Speaker Recommendations

[GregS]

I have just built an Ampeg Portaflex B15N clone and am about to build a speaker cabinet for it. I have decided to use one 15" speaker. I'm wondering what would be a good speaker for creating the Portaflex sound. I have noticed Jensen Vintage and Mod series as well as Sica bass speakers on the Antique Electronic Supply site but don't know if they're suited to what I want. Any input on this as well as other speaker choices would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Greg

[stokes]

Contact Ted Weber at http://www.tedweber.com/ he makes some really great speakers.If you tell him what you are looking for,he will get you what you need.

[Boogdish]

I got to hear one of the new Jensen neodymium speakers today and I really liked the way it sounded, very lightweight and effecient.

[GregS]

Ok. Thanks for the replies. The Weber idea sounds like a good way to get a speaker that gets the sound I want.

Greg

[stokes]

Ted is a great guy to deal with,I've ordered about a half dozen by emailing and describing what I needed tonewise and he has nailed it every time.

[scole]

speakers

anybody using warehouse speakers?

[txstrat]

I built one for a friend and used the Emincence Kappa 15.
This speaker kinda needs a rather small cabinet (just like the Portaflex) to bring out it's full potential. Sounds great IMHO.

[GregS]

This speaker kinda needs a rather small cabinet (just like the Portaflex) to bring out it's full potential.

How does the smaller cabinet bring out it's full potential? I'm trying to figure out a cabinet design at the moment which is why I ask.

Thanks,

Greg

[txstrat]

I found out when I was looking for a speaker that each speaker has it's own resonance range that a cabinet has to fit to, to put out the full potential. For example, when a speaker needs a 5 cubic feet cabinet and is sitting in a 3 cubic feet cabinet it wouldn't put out all the frequencies at it's best.
The Eminence Kappa 15 needs a smaller cab (with reflex tubes) than other speakers. I used a speaker calculating software fed with the parameters of the kappa 15 to get the measurements for the cabinet. Don't remember the software right now. Gonna tell you when I do.

[GregS]

So with this approach you decide on what speaker you want to use first and then that determines the size/design of the cabinet you build.

Do you think a 12" speaker would work with this amp? How do you think it would compare with a 15"? My amp is only 25-30W I think?

Also, I'm thinking of a detuned design where the port hole is the same size as the speaker hole. I have Kevin O'Connor's DIY speaker cabinet book where this approach is presented. This design has a flat frequency response as opposed to a tuned design. It seems that the size and dimensions aren't that critical with the detuned design. Thoughts?

Greg

[txstrat]

So with this approach you decide on what speaker you want to use first and then that determines the size/design of the cabinet you build.

Actually I had the size of the cabinet before, due to the size of the chassis. Then I looked for a speaker that would be as efficient with this small size of cabinet. It led me to the Kappa 15. Look for Vas (maybe here: http://www.visaton.com/en/lexikon/E/150.html - found it in google).

On the Eminence website you get all the parameters for the speakers. Shouldn't be a hard to find them for other speakers, though.

With a single 12'' speaker I wouldn't reckon on the best deep bass frequencies. Two or four 10s might be even better. Think of the speakers as whole surface. That's part of the reason why Ampeg built an 8x10 cabinet. Every two of them in a shared chamber.

BTW I built the portaflex with 4 6L6 at around 80-100w.

[GregS]

Thanks for the link.

Sounds like a single 15 is a better option than a single 12.

BTW I built the portaflex with 4 6L6 at around 80-100w.

I may do a future project like that. It's a great sounding amp and having more power and headroom would make it ideal. Did you use the 6SL7 tubes for the pre-amp and PI?

Greg

[txstrat]

Yep, only the power section is different (2 6L6 parrallel on each side).
And it is the best sounding bass amp I've ever heard, honestly.

[Steve A.]

anybody using warehouse speakers?

They make some nice Celestion clone speakers- probably better than the ones that Celestion is having made in China.

My gripe is that I can't buy them locally so there is a fairly hefty shipping charge- at least compared to Musician's Friends which will ship most orders over $100 for free.

I guess when they first came out selling speakers on eBay the prices were about 1/2 what they are now (look for threads here for $32 Celestion Vintage 30's).

Eminence has a wide selection of speakers- perhaps too wide! For guitar I love their Red, White and Blues which is like a vintage ceramic Jensen but rated for 125 watts. Glaswerks is putting them in one of their cabs and some people think that they sound a lot like the EV12L's...

But I don't know much about bass speakers...

Steve Ahola

P.S. I had a Weber ceramic speaker around but noticed that it had definite cone cry around high E- I put some doping on the surround and feel much better now, doctor...

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

I have a number of customers who use the Red/White and Blues speakers in their Pro Reverb amps and Twin Reverb amps now.
One in particular is using them in his silver face Twin Reverb but he plays mostly his electric mandolin with it! And loud as Hell too.
It sounds amazing with a few of his minor FX pedals.
Really a versatile speaker.