"What's the difference between Marshall 4x12 Cabinets?"
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 1906A, 1960AV, 1960AC, 1960AX, and 1960TV
1960A (loaded with 75 Watt, 12"Celestion G12T-75 ): this produces a loud, well-focused and uncluttered sound with a tight, full low end and a crisp, bright top. It projects well across the guitar's entire tonal range and its clarity makes it ideal for players who like using a fair amount of effects such as reverb, chorus or delay as it doesn't "mask" or "muddy-up" such FX. Its all-around versatility and relatively "uncolored" nature makes this our best selling cab.
1960AV (loaded with 70W, 12" Celestion Vintage 30 ): this has a thicker, warmer sound than the 1960A with a fat, well-defined midrange and a more rounded high end that sparkles nicely while not being overly bright. It also has a good low end "chunk" which never gets "boomy." Some have called the Vintage 30's bass kick "tuneful." Although the low end of the 75 Watt Celestion used in 1960As and Bs is more "in your face" (or should I say, "chest"?!) than the Vintage 30, it might interest you to know that the latter is the first choice of modern metal "crunch" masters such as James Hetfield (Metallica), Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) and Dino Cazares (Fear Factory)...all of whom use 1960BV cabs.
1960AC (or AX) (loaded with Celestion 25W Celestion G12M Greenback): tonally, this falls somewhere between the 1960A's brightness and the 1960AV's warmth. Greenbacks have a very distinctive sound with a fast, snappy response that adds detail and dynamics to both clean and distorted playing. Obviously, for a vintage/Hendrix type tone, Greenbacks are the way to go. Heavily distorted lead lines sound extremely full too, but when these speakers are driven really hard, they can get rather piercing and thin. Due to the fact that a 100W Marshall amp will kick out far more than 100 Watts when cranked to the max, we do NOT recommend a 100W head is used with a 1960AC or BX as a halfstack, if the head is going to be turned up to "eleven!" (unless a powerbrake is being used, of course). Such a set-up might sound wonderful but there's a fine line between clever and stupid and doing this crosses it...unless the user doesn't mind the inconvenience and expense of replacing blown speakers!
The 1960TV or Tall Vintage is a unique cabinet in of itself. Taller than a regular 1960A cabinet, the 1960TV is loaded with Celestion Greenbacks(see link above) and wired for 16 ohms. This cabinet sounds great w/ any Marshall head, particularly the JTM45.
B series or straight cabs...
The same descriptions can be applied to the 1960B, 1960BV, 1960BC (or BX) factoring in the B or straight cabinet has more cabinet area hence a bit more bottom end than it's A or Angled counterpart.