New Speaker Advice

[K.E.B.1281734147]

Phat Cats are on the way for my Dot. Will a Celestion G12H-30 be a good choice for my Valve Standard or can anyone offer up a better choice to solve the equation? Oh yeah, style is classic rock or indie or blues.

[m-theory]

I like g12h. I've got a 100 watt in a single 12 closed cab that sounds fantastic. I also have a cabinet loaded with 50 watt Weber ceramic blues that I really like, and have used several Weber C12Ns (these have different number now) that I also liked. One of these days, I'm gonna try a tone tubby or two.

[K.E.B.1281734147]

Interesting that you're mention the Webers. Weber is also under consideration. Let me ask you one question. What's the main diff between ceramic magnets and alnico in terms of sound?

[m-theory]

What's the main diff between ceramic magnets and alnico in terms of sound?

First, alnico doesn't tend to like closed cabinets, and since I prefer closed cabs, I don't have much use for them. That said, I do have an alnico Weber in a SF Vibro Champ, and it sounds fantastic in that amp. Generally speaking, alnicos are very nicely balanced, warm speakers that will "compress" when pushed, whereas ceramic will be "stiffer." If you like "in your face" amp tone, alnicos really isn't a very good choice. However, if you like a looser, spongier feel, it's an excellent choice.

[Steven Lister]

Will a Celestion G12H-30 be a good choice for my Valve Standard or can anyone offer up a better choice to solve the equation? Oh yeah' date=' style is classic rock or indie or blues.[/quote']

It may work for you but I'm not a fan of Celestion (even though I regularly use a Vintage 30).

I prefer a fuller tone and Celestions are too tin canny to my ear.

 

My favorites are:

1. Eminence Cannabis Rex

2. Weber/Peavey Blue Marvel

...in closed back cabs for a blues feast.

 

Know this --- anything you buy new will sound like shyte until it is properly broken in. EBay has tons of speaker deals b/c new owners didn't take the time to break-in the speaker before buying something else..., so my tip-of-the-day is shop wisely and grab a deal on an almost new _______.

 

Good luck on your tone quest.

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on

[Bakz]

I like the 12H, but I like the V30 much better. I also would like to recommend the Cannabis Rex, which I found to be very smooth. All of these speakers seem to come alive at volume, so please keep this in mind with your selection.

[K.E.B.1281734147]

First' date=' alnico doesn't tend to like closed cabinets, and since I prefer closed cabs, I don't have much use for them. That said, I do have an alnico Weber in a SF Vibro Champ, and it sounds fantastic in that amp. Generally speaking, alnicos are very nicely balanced, warm speakers that will "compress" when pushed, whereas ceramic will be "stiffer." If you like "in your face" amp tone, alnicos really isn't a very good choice. However, if you like a looser, spongier feel, it's an excellent choice. [/quote']

 

Thanks. The Phat Cats are supposed to be tight and stiff sounding, almost cold. It's hard to explain. On the SD website they sound very different than any of the other pups. Comparatively they make the alnico ones sound muddy. The Valve Standard is open back so the ceramic speakers might be too much of that, is that right? On the other hand, I'm not looking for a warm sound.

[K.E.B.1281734147]

@Steven Lister

Thanks. I'll check out Eminence. Also, I've heard of speaker break in. I just don't know what exactly "breaks in".

[K.E.B.1281734147]

@Bakz

Thanks for the recommends.

[Bakz]

@Steven Lister

Thanks. I'll check out Eminence. ...

 

Speakers are difficult to recommend. I've had an ongoing love/hate relationship with Eminence for years. All the Emis seem to sound good somewhere, but not always where you think they would. The Patriot and RedCoat line are much improved, but they're not always a catch all either. Like I said, I love the Cannabis Rex, the Fang is an excellent AlNiCo, right up there with the very best, Texas Heats and the Governors are reminiscent of Celestions. I'd stay away from the legends, unless you can find an OEM like the Fender brown frames or Tweed reissues. One of my favorite speakers is the Emi Lil' Buddy. It has a hempcone, like the C-Rex, but it is a 10" and only comes in 8 ohm. Ultra greasy and loves HB90s. I've used the Phat Cats, even put a set in a Dot once. Expect a much thicker sound. Phat Cats are probably a little hotter than your Epi pickups, but don't expect them to gnarl like your bridge does now.

 

Don't be afraid to mix speakers, or pups. My favorite rig right now has a 10" Tone Tubby, and a 10" Weber British voiced Blue pup. I have an LP Special with a GFS Dream 90 in the bridge and an Alnico 490T (SG) in the bridge. A very unique sounding guitar, quite bluesy and can be dark when it needs too.

[m-theory]

The Valve Standard is open back so the ceramic speakers might be too much of that, is that right

I didn't say that. Ceramics don't have a cabinet preference. Alnicos do.

 

Speakers are difficult to recommend.

No doubt. Tone is so utterly subjective that it's almost impossible for one person to give a specific recommendation to another. Take that ever-heralded V30, for starters. I've never heard a more brittle, harsh sounding speaker in my life, but some swear by them.

 

I've done a good amount of speaker auditioning over the years, and in particular when I finished EL34-converting my first Vjr, because I knew that having just the right speaker would be critical for that amp, in order to give me a decent amount of useable headroom and a good voice to cut through a mix.

 

Probably the best sounding overall speaker I tried was a Celestion blue, but it wasn't what was right for that amp/cabinet, because it's a bit thin on the low end. This is what I found with the V30 as well, though that one had the added annoyance of being especially harsh on the high end.

 

The speaker that I ended up with for that amp is a 100 watt G12H. The G12H is a very warm sounding speaker, but still has nice mids and highs, which are so critical in a live setting. The 100 watt rating gave it an extra dose of low end that really made the difference for me. I like a nice, solid low end thump, so I generally favor speakers of at least 50 watt rating.

 

There's just so many variables in play with speaker selection, that it's almost impossible to know what the "perfect" speaker for a given amp/cabinet/player might be. The best thing a person could do is find someone who's got several that you can try out. Short of that, buy a few used ones and see if any float the boat. At least a person can begin to narrow in "perfection" by following such a path. Otherwise, you're just guessing or relying upon somebody else's recommendations.

[K.E.B.1281734147]

@m-theory,

Very much enjoying your posts. After I install my new electronics and pickups (when they get here), I'm ready for a speaker change. I'm also looking to mod the Valve Standard. Keep you updated. Thanks!