Peavey 212M

This is a fairly recent model of the discontinued 212M guitar cab. It has two Sheffield 12" speakers, and judging by the spects of the 112 and 412 cabs, this rates in between with 150W RMS power handling. It has a metal grill, embedded side handles, and stereo inputs (one also functions as a mono input). The logo is missing from the front, but there are old-style Peavey logos on the handles and back plate; it looks almost identical to the current 412M cab in most regards.

I bought this cabinet to go with a Peavey Special 212, a 120W TransTube combo, also with 12" Sheffield speakers. The 212M cabinet boosts the output of the amplifier to 220W RMS, but I can't imagine having to crank the volume past halfway, even for a gig.

Nothing out of the ordinary for an extension cab, but it seems very well put together compared to other cabs I've looked at. It is shorter and wider than both the Special 212 amp and my other Peavey 2x12 amps and cabs, but that doesn't affect performance at all. Nothing seems to be lacking, and it is easier to carry because of the side handles and dimensions.

My Special 212 amp seemed a bit harsh on the high end, but the 212M seems to balance the sound out and give the lows a boost. Very clear without distortion, and it is very full sounding with distortion. Does not get muddy or brittle. All I could ask for from extension speakers.

I just bought it, but I've had no problems with past Peavey gear. By recessing the handles into the sides and adding a metal grill, this is better suited to being carted around than models with grillcloth. The corner protectors appear to be plastic rather than metal, the only component that isn't as good as earlier versions.

Purchased used with no manual or warranty info. All my dealings with Peavey have been very favorable, but I try to rate this on a case-by-case basis.

I've been playing for almost ten years, and own four Peavey amps and one other Peavey cab, plus others that I've sold or traded away over the years. If not for the fact that Peavey doesn't currently offer any 2x12 cabs, I would certainly buy another. I prefer 2x12 combos because they are big enough to use on their own, but adding a 2x12 cabinet still makes it more portable than a half-stack. This particular model is very easy to get around with, and sounds very good. If you aren't going to get a stack with identical speakers, this is the closest it gets.

I priced out cabs on the Internet, and not only was this cheaper (used), it also has the same speakers as my amplifier. It isn't missing anything I can think of, and will suit my needs perfectly: a big sound without an 80-pound box that needs a truck to haul it in.