SPEAKERS

[Karloff]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but what is everyone's preferences as far as speakers are concerned ? Make, models, sizes ... layouts within the Cab. 12's, 10's ? 2 x ? 4 x ?

I prefer Celestion Vintage 30's. 1 x 12 or 2 x 12. just seems to fit my ears well.

[merciful-evans]

I also like Celestion vintage 30, though I dont use them presently. I like the way they sound in Victory cabs anyway.

 

I built my 1st speaker cab in 1970 using 4 x 12" Goodmans. They survived every bit of abuse I could think of for 25 years.

 

Right now I have Fender 1 x 12 & Fishman 1 x 10 speakers in my combo amps. I use speaker simulation in my signal processer.

[Karloff]

I like Weber Speakers. I have a 1 x12 extension cab with a Weber in it, a 2 x 12 combo stock, two 1 x 12 combos one stock and the other has a Weber in it, and a 1 x 10 combo stock. The bass amp is a 1 x 15 combo and is stock and I see no way to changing the speaker in it. It is completely enclosed with no screws anywhere on it. The 2 x 12 I want to put Weber's in soon.

 

I've always wanted to try them out.

 

here's something else I've always wanted to try but it would be an expensive experiment. I've always wanted to take / make a full size cab, lower left corner, a 15" speaker, upper right - 12". upper left & lower right - 10" speakers. have always wondered how that would sound. call me crazy ...

[surfpup]

Depends on the amp... and unfortunately trial and error pays off! This can be expensive. I wish I lived in a town big enough to have cabs I could try, but I end up ordering online and then selling what I don't like.

 

However, generally I find...

 

Marshalls like Celestions... I don't love the V30 as much as most folks since Marshalls are already so midrange heavy. I prefer the G12H30 or the Greenback. My favorite is to mix those two. Also hard to beat the Classic G12-65 or 75 sound. I have G12-65s in my 4-10 Marshal cab and like it a lot.

 

Fenders don't like Celestions.... Some people use them, but I find it not optimal. I have had good luck with Webers in 8, 10, and 12 inch sizes, but lately am leaning toward Jensens for things like the Deluxe Reverb. The C12 and P12 are amazing.

 

I've been wanting to try some newer "boutique" speakers like the Tone Tubby for example... but again have no way to try before I buy.

 

That's about all I know

[Guest Farnsbarns]

It depends entirely on the characteristics of the amp. Like all component systems, it's about balancing one end, with the other.

[jdgm]

My Fender red-knob Super 60 has a Celestion G12-65, excellent sound, and the Marshall cab has 2 x Celestion G12-75.

Recently replaced a small-magnet 15w Weber with a Jensen (much bigger magnet) in my Vibro Champ and now it screams.

My Fender Twin has the stock Fender speakers.

It's all good. B)

[NHTom]

I prefer 2x12 cabinets to balance the fuller sound of a 4x12 with my own space restrictions.

 

I currently have a Rivera KL212 with Celestion Vintage 30's, a Marshall 1936 with G12-75's, and I just ordered an MGL Ampworks style 1 with Vintage re-issue Greenbacks in it.

 

Everytime I get my hands on a different amp, I try it in as many cabs as possible........I seem to fall back to the Vintage 30's, but each cab does it's own thing well.

Also have a Bedrock amp with a pair of Celestion Lead 80's......not real impressed unless it's set up clean with my Tele...that sounds like heaven, but other than that.........Meh.....

Same amp plugged into the other cabs sounds great.

 

As Surfpup mentioned above, it's tough if you can't go somewhere local and try them. My local shop is ok with me bringing an amp in and plugging in to different cabs to figure out which one I want. Some people just don't have that luxury so have to rely on sound clips, etc.

 

NHTom

[krock]

In anything marshall sounding I typically like G12H30's or the Greenback's. I've got a greenback in my Blackheart currently which was a big improvement over the stock eminence that was in it. In my vox I tend to prefer alnico blues but the stock greenback which I switched out wasn't bad either. I actually had the alnico blue in the blackheart cab at one point and that was a phenominal combination but unfortunately owning 2 of those speakers would stretch my budget too much. It gave it a slightly saggy feeling which made up for the solid state rectifier somewhat. Im quite tempted to try some hemp cone speakers but unfortunately there isn't anywhere near me that I can do A/B testing. I solely use 1x12 cabs for ease of transportation in both my guitar and bass rigs although I run the guitar in stereo.

[rct]

Generally speaking they all sound the same with me in front of them. So if I'm carrying stuff, as few as possible. If someone else is carrying stuff, as many as I can get them to carry.

 

rct

[kidblast]

...as long as they work, I'm happy...

 

that said, I think I kinda like 10s a bit more than 12s..

[Ceptorman]

I like 8" speakers, with a 4.5" midrange horn, a 3/4" titanium compression driver horn, will handle up to 1200 watts!

 

 

 

 

OH...I thought you meant hi-fi speakers

[Karloff]

I like 8" speakers, with a 4.5" midrange horn, a 3/4" titanium compression driver horn, will handle up to 1200 watts!

 

 

 

 

OH...I thought you meant hi-fi speakers

 

largest ear buds I've ever seen.

