patrick2099 Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I can get a combo for $800 or the head for $765 and the cab for $255 ($1020 total). Is having the separate head and cab worth the extra cash or would the combo be better? Almost all of the reviews/videos I have seen have been for the head/cab. Thanks everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazzy Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 (edited) For that price I would get the combo. You can always get another cab. Unless you really want the Head seperated from the speakers. There's some controversey about the the combos speaker vibrations being transferred to the tubes causing the tubes element to vibrate, thus seperating the speakers would eliminate that wear and tear. Personally I believe that the tubes can be affected by the speaker vibration in a good way but reducing the fife of them. I've no evidence to support that, the only thing I have is experience with many mecahnical things with sensative electronics in them. Edited February 11, 2015 by Brazzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palico Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 I have the DT25 combo not issues. Tube combo amps of many types and been produced and used the world over, I wouldn't worry about them. It's more of a personal preference thing. The one thing sound wise difference you will want to check into is the Combo uses and open-back cab, and the extension is a closed back cab. Again either one is great and both styles have been used to great results but they do sound a bit different. Pick the one that best suites you. The other thought is the combo is about 50lb. The head and cab might be a bit easier on the back and loading in and out of venue if you play out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick2099 Posted February 11, 2015 Author Share Posted February 11, 2015 Thanks for the information. I really wish there was somewhere close to me to try out a combo and the head/cab, but there isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 That price looks really good. 2 things I would consider are that the head/cab is easier to pack around and that tube changes, from what I've read, are much easier to accomplish on the head than the combo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonelForbin Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 Yeah, Guitar Center seems to have the 1x12 DT25 on sale for now; at $799 new. Convince Zzounds or some similar place to price match, to dodge the tax that GC charges... http://www.guitarcenter.com/Line-6-DT25-112-1x12-25W-Tube-Guitar-Combo-Amp-107081598-i2113871.gc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonelForbin Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 For what it's worth, I use the DT25 combo, and I play with it up on an amp stand. The controls being on top of the DT25 make for easy quick adjustments when needed. I never got too into the closed back vs open back discussion; though I suppose the advantage to the DT25 1x12 combo, is that you can always pair a closed back cab with the combo, but they don't make an open back extension cab, so if you go with the head, you are stuck with only closed back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick2099 Posted February 11, 2015 Author Share Posted February 11, 2015 That price looks really good. 2 things I would consider are that the head/cab is easier to pack around and that tube changes, from what I've read, are much easier to accomplish on the head than the combo. How hard is the tube change on the combo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted February 11, 2015 Share Posted February 11, 2015 From what I've read you pretty much have to pull the chassis out of the cabinet to gain access and it's tight. Hopefully someone else will chime in as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STPLE Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I bought the head and cab. I'm glad I did. For what it's worth it's awesome. For what I use it for the head and cab is perfect. You can very easily use an attenuator (I did at one time a lot - still use it in my basement, etc.). If stage noise is a problem (it is for us) then you can easily have your head on stage with you and have the cab off stage (in another room, iso box, etc.) cranking. I'm no amp tech - but I've changed the tubes, biased, etc. very very easy on the DT25 head. Also, a person I play with has a Mesa Cab - again very very easy to switch out cabs, speakers, etc. if you want. There is no wrong answer at all - I'm glad I got the head/cab combo. I hope this helps. Good luck. The amp is awesome!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick2099 Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 Thanks everyone. I decided to go with the head and cab, because of all of the helpful information on here and another forum. Plus, I REALLY wanted the head/cab, and for that kind of money I didn't want to feel like I settled for what I kind of wanted instead of what I really wanted. Thanks again everyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geppert Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 A bit late but I also have the DT25 Head & 2 cabs. Although as STPLE said "there is no wrong answer" I much prefer the closed back cab and splitting up the weight .... plus (and this may the most important part) ..... the Head / Cab just looks so much cooler .... lol ! I think you will be happy with your decision. I do like stacking the two cabs with the head. It puts it up at shoulder height for easy tweeking rather than bending down to adjust the POD. Let us know how you like it once you have had the chance to play for a while. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egkor Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 After lots of "combo" amps of various brands and weights, I determined that for me the seperate head/cab was "it". There is a lot of flexibilty in this.Now I do like the idea of a DT25 combo stacked on a DT25 1x12 cab. This gets you a combination of an open-back cab and a closed-back cab in a nice killer looking (and probably sounding) stack. Also each piece easily manageable, nothing overwhelming or too big and heavy."The Bomb" would be 2 DT25 combo+DT25 cab stacks, matching, in stereo. :oI'd like to get to that someday, I could do it with what I have (DT50H+cab, and DT25H+cab). I only have time to understand and deal with the simple configurations (1 amp/cab at a time). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russgoos Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've posted this rig info a few times lately, mostly because I'm so dang excited by how much fun it is to use AND how killer it sounds. IMO, the DT25 combo amp stacked on a DT25 1x12 extension cab sounds incredible. It has the openness and top end sparkle of the open back combo and it has the oomph & bass response of the closed back ported extension cab. Best of both worlds. Guitar (Variax or electric) --> HD500X --> L6 link --> DT25 combo stack #1 --> L6 link --> DT25 combo stack #2. Sounds and feels amazing - truly a comprehensive dream rig. Love it. Fyi - "combo stack" = DT25 1x12 combo amp on top of a DT25 1x12 extension cab. The big Mesa cab in the center is not used (is unplugged). