Would it though? People buy combo amps. A class D power amp weighs close to 2 lbs. Is it niche? Probably? Though, I would argue the amount of content and threads created around fixing FRFR problems and trying to find a cabinet and a pedalboard power amp are pretty thick on the internet, I'm not really convinced that it's that niche. There's plenty of niche equipment out there, too. But this is probably the answer here.TylerDeadPine wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2026 4:44 pmPreamp circuitry vs. development of a new sku for a still relatively niche use case. Plus making cabs heavier is usually opposite the goal.cakes wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2026 4:18 pmThey are essentially PA speakers. The problem with using them, in my experience, is it feels like there's a wall between you are your amp. The Tonex Cab has a feature on it to dial back in the room with some EQ curve, but it's still not quite there. It's a single, flat range 12" speaker. The Fender Tonemaster gets pretty close like the Tonex. But again, it feels synthetic next to a traditional cabinet. They are good if you use modelers strait into a board and need on stage monitoring. I don't think it's worth having a flat response that sounds like the amp is in another space, while you get to pick your IRs for a sound... just use the real speakers, IMO. So, that's where I'm getting at. Modeling drive pedals and amps is great, they sound amazing through traditional cabs. I can mount class Ds to cabs all day, but I'm really curious as to why there aren't options for powered cabs with traditional speakers. Would it be cool to have four 6L6 tubes powering your speakers? Or, wouldn't it be great if you had a cab that is powered that you just stick your amp modeler in, bypassing the need to carry a small power amp, and not having to deal with the issues of FRFR? I dunno, just seems to be the best of both worlds to me and it got me thinking why this hasn't been done before. Powered speakers is not a new idea.Kniferide wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2026 3:03 pm
Oh. I'm not really in the know about the FRFR thing except it seems like they are just PA cabs made to look like speaker cabs, and I don't fully understand the point of them, but I do not use IR stuff. I've usually just used a power amp, like that little Furman, or my Peavey Classic 60 tube power amp with a Rusty Box or Boxidizer. I've use a TC electronics BAM 200 strapped to my pedal board too and just plugged into a cab. It is the closest thing to just buying a small class D amp in a box that is neutral sounding. You could mount one to the back of a cab easilly and it's like $120
Re: Small questions that don't fit anywhere
2882It's not much less to make a powered cabinet as it is to make a 'full' amplifier (more fabrication goes into things besides the pcbs), but you can't charge as much because it doesn't have the same features - so your margin shrinks vs. a combo which is about the same effort to build.cakes wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2026 7:22 pmWould it though? People buy combo amps. A class D power amp weighs close to 2 lbs. Is it niche? Probably? Though, I would argue the amount of content and threads created around fixing FRFR problems and trying to find a cabinet and a pedalboard power amp are pretty thick on the internet, I'm not really convinced that it's that niche. There's plenty of niche equipment out there, too. But this is probably the answer here.TylerDeadPine wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2026 4:44 pmPreamp circuitry vs. development of a new sku for a still relatively niche use case. Plus making cabs heavier is usually opposite the goal.cakes wrote: Mon Mar 02, 2026 4:18 pm
They are essentially PA speakers. The problem with using them, in my experience, is it feels like there's a wall between you are your amp. The Tonex Cab has a feature on it to dial back in the room with some EQ curve, but it's still not quite there. It's a single, flat range 12" speaker. The Fender Tonemaster gets pretty close like the Tonex. But again, it feels synthetic next to a traditional cabinet. They are good if you use modelers strait into a board and need on stage monitoring. I don't think it's worth having a flat response that sounds like the amp is in another space, while you get to pick your IRs for a sound... just use the real speakers, IMO. So, that's where I'm getting at. Modeling drive pedals and amps is great, they sound amazing through traditional cabs. I can mount class Ds to cabs all day, but I'm really curious as to why there aren't options for powered cabs with traditional speakers. Would it be cool to have four 6L6 tubes powering your speakers? Or, wouldn't it be great if you had a cab that is powered that you just stick your amp modeler in, bypassing the need to carry a small power amp, and not having to deal with the issues of FRFR? I dunno, just seems to be the best of both worlds to me and it got me thinking why this hasn't been done before. Powered speakers is not a new idea.
in "general" analog solid state amplification, the electronics portion of the preamp being some of the least expensive parts, although $ to have to FCC certify for bluetooth, that or pots break down to be the most expensive parts per unit.)
So if company X already has a class D head product, they're not going to make much more for that to put it in a cabinet. They would actually make less on the head component and the cab component to do that. And (assuming they sell outside their country) then they would have to re-certify for export markets which is $$.
So all that and a combo performs the same if it has a line/effects in, which almost any modern combo does
I'm not saying it's a bad idea, just why it probably isn't commonly done.
there's the marketing $$ angle where it's an 'investment' to market a 'new' product category so I could see like Fender releasing the 'Model Twin' or something to that effect, that is a one knobber. Charge $100 less than a regular twin, drive attention