Powercab 212 Plus stereo spread any good?

[boynigel]

The notion of a single enclosure that can (supposedly) do stereo has piqued my interest. Are there any owners who can say how good/bad the stereo spread is? I get the whole physics aspect and know it’d never be as good as two individual cabs, but L6 were boasting something to the effect of digital trickery that can create a wide stereo effect. I’m skeptical but hopeful. Anyone?

[rd2rk]

Yes. So much so that, on full (200%) spread, some stereo FX can be positively disorienting!

No, it doesn't sound like your speakers are across the stage from one another.

It imparts a perception that the speakers are around 6 feet apart (at 200% spread).

I LIKE IT!

 

[Helvellyn]

Does the stereo spread also work with home audio systems (Amp + record deck).  The only place I can put a Powercab 212 plus effectively is the front room so I need to be able to disguise it as something else.  In this case a replacement speaker system for my wifes home audio system (It doesn't need to be equivalent to £1,300 of stereo speaker just better than her current £300 ones).

[rd2rk]

Yes, the XLR-1/4" Inputs are processed. You'll want to use the FLAT STEREO preset.

The "spread" sounds great for guitar, not so great for HiFi. It is, after all, just aural trickery.

IMHO, overall, it sounds like A$$. To be fair, to test I just took Spotify from my PC soundcard, no EQ. Not the best audio to start with. YMMV.

 

EDIT: After sitting here listening for a while, my ears have kind of adapted to it. If your wife is not much of an audiophile, you just might be able to trick her... ;-)

[Helvellyn]

Thanks!

[amsdenj]

I have a Powercab 112+ and 212. I use them both for gigging, choosing the one to use based on the size of the room and available stage space. I use IEMs so my guitar in ears is always stereo regardless of the stage/room amp. So I personally don't hear any difference in a gigging situation. Stereo in a gigging situation probably won't matter much to the audience either unless you're also going stereo to FOH and using patches that leverage stereo. The biggest difference between a 112 and 212 though is probably just the ability to move more air.

 

Experimenting in a room, the Powercab 212 stereo effect depends a lot on your patch. The typical setup might be mono effects in front of the amp, and stereo effects (chorus, delay, reverb) after the amp block. The Powercab 212 doesn't do any processing to enhance stereo spread, but there is a block in Helix that can add this effect if you want it. Stereo makes a difference with the Powercab 212 even though the speakers are pretty close together. It mostly just widens the space a bit by mixing the stereo effects in the air instead of electrically. It's nice, but not essential, and quickly gets lost when playing with other people. I'd recommend the 212 if you need the size and power, and get the stereo as an additional benefit. 

[PaulTBaker]

The 212 has a setting where you can set the stereo spread from 0 to 200%.

[amsdenj]

11 hours ago, PaulTBaker said:

The 212 has a setting where you can set the stereo spread from 0 to 200%.

Yes, I forgot about Stereo Width: 0% collapses left and right to mono, 100% is normal stereo, and 200% is extra wide, probably accomplished by some slight delay between left and right, but the manual doesn't say. Thanks for the reminder. I tried this when I first got the 212, but didn't care that much for what it did to the overall sound.