The bigger the cabinet, the heavier it’s going to be. When you’re shopping for a lightweight cab, you’ll have better luck looking at one-speaker models. These will have a comparatively lower output, too, but they’ll provide enough volume for most players and venues, and will be a lot easier to carry around to gigs.
For the purposes of this list, we’ve focused on 1X12” cabinets that weigh less than 30 pounds—in some cases, a whole lot less. If you’re looking for an extension cab that won’t add a lot to your load, these little guys will do the trick. We’ve included something for every genre, too, so check out the reviews below to find out if any of them are up your alley.
These are our reviews of the 4 best lightweight speaker cabinets on the market:
Orange PPC108 Speaker Cabinet
If you’re more concerned with light weight than big power, a smaller 1X8” cabinet could be your answer. The PPC108 has the classic British tone you’re looking for in an Orange amplifier, but it weighs less than 10 pounds (8.93 pounds to be exact)—less than half the weight of a 1X12” cabinet. The Orange PPC108 cabinet pairs perfectly with the compact Orange Micro Terror head, too. Put together, you have an amp set-up you can carry easily in your backpack, without sacrificing your sound quality to get it.
The Orange PPC108 has the iconic tweed-faced look to match the sound. It comes equipped with a Voice of the World speaker. Sonically, it gets a surprising amount of punch and low-end depth. It helps that it’s a closed-back construction, maximizing the space given to the soundwaves to resonate.
The PPC108 has a 20-watt power handling. That’s on the low side for a performing amp. It can still give plenty of output for solo gigs and small groups, but it’s not going to be enough for every guitarist by itself. Versatility is another benefit of Orange equipment, though. This cab plays nicely with others from the brand, if you want to stack and combine them when you need more volume. Overall, it’s a roadworthy cabinet that won’t break your back (or your budget).
Hughes & Kettner TubeMeister Lightweight Speaker Cabinet
Here’s another 60-watt 1X12” cab, the TubeMeister from Hughes & Kettner. It is the heaviest model on the list at 27.5 pounds—just under our 30-pound cut-off. That’s still a comparatively light load for a cabinet, though, and its sturdy particle board construction is built to last.
The rear of this cabinet (see full specs) has a two-jack design. This means you can connect it in parallel to another extension cabinet along with an amp, giving you the option of a modular cab set-up you can adjust to suit the venue or circumstance. This is especially good news if you need more output than a 1X12” can give you without having to carry around a bigger cabinet.
In terms of the sound, this uses a 12” Celestion Vintage 30 speaker in a bass reflex housing that improves the low-end response. This gives it a sweet, warm tone that’s incredibly versatile. It’s perfect for a classic rock tone but can also do jazz, country, funk, or even metal with the right set-up around it—therefore, making this one of the best lightweight.
Egnater Tweaker 112X Lightweight Speaker Cabinet
The first thing you’ll notice about the Egnater Tweaker 112X is its vintage-inspired design. It uses a woven grill and a relatively simple black-painted cabinet, a combination that makes it look like it was pulled straight out of the ’60s or ’70s. The sound is equally classic. It comes loaded with an Elite 50 speaker with a huge sound that strikes a nice balance between warmth and clarity on both clean and over-driven signals.
The Tweaker 112X uses birch-ply for the cabinet, with a partially open-backed design. This combination is what lets you get a cabinet that’s lightweight while still being well-built. It weighs in at 18 pounds—a compact and portable cabinet that you can take anywhere. It’s not the most powerful cabinet on the list, rated for 30 watts RMS at 16 ohms. The power handling is efficient, though, and you might be surprised by the output it can give you at the wattage. All told, it’s an excellent mid-range choice for rock or country players.
Fender Super Champ SC112 Lightweight Speaker Cabinet
Fender amps are known more for power than portability or convenience, but you can get both with the Fender Super Champ. It’s a 1X12” cabinet that can handle an impressive 80 watts of power at 8 ohms—significantly higher than most cabs of the size. Even better, it weighs only 28 pounds with the speakers, giving it an excellent weight to power ratio.
The Super Champ comes loaded with a 12” Celestion G12P-80 speaker, a great option if you’re looking for a relatively bright, tight tone with a relatively quick sustain. The closed-back design of the cab improves the speaker’s bass response, giving it a more balanced tone throughout the instrument’s range.
Maybe the most exciting thing about this cab, is its low price, which it not only the most powerful option on the list but among the cheapest, as well. Especially for players in heavier genres, like punk or metal, this is a very portable option at a great value. This is one of the best lightweight speaker cabinets period.
How to Choose Your Lightweight Speaker Cabinet
The general rule of thumb is that you want to shop for music equipment with your ears, thinking not only about the tone of the item you’re buying but also how it will fit into the other equipment you have in your set-up. While this is still generally true when it comes to cabinets, there are a few other considerations you’ll need to keep in mind.
The most important thing is to make sure that the cabinet will work with whatever amp, amp head, or other speakers you use. This means matching both the impedance and the power. The impedance you’ll want to match exactly; for the power handling, you’ll want to make sure that the RMS rating of the cab is equal to or greater than the power of the cabinet.
Also keep in mind that the sound of a cabinet can be easily customized by changing out the speaker. Again, the only restriction is to make sure it matches the size and wattage of the cabinet itself. Working with the speaker that comes installed is more efficient (and economical), but if you love everything about a cabinet except for the tone, it’s a great option to keep in your back pocket.
All four of the cabs above are powerful, tuneful options that won’t break your back—or your bank account. Depending on the size of your wallet, each could qualify for the best lightweight speaker cabinet for the money. Hopefully these reviews have been helpful in finding your perfect extension cabinet. Good luck!
