amsdenj

I'm a big fan of Powercab 112+ or 212 for gigs or at home use.

Perhaps the difference depends on how the patches are edited. The 212 HF driver bug is that the changing Mode and Voicing using HX Edit or Helix does not effect both left and right HF drivers. If you make all the changes directly on the Powercab, you will find that the HF Compression Driver is only on in Flat:FRFR or IR modes.

You weren't wrong, the HF compression driver is only on in Flat:FRFR and IR modes. It is not on in any Speaker mode, Flat:LF Flat or Flat:LF Raw. The manual may be a little incomplete and confusing in this area. I just tested using Powercab 212 and verified the tweeter is not on in Speaker mode.

Wait! Re: "This mode applies different tonal characteristics of the selected speaker model to the system's coaxial driver, with the following adjustable parameters." I'm pretty sure the "system's coaxial driver" refers to the whole coaxial speaker, not just the tweeter, which is referred to as the "high frequency compression driver". I'm pretty sure the tweeter is only on in Flat:FRFR or IR modes. In the section describing the speaker models, the manual also says: "HF OFF / Natural – This is the natural sound and feel of the speaker in the Powercab with the high-frequency compression driver disabled and no EQ of any kind applied". This might leave the impression that the HF might be on for other speaker models, but it is not. I just tested my Powercab 212 in Speaker:Normal and Speaker:Cream. Adjusting the Global HF Trim through its full range makes no difference in the tone. The HF compression driver is definitely off. The same HF Trim sweep in Flat:FRFR makes a huge difference indicating the tweeter is definitely on. There should be no need to use a tweeter to EQ the Eminence speaker to sound like another guitar speaker as the EQ delta should be fairly small. All the speaker model EQs are applied to Flat:LF Flat, and that, like Flat: LF Raw doesn't use the tweeter. A guess, but I think Flat:LF Flat just EQs the Eminence speaker in a "standard" way so that Line6 could adjust Flat:LF Flat EQ to use with different speakers (i.e., in Powercab 212) and reuse all the speaker models, since their EQ is all applied to the same normalized Flat:LF Flat. I also tested and Flat:LF Raw and Speaker:Natural don't sound the same. There is some EQ processing that makes Speaker:Natural sound a bit more scooped and brighter than Flat:LF Raw, and not in a pleasant way. LF Raw sounds better to me. So I think you've been right all along. And I really appreciate your contribution and insights.

Powercab pairs well with HX Stomp because you can use speaker or IR modeling in Powercab and off load it from HX Stomp, often saving a precious block.

I'll have to try it, but it seems like it should work similar to use two 112+s. That is, run Line6 Link into the 112+, and then Line6 Link out to the 212. Helix should treat this the same as two 112+ and send left to the 112+ and right to the 212. Not sure if it would work the same going into the 212 first. As for wet-dry-wet, this wouldn't be the preferred setup. The 112+ would be fine for the dry signal, but the 212 stereo wouldn't be able to be positioned well for ideal wet-dry-wet. I have done wet-dry-wet with two JBL EON10s positioned on either side of Powercab 112+. It sounds really great, but is not really practical or needed for gigs.

Stereo aside, Powercab 112+ vs 212 would be more of a question of your usage requirements. I found 212 a little too big to fit in and balance with the rest of the band in our small club gigs. We seem to play a lot of Irish Pubs for some reason. In North Carolina no less. The other guitar player uses a Fender Blues Junior. So I have the 212 in my studio/office for just playing and practicing, and use the 112+ for gigs.

I can't find that in the Powercab manual. I can only find: "The output signal will have an SM57 microphone model applied when using speaker models." in reference to Powercab 112. For Powercab 112+ and 212, the user selected mic model is used. I thought Mode:Flat sent the input directly to the XLR out with no processing for all voicings (FRFR, LF Flat and LF RAW). Can you provide a source or verify? I had suspected the purpose of the Natural speaker model was to provide a means of adding a mic model to the Eminence speaker at the XLR out, and the difference between Mode:Flat, Voicing LF Raw, and Mode: Speaker, Natural was the EQ applied by LF Flat normalization was essentially removed. So the difference between Flat: LR Raw and Speaker:Natural is the additional processing through the EQ. And I suspect this EQ is done with delta IRs. But this is all speculation.

What I found consistently happens is when using Helix with Powercab 212 through Line6 Link: changing Mode and Voicing with HX Edit only controls the left speaker of Powercab 212, not both left and right speakers. Changing Mode and Voicing with Helix is only controlling the Right speaker, not both left and right speakers (whether HX Edit is connected or not). Workaround is to use MIDI to control Powercab 212 which you have to do with modelers other than Helix anyway. I can't try it, but something similar might or might not occur using Helix and Line6 Link with two Powercab 122+ units. Depends on whether the bug is in the Line6 Link processing in Helix or is unique to Powercab 212. Can anyone verify?

You may have to try things yourself to see how they meet your needs. I have found Powercab 112+ or Powercab 212 using Mode: FLAT, Voicing: LF RAW and no cab block or IR in you modeler produces an excellent amp in the room tone. It appears the Eminence speakers used in Powercab are pretty good guitar speakers and reference well with a Celestion G12M-65 I have in another amp. I'm very happy with Powercab. I like having the FRFR option for acoustic tones. I don't find the speaker models that useful. The raw speaker sounds better to me.

Try Mode: Flat, Voicing: LF RAW and no cab model or IR in Helix. You may find that Powercab112+ is a pretty good powered guitar speaker. This will give you amp in the room because that's exactly what it is.

I always bypass the cab blocks.

I find using Powercab in Flat mode, using the LF RAW voicing with no cab model in Helix works very well. It eliminates the mic that’s in IRs and EQ in the speaker models to give a more natural, amp in the room sound.

Do you have any room ambience in you (legacy) cab models?