Hot Cat 30 combo or head???

[1o1oo11o1o]

Further to my questions ages ago re the Hot Cat 30 vs 100...

Given the extreme price of the 100w head with matching box...im probably going to in the meantime settle for the almost affordable 30 watt version (note here in oz these amps are relatively a lot more expensive)...but am debating whether the head or combo is the best way to go.

I heard both are exactly the same on the inside and also that you can plug a 4 x 12 or other extension cab into the combo. Has anyone tried this...because if you can then I might go the combo for smaller gigs then simply buy the bad cat 4x12 and plug that in as well for bigger gigs.

Im hoping this may solve the issue of a possible lack of power for the combo in a larger venue (not volume but retaining a heavy fat distortion sound).

Has anyone done this before?

 

[n4p226r]

speak of the devil.





i recently got a hot cat 30r head. am getting the 2x12 cab to go with it. Are you buying used? If not, than what i would personally do is get a hot cat 30r combo. This will hold you over for now, maybe even longer. Get a 2x12 combo if they are available. If you need more power, i dont think adding the 4x12 will make a huge difference. You might be better off taking a line out or the preamp out into another poweramp and run the 4x12 from that and the combo speaker from the hot cat. that would be LOUD though.

 

[1o1oo11o1o]

why wouldnt the 4x12 out of the combo make much difference?

 

[Member 5343]

If you plan on running the amp that loud, get a cabinet and head... even if it is just a 1x12 or 2x12 because your tubes will get microphonic WAY faster in a combo amp than in a head and cab set up... and with something that is cathode biased and running the tubes hot already (like the Hot Cat), you'll notice it will cut tube life down substantially.

 

[enharmonic]

Go with the head and cab...even if you go 2x12 cab. I dunno...I've always preferred heads to be separate from cabs

 

[n4p226r]

Originally posted by 1o1oo11o1o
why wouldnt the 4x12 out of the combo make much difference?

i stand corrected. just tested my hot cat head with a 4x12 again (was playing it through half the 4x12 (2 speakers)) and it is a difference in volume. get either a head and 2x12 cabinet with the option of another 2x12 later, or get a 2x12 combo with the option of getting a 2x12 later

 

[r9player]

Personally I started with Combo's for convenience but nowadays I prefer the head and cab idea. I think I can get better sound that way.

 

[LSchefman]

I like heads with separate cabs for a few reasons, and had the Hot Cat 30 head, which is a great amp. The HC30 is LOUD. You know how an AC30 is loud? 30 watts can really smoke.

1. I like the idea of mixing and matching amp and cab to venue.

2. Yeah, you have to make two trips to the car, but your back will thank you. HCs are not lightweights.

3. You can keep the head in the control room and put the cab in the recording booth when you record, thereby saving much running back and forth.

4. Possibly less vibration screwing with your NOS tubes if ya got 'em.

5. The Hot Cat head looks incomparably cool.

 

[Member 5343]

Originally posted by LSchefman
4. Possibly less vibration screwing with your NOS tubes if ya got 'em.

This is a DEFINATE with production tubes more than NOS, even though it is an issue if you play at high SPL's at all times with NOS stuff, they are far less prone to microphonics than new production tubes are. I had a very compact combo and rattled the **** out 3 GT Mullard Reissues within a month because I played it wide open everytime I plugged in.

-TJK

 

[1o1oo11o1o]

Thanks as always for your help/suggestions.

Im going to get the 30w head but havent decided between 2x12 or 4x12 cab yet.

I got to play the head with a 2x12 on saturday and it was huge but thinking maybe i should just spend a bit more for 2 more speakers. There was someone on another forum i n oticed saying that the BC 4x12 should onlybe used with the 100w head though....was something to do with the modded speakers?

i have seen pics before of hot cat 30 heads into other quads (wsaraceni?) so i guess it can work. anyone have any expertise on that?

 

[flicker180]

i love my 2x12 combo but at 85 pounds, i'd get a hernia if i moved it much...

perfectly fine for me and the sound just blows me away...i honestly don't move the master/level/volume dials above 9 anyway.

dave

 

[Eugene]

I used to own a Hot Cat 1x12 combo and now I own the head/2x12 cab. IMHO, the head/cab is much easier to move around and sounds better to my ears. I don't know what Bad Cat does with their cabs, but the heads sound great through them!

Eugene

 

[sabbath90]

i think you should go the head/cab route. the hot cat is such a pretty high gain amp and the combo version must be really really hard on tubes.

 

[6AM]

All the tubes are shock mounted, so the vibrations shouldn't effect them too much.