If you’re looking for a way to create a new sound for guitar, you may want to consider the Best 2×12 Guitar Cabinet. 2×12 speaker cabinets are great for delivering a gritty, edgy sound that players will really enjoy.
If you are a guitarist and/or bassist, you’ll definitely benefit from this type of cabinet. Obviously, it’ll all depend on the size of the speakers you may want to buy.
There are so many different sizes to choose from, which means that you should be able to find a speaker cabinet that’s just right for you.
By the way, 2×12 speaker cabinets are especially popular with guitarists who play hard rock and heavy metal. So the below best 2×12 guitar cabinet review should fit your needs if you are a hard rock or metal musician.
1. EVH 5150 III 2×12 Guitar Speaker Cabinet
The EVH 5150 is the best 2×12 guitar cabinet for those who want something well-rounded.
This guitar cab delivers quality sound and power with great build quality all at an affordable price. It delivers 50 Watts of power with tilt-back legs and has wheels for ease of transport.
What is a guitar cabinet used for?
If you are a live music performer or just “messing around” at home, chances are you have heard of a guitar cabinet. These are loudspeakers or PA systems that consist of a stack of speakers and likely a guitar amplifier and driver.
Essentially, guitar speaker cabinets are boxes that house everything you need to produce sound stand-alone. With a guitar cabinets are the right cables and power supply, you can set up a speaker system wherever you are.
Guitar cabinets come in many sizes such as 1×12, 2×12, and 4×12, with the 2 x 12” cab being one of the most popular.
2×12 simply means there are two 12 inch speakers inside this guitar cabinet. The biggest advantage 2×12 cabs have over 4x12s is portability.
The since the best 2×12 guitar cabinet is rather lightweight and smaller, you can actually bring it with you on the road in a suitcase without having to break your back. And these days, with the right technology, you can get some pretty good sound out of them with lots of power.
We think the 2×12 cab represents the sweet spot between portability and performance.
With a top-end set of 2 x 12 cabs, you can get some stage to approve sound pressure without the problem of phase cancellation like the 4 x 12s. Most importantly, they are just way easier to carry on the road. Sometimes people prefer two sets of 2×12 guitar cabinets over the 4×12 just because you can break them down easier and transport them.
If you are set on buying 2×12” guitar cabs, then you can choose from the below options including the opened back, closed back, or semi-closed back. Speaker quality has been taken into account as an important selection factor as well as the wattage output of the cabinet.
Note that the wattage specification for any cabinet translates directly into the amount of power and output the speakers can deliver. In other words, the street term of this would be loudness. The quality of construction and wood grade makes a huge difference in audio quality.
It also factors into durability and ensuring that the unit doesn’t rattle much. Finally, look at ohms resistance and compatibility as well as features like mono/stereo.
What are the Best 2×12 Guitar Cabinets?
Below is the list of the 5 best 2×12 guitar cabs you can find on the market. You’ll find some that have some nice style and others that are built for performance.
- EVH 5150 III 2×12 Guitar Speaker Cabinet
- Marshall 1936 M-1936 2×12 Guitar Cabinet
- Yamaha THRC212 300W 2×12″ Cabinet
- Boss Katana-100/212 MkII 2×12″ 100-watt Combo Amp
- Orange PPC212-OB 120W Cabinet
1. EVH 5150 III 2×12 Guitar Speaker Cabinet
The EVH 5151 guitar cabinet is a great two-wheeler extension cab that contains a pair of 12” HH speakers.
It is the best 2×12 guitar cabinet if you want a great balance between performance and portability. Also, you get a pretty stylish and blackish retro-looking guitar cab that can be used in both portrait and landscape modes.
We are very surprised at the audio quality of the HH speakers in this 2×12 cab, which is why we choose it as our top pick.
It has some really good drivers with a nice design that delivers smooth mids, tight lows, and beautiful highs. The EVH head obviously works well with any of your guitars and is fitted with input and link jacks on the rear panel.
In terms of power and wattage, you have 50 Watts, which is not much. However, it delivers a great sound without having to be too loud.
Although we would like the Cab to have more features such as channel controls and reverb, we can’t really expect too much out of a very inexpensive 2×12 guitar cab.
Overall, it delivers great sounds across all ranges and rivals some of the more premium cabs. It gets all this done at a fraction of the cost. However, you give up a bit on the power side.
- Great audio quality
- Blackish design
- 50 watts of power
- Very cheap for the performance
2. Marshall 1936 M-1936 2×12 Guitar Cabinet
The Marshall 1936 is not for the faint heart nor is it budget-friendly. This is the best marshall 2×12 cabinet if you are looking for something with stellar performance and you don’t really care about the price.
We have warned you! First and foremost that these speakers are definitely not considered cheap or even mid-ranged.
The Marshall 1936 is a wonderful and best 2×12 cab due to its size, mobility, and audio quality. You can see it in many venues and stages, as Marshall is quite the name brand.
The Marshall 1936 delivers a big Marshall tone in a nice and compact size.
