Speaker talk
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- GrantB
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Speaker talk
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- rickenbackerkid
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- rickenbackerkid
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Re: Speaker talk
I recently did have a speaker swapping experience, and it was eye opening just how much difference it made.
So I have Pro Junior and it had a 25+ year old Fender (i think) blue frame Alnico speaker in it. The amp was dirty and angry sounding in the best way, very little clean, lots of dirt and a cool but pretty blown-out bass. Well of course I blew the hell out of that speaker (it was inevitable) and replaced it with a Celestion Vintage 10.
It is a completely, completely different amp. The most noticeable thing is that the amp is now LOUD and CLEAN. I can turn it up to 5 and still have a clean tone. Gone is the farty, dirty bass and now it has a warm, clean bass. It turns out that most of that aggressive, dirty tone was the speaker.
So now I had a new problem in that I could no longer get amp distortion without turning the thing up to an absolutely ridiculous volume, which is a pretty big deal to me, as I like to keep the pedal situation very light and get the tone I want between guitar and amp. So this is situation led me down a few nights of amp modding so I could get back my amp overdrive.
The amp is now fitted with a potentiometer that sweeps between the original plate resistor and one twice the size, so I can tailor the amount of gain. I made the negative feedback switchable.
Now I have an amp which distorts early, but in a much more controlled fashion than it used to. It's capable of cleans and has a nice full warm bass.
Moral to the story is that speakers can completely change your sound, so much that you might have to change other elements to make it all work together.
So I have Pro Junior and it had a 25+ year old Fender (i think) blue frame Alnico speaker in it. The amp was dirty and angry sounding in the best way, very little clean, lots of dirt and a cool but pretty blown-out bass. Well of course I blew the hell out of that speaker (it was inevitable) and replaced it with a Celestion Vintage 10.
It is a completely, completely different amp. The most noticeable thing is that the amp is now LOUD and CLEAN. I can turn it up to 5 and still have a clean tone. Gone is the farty, dirty bass and now it has a warm, clean bass. It turns out that most of that aggressive, dirty tone was the speaker.
So now I had a new problem in that I could no longer get amp distortion without turning the thing up to an absolutely ridiculous volume, which is a pretty big deal to me, as I like to keep the pedal situation very light and get the tone I want between guitar and amp. So this is situation led me down a few nights of amp modding so I could get back my amp overdrive.
The amp is now fitted with a potentiometer that sweeps between the original plate resistor and one twice the size, so I can tailor the amount of gain. I made the negative feedback switchable.
Now I have an amp which distorts early, but in a much more controlled fashion than it used to. It's capable of cleans and has a nice full warm bass.
Moral to the story is that speakers can completely change your sound, so much that you might have to change other elements to make it all work together.
- GrantB
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Re: Speaker talk
Good Lord man...space/time considerations please!el byrdo wrote:Good news! I might be able to buy back the Goodmans 12ax I foolishly sold ages ago.
these thngs are absolute beasts - like a JBL on steroids, - 100 conservative alnico watts - I'm going to pair it with a Celestion Gold in my vertical Holden cabinet. It should be just the right combination of loud and bright to suit the Jansen 6/40 (which is actually 55 watts!).
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- Single coil
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Re: Speaker talk
I like invaders
My speaker experience is minimal. Found the wharfedale ac30 more enjoyable than the greenback. Never played one with blues.
Wonder if there’s anything for the bandit to tighten it up (that isn’t the switch at the back)
My speaker experience is minimal. Found the wharfedale ac30 more enjoyable than the greenback. Never played one with blues.
Wonder if there’s anything for the bandit to tighten it up (that isn’t the switch at the back)
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.
- willow13
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Re: Speaker talk
yeah this is a Rabbit hole I have avoided at all costs. It's why at gearfests I never plug my shit into other peoples cabs ... last thing I need is to have no money to buy speakers I hardly ever usebbrunskill wrote:I recently did have a speaker swapping experience, and it was eye opening just how much difference it made.
So I have Pro Junior and it had a 25+ year old Fender (i think) blue frame Alnico speaker in it. The amp was dirty and angry sounding in the best way, very little clean, lots of dirt and a cool but pretty blown-out bass. Well of course I blew the hell out of that speaker (it was inevitable) and replaced it with a Celestion Vintage 10.
It is a completely, completely different amp. The most noticeable thing is that the amp is now LOUD and CLEAN. I can turn it up to 5 and still have a clean tone. Gone is the farty, dirty bass and now it has a warm, clean bass. It turns out that most of that aggressive, dirty tone was the speaker.
So now I had a new problem in that I could no longer get amp distortion without turning the thing up to an absolutely ridiculous volume, which is a pretty big deal to me, as I like to keep the pedal situation very light and get the tone I want between guitar and amp. So this is situation led me down a few nights of amp modding so I could get back my amp overdrive.
The amp is now fitted with a potentiometer that sweeps between the original plate resistor and one twice the size, so I can tailor the amount of gain. I made the negative feedback switchable.
