Does a 4x12 with ONLY ONE Speaker STILL sound like a 4x12? 

The big thing, in my mind, is how it works within a band mix. The full 4x12 sounds pleasing by itself, but most of the time the lows are just cluttering the sound. The single 12” seems to have its focus on the “business-frequencies”.

You’re the man Johan! The original guitar nerd mythbuster!

Another fantastic video. It made me think back to when I was younger and doing my studio engineer apprenticeship. ..the studio I was working in were recording this hard rock band...the guitar players came in with a full Marshall 4x12 stack along with an old mid 70's Marshall head...I think it was a Super Lead. ..anyways. .the engineer...told him to just leave the 4x12 cabinet aside and plugged him into a single 1x12 open back cabinet. The guitar tone was incredible...I was totally surprised by the results...the engineer looked at me and said "if you have a good guitar and a good amp head. ..a single 12 speaker is more then enough to get a great sound...and in fact many sounds if you move the mic in different positions. " I really loved those days...i learned so much. That's why I really enjoy this channel. I've learned so much again. . Thank you.

Hi Johan - this is HooVi - inventor of the Deeflexx Systems. I really like your experiments and tests like the AMP1 of my friend Thomas Blug - they are GREAT! You showed in a perfect way how I surprise testers, when they want to use Deeflexx with 4x12 cabs. Everybody is surprised about the still “big” sound, if you disconnect 2 (upper) speakers - that’s what I am doing. The upper speakers then work like a passive membrane in hifi speakers of older days. Many users of our Deeflexx just disconnect the upper speakers and use 2 Systems to spread the sound evenly without a beaming zone. Some of them dismount the upper speakers and close the holes. So you still have the low resonance of an “oversized” 2x12. The guitarist of a Deep Purple coverband is using such 2X “4”x12s stacked side to side. So only 4 speakers near the floor + the bass-coupling-effect give enough power and low-end to play on big festival stages. The Systems deflect the mid and high range sound like a sphere - no external monitoring or sound check is needed. And the weight is much lower - you must see the faces of the stagehands, when the carry around these cabs for the first time - hahaha! 😊 This was a perfect presentation of an effect that hardly no one believes - WELL DONE my friend! You could show in a next test, how the sound of a 4x12 is changing, when you switch between upper and lower speakers. The upper row sound like tweeters compared to the lower row because of the missing bass coupling effect - a surprising effect! Best regards from Tyrol - HooVi 👍😀

Both sound great. Nice licks Johan. It really made the demo quite enjoyable. I rewound and watched it 3 times just for the playing!

Love all your interesting experiments, with only one speaker sounds closer to a combo, even a little bit like a Fender Deluxe to my ear. Thanks for sharing, Johan!

Thanks Johan, this is very useful. Great results. Keep em coming!

What would we do without you, Johan ;-) You always ask the right questions and do the hard work. Thanks for that! I tend to prefer the 4x12 on its own for the full, 3D sound. The 1x12 sounds a little boxier, but also more open and defined, so it'd fit better in a mix IMO.

This is too funny- I was just searching for a video pertaining to using a one 12-in speaker in a designed 212 cab, I wanted to see how it would sound and then I came across your video John you have the best gear related videos, great job man keep up the good work!

Another fantastic video from Johan. I've learnt so much from watching Johan's videos.

Well done Johan! Great comparison and demonstration! Thanks for sharing brother and Be Well All!

A very good, informative and useful vid! Thanks Johan!

Great idea can’t wait to see how it sounds!

Johan, finding this video is a great follow on to your other more recent one I saw recently where you butted two B cabs together. It proved that there's a lot of truth in the age old wisdom of engines in motor sports: "There's no replacement for displacement!" That's why I'm super happy that I just scored an empty 1960A cab that I'm going to block two of the speaker holes on, and run it as a clone of the full size 1961A 2x12 cab. Cheers and thank you for the AWESOME demos!

fascinating idea - i cant wait to hear this!

