. Downside? That sumbitch is nearly 5kg a speaker, so if you're doing a full cab, that's 20kg just in speaker weight if you go with those--then you've got the cab itself. That'd be one heavy rig!

Anyroad, that's about all I've got. As I said, options, plenty of. Just depends on you. I'm a mic the cab kind of guy, and seriously, look into a ReAmping device for when you record. REALLY opens up options!

EDIT: I keep forgetting I'm Scottish and the majority of people here are probably not using Metric (forgetting the metric bit, not that I'm Scottish, only forget that after I've had too much juice of the barley). So for everyone using Freedom Units: Bit over 10lbs, (they're actually 4.7kg) so make no mistake, it's a heavy cab. You'd want a cart for it.

It would be difficult to headbang onstage while I have over-ear monitors. I would consider doing what John Petrucci used to do and grab a secondary power amp that accepts XLR inputs for stage monitoring, but then that would cut into the rack space I have reserved for the backup Fryette power amp, so yeah...

For the record, I already have a reamp box - I use a Radial X-Amp box.

Also, I've tried out various cab IR's to get an idea of what the cabs would sound like. So far, I have a tie between the ENGL, Marshall and Mesa cabs. I'm primarily looking into getting two 2x12's since two 4x12's wouldn't make any sense at all for gigging when going stereo due to their weight and size.

That's a possible tradeoff, Brad Delson never seemed to have any issues though (seriously, love or hate their music, Linkin Park had one hell of a stage presence). I myself am old school, have the speakers for generating feedback rather than monitoring--granted that's trusting the house to have what I need for that, which, in past hasn't always worked out. But hey, when all you've got money for is your rig, your ride, and your rotgut, you do what you can do. I'm older now, and don't play live because of multiple physical disabilities, not least of which is extreme nerve damage in the ol' beater cases, but again--your call, you know what you want to accomplish on stage more'n I do.

Good on ya. ReAmping is the future I tell ya. You youngins get all the bells and whistles!

Mesa. Mesa Mesa Mesa. I'm not just saying that because I'm a Dream Theater fan. There's something about their sound that's just appealing to me. Current wishlist of gear has a couple of different Mesa amps on it, will likely have at least one flavour (probably a Mk V) when I kit out my home studio in full.

Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't mind wearing Vic Firth earplugs if it means protecting my hearing without having to resort to in-ears, but I don't know if you'd feel comfortable going live without a backup Fryette power amp if you were in my shoes.

I guess your vote goes to Mesa eh?

I'm the guy who's played a show with nothing more than a Lyon Strat knockoff and a Vox Pathfinder as my rig, using the "turn the master volume down, crank the gain, then let 'er rip!" to get overdrive, so I'm probably not the chap to ask about backups and whatnot. Still managed to get a standing O that set, too. Course, I was 17, it was my 2nd band, and I had exactly zero fucks to give. PUNK ROCK, man!

What gave that away? My excitement over their mention? lol

lol I'm sure there's many other reasons as to why you'd prefer Mesa over Marshall, haha. But I guess that's a discussion for another time.

NGL, I just straight don't like Marshall full stop. Never have. They sound... Off to me. Not just the speakers, the amps, too. My da bloody loves 'em. And that's cool, if that's what drives your sound, go for it. Just doesn't work for my sound. I'm a Vox/Orange/Matamp/Green (which is basically Matamp) kind of guy.

Ah, fair enough, that's good to know.

Real cabinets are always best assuming the room can handle the air you're pushing. A tiny space with a raging stack will sound pretty poor unless it's been designed for that purpose. On the other hand, marshall cabinets are not best for your back and if you go that route I recommend a roadie. You can usually con a friend into this job for local gigs if you're willing to give away your free drinks and a guest list just spot for him but on the road it's another proposition.

I happen to own a captor now. A friend recommended it. I tried it out at home and it recorded pretty well but I haven't needed to use it extensively so it would tricky to post a review. Fir home studio use it's pretty darn practical.

I can't drink alcohol due to my health condition anyway so yeah, that's a non-issue.

I already got a Synergy system going for my main tone. What we're talking about here is whether to go direct or to go with real cabs.

I can't drink alcohol due to my health condition anyway so yeah, that's a non-issue.

Then cabinets and a captor for apartment recording, my friend.

If you have to ask, then you probably don't need to go full-cab. I mean, nowadays, hardly anyone needs that, unless you're playing bigger stages.

I am migrating my 2x 4x12" live rig to a stereo cab-sim solution. Digitech CabDryVR was the best device I found that suited my needs. Now I can even use a proper cab-sim in a home studio environment (something I didn't even dream about a few years ago)! And even live, it's much easier, neater and more practical to go direct to PA from the cab-sim (velcro-ed to a tray inside the rack).

gaffer tape round the headphones like keith moon used to do