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandinq Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've posted this rig info a few times lately, mostly because I'm so dang excited by how much fun it is to use AND how killer it sounds. IMO, the DT25 combo amp stacked on a DT25 1x12 extension cab sounds incredible. It has the openness and top end sparkle of the open back combo and it has the oomph & bass response of the closed back ported extension cab. Best of both worlds. Guitar (Variax or electric) --> HD500X --> L6 link --> DT25 combo stack #1 --> L6 link --> DT25 combo stack #2. Sounds and feels amazing - truly a comprehensive dream rig. Love it. Fyi - "combo stack" = DT25 1x12 combo amp on top of a DT25 1x12 extension cab. The big Mesa cab in the center is unused. That is so awesome looking! Must be crazy loud! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaceatl Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I have the DT25 head/cab....It really open up some options for running other cabinets....I have several decent 212 cabs that I use with it sometimes. I use 16 ohm speakers so I can do a pyramid with the stock cab...3x16 in parallel is around 5.3 ohms which is a nice mismatch in the 4 ohm tap...Makes for a slightly brighter tone than a 4 ohm load (or slightly lower sometimes)...The amp gets dark to my ears on the 4 ohm tap...That was one of my favorite changes I made to both my DT50 112 combo and DT25 cab....These amps sound their best running a 16 ohm load IMHO....I tried everything but a kitchen sink in these things and that is where I landed...enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russgoos Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 That is so awesome looking! Must be crazy loud! This rig can be very loud, but not crazy loud. Keeps up with a loud drummer, volume-wise. How "loud" is loud is really a matter of personal tolerance :P . To my wife, it's too loud if I have the amps set loud enough to drown out the sound of the guitar strings (acoustically), haha. Um, yah, that's not loud to me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarrellM5 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Here's another advantage of the head/cab, although I hope it's one you never have to use. I'm having to send mine to a Line 6 service center and it's much easier to ship the head than the combo. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomaswhudson Posted February 24, 2015 Share Posted February 24, 2015 Yea having the head def. would have an advantage but the price is such a big difference right now. 799 for the combo and over 1000 for the head and cab. Unless i decide to go with the head plus a different cab, like a 2x12 one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomaswhudson Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Looks like the heads are now 899 and the combo is 799. I have been thinking of getting the combo plus a 2x12 cab of some sort but now i am not sure. Although getting the combo would give me one open cab and then one closed depending on what cab i got. So many yummy choices. I have been toiling on this decision for weeks now lol. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brazzy Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 If your having trouble deciding maybe saving money is more important. Go with the less expensive rig. You can always move the amp around with one of those slim hand trucks. and get an extention cab. Magna Cart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrick2099 Posted February 28, 2015 Author Share Posted February 28, 2015 A bit late but I also have the DT25 Head & 2 cabs. Although as STPLE said "there is no wrong answer" I much prefer the closed back cab and splitting up the weight .... plus (and this may the most important part) ..... the Head / Cab just looks so much cooler .... lol ! I think you will be happy with your decision. I do like stacking the two cabs with the head. It puts it up at shoulder height for easy tweeking rather than bending down to adjust the POD. Let us know how you like it once you have had the chance to play for a while. I haven't been able to play as much as I would have liked to, since I got this, but I like it so far. It seems built very solid, looks nice, and plugged directly into the amp, I can get some really good tones pretty easily. I put Midi Commander on my phone and used it to test out the different preamps. The main issue that I have is replicating the sounds of the direct-to-head setup when I have the HD500x hooked up to the amp. I know that the sounds are in there, I just need to do some reading, video watching, and experimentation to come up with some more sounds that I like. I tried downloading some of the DT and preamp only patches from line 6, and haven't had much luck with that route. I'm sure that once I spend more time on this, it will work out better, but I knew this when I bought it, so it's not really a complaint. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColonelForbin Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Following up with this conversation, I have been using the DT25 1x12 combos; very recently found a local deal on a DT25 head and cab, so went for it. Adding the second cab from Sweetwater today, should be here tomorrow! LOVE the head+closed back cab. Haven't had a chance to get it linked up to the HD500; but just plugging into this thing direct; totally rocks. I also picked up a two-button footswitch, for using the DT head-cab rig with analog pedals. (A / B channel switching and reverb on/off) I know you can program it with a MIDi controller; but not going that route just yet. Though, of course, at some point, I will have to do the 3DT link; with the two DT combos on amp stands left and right, and the two cab DT25 head stack in the center. I would use the L6link; run the two combos in stereo 'wet' and run the head-cab stack in the center, 'dry' - sending the amp only, before the post effects.. In the short term, it's actually for the lead guitarist in my band, and I'll keep using the HD500 with the two DT combos; and have him run the pedalboard / analog pedals into the DT25 mini-stack.. Was toying with the idea of getting custom band name plates made up that match the center to center screw holes of the Line6 logo plates; replace those with the band name and or band art... Not in any hurry to do that!! Looks cool with all the Line6 logos; though would be cool to get name plates in the Bogner logo though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkerFlyMajik Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 I’m curious how this worked out for you. I am about to go w/d/w with two DT25s and a DT50 with Helix. Because... I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geppert Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 I just wanted to mention that I do prefer the DT25 Head & Cab over the combo. However, I found the cab to be a laser to the audience. Not much pain off axis but if your right in front of it .... duck !~!~ So .... I put in a "beam blocker" and honestly, it has made a world of difference. Perhaps a bit "off topic" for this thread but I thought I would mention it anyways. Beautiful amps. At least the DT25 still seems to be in production. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.