There really is nothing like a shootout. We get attached to certain instruments or gear, or we’ve bought into the hype and legacy, and we become blinded to the possibility that there might be something better. The differences between the various options of any part of your rig will only become obvious when heard one next to the other, because an instantaneous comparison is the only way your brain can register those differences. An A/B scenario is ideal, but when your options are legion, you resort to (in this case) an A/B/C/D/E/F/G. (See our Ultimate Overdrive Shootout for reference).
Guitar speakers are no small part of your signal chain. I find that the amp and guitar make the most difference, with speakers and cab running a close second. Anyone who’s ever browsed through a library of cab IRs with a reamp running knows how drastically it can affect your tone, so it’s important to pick the one that best fits your sound.
On the off chance that you don’t have 7 kinds of speakers sitting around, along with the time/energy/patience it takes to install, mic, and record each of them, then it’s your lucky day anyway. Kirk Harris lit some candles, played some riffs, and did all that work for you. You can hear the results in the video below:
