What's the difference between a speaker cabinet and an amp?
A speaker cabinet houses speakers, and needs an amp to drive them. An amp takes an input and increases the signal for your speakers.
Small units contain both an amp and speakers - these are really "combo amps", but most people will just call them amps... that leads to the confusion.
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I'll let someone else explain the technical aspect of it, but a speaker cabinet traditionaly used with an amp head, in forms of half or full stacks. They can also be connecte to a combo amp, (which is probably what your thinking of with the term amp).
A cabinet can come in many variations, 4x12 inch speaker 2x12, 1x12, usually 1-4 speakers, from 10-15 inches.
A cabinet on its own cannot amplify sound. An amp can, be consits of a preamp and a power amp.
So basically a cabinet needs some other amp form, be it a head, or a combo or whatever to drive it.
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
An amp can, be consits of a preamp and a power amp.
That's another shorthand... just like "amp" can mean an amplifier or a combo amp (amp w/speakers built in), a stand-alone "amp" can mean either an amplifier alone or an integrated amplifier - that's an amp/pre-amp combination.
To get a sound out of your guitar, you're going through anywhere from 1-3 'boxes':
1 box = combo amp (preamp, amp, speaker)
2 boxes = integrated amp, speaker cabinet
3 boxes = pre-amp, amplifier, speaker cabinet
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Marshall amp head- No speakers attached
Marshall speaker cabinet (or cab) with four 12" speakers- No amplifier attached
Put 'em together you have a STACK
Marshall "combo" amp. Amplifier and speaker cabinet combined into one single unit.
You can play some great music with this stuff. 8)
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Wes pretty well covred it. If you want to see more combinations of both type this into google.com " guitar amplifier images " or " guitar speaker images ". You'll get plenty to os images.
Joe
