Yep, just the master is unaffected. As to cabs, I;m not a fan of TC Cabs which is why I use Bergantino. You ought try a number of cabs from different makers with the head before deciding what to go with.
I've had three Wals and ended up selling them as I never used them. The one thing about each one was I purchased at a fair price and never lost out when I came to sell them, so it's a reasonably safe thing to buy one to see if they suit you.