I've done something similar that I would like to share. Using a straight 4x12, I removed the tone post, and built a baffle in the shape of a plus sign + to isolate each speaker. The cab now has 4 different speakers, each with their own input jack. It has proven to be a good way to demonstrate tonal differences in a manageable arrangement. Thanks for what you do, Cheers !

Great tone as always!

I've often wondered this myself Johan; love your experiments. I don't know about other viewers but I'd love to hear your own conclusions at the end of these kinds of videos 👍🏼

Fascinating - thanks for the comparison!

Very helpful video, thank you! I am running into the same issue you addressed... the speakers are too damn expensive! It appears the 4x12's are more well-rounded and warmer (not considering playing with others) whereas the 1x12 is "trebly-er" and thinner. I ordered a Celestion Vintage 30 for my Marshall 4x12 cab, driven by a JCM900 4500 series (50W dual reverb) head. I'm sure eventually I'll fill the rest of the cab, and will report my personal findings here. Meanwhile, this video is SPOT ON, your comments and side-by-side comparisons using different tone settings really helped me a lot. Thank you!

FOR YEARS! Ok, you are doing A great video and then ANOTHER and then...and then...I can not believe after years still new innovative interesting videos...each time...

Fascinating video. Thankyou so much. I've been doing alot of research on this lately as I have a 412 cab with just two speakers wired in it and two dead ones. It was my understanding the the extra cab size increases low end, and that the dead speakers act as passive radiators/drone cones further increasing the low end. However this video shows me that the complete opposite is true!

Great test. Really good idea! Thanks Johan - John B.

First of all, both sound fantastic with close&room mic combined. I would play rhythm on the 4x12 because it has a wider or fuller sound to me. Then I would play lead on the 1x12 as it is more crisp and sharp to my ears. Nice Job Johan!!

Fascinating experiment! I love how you come up with these Johan. :D I actually own a red tolex Marshall straight/bottom cab, circa '70-'71, with original G12M25's, so I'm a sucker for the full half-stack tone--a major part of which (for me) is how the whole thing interacts with the guitar. Still, I was surprised at how reminiscent the single speaker was of a 1x12 combo; I didn't expect the one speaker in that enclosure to have such a brawny sound!

Very informative . Thank you!

Wonderful experiment, you ask the things in my head.

I've been wondering about this 1 12 in a big cab for a while, liked the video and am vommenting before hearing the video. Am really looking forward to seeing and hearing!!!! Gotta go gor now though....

Great video Johan! Thanks!

Well this is the most interesting video I've seen all week. Maybe it's just because I'm naive, but I didn't expect the single speaker to have remarkably more upper-mid. I dig it.

Nice experiment! I think it shows clearly that the single speaker configuration, for recording, is much more focused and rounder. In a live situation, maybe the four speaker configuration is still more desirable: it does its job filling the room - as the room mike only samples prove. Thank you, Jphan, for sharing your curiosity. Best regards.

That was a surprising difference! The full 4x12 definitely has a more scooped midrange. Personally, I would use the 1x12 onstage, as the sound at a live gig is normally rather cluttered and messy, so you need those extra mids to slice through the other instruments. However, in a studio setting I would definitely go for the 4x12. When I mix my own recordings, I inevitably find myself EQ’ing in a subtle but wide cut centred around 400Hz to allow the lows and highs to shine through more, and the 4x12 kinda does that for you without any change on the EQ. Best to get it sounding right in the first place!

Johann that was a fantastic video as always man I was shocked I knew it was going to be better but I didn't know it was going to be that much better with the 1 12.so I guess producers were right!. a 112 does sound better than a 4 -12!!I once said the opportunity in Nashville to go to a famous producer Michael Wagner's house he had a recording studio and his basement. he also had something very interesting.. he had approximately 100 single 112-in boxes loaded with every kind of 12-in speaker you can imagine. and he had a conveyor belt system with several microphones on it they would go by any speakers and have robotic arm on it so he can control while in his control room and get any angle on the speaker he wanted it was amazing!

