barrymclark Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 Yesterday, for fun, I took both the JC120 and Cube 80x to practice just to see how interchangable they are. To give you an idea, I play stuff that has a bit of that old Surf tone and a bit of the old Motown R&B sound. Guitar (for reference): Heritage H575 (16" carved maple top, back and sides. Mahogany neck. Rosewood fingerboard. Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers.) JC120 settings: Channel 2. EQ all set to noon. FX circuit engaged but all parameters minimized so as to have no discernable effect but warms the overall tone. Distortion knob and reverb at 9 o' clock. Bright on. Cube 80x settings: JC Clean channel. Bass at 9 o'clock. Mids and treble at noon. Presence at 2 o'clock. Reverb at 9 o'clock. No other FX. Bright on. For the JC120, volume was at the first notch on the dial (about 7 o'clock or just past). Barely cracked open and was just right. For the Cube 80x, I had to have the volume at about 10:30 to get the volume where I needed it. Not surprising as it is 80w into a single 12 but surprising that a small amp can get so much grunt. Surprisingly, they sounded VERY similar at these settings. The differences were the Cube was a bit warmer and fuzzier. The JC120 was less forgiving of picking dynamics meaning that if you hit one note softer than another, it was VERY noticeable on the JC and, although noticeable, not as apparent on the Cube. Now, if you disengage the FX circuit on the JC, now you have an amp that does sound strikingly different. VERY glassy. Every note sounds like there is a mile between them even in a chord. Don't mess up! haha. For what I do, and the tone I like, the Cube is a more than reasonable alternative to the JC120. I could use them pretty interchangeably and I don't think anyone would be the wiser.
DetroitBlues Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 Was there any doubt Barry would favor the Cube? Not to me...lol
SouthpawGuy Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 What's the low end like on the Cube 80 Barry ? Been thinkiing about getting a Cube again, had a 30x but the cleans weren't as good as those from the Blues Jnr. The 30x had a 10" speaker, which may have had a lot to do with it. I don't have the chance to try one before I buy as no one around here has an 80 in stock.
barrymclark Posted July 23, 2012 Author Posted July 23, 2012 Was there any doubt Barry would favor the Cube? Not to me...lol Didn't say I favored it... at least not over the JC120. Saying I actually like them the same. They are just a touch different.
barrymclark Posted July 23, 2012 Author Posted July 23, 2012 What's the low end like on the Cube 80 Barry ? Been thinkiing about getting a Cube again, had a 30x but the cleans weren't as good as those from the Blues Jnr. The 30x had a 10" speaker, which may have had a lot to do with it. I don't have the chance to try one before I buy as no one around here has an 80 in stock. It is comparable to what I was getting out of the JC120. I don't know if you can get more or less than the JC120 at extremes. But it is very smooth and I don't hear any struggle to keep up. It is a closed back with a port as opposed to the open back of the JC120.
MartyGrass Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 The main thing I didn't like about the Cubes is the lack of an external speaker jack. I see the 80XL has this.
Genericmusic Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 For what I do, and the tone I like, the Cube is a more than reasonable alternative to the JC120. I could use them pretty interchangeably and I don't think anyone would be the wiser. My reason exactly for purchasing a Cube 80XL.
MartyGrass Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 The main thing I didn't like about the Cubes is the lack of an external speaker jack. I see the 80XL has this. Oops. I thought the 80XL has a jack for an extension speaker. It may be that the output cuts the internal speaker.
barrymclark Posted July 23, 2012 Author Posted July 23, 2012 Oops. I thought the 80XL has a jack for an extension speaker. It may be that the output cuts the internal speaker. The jack on the 80x will cut the internal speaker if resistance requirements aren\'t met. That was my experience anyway. One cab worked, the other didn\'t.
Genericmusic Posted July 23, 2012 Posted July 23, 2012 Lately I have been using a Roland Cube 80XL with a Carvin 1X12 extension cabinet without any problems whatsoever. I just matched ohm and power requirements to Roland Specifications when I purchased my extension cabinet. A Fender Blues Jr. extension cabinet will also match up according to spec. sheets. I really dig the 80XL sound with the two 12's.
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