Author Topic: Cheap(ish) Speakers... (Read 12204 times)

Skybone · « **on:** October 13, 2005, 01:14:56 PM »

I've just been looking at prices for a Vintage 30 on the ole t'interweb, and everyone seems to be doing them for about £55-60. I then went to http://www.award-session.com/, and they are selling them for £44.00 plus postage! That made it £52.95 for postage to an address in the UK Mainland, absolute bargain for a V30!

Just thought I'd share this finding with you guys! ;)

indysmith · « **Reply #1 on:** October 13, 2005, 04:41:06 PM »

I'm sorry; I don't know much about speakers; could somebody give me some basic info. Whats the best? Do different speakers use different magnets (they use magnets right?)? Would it ever be worth thinking about changing the celestions in my JCM800 combo?

_tom_ · « **Reply #2 on:** October 13, 2005, 05:06:31 PM »

Quote from: Skybone

I've just been looking at prices for a Vintage 30 on the ole t'interweb, and everyone seems to be doing them for about £55-60. I then went to http://www.award-session.com/, and they are selling them for £44.00 plus postage! That made it £52.95 for postage to an address in the UK Mainland, absolute bargain for a V30!

Just thought I'd share this finding with you guys! ;)

]

ooh cheers! As with all new guitar things I see, Id like a v30 or similar for my HRDx to give it more of a rock tone :lol: Anyone tried one in a HRDx?

Skybone · « **Reply #3 on:** October 13, 2005, 07:10:01 PM »

indysmith,

As you know, I've got the same amp as you, a 4104 800 combo, I found out not long after I bought mine that one speaker wasn't working, so I had to replace it. I've had a V30 loaded combo before, and they do sound sweet, so I went for one, and as I had it serviced at the shop I bought it from, I got it cheap.

The OEM speakers G12M-70's aren't made anymore, the closest is the G12T-75 found in most 4x12 cabs etc IMO don't sound that sweet, where V30's have supposedly been engineered for a better tone and what have you. I like 'em anyway, and most large amp companies fit 'em as standard equipment I believe (MESA/ENGL/some Marshall...)

indysmith · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2005, 09:50:41 PM »

thanks, i think i'll read into it and make some decisions. Do they make a large difference to the tone? what i'm trying to say is it worth it? - or could i spend the money better on other tone-sweetening devices?

big steve · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:47:22 PM »

V30s aren't for everyone - personally i am put off by the "scooped mid" sound. greenbacks or g12h30s are IMO better, but they might be too low watttage for you. give matamp an email about the celestion "hot 100", they seem to use it a lot

_tom_ · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:49:58 PM »

Quote from: big steve

V30s aren't for everyone - personally i am put off by the "scooped mid" sound. greenbacks or g12h30s are IMO better, but they might be too low watttage for you. give matamp an email about the celestion "hot 100", they seem to use it a lot

what the hell, scooped mids? Not in my amp ta! I thought v30s had a mid emphasis, as usual I'm probably wrong though..

big steve · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:56:53 PM »

PM dave_mc on UG, he had side-by-side soundclips of four celestions and the v30 definitely had a more scooped sound - to my ears, anyway. maybe it was just compared to the greenback - i don't know.

what wattage is your amp? if it is 30w, the g12h30 could be a great speaker - low-end handling like the v30, but all the warmth of a greenback. i'l probably get one for my laney lc30 at some stage

indysmith · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2005, 10:57:29 PM »

Quote from: _tom_

I thought v30s had a mid emphasis, as usual I'm probably wrong though..

I thought that also... but only because I assumed it because they are "Vintage"30s, and vintage sounds usually have more mids than moderner sounds.

indysmith · « **Reply #9 on:** October 13, 2005, 11:02:45 PM »

Quote from: big steve

what wattage is your amp?

My amp's 50W. I'd like something sweet and warm, that does hi-gain sounds, but tints them a bit towards the vintage end of the spectrum. Kind of brown sound

_tom_ · « **Reply #10 on:** October 13, 2005, 11:17:08 PM »

Quote from: indysmith

Quote from: big steve
what wattage is your amp?

My amp's 50W. I'd like something sweet and warm, that does hi-gain sounds, but tints them a bit towards the vintage end of the spectrum. Kind of brown sound

I think im after the same kinda thing, but not really high gain, more vintage-medium gain like Slash/Dave Kushner tone!

big steve · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2005, 12:03:34 AM »

hmmm... that's a tricky one indeed... perhaps you'd be better looking into something Eminence, i seem to recall they have more vintage voiced stuff at higher wattage ratings - i'm not too sure though.

:lol: , i've been really helpful here - confusing people who thought they knew what they wanted in a speaker

the best advice i can give is, avoid the g12-75 like the plague.

Skybone · « **Reply #12 on:** October 14, 2005, 11:19:12 AM »

Vintage 30's are just what they're called. Most other Celestions have the number as a wattage rating, but not the V30, it's rated at 60w. Perfect for a 50w amp like the 4104 JCM800 combo's that both indysmith and I have. As the output impedance is 8 ohm, the speakers are both rated at 16 ohm, but the wiring is done in a way that it can take an 8 ohm load (I can never remember whether they are wired in series or in parallel!).

Like _tom_, I've always thought that the V30 was voiced more for mids, but Celestion say that it's voiced for "Tight bass, fat mids and a smooth, harmonically rich top end" and that "The Vintage 30 resulted from Celestion’s early steps to preserve the tonal characteristics of vintage speakers while using contemporary materials and construction techniques.".

PhilKing · « **Reply #13 on:** October 14, 2005, 11:38:30 AM »

You can wire two 8 ohm in series to get 16 ohm (wire from one jack lug to first speaker + tab, - tab to next speaker + tab, next speaker - tab to other lug on jack). If you want 8 ohms, you get two 16 ohm in parallel ( two wires from jack tip lug, one to each speaker + tab, 2 wires from barrel lug, one to each speaker - lug).

When wiring multiple speakers you need to check that they are in phase. You do this by putting a battery across the each speaker's conections for a second. See which way the cone moves (it will be towards the front of back of the speaker). Do the same with the other speaker(s). You want them all to move the same way.

Bob Johnson · « **Reply #14 on:** October 14, 2005, 01:08:42 PM »

Vintage 30's cost £45.33 from CPC and there's free shipping on that 'cos it's over £35. For info I'm pretty sure V30's are rated @ 60w rms these days.
The G12T-75 has a lot of extended top and with some Guitars/amps can sound quite shrill. A really nice combination in a 2 x 12 is a Vintage 30 and a G12T-75 or G12H. Quite a few of the boutique cab makers in the US extol the virtues of mixing a V30 with a slighly more toppy G12.