Interesting video! They definitely sound much different, but i do like both the single and all 4. I have a Mesa .50 Caliber + and was looking at getting an empty 4 x12 cab and using just 2 of the speaker slots, diagonally. I think I watched a video you did using a Mesa .50 Caliber when i was looking at purchasing mine a few years back. Great, informative stuff! thanks!

Repairing a Peavey VTX tube 2x12 combo I needed to test it with one speaker because I wanted to make double sure the other one was shot. With resistors instead of the other scorpion speaker it still sounds amazing, I have to say more speaker does not necessarily equal better tone. You are right about the bass, I definitely hear that and I also think some of the tone comes from the sheer loudness of multiple speakers but the results speak for themselves. If you take all the body panels and trim off a racecar... It's still a racecar 😁

WOW! What a difference!!! I suspected that there would be a substantial difference with the room mic but I would have never guessed how much of a difference it makes when you close mic a single speaker!!!

Between this and the video you did years ago about the open/closed vs 2 empty speaker holes, there's a ton of options for sonic variation!

Finally, with the room and the clos mic mixed together, even with only 1 speaker, it's not so bad ✌🏻 and I think it could cut the mix easier.

that's what I always wanted to hear. thanks!

Johan, you might take an interest in the 1961a/b cabs. These were regular 1960’s with a 2x12 baffle. From the outside the 1960 and 1961 look identical. I’ve converted a number of my own 1960’s by removing two speakers and blocking the holes with square plywood pieces. Great video as always friend, you’re doing gods work 👍

The single 12 is more focused with less lows and the highs pop out more. I actually tried this with my modern 2014 Marshall cab loaded with 75s and got the same results.

I really like the single speaker! Would love to hear if there's a difference between the one speaker 4x12 and a true 1x12. How much more bass resonance do you get vs the smaller box? Really interesting idea, thanks Johan!

Interesting. Thank you Johan :)

That single speaker sounds beautiful when close-miked

Through the smart TV home theatre setup, the 4x12 thing really does sound like an AC/DC type of sound. But once you shift over to the single speaker, it’s all gone. Now we know, they recorded with all speakers in action.

There's something I like about the one speaker better than the 4x12 actually. I feel like some high frequencies are being attenuated by phase issues with multiple speakers, and that leaves more low end intact, as well as having more bass anyway, with more force pushing the cabinet wood. One speaker sounds more crunchy, and the 4x12 sounds more buzz saw. That's why I like to have a 4x12 and a single speaker cabinet to choose from, cause they're so different and both sound great for different things

Great video. The “one speaker” stereo was surprisingly better. Can you do a video comparing 1 speaker wired in a 4x12 (like in this video) compared against the same speaker in a 1x12 enclosure?

Johan, sounds great as usual. Are you changing the settings on your power brake when you switch from 4 speakers to 1?

Maybe 10 years ago I bought a ‘73 100w jmp super lead off a dude locally it came with a regrilled straightfront marshall cab from the same era. It was a great deal. I think someone else was also on the way to check it out. I tested it quickly and it sounded amazing so I quickly paid his asking price and left. Got home opened up the cab....4 original greenback H30’s but only 1 of the 4 actually working . Still a great deal .

Close mic'd, the single speaker sounds WAY better to me, with a fuller tone spectrum (this is something I've observed when recording, too). With the close and room mics combined, The single speaker sounds less compressed, with a little less bass and a little more bark - a bit like the tonal difference between a P90 & a humbucker. Thanks again Johan for these incredible educational videos. They are an encyclopedia of knowledge for all us guitar nerds out here.

Great demo. Would love to hear the same comparison with 2 instead of 1.

Listened on my sennheiser wireless headphones while doing chores. Had to come back and look to see what I was hearing. The close+room mic sounded better and less muddy to me with one speaker than with the four. I'd use that for a mix for sure.

