Palmer Custom Made Cabinets – To each his own Part 1 – Test Report by Soundcheck

Who among us hasn’t wondered at one time or another whether his own amp wouldn’t sound a lot better if he could just find the ideal speakers to match. The solution to this problem comes from the German company Palmer. With its custom made cabinets, Palmer is going on the offensive to offer the perfect solution for every customer whenever possible.

Speakers are a complicated subject. Even experienced guitarists prefer to obsess about every other detail of their setup rather than worry about the final and extremely important link in the chain. And yet the speakers truly have “the last word”. For whatever you may have done to the signal beforehand – it all has to pass through the speakers! This is why one should never underestimate the influence of speakers and cabinets (the physical characteristics of the respective cabinet determine how well the speakers are able to function).

OK, speakers are important, but what is the best approach to this extremely cumbersome problem?

Just rush out and buy a new pair of speakers, wire them up in the cabinet, and try them out? That could turn into an expensive proposition. Not to mention all the work that would be involved. What’s more, you wouldn’t even be able to compare the speakers directly with one another. The best that you could do is maybe borrow a few cabinets, set them all up in a rehearsal room that is as soundproof as possible, and then start connecting and disconnecting them all. That’s not exactly what I would call elegant. Isn’t there an easier way? Of course there is!

The folks at Palmer also gave some thought to the difficulties involved in finding the right speaker – with success!

In the course of developing its recently unveiled line of amplifiers and cabinets, which are affordably manufactured for the company in China, the Palmer people racked their brains to devise a way of getting musicians interested in the subject of speakers again. The numerous, good sounding speaker options, for example, from preferred supplier Eminence, were going largely unused because hardly anyone in this country got the chance to hear them. This ultimately led to the engineering of a solution to enable musicians seeking help to come much closer to their ideal tone.

It all starts with a clever little footswitch.

This ensures that one can switch the output of an amplifier to various speakers on the fly without risk. Paired with a solid 4×12″ cabinet that houses four individual chambers so that each individual speaker can be heard independently of the others, thus enabling one to compare four different speakers directly with one another. This so-called “Tone Center” will soon start showing up in selected music stores. But of course, this all only makes sense if one is also able to deliver the corresponding products. This is where Palmer’s aforementioned cabinet production comes into play.

Palmer currently offers three different traditional cabinet sizes that certainly cover the most popular types.

The available models are a closed back 4×12″ square cabinet, a much more compact, closed back 2×12″ cabinet, and a 1×12″ cabinet with an open back. This probably includes something for nearly every taste. Only fans of the classic 4×10 version are out of luck, for now. In order to keep costs in check, the cabinets are of comparatively simple, but rock solid construction. While they are not comparable with exclusive boutique equipment, there is nothing to complain about here – especially considering the prices. The price of a boutique cabinet will get you two or three Palmer cabinets.

So, back to the subject: sturdy plywood, a neatly applied covering, a tight front grille and corner protectors. What’s not to like? Thanks to the casters, the 4×12″ is easy to transport. For the rest, these intelligently designed and carefully crafted cabinets are sure to make a great home for the speakers. Which brings us to what really makes these cabinets ingenious …

All information about the products can be found here: http://www.palmer-germany.com/mi/en/Products/Guitar-Cabinets.htm

Source: Soundcheck Magazine, Germany, March 2011