(first post!) looking for a good 4 ohm 12" speaker??

[Mr Benn]

hi guys,This is my first post! ( be gentle)
tomorrow I'm picking up a Norlin era Gibson/Moog solid state Lab-Series L3 amp (60 watt,spring reverb) but right now it has an 8ohm speaker and it really should be a 4 ohm

can anyone suggest some good mid-priced models to check out? I play mostly clean with plenty of reverb and delay but I do like some fuzz too
I have an Orange AD30 halfstack so I'm trying to voice this one as slightly less "English" if possible, so I'm think US speaker here?

any ideas?
thanks gusy

[Enzo]

Don't get too hung up on impedance. This is a solid state amp, so there is no matching of impedances like there is on a tube amp. A 4 ohm will drag a few more watts out of the amp all else being equal, but at most a 3db difference, and that will not be all that noticable. And chances are the amp is not being played all the way up anyway.

Bottom line of my point is: listen to the amp with the 8 ohm speaker. If it sounds OK to you, then it IS OK. It will not harm or stress the amp in any way to run 8 ohms instead of 4 ohms, in fact the amp only works half as hard to do it.


Having said that, your choice of speaker is like your choice off a restaurant menu, you get the thing you like best. Sound fo speaker is a matter of personal taste and preference, and just like that menu, I might like LObster, and you might prefer steak. Some guys like a Vintage 30, other guys don;t. There are fans of most any speaker out there.

[kilphody]

I like the Em Cannibis Rex. Balance the Z(8ohm)

[mac dillard]

Warehouse Guitar Speakers. G12C-S for one for the American sound..Any of the others.

[Bruce / Mission Amps]

Are you playing lap steel with this, death metal... or?

[überfuzz]

Are you in a hurry and rich? If not, take your time and sniff around craigslist, your friends speakers in the rehearsal studio and such. You probably have an idea of what you want, if not you might get it along the way.

[Mr Benn]

thanks for the replies guys, I hadn't set the forum up right so I didn't get any reminders when you replied!

Well I love this little amp, it really does sound lively and clear perfect for my needs,

unfortunately this speaker has to go;it's not even the ohms thats the issue (I could live with a mismatch if it sounded good)

with the bass turned up to say 8 on the dial the speaker farts horribly (worst of all on a low G note)
it's a really horrible unmusical sound

so the hunt is on for a new speaker!

Bruce thanks for your time, I'm playing alt-folk indie type stuff mainly (wilco)

also I have a few questions, my EHX Hot tubes is a great tube preamp essentially so I tried not using the amps preamp and plugged that straight into the effects loop return on the amp.it sounds fantastic but when I do that even the master volume on the amp stops working meaning the only volume control I have is the pedal-not ideal when I want to go clean!
should the effects loop be this way? I expected the master control on the amp to work!! (I knew the EQ,reverb etc would stop)
the effects loop is a single stereo jack,use a Y cable style design btw

the reverb is controlled by a single foot-switch but I don't have one, any ideas how that would be wired?
a schematic for a simple one would be great

Overall I'm really happy : these are great, quirky amps!

here's a pic

L3 by mechanicalapple, on Flickr

[gbono]

A 4 ohm will drag a few more watts out of the amp all else being equal, but at most a 3db difference, and that will not be all that noticable.

3 dB change is a 2:1 difference in power so you have 1/2 the output power between a 8 and 4 ohm load. Fortunately your ear responds to sound pressure level so the difference "appears" small.

[telecaster]

That's a great amp, especially for clean tones.
1. The Effects Loop is after the Master Volume and all other controls, as you experienced. You'd have to modify the amp to change that, and the Master is integrated with the distortion/compression, not a simple mod.
2. The Reverb footswitch is just a on/off switch with one side connected to the shield of a cable, the other to the signal (hot). The other end of the cable goes to a 1/4 inch jack wired likewise. Sometimes you can find a used single button footswitch at your local music store, you need a simple one without an LED.
3. For a speaker, I'd suggest the Jensen Neo 12-100. You can research them at Neo 12-100 | Jensen Loudspeakers

[J M Fahey]

+1 for Jensens.
Killer speakers, unjustly despised because somebody bought all dies and molds and sent them to Italy .... to a *Real* Pro speaker factory (SICA). Which by its own merits is in the league of RCF, Beyma, or *old* JBL/Altec. Oh well.
I don't see people complaining that Celestion did the same and sent everything to China !!!!
Maybe because Jensen, honestly, writes "Made in Italy" in their labels, while Celestion writes "Celestion International - Ipswich - Suffolk - England" .... which is where the company *offices* are located.
It does not say MADE in England, of course .... and for a good reason
In your amp I'd use the one suggested above, or a C12K, which is available in 4 ohms.
If on a budget, the Jensen MOD are good and less expensive: MOD1270 also in 4 ohms.

[mozwell]

L3 schematic