I liked the sound of only the close mic with only 1 speaker, so I think for recording it will work

hi Johan! loved the video: very interesting outcome. My post is directed to your initial motivation to save your vintage speakers. Tonally, i agree with other posts that the 'mids change'. i would guess that actually the highs are affected by the (out of) phase effects of the passively moving cones and the bass is attenuated as the cab is now less "tight" in that the passive cones move away from the cab / active cone during the pulse. Still an interesting effect, particularly for solo notes. kinda like a treble charger to an extent. My concern is that with less bass response specifically, and less volume overall in general, the temptation will be to "turn it up" in the single cone scenario to hear "it" above the upper cancellations and lower attenuation. This temptation plus the extra excursion of the cone in the passive situation will cause greater wear of your speakers and potentially greater increase the risk of damage to the active one. If the motivation is primarily sparing your speakers, i think you probably should seal the other three holes. Again, love the video(s). great place to start interesting discussion(s)!

Pretty much as expected. I was curious to see how the lack of back pressure would affect the single 12" with the close mic.

This is a great topic for a comparison but a difficult one to execute properly. If a true "apples to apples" comparison is to be made it would be critical to ensure that the speaker(s) are receiving equal power under both conditions. Assuming nothing else changed, the single 12 is receiving 4 times as much power as each speaker in the 4x12 configuration, this alone could account for the majority of the sonic effect. Wiring up a dummy cabinet off-mic with the 3 missing speakers would be one possible solution. A variable power amp would be another. Great video none the less!

Iv been using a 4x12 with only 2 connected the other 2 aren't . While its not the same it does pretty good . Ur 1 did better than id thot . Love the channel .

Johan, please add your own impression of your tests so we can see if you and us come up with the same result. For this, I perceived a change from the full 4x12 to the solo speaker. It seemed to lose some bottom end and fullness. Thanks for all your fun demos and tests!

I'll likely be recording just one speaker in a 4x12. There's benefits and trade offs to 1x12 vs 4x12 recording, but what you showed seems to be the best of both worlds.

It made a way bigger difference than I guessed it would! It sounded more open but less balanced and a little harsher to my ears. Also less bass

This is similar to findings by an author of guitar amplifier and related books Kevin O' Connor who found that by removing 2 speakers in a 4x12 cabinet you would create a "detuned" cabinet. Improving the sound, maintaining the same spl at twice the distortion. His argument as I understand it was that the design of the cabinets among many other things was created around economic savings. Not the "best sound".

Did you play at a loud enough volume where the 4 x 12 were breaking up to add to the overall sound? if not maybe the single speaker was breaking up more with it being under more load, could this influence the sound difference at all? I do prefer the 4 x 12 sound though - or maybe a blend of the two with a full stack with 1x12 & 4 x12 combined!

2×12 is perfect.nice video from the master .

Funny ! I use a old Marshall 4x12 Cab filled with just 2 speakers , an Eminence 30 watt in the top and bottom is Celestion H12-30 ,mounted Diagonal , other 2 holes are closed with a small bass port in the middle , helps me also to control the volume Playing in Pubs &bars and such

1 speaker sounds amazing, Johan, i heard sometime ago that changing from 4, to 8 to 16 ohms setup changed the tone also.

Thanks for another great video Johan, I've been wondering about this experiment myself for quite some time, have to say the single speaker in a 4x12 cab sounds really great, more tight and punchy but less bass and thump. I'm curious though, why isn't the 25 watt greenback damaged by the 100 watt amp running only into it with the 3 other speakers disconnected??

There's a clear difference, but the 4x12 with a single active speaker is actually not bad! Depending on the mix/context it may even be a better more cutting sound. I always find it mind-blowing how you blend the close and room mics together to get a huge sound! Did you pan some 30-40% close mic on the left and 60-80% room on the right as you explained in another video?

Did you just disconnected the other speakers without „attaching“ a load to it, to have the same impedance as with the 4x12 configuration? I’m not worried about the speaker if you play with an power attenuator or keep the volume at low levels, but I’m very worried about the mismatch of impedance, when playing with only one speaker. Isn’t there a huge risk of frying your amp, if the impedance drops to let’s say 2ohm? I really want to try that with my 1993 Fender Blues DeVille, since it’s so goddamn loud.. But I’m super afraid of frying the amp when I disconnect 3 speakers.