This is a guitar cab you can take with you anywhere on the road. Because it is made of the highest quality craftsmanship and woodwork, the sound quality is simply amazing.
You get awesome tone and projection and this quality stays the same even at high volumes and power. Additionally, the sounds are deeply rich and vibrant. You won’t be able to do much better.
In terms of power, these are 150 Watt Celestion G12T Speakers (75W each). You have mono in 8 ohms and stereo in 16 ohms. The Marshall 1936 is a straight 2×12 cab with a closed back and made of finger-jointed plywood.
The only reason we did not make it our top pick is that it is simply just too expensive for most people.
- Very expensive but top shelf
- 2 x 75 Watt Celestion G12T Speakers
- Closed-back and finger jointed plywood
- Amazing sound: rich and full
3. Yamaha THRC212 300W 2×12″ Cabinet
We consider the Yamaha THRC212 to be a stylish best 2×12 guitar cab with a nice brown “front”. It has very low resonance and low vibrations for a guitar cabinet.
If you want the best 2×12 guitar cab at just below the 500 USD price point while still being functional, this is the one. It features high sensitivity and 300 Watts of power. This is definitely huge power for a 2×12 cabinet, and the speaker quality is actually quite good.
Also, the Yamaha THRC212 has two 12” speakers built-in, which are made with world-class engineering. It also has an 8/16-Ohm impedance that can switch between mono and stereo.
In terms of sound quality, it is pretty decent for a high-end guitar cab. We are not going to lie and tell you these are absolutely amazing because they are. What we can say is that they are quite nice for the price.
There is a good variety of tone options and each speaker has a separate source. Additionally, the Yamaha THRC212 is quite lightweight (for me at least) and can be easily transported. Finally, the build quality is quite impressive and durable with its multiply wood soundboard.
- 160 Watts of power
- Nice engineered speakers
- 4/16 ohm impedance mono/stereo
- Decent sound for a medium-end cab
4. Boss Katana-100/212 MkII 2×12″ 100-watt Combo Amp
The Boss Katana-100/212 Combo Amp is the best 2×12 cabinet for the money and if you want the perfect mid-range cab.
This is a 100 Watt guitar cab with a great impedance of mono or stereo.
We really like the 100/212 combo for its great tone and projection. It has pretty good audio quality with great mids.
The cab itself is closed back, which adds to the audio quality. Additionally, it has finger-jointed construction and heavy gauge wiring, which add to its durability.
Overall, we can say that these cabs are very well built and look great. With a little tweaking, you can get some great tones out of them.
However, most users have done some small tweaks and significantly improved the sound quality. The Boss Katana-100/212 Combo Amp is a great 2×12 cab that fits most people’s budgets and can be tweaked to sound like speakers double the price.
- 100 Watt Celestion loudspeakers
- Rear mounted jacks
- Great sound when tweaked
5. Orange PPC212-OB 120W Cabinet
Everyone in the guitar world knows about Orange. They are known for their vintage and funky designs and of course sizzling tones.
This best 2×12 guitar cabinet is not for metal. It is an open-back class guitar cab that will rock any stage. The sound you get with factory settings without being broken in is already pretty amazing and has lots of depth and dimensionality.
We almost feel like the Orange PPC212 should speak for itself and we don’t really even need to oversell them. Just research some sound clips and other reviews online and you will get mostly positive ones.
Also, it always helps to have a lightweight cab that doesn’t break into pieces when you accidentally drop it. The sound is very tight and focused and full across all frequencies.
Finally, in terms of specs, you have a 120 watt RMS output based on two Celestion Vintage 30s that are 60 watts RMS each. They are designed to handle massive overdrive tones with ease. Overall, the Orange best 212 guitar cabs have great performance, quality build, awesome brand name, and look. Our only complaint is the price.
- Great brand
- Amazing tones
- 120 watt RMS output
- Expensive
Final words
If you’re looking for a high-quality speaker at a reasonable price, the EVH 5150 III 2×12 Guitar Speaker Cabinet is a great choice.
Not only does it look great, but it sounds terrific. The speaker has a pair of Celestion G12T-75 speakers, which provide excellent sound quality. The cone is made of a special composite material that is designed to provide plenty of punch and a long-lasting voice.
There is a high-grade steel grille cloth on the outside of the speaker, which helps protect the speaker. The cabinet itself is made of heavy-duty birch wood. The wood is finished with a durable polyurethane coating. This is a great speaker for the money, and it’s definitely a good choice for a gigging musician.
If you like stylish design, then you should choose the Orange Speaker. If you like history and enjoy a bit of the fame that goes with it, the Marshall 1936 is best for you.
Now, if you are obsessed with durability and quality, the Yamaha THRC212 is definitely the way to get it.
On the other hand, Boss Katana comes from a well-respected brand and you do not need to think twice to get this 100W cabinet.
Here it is, now you have all of the different best 2×12 guitar cabinets you need to make an informed decision.
References
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc663667/
https://blog.hughes-and-kettner.com/ohm-cooking-101-understanding-amps-speakers-and-impedance/
