Fender Superchamp XD 10" vs Superchamp X2 head with 12" Cab

[Craig Williams]

I've owned a little Superchamp XD for a few years and hands down best amp I have ever had. I look for clean tone and headroom in an amp and this thing is clean nearly to 10, and nice volume for a 15w amp but it does get lost in the mix a wee bit with a band.

A Superchamp X2 and Fender 12" Cab has come up for sale second hand. As far as I know, the X2 is basically the same amp as the XD apart from the modelling feature on the X2. It is the 12" cab I am more interested in. Has anybody A B'd these set ups? I have heard guys saying the XD through an external cabinet is awesome.

Could I expect to get more volume out of the 1 x 12 Cab? Or is it only perceived higher volume or is it just a better tone / more bottom end?

I really like the tone from the 1 x 10 so the only reason I would have for buying the X2 and head would be hopefully an increase in punch and volume. Does anyone know if there would be much difference?

 

[hdvades]

In a nutshell basically...a 12" speaker will sound better than an equivalent 10" speaker. Same as a 10" sounds better than an 8" speaker etc. Punch as in moving more air...yes. More volume...a slight increase yes. Are there exceptions...probably. I'd say go for it.

 

[Dismalhead]

The stock XD combo speaker isn't that great of a speaker. I replaced mine with an Eminence Legend 1058 and it added a lot more clean headroom and definition. Solid improvement, and now I can get nice cleans with a pretty loud drummer. Not sure what they put in the 12" cabinet, but I think the speaker quality matters more than the size.

 

[That Cal Webway]

My 12-in speaker cab sounds fantastic with the head!

 

[Disco Biscuits]

I honestly enjoy the Vibro Champ XD more than any of the other Champ XD/X2 offerings. Not sure why, but it just sings when the volume is pushed. I enjoy the breakup moreso than that of the SCXD.

 

[Craig Williams]

I honestly enjoy the Vibro Champ XD more than any of the other Champ XD/X2 offerings. Not sure why, but it just sings when the volume is pushed. I enjoy the breakup moreso than that of the SCXD.

I had a Vibro Champ too, and so sorry I sold it. It did have something a little different couldn't put my finger on it. I had it before I got the SCXD and I figured it was just a smaller version with less power. Was a really pretty little amp tonally. I will buy another in a heartbeat should I ever see one again

 

[archetype]

The difference between the XD and the X2 is the X2's USB interface that lets you modify the voicing with Fender's Fuse software. That gives you a midrange control for most voices and lets you tweak a lot of things.

The XD and X2 stock speaker is 10 inch, 40 Watt, ceramic magnet, and imported, per Fender. It's ok at low volume, but tends to get harsh when cranked. It breaks in a bit, but not enough to overcome the harshness completely. There are lots of speakers that will improve the combo version of the amp.

The combo tends to fill a room with sound, as it has the out of phase projection from the rear of the cab. The sealed cab tends to project more directionally and should have more low end from the larger size and 12" speaker.

A 12" speaker alone will not produce more volume. An increase in efficiency will produce more volume and I wouldn't expect the 12" import speaker to have more efficiency than the 10" speaker that's likely the same design from the same manufacturer.

'Lost in the mix' needs some definition. If you can't hear it onstage, point it at your head and/or use a higher efficiency speaker. It it's not loud enough at FOH, it needs to be turned up at the mixer. If you're just jamming in a basement, and 15 Watts isn't enough, everyone else should turn down and the drummer needs to control volume, too.

From the It's All Been Done Before department, there is a boggling amount of info in the appropriate amp clubs, including discussion on speakers and efficiency, plus the X2 cab.

Super Champ XD Club
Super Champ X2 Club

 

[Blue Bill]

As archetype mentioned, a more efficient speaker will make an amp louder. I recently switched from a 10 to a hi-efficiency 12, and it made my SCXD much louder. Here's the thread: https://www.tdpri.com/threads/super-champ-xd-upgrade-project.1060145/