Great video. I stumbled upon this as I want to try four different drivers in a 4 x 12 cab but only use one at a time or a combination of say two. I want to know if the cab adds to the sound enough to improve it from the 1 x 12 I built myself.

hey I got a question. I have a bugera head and cab combo, and I can either plug the head so it can go out from 2 of the left , or right speakers. but if I plugg two jack cables from the head to the cab, can I get all 4 speakers to scream or they're juste made to have only 2 speakers at a time working so you don't blow your cab?

I made an oversized 212 with a single Swamp Thang. It sounded really good. I was shocked. Way punchier than loaded with 2 twelves. Just need to make sure you have a high enough wattage single speaker to handle it. I like the Creamback to handle my 40 watt traynor YBA-1

Huge difference! I didn't expect that much difference with close mic! 1 speaker somehow sounds "faster" and more immediate, more presence-y, I suppose. Have you tried putting one or more of the speakers out of phase with the rest?

Hi Johan! Thanks for this great experiment! Love it! Something I personally would be really interested in ... is the difference on a 4x12 cabinet between: - 4x12 (normal setup) - 3x12 (and having 1 speaker completely removed) - 2x12 (and having 2 speakers completely removed) - 1x12 (and having 3 speakers complete removed) Could this be something for you to check out? What I did recently at my home studio was enabling just 1 speaker and remove the 2 bottom speakers from my 4x12. I was quite pleased with the result. The 2 open holes lets the speaker breathe more - in effect it acts more as an "open" cabinet - plus a subtle added lower end - because the holes probably work as a (untuned) ported setup.

Hey I'm currently looking at a 1979 JMP 2204 and a 77 2204, but the 77's PTP board has been changed to non original PTP board. Do you think it's best I play it safe and go with the 1979?

Any thoughts on how much the other three speakers, acting as passive radiators, filled in the low end?

Dear Johan, this video is extremely useful for me. I need your wise help. I would like to buy a Marshall 4x12" empty cabinet (never had a 4x12" before) to fill it with different speakers (same impedance), to use them individually or together depending on the situation (volume) and the head amplifire (marshall or vox). The one-speaker configuration in this video sounds great for me, but i know i'm hearing it by microphones: what is your opinion as live-hearing? Is this configuration suitable for your ears? Also for home use? Thank you Master!!! Mike

Could you do a comparision between 1x15 Fullback and 4x12 Greenbacks? I think we are curious since you said the Fullback was your favourite current speaker, as it sounds as full as a 4x12!

I kinda knew the answer as soon as I read the question. I use the stereo option to run through two speakers instead of all four when I want to attenuate the boominess and overall spl.

A much bigger difference than I had expected. The 1x12 sounded better to me: tighter bass, clearer throughout the frequency range, but the same basic tone. What I hadn't expected was the difference in the treble and upper midrange: the single speaker sounded as though it had an extended upper range, not just the expected quieter bass. I can't think of any obvious reason for this, but the difference was so pronounced that I had no doubt about it. The 4x12 sounded muffled by comparison, as though somebody had laid a thick blanket over the speakers. The 1x12 would be better in a mix, but it might also be better live if you didn't need the greater volume onstage.

Both configurations sound great, it seems to me that the single speaker has an increase in response, on the other hand the 4x12 seems to lose some of its balls when you take away the other 3 speakers. Do you think impedance has an effect on the overall outcome? What was the wiring configuration when all 4 speakers were live?

Great test Johan, as I had recently been wondering what one G12H would sound like in a 2 x 12 vertical cab, for home use with limited volume.

How do you think it would sound with one speaker with the rest of the speakers removed altogether? Im considering trying an empty 4x12 with one 150 watt Texas heat installed, just for looks to match the size of the head but reduce the weight for a homesetup. Ever tried that? or would I have to cover the other 3 holes with wood to avoid some sort of weird porthole effects...

hey again Johan! Any chance you could do same thing with 2 active and 2 passive speakers? Think there might be a sweet spot between your sound clips in this video. Would definitely appreciate a side by side of all three (1, 2, 4) but 2 vs 4 plus this video would be interesting!

