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Post subject: Amps and Positioning
Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 9:26 pm
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Hey all,

This is something that has bugged me for years, back when I had my first Marshall, up until now with my Supersonic head + cab.

Why does my amp never sound good to me if I am directly in front of the speaker, yet if I am off to the side of it, or above the speaker, basically any angle other than right in front, it sounds great! It's really bugged me for about 10 years and its the same no matter what gear I use.

Directly in front of the speaker I find the sound always brittle and sharp, yet move a meter to the left or right and the sound coming out can be my perfect tone.

I've noticed when recording people often have mics on an axis or from a distance - is that to capture a better tone from a guitar amp rather than placing a mic dead in front of a speaker?


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 6:59 pm
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High frequencies are more directional than the low frequencies so you hear them all when you're in front of the cab, while if you're offcenter, the highs fall off some. Same thing with miking. If you're dead on center, there's usually too much treble, so slightly off axis sounds better.


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Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:16 pm
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Thanks for the reply.

Sometimes directly in front of my amp sounds very brutal and harsh, but off to the side is perfect.

I guess thats part of finding the balance and a great tone, something that sounds great no matter where you are in relation to the amp.

Sometimes at gigs I feel sorry for the people in front of the amp though, as I know its probably ripping their ears out :P


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Post subject:
Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:30 am
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Position is very important in a closed back cab. You are probably using a Marshall cab I would bet and to be honest they don't sound the best. You will find that most Fender open back amps sound great no matter where your located. I think that the problem most of the time is the cab. Closed back, 1 enclosure for 4 speakers and air leaks, and plastic handles doens't help alot.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:39 pm
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From directly in front of the amp, you'll get trebly and sometimes harsh sounds (from the centre of the cone), but if you position a mic or stand nearer the cone of the speaker, you get deeper, more bassy sounds.

It's kinda like a soup - around the edges it's cooler, and easier to eat, but in the centre, OUCH that's hot.

Lame analogy I know, but who cares :)

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:59 pm
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My suggestion is to install a Weber Beam Blocker. These things are great and both you as well as your fans and soundman will thank you! 8)


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Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:27 pm
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StratTone wrote:
Position is very important in a closed back cab. You are probably using a Marshall cab I would bet and to be honest they don't sound the best. You will find that most Fender open back amps sound great no matter where your located. I think that the problem most of the time is the cab. Closed back, 1 enclosure for 4 speakers and air leaks, and plastic handles doens't help alot.


I was using a homemade cab with greenbacks but now I'm using a matching supersonic 2x12 (both fully enclosed).

It's just bugged me for years how to get my guitar to sound how I want I have to be off center of the speaker :P


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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:19 am
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another vote for the beam blocker, it helps diffuse the brightness of the center part of the sound coming from your speakers.

kills the harshness and evens out the tone.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:15 pm
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blues bondsman wrote:
another vote for the beam blocker, it helps diffuse the brightness of the center part of the sound coming from your speakers.

kills the harshness and evens out the tone.


+1


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Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:23 am
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I've read that SRV used to stick duct tape in directly in front of his speaker for the same reason. The weber beam blocker looks nicer - but I doubt it works much better. There's a guy who had TONE!!!


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 4:31 pm
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I tried duct tape. Seemed to work OK, but wasn't ideal.

My friend has a 4x12 Celestion cab with Greenbacks in it and he doesn't have this problem, is is the Vintage 30s that are harsher in front? This is really starting to bug me now.


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:34 pm
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KyleB wrote:
I've read that SRV used to stick duct tape in directly in front of his speaker for the same reason. The weber beam blocker looks nicer - but I doubt it works much better. There's a guy who had TONE!!!


The Beam Blocker does work better. Instead of a piece of flat and "non reflective" duct tape (which will do the job), the Beam Blocker actually utilizes a dust cap to deflect the center cone frequencies towards the outside of the speaker's sound pattern allowing you to still hear all of the frequencies only evenly projected. No more "beaminess" for anyone standing (or sitting) directly in front of the speaker.


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