Now I have an amp which distorts early, but in a much more controlled fashion than it used to. It's capable of cleans and has a nice full warm bass.
Moral to the story is that speakers can completely change your sound, so much that you might have to change other elements to make it all work together.
If Less is More Then Just Think How Much More More would be
- GrantB
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Re: Speaker talk
Honestly, the ole John Gilmore (Hamilton) adage of 1/3 guitar, 1/3 amp, 1/3 speaker is fricken on the money. Speakers are a whole new blanket off the front revelation.
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- jeremyb
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Re: Speaker talk
On the subject of Celestion, does anyone else think that Eminence makes a better Celestion than Celestion does?
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
- TmcB
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Re: Speaker talk
I do not - make a GREAT American voiced speaker though
Family Music Store - http://familymusic.co.nzGrantB wrote:Tony, your taste is, as always, very refined. Or as HG would say, "bloody awful".
- GrantB
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Re: Speaker talk
Hmmm, good question. The Red Fang was a high powered Celestion AlNiCo. Then Celestion caught on, made their own. Is the Red Fang better? It's similar, but different in all the right ways. I like both brands for what they bring the genres....my e.g. being AlNiCo vintage sound with different flavours.jeremyb wrote:On the subject of Celestion, does anyone else think that Eminence makes a better Celestion than Celestion does?
So I'm not sure we'll get Apples with Apples here.
I do like Eminence in that their price has less brand BS involved! But a "better" Celestion? Hard to do....
"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he's destroying is this god he's worshipping." - Hubert Reeves
- jeremyb
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Re: Speaker talk
To be fair my only experience is with an Eminence Wizard and it was wonderful, it's their take on a G12H30 and I would definitely trade again, just sounded fuller than an actual G12 (IMO).GrantB wrote:Hmmm, good question. The Red Fang was a high powered Celestion AlNiCo. Then Celestion caught on, made their own. Is the Red Fang better? It's similar, but different in all the right ways. I like both brands for what they bring the genres....my e.g. being AlNiCo vintage sound with different flavours.jeremyb wrote:On the subject of Celestion, does anyone else think that Eminence makes a better Celestion than Celestion does?
So I'm not sure we'll get Apples with Apples here.
I do like Eminence in that their price has less brand BS involved! But a "better" Celestion? Hard to do....
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
- Bg
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Re: Speaker talk
Yes, there is a reason a few if us like those farty alnico 10'sbbrunskill wrote:I recently did have a speaker swapping experience, and it was eye opening just how much difference it made.
So I have Pro Junior and it had a 25+ year old Fender (i think) blue frame Alnico speaker in it. The amp was dirty and angry sounding in the best way, very little clean, lots of dirt and a cool but pretty blown-out bass. Well of course I blew the hell out of that speaker (it was inevitable) and replaced it with a Celestion Vintage 10.
It is a completely, completely different amp. The most noticeable thing is that the amp is now LOUD and CLEAN. I can turn it up to 5 and still have a clean tone. Gone is the farty, dirty bass and now it has a warm, clean bass. It turns out that most of that aggressive, dirty tone was the speaker.
So now I had a new problem in that I could no longer get amp distortion without turning the thing up to an absolutely ridiculous volume, which is a pretty big deal to me, as I like to keep the pedal situation very light and get the tone I want between guitar and amp. So this is situation led me down a few nights of amp modding so I could get back my amp overdrive.
The amp is now fitted with a potentiometer that sweeps between the original plate resistor and one twice the size, so I can tailor the amount of gain. I made the negative feedback switchable.
Now I have an amp which distorts early, but in a much more controlled fashion than it used to. It's capable of cleans and has a nice full warm bass.
Moral to the story is that speakers can completely change your sound, so much that you might have to change other elements to make it all work together.
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.
- Slowy
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Re: Speaker talk
Yikes! I have 14 guitars, 4 amps and 4 speakers.GrantB wrote:Honestly, the ole John Gilmore (Hamilton) adage of 1/3 guitar, 1/3 amp, 1/3 speaker is fricken on the money. Speakers are a whole new blanket off the front revelation.
Wanted to buy: 10 amps and speakers.
Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase. This is as true of humans as it is of gas molecules in a sealed flask. The human question is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of existence is possible for those who so survive.
- sizzlingbadger
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Re: Speaker talk
I have one of each, so perfectly balanced.
Tube amp and guitar tones straight from 1958… amazing how believable the sounds were back then, even without the modellers...
- Dharmajester
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Re: Speaker talk
Grant's 1/3 analogy is no understatement. The cabinet is another factor as the speaker's performance is heavily influenced by it's enclosure. This is where it gets expensive, matching speakers with cabs/ amps / guitars. I'm a big EV fan. Put in the design specific Thiel cab they go from great to steller. Finding an amp head that looks cool sat on top of the box though?????
Love to hear a Ruby although I'm very happy with the Alnico Creamback.
Love to hear a Ruby although I'm very happy with the Alnico Creamback.
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Hunter S. Thompson
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