Help me choose a speaker for low gain playing

[Big Steve]

I just got an RM80 (just like a 50 but in a 2x12 cab with 6550 tubes). I built a pine 1x12 cabinet to put it into. The cabinet is being covered right now and I will be loading in a speaker tomorrow. I have several speakers here to choose from, but would like some help. I am going for low gain traditional blues tones. I will be playing occasionally mid gain Marshall tones but nothing heavier.

Since I haven't played through the amps yet, I am not sure how they are voiced. Is the power amp naturally voice on the treble or bass side of things? I understand the tonestack is in the modules.

I have the following speakers to choose from.

Scumback M75 - old Celestion type speaker
EV12L - Big heavy clean and clear
JBL - clean bright, sounds great with BF fender tones
Weber 12F150- This is a ceramic Jensen sorta speaker
Emenince Red Fang- Alnico Jensen Blue clone


I can buy others but will start my testing here. Which one should I start with and why?

 

[joey_truelove]

I would start with either the Weber or the EV.

The Weber is bright enough for cleans and semi-cleans, yet not abusively so, and these speakers do accept distortion pretty well in that they're not so defined.

A speaker that is the latter is the EV though and though more defined than the JBL I find it more managable at overdrive - the overdrive will come through better yet not become obusive.

If I were to choose between the Weber and the EV it would have to be the Weber. Chances are the less defined cone is more accepting and therefore less exhibitionistic. Defined speakers such as the EV requires a certain character and more so the higher the gain.

 

[gag halfrunt]

I just got an RM80 (just like a 50 but in a 2x12 cab with 6550 tubes). I built a pine 1x12 cabinet to put it into. The cabinet is being covered right now and I will be loading in a speaker tomorrow. I have several speakers here to choose from, but would like some help. I am going for low gain traditional blues tones. I will be playing occasionally mid gain Marshall tones but nothing heavier.

Since I haven't played through the amps yet, I am not sure how they are voiced. Is the power amp naturally voice on the treble or bass side of things? I understand the tonestack is in the modules.

I have the following speakers to choose from.

Scumback M75 - old Celestion type speaker
EV12L - Big heavy clean and clear
JBL - clean bright, sounds great with BF fender tones
Weber 12F150- This is a ceramic Jensen sorta speaker
Emenince Red Fang- Alnico Jensen Blue clone


I can buy others but will start my testing here. Which one should I start with and why?

A great speaker similar to the EV12L (but MUCH lighter), is the Eminence Deltalite. It's a 200w speaker with a neodymium magnet, and like the 12L, it doesn't break up so you're getting pure amp tone, and not too much distortion when you don't want it. And it weighs 5 lbs, compared to the 12L, which weighs more that three times that.

In the interest of full disclosure, I do have one for sale in the classifieds. I'm not pumping the sale, just being open about it. I prefer the additional cone distortion I get from V30s, so that's my preferred speaker currently.

 

[Big Steve]

A great speaker similar to the EV12L (but MUCH lighter), is the Eminence Deltalite. It's a 200w speaker with a neodymium magnet, and like the 12L, it doesn't break up so you're getting pure amp tone, and not too much distortion when you don't want it. And it weighs 5 lbs, compared to the 12L, which weighs more that three times that.

I already have the speakers on my list. I will try the EV and see how I like it. If I do, I might consider your Deltalite. I would like to keep the weight down on this combo since it is already big. I sure wish the chassis was narrower so I could have built a smaller cab.

 

[eyeball987]

I use M75's but they the higher powered versions. As long as your is too, I would start there.

 

[Daryl]

Honestly, If you already have all these great speakers to choose from, you should go ahead and try each one out and see what kind of results you ACTUALLY get. We could go on for days with suggestions for you, but until you try it, there is no way to know if it is a choice that is suited to YOU. I'd give em' all a go, narrow it down to a top 2, and make a decision from there. Just my 2 cents. :wink:

 

[Big Steve]

Honestly, If you already have all these great speakers to choose from, you should go ahead and try each one out and see what kind of results you ACTUALLY get. We could go on for days with suggestions for you, but until you try it, there is no way to know if it is a choice that is suited to YOU. I'd give em' all a go, narrow it down to a top 2, and make a decision from there. Just my 2 cents. :wink:

Your right. I will do a bunch of tests to figure out what I like and report back.

 

[rvf263]

Just read this thread again and was wondering if you tried all the speakers you listed and which ones you liked-disliked.

I'm getting ready to replace the stock speaker in my RM50 and looking for ideas.

 

[Big Steve]

Just read this thread again and was wondering if you tried all the speakers you listed and which ones you liked-disliked.

I'm getting ready to replace the stock speaker in my RM50 and looking for ideas.

I did try them all and had a lot of fun doing it. They all sounded good in their own way. After trying the 12's, I decided I wanted 2 10" speakers for this amp. So I now have a blue Fender Alnico from the 1990's and a new Weber Legacy (scumback). It is a good combination for this amp.