[Kaiser Bill]

I've got 3 12"Rola Celestions and a 12" Utah sitting in my garage collecting dust. Somebody make me an honest offer.

[jdgm]

I like 8" speakers, with a 4.5" midrange horn, a 3/4" titanium compression driver horn, will handle up to 1200 watts!

OH...I thought you meant hi-fi speakers

 

Yes I have 2x8" and nice tweeters too in my hi-fi ones.

 

Yours look very nice indeed.

 

Presume they are only that close in photos!

[Ceptorman]

WTF are those? My pants got tight.

Seriously I love my Polk Audios, but what is that tower of hi fi goodness?

 

Haha...thanks. They are Klipsch Palladium P38. They actually replaced a Polk home theater setup.

 

I looked for a thread about hi-fi and home theater systems, but didn't find one....maybe we need one

[Ceptorman]

Yes I have 2x8" and nice tweeters too in my hi-fi ones.

 

Yours look very nice indeed.

 

Presume they are only that close in photos!

 

Haha....yes, just placed them like that for the photo, probably wouldn't sound too good placed like that....mono!

[brc]

Just yesterday a friend of mine gave me 2 Cerwin Vega speakers and cabinets that he no longer wanted.

Not sure what I am going to do with them, as I don’t play any longer, and have a basement full of speakers and cabinets.

I will probably find something I can use them for though.

I hooked them up just to check them out and they sounded great .

[Dub-T-123]

Surfpup have you tried any alnico Celestions in Fenders?

 

In my novice opinion I really like the sound of the Celestion alnico Gold in my 5e3. It has more mids compared to my Jensen-like Weber 12F150 (ceramic) but really sounds smooth and clear. What’s really awesome is when I combine the Celestion AND the Weber. Then you don’t get the mid heaviness of just the Celestion alone but they seem to complement each other and create a huge really sweetly balanced sound

 

I may try swapping the Eminence speakers in my Twin to Jensens or somethin some day but damn that amp sounds amazing as it is anyways

[surfpup]

Surfpup have you tried any alnico Celestions in Fenders?

 

Hmmm.... I think only ceramics. I will investigate further.

 

I will add I absolutely love having a Celestion in an old Epiphone combo I have (basically a Gibson Minuteman). That speaker brought that amp to life for sure.

[badbluesplayer]

As far as Fender amps go, I don't really like any Celestion models in the Blackface/Silverface amps. They're kind of voiced contrary the natural tone of the those amps. For those amps I kind of like Jensen's - they're a little tinny. The WGS American style ceramics are really nice in those amps, the WGS g12c and g12cs (the smooth cone version - less brittle highs) are super.

 

Tweed amps like American voiced alnico's but can also do well with ceramics and some Celestions.

 

Weber speakers are probably consistently the best speakers on the market. They are generally slightly darker than the equivalent Jensens. Their British speakers are at least as good as Celestions.

 

Tone Tubby's are dark. Dark.

 

Eminence makes tons of speakers. They're all good. They're generally loud, which is not my preference.

 

WGS is making the best speakers for the money, IMO. The ET65 is an outstanding neutral to British voiced version of the Celestion G12-65. Sounds great with this Bassman Overdrive conversion amp that we just finished. We've used 8's, 10's and 12's from both the American and British lines and they're great -and like $79.00. Some of the Celestion equivalents cost the better part of two hundred dollars.

[Kaiser Bill]

Well, two of the Celestions are gone along with one guitar, and a 60s vintage Fender Blender. I still have one 12" Celestion and a 12" Utah available along with my near mint 2013 Midtown Kalamazoo.

[Riffster]

I like 8" speakers, with a 4.5" midrange horn, a 3/4" titanium compression driver horn, will handle up to 1200 watts!

 

 

 

 

OH...I thought you meant hi-fi speakers

 

You got me beat, I also have Klipsch towers with 8” woofers but they only have two of them on each side. Their horns sound fantastic.

 

Guitar speakers I like Celestions but not a fan of Vintage 30s at least on a 1x12 configuration, too midrange-y I can always dial up the amp if I want that.

[MrNylon]

From the Bass side of town, I go with Eminence 12's, in a 4 ohm, 600 watts Ampeg SVT-212AV cab. I like using the the 4 ohm cab so I get the full 500 watts from the Fender Bassman 500 head. This eliminates the need for two or more cabs to gain the full wattage of the head.

[Kaiser Bill]

The Midtown Kalamazoo is now gone. On its way to a good friend from the service. Happy to see it gone and happy its going to a good home. Now to get rid of about 18 more.

[MichaelT]

My Marshall DSL40 combo has the Celestion 70/80. My Marshall 1960A cabinet has the Celestion G12T-75. They're new so they're not broken in yet but working on that. My Randall cabinet has Celestion Rocket 50 Speakers and they have a deeper sound than the others. I can't remember what my old Randall 4x12 cabinet had in it but it was awesome. It was a 1985 model and had Celestions but I can't remember which ones. They were probably the Celestion G12-65.

 

I'm happier with the G12T-75 than the Celestion 70/80 but it could just be the big cabinet sound. I might experiment with some different speakers for the DSL40 combo. I might try the Vintage 30.