Hell, i got some fun idea for you, quickly thinking about mentioned coupling and baffle step response. Up came an image of a: Bipolar/ombipolar 2x12 closed box, like in Mirage M speakers. Maybe that would make a killer sound with direct/reflected "semi-surround-like" greenback? Maybe you could tune the backward speaker to taste, filling up the right spots? Hmmm interesting :) (Big handles on the sides for lugging them around tho 😂)

I was thinking about getting a 4X12 Marshall Cabinet instead of the Marshall 2X12 I have now and loading half in an X pattern of maybe 2 Creamback H75, then the other 2 V30's with separate jacks to where I can switch between V30's or Creamback depending on the sound I want at the time. Can this be done and will it sound good? Because I play a lot of Rock N Roll stuff, but also play some bit harder metal stuff that does better with V30. Right now in my 2X12 its 1 V30, and 1 Creamback H75. Sounds great, but wanting more. Or should I just get a second 2X12 and loaded each one differently and switch when I need it? I just want another 4X12 though .

Thanks for sharing. Where do you put the room mic? Where is usually located? Interesting...

It's all just different flavors... or colors, if you're of the synesthetic persuasion! Like I recently mentioned on another of your videos, you could make use of both in recordings for two (or more) different vibes. Gotta say though, I played live with a 4x12 for years and the extra weight from all that air being moved is incredibly powerful and makes you play a whole different way to just a single or pair of speakers.

One speaker alone is stuck trying to translate the whole signal, it handles it, but the mid is almost compressed, pushed up in the mix, while 4x12 has more "sweep" control on the mids. The speaker doesn't have to "dictate" the entire signal when there's four to split the frequencies. Thanks for posting!!

both offer very useful sounds, the 4x12 and the single speaker. would love to hear the two different sounds mixed together and how does it sound if you use only 2 speakers in the 4x12 cab. does it make a difference, which one or two of the speakers you use (top or bottom of the cabinet, or a mix). great video again Johan. hmm. maybe I should buy a marshall 4x12 cab even though I have too many amps already and I don't really need it... lol :o)

Hello Johan, I was curious if there is a way to direct contact you through email or something. I had a question for you since you do alot of amp and cabinet comparisons. I am just curious to get input from you what I am doing with my rig. I am doing something that I have not seen on youtube channels. Just wanted to get some creative input. Thanks.

I have 2x12 greenback in 4x12 slant cabinet and it sound good, but in the future there will be full set 4x12 and i think it will be beter spreed of sound.

Huge difference!

Sounds good! How do you think 1 speaker would sound in a 4x12 cab if the other 3 speaker holes were empty? For cost sake and my home use only i want to put a 120 watt eminence in an empty 4x12 cab for my 100 watt head just for looks

Hi Johan, fantastic vid as usual. I have an idea for a future vid - what does a guitar with a wooden bridge and nut sound like. You could just stick a small length of wood on top of a lowered abr-1, and a very (very) thin bit on the nut. Or obviously better yet remove a nut and replace with wood. This is possibly a shit idea but I can’t tell.

Very interesting! I do prefer the fullness of the 412. And I like to ear the impact on the 112 close miced! I own a oversized 2x12 Bogner that is a real good compromise (recently loaded with 2 Mueller cone Black Backs).

I thought there would be a subtle difference but WOW! Full cab is amazingly better.

Johan, if the single speaker had a higher wattage like a v type 70 watt, would you still need the attenuator?

Guess now I finally know why my favorite cab is an older Mini Stack 212.

apart from the impedance, the signal is shared between 4 speakers. So they are not pushed as hard as one single one. Now, if you connect the single greenback to 3 other ones in a insulation box you will get the real difference. And yes, the coupling effect is really high in multiple speaker setting. So much so that i often prefer 2x10 to 1x12.

If I may make a request, it'd be interesting to see a video comparing a body made of 1 piece of wood vs 11 or more pieces. Take a blank of wood, record samples with it, then cut it up and glue it back together before recording more samples. I think a lot of people would like to know whether glue in a guitar really changes the tone or not.