speaker recommendation

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JoshBernstein
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Location: Key Largo, FL USA

speaker recommendation

Post by JoshBernstein »

Hello,
I have built myself a cathode biased kt66 amp, 400v on the plates.
2 questions, first about my maximum output rating, so i know what the cabinet i intend to pair with it should be rated for. I don't really care about output before clipping, because i don't intend to use the amp like that, so with the preamp and the master cranked, i get about 14 volts across a 16.4 ohm dummy load. This would put me somewhere around 12 watts? Is that correct?

Now for the real question. The cab i would like to use is a 1x12. The amp is kinda vox/matchless/britishy voiced, using and ef86 preamp. Im looking for a big, chimey, glassy sound with a fat bottom end. What speaker would you recommend for that? Im looking to go with celestion, but an alnico blue is far out of my price range. I was looking at the g12h30 anniversary, and the creamback 65 watt. Are either of these good choices? I'll take any recommendations, but I will be ordering from avatar speakers, so it will have to be in their stock.
Thank you very much
-Josh
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Geeze
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by Geeze »

My recommendation is to save your money and get the speaker you want. Life is way too short to waste on budget limitations that don't deliver tone.

Russ
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Littlewyan
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by Littlewyan »

Your best option Josh is to find a store that will let you try out speaker cabinets. I went to Zilla Cabs for mine (good if you're in the UK) and he got a load of cabinets with different speakers ready for me to try.

Don't waste your money by buying speakers blind. Even watching videos online won't always help, especially for you as your amp is custom.
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Scumback Speakers
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by Scumback Speakers »

Josh, it sounds to me like you want a heavy magnet speaker with a large dust cap to make sure the highs aren't too piercing. The EF86 tubes can get a little harsh in the high end unless you get the right speaker.

If my speakers were an option, I'd recommmend the J75-LD or the H75-LD for even more bass response.

The small dust cap speakers (G12M, G12H30, Creamback M/H) will probably have too much treble for the EF86 preamp tube. My experience with this is the 65 Amps line and the Matchless models that used the EF86, and the H75-LD is what my clients used with those amps.

Not sure what Celestion makes for that anymore, perhaps the Classic Lead 80, but 80w is a lot of speaker for a 12-14w amp to push.

Good luck with whatever you go with.

Jim
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brewdude
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by brewdude »

WGS ET-65
I have one in a D'style 1x12 and it sounds great to me with everything I've run through it.
I would gladly sell the matching D'Lite head/cab, but I would have a hard time parting with this speaker/cab.
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JoshBernstein
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by JoshBernstein »

Well, its looking like my suggestions are out the window, thank you for the advice. I've currently played it through a 2x12 with a mix of a hellatone alnico 25 and ceramic 25 and it sounds very nice. Im wondering how the alnico would hold up in a 1x12 format. Anybody have experience with those?
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MakerDP
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by MakerDP »

brewdude wrote:WGS ET-65
I have one in a D'style 1x12 and it sounds great to me with everything I've run through it.
I would gladly sell the matching D'Lite head/cab, but I would have a hard time parting with this speaker/cab.
+1

Believe the hype. Amazing speaker.
GMP45
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by GMP45 »

Avatar is running a sale on the Fane F70 around the 1st of the year.
GMP45
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by GMP45 »

JoshBernstein wrote:Well, its looking like my suggestions are out the window, thank you for the advice. I've currently played it through a 2x12 with a mix of a hellatone alnico 25 and ceramic 25 and it sounds very nice. Im wondering how the alnico would hold up in a 1x12 format. Anybody have experience with those?
IMHO an while I haven't used that particular speaker. Theres no doubt an Alnico can sound Killer in a 1 x 12 cabinet. Semi Open may be even better.

A general rule I use is 2x Speaker capacity vs amp RMS. If the amp is 40 watts I want a minimum of 80 watt speaker.

While I have multiple speakers.

I use 1 x 12 Celestion Cream with a LTD ED Metropoulos GMP45, in a 1 x 12 1/3 semi open back, all the time, with killer results. The 1 speaker can take anything the GMP45 can throw at it, incl with Drive pedals, Fuzz ect, and never ever fail to sound great.

But IMHO theres no reason a 1 x 12 Alnico cant sound as good, or better than any 1 x 12 Ceramic configuration
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WRC34
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Re: speaker recommendation

Post by WRC34 »

I have owned and blown a handful of Celestion speakers over the years by pushing them right up to their limits and a probably a little beyond. However, for about 5 years I was lucky enough to have a '64 Vox AC30 with the original Celestion Blues in it and I played that thing cranked a ton, no issues whatsoever. Maybe the newer Celestions are not as robust...but I think there's also something about the frequency limitations that a cranked AC30 magically happens to fall within the limits of (or something like that).

Having said that I have also run the snot out of many types of Weber speakers over the years and have yet to blow a single speaker. Examples - 50 watt fixed bias amps run through a 2x12 with two 30 watt rated alnico Webers wired in parallel for 60 watts handling. Right up to the edge there, and 10 years in these things sound better than ever, they love the abuse. I know many people have issues with Weber speakers for "political" reasons, but their speakers are extremely durable.

Also have a 50 watt Weber Alnico Blue Dog in a 1x12 cab that I have run cathode biased 30 watt and above type amps through with no issue at all. I have even run bass guitar through the speaker cranked to get great tones for recording and it has yet to falter.

Only thing is Weber speakers get a little darker as you go up in power handling, whereas Celestions seem to retain the highs regardless of wattage rating. I have yet to get my hands on a Celestion Alnico Creamback but from the clips I've heard somehow they seem to replicate the tone of the Blues even better than a Gold. I'm sure it wasn't easy and took a lot of experimentation to develop a 90 watt speaker that sounds that crisp, probably why it took Celestion so long to release.

My conclusion is that in most cases doubling the power handling of the speaker/cab to accommodate an amp is very safe but overkill, and if you go too far/safe tone can suffer. An AC30 type head run through two 50 watt rated Fane Alnicos (wired in parallel for 100 watts handling) never gave up the goods. The 1x12 50 watt Weber Blue Dog won't sing if you hit it with a mere 20 watts. If you are brave (foolish) enough to venture to the land of running things to the limit you may fumble, and it can get costly, but the rewards are worth it.

As far as affordability goes this is why it's called the "quest for tone" because it takes a long time! I've slowly bought and sold speakers over a 10 year time frame to end up with what I have now, and I aint done yet! I'm curious about Taydens from the UK as well as Austin Speaker Works...and at some point I will own a Celestion Alnico Creamback :)
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