Walkabout into a 2x12

Swamp_Ronin

Swamp_Ronin

Jan 15, 2021
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Portland, OR
#1
Hey everyone!

I have a Walkabout Scout 1x12, 4 ohm. Had it 15 years or so and love it. I’ve started playing with this D’angelo/Badu cover band, and was thinking about getting a slightly louder setup, maybe running my WA into a subway 2x12. It’s still 300w, but I wonder: Will there be much difference in volume? I’d definitely get a W800 later if we start playing out a lot, but I didn’t want to upgrade my amp just yet.
 
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#2
I think you'll notice a sizable increase in volume. Since my Scout 12 has an 8 ohm speaker in it, I bought the Subway 112 and pair them together. Seriously loud and punchy. My Walkabout originally had the 4 ohm speaker in it, but I ordered the 8 ohm speaker from Mesa, anticipating pairing the Scout with another 8 ohm cab down the road. They sent me an Eminence Deltalite 2512. You can get those speakers from various sources for $155 or so and keep your Scout cab.

Danny
 
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#3
Dan55 said:
I think you'll notice a sizable increase in volume. Since my Scout 12 has an 8 ohm speaker in it, I bought the Subway 112 and pair them together. Seriously loud and punchy. My Walkabout originally had the 4 ohm speaker in it, but I ordered the 8 ohm speaker from Mesa, anticipating pairing the Scout with another 8 ohm cab down the road. They sent me an Eminence Deltalite 2512. You can get those speakers from various sources for $155 or so and keep your Scout cab.

Danny
Click to expand...
Interesting! More questions present themselves. So are you suggesting I put that speaker in my existing scout? Sounds like it would make it lighter and possibly louder. I really love the way it sounds as it is but I don’t even know what speakers I put in there. I was thinking about just having a second 2 x 12 cabinet to leave at the rehearsal space and take the gigs, and keep my little one by 12 to practice at the house.
 
#4
I can only tell you what I did. I too love the sound of the Scout 12, probably more than any other amp/cab I've played through. As always, if you want louder than it's capable of, you end up using the Walkabout head with bigger cabs, but that does change the sound. Changing to the Deltalite 2512 8 ohm speaker didn't appreciably change the volume or the sound. Sitting that combo on top of the Subway 112 got me a lot more volume and did change the sound a bit. I'd call it the same sound with a bigger bottom. I considered the Subway 212, but ultimately decided on the Subway 112 paired with the Scout 12. You'd have about $900 invested in the Subway 112 and Deltalite 2512 speaker upgrade vs $1200 for the Subway 212. You don't know till you know, but I'm happy with the Scout 12/Subway112 pairing.
 
#6
The Subway 212 is a substantial increase in low end extension, sensitivity and power handling (power handling is not an issue for you) than the Scout cabinet (especially the 4 ohm version)
 
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#8
@agedhorse thank you for the info. I’m a big fan of your designs! I’m on the fence between refitting my 4ohm scout with an 8ohm and picking up a subway 1x12, or grabbing a 2x12. I’m leaning towards getting a 2x12 because 1) I like the sound of my scout as is, and 2) if I upgrade to a WA800 later I’ll have a nice fat cab for it. Advice?
 
#9
I use my Walkabout into a Berg CN212 or NV212t. Both sound great and definitely are louder/bigger/deeper than the WA/Scout 12 (which I also still have but rarely use).
If you need more out of the Walkabout, more drivers, and more efficient cabs will definitely help. Also consider an HPF to keep the power sucking and pretty pointless rumble level lows (30-50hz-ish) out of the equation. You'll get a bit more useable clean headroom out of the WA that way too.

I also have a WD800 because it will do a very good Walkabout impression but with greater available clean power (if clean is what you want) ... along with some very nice additional features the WA does not have (2ohm operation, pre/post DI, HPF, Damping control, neutrik speaker connectors ... ) So, if you really can't get what you need out of the Walkabout with additional drivers and an HPF, the WD800 can easily get you where you want to go.

the WA is a great amp. I'll never get rid of mine.
good luck OP!
 
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#14
The tuning response of the Scout cabinet will be quite different due to the passive radiator.

The original Scout 8 ohm driver is no longer available but a reasonable replacement is the stock DeltaLite 2512. It's not exactly the same voicing but it's "close enough" and way better IMO than the 4 ohm driver.

Note that the Subway 12" driver is not a suitable choice for the Scout cabinet, it's very different.
 
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#15
I have a later series Walkabout Scout 12" combo I bought used last year. It has the fully black faced amplifier, with one input and the passive/active switch. It is marked as 4ohms and tests that way. The speaker appears to be a Powerhouse speaker that looks exactly like the one in my Powerhouse 1x12 cabinet. Both speakers have what looks like a little round piece of velcro in the center of the speakers dust cap. Was this speaker ever an original item in the Walkabout Scout 12" combos? I am thinking it was likely updated.
 
#16
lawgrass said:
I have a later series Walkabout Scout 12" combo I bought used last year. It has the fully black faced amplifier, with one input and the passive/active switch. It is marked as 4ohms and tests that way. The speaker appears to be a Powerhouse speaker that looks exactly like the one in my Powerhouse 1x12 cabinet. Both speakers have what looks like a little round piece of velcro in the center of the speakers dust cap. Was this speaker ever an original item in the Walkabout Scout 12" combos? I am thinking it was likely updated.
Click to expand...
The vent in the dust cap is a Eminence custom driver that used an older non-vented motor. I don't recall that driver ever being used in the Walkabout/Scout, and I only see reference to it being 8 ohms. (DCR is approx. 5.7 ohms). There were several WA/Scout drivers used, the early ones were ceramic with a vented motor, the latest ones were custom Eminence Neo's.
 
#17
Thanks for the reply. I think that is the reading I got when checking a cable plugged into the speaker output (with the unit powered off). Assumed incorrectly that meant it was 4ohms. There is a picture on the Mesa site of a speaker that looks just like it and indicates as a replacement for Walkabout combos. It is ceramic and listed as no longer available.
 
#18
It may have been a replacement when the original ceramic was no longer available. I don't know how close it was.

When parts manufacturers shut down or a part becomes no longer available, sometimes replacement parts are based on the best available choice.
 
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