Speaker for cab to play nice with EL84 & 6V6 - side Q: PRS DGT 15 amp

[tomems]

Hi everyone. I am looking for a speaker that will sound great with an EL84 head - but also with a 6V6 head. Different, I know. If I need to pick one, I want to match against the EL84 and the 6V6 can just "deal."

Not sure on which EL84 head - looking at PRS DGT 15, Peavey Classic 20, Vox AC30 head <traditional with tremolo; hand-wired without trem>. I like the Magnatone Panoramic Stereo although I'm worried it'll be too loud. DGT has master volume and Peavey has power scaling.

6V6 head - maybe Tone King Imperial MkII?

My default "good" speaker is Celestion Gold 12 inch 8 ohm. Would it be good with the amps above? Alternatively I could just get the matching cab with DGT - it's a Celestion Vintage 30. Or as David Grissom says - the speaker peole love to hate. Lol. Speaking of...

...I was surprised at no mention of the PRS DGT 15 amp. Yes, it's a little dirtier, but it's also not Orange/Marshall. Curious if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this amp.

Thanks in advance...

[213Cobra]

Hi everyone. I am looking for a speaker that will sound great with an EL84 head - but also with a 6V6 head. Different, I know. If I need to pick one, I want to match against the EL84 and the 6V6 can just "deal."

Not sure on which EL84 head - looking at PRS DGT 15, Peavey Classic 20, Vox AC30 head <traditional with tremolo; hand-wired without trem>. I like the Magnatone Panoramic Stereo although I'm worried it'll be too loud. DGT has master volume and Peavey has power scaling.

6V6 head - maybe Tone King Imperial MkII?

My default "good" speaker is Celestion Gold 12 inch 8 ohm. Would it be good with the amps above? Alternatively I could just get the matching cab with DGT - it's a Celestion Vintage 30. Or as David Grissom says - the speaker peole love to hate. Lol. Speaking of...

...I was surprised at no mention of the PRS DGT 15 amp. Yes, it's a little dirtier, but it's also not Orange/Marshall. Curious if anyone has had good or bad experiences with this amp.

Thanks in advance...

I have a suggestion, but first it would help to know whether you play clean or want some dirt, and do you want the dirt from preamp tube distortion, power tube distortion or do you want to drive the speaker into cone breakup. I had a Mesa Blue Angel for almost 30 years, 6V6, EL84, and 6V6+EL84 modes. I tried a lot of speakers with it.

Phil

[tomems]

I have a suggestion, but first it would help to know whether you play clean or want some dirt, and do you want the dirt from preamp tube distortion, power tube distortion or do you want to drive the speaker into cone breakup. I had a Mesa Blue Angel for almost 30 years, 6V6, EL84, and 6V6+EL84 modes. I tried a lot of speakers with it.

Phil

Thanks Phil. Some dirt is great. Ideally I would be able to play both fairly clean but also some dirty blues tones. No need for metal or hard rock tones.

[213Cobra]

Thanks Phil. Some dirt is great. Ideally I would be able to play both fairly clean but also some dirty blues tones. No need for metal or hard rock tones.

OK, from low to high.

To fully appreciate the tonal differences between EL84 and 6V6 amplification, you need a relatively neutral, objective, but still-guitar-voiced speaker.

Here's an inexpensive cab with a Fender Special Design speaker. At various times, these "Special Design" speakers have been sourced from Eminence and Celestion. I think this is Eminence. But it's been used in chimey Deluxe Reverb Reissues. It's reasonably objective and affordable, and you'll hear the tube differences with some spank.

Just a moment...

Next, you can find cabinets for 12" speakers on Reverb, eBay and Etsy. Find one you like, and bolt a Celestion G-12 Gold Alnico into it. I have a 10" in a cab for my wideband Wavelength 6V6 single-ended head. It nails that sound, and when I put EL84 output into that speaker, the voice differences are palpable. Alternately, based on what I am hearing from the Jensen Tornado in my new SeQuel Vermont amp, it's also a reasonably objective, toneful, responsive speaker.

My favorite? Get a 12" cab of your choice with a not-MDF front/baffle board, and firmly bolt a robust Electro-Voice EVM12L driver into it. You won't need its 200W power rating, but you might like its 101dB/W/m efficiency for plenty of headroom with low power amps. I love this speaker for guitar. The EVM XX"L series are heavy, cast-framed robust dreadnoughts but they are also very clean and clear, transparent and for guitar speakers, pretty objective. The EVM12L will clearly convey EL84 and 6V6 sonic differences, prove dynamically responsive and tone-dense, but you will never drive its cone into breakup. You'll get your dirt from the amp, especially if you make sure to get a Master Volume control. I ended up putting the EVM12L in my Mesa Blue Angel and it was perfect for both tubes for over two decades.

Phil

[tomems]

Thank Phil. I had never heard of Electro-Voice EVM12L. I didn't even know EV did guitar speakers - I think of them more for PA. I watched a video or two - lots of power. I don't think I'm going to buy that speaker given the weight - but it has solidified my interest in the gold. Slightly higher power but I think it will be just right for me. Lower powered speakers are a little too rock-only it seems. I was also heartened that the Victory VC35 the Copper Deluxe combo uses a gold. Speaking of, that's a great looking EL84 head! I will add that to my EL84 wish list above.

[ruger9]

DGT15 is a very versatile amp... but it doesn't sound like a "normal" EL84 amp (which is most commonly associated with the Vox/Matchless/Bad Cat sound). The DGT15 hs a little Vox in it, but it's not a "normal" EL84 tone like say a Vox AC30.

[Greywolf]

I have the big brother DG30 which is also EL84 , plenty of cleans even cranked it's pretty clean. The 15 has a few features that the 30 does not. It's in some ways a bit more versatile.

As far as the cab goes, for Jazz I'd recommend the Celestion Creamback , I have many speaker cabs and I've built them for 40 years.

[tomems]

DGT15 is a very versatile amp... but it doesn't sound like a "normal" EL84 amp (which is most commonly associated with the Vox/Matchless/Bad Cat sound). The DGT15 hs a little Vox in it, but it's not a "normal" EL84 tone like say a Vox AC30.

I started out by telling a friend I wanted a "Fender EL84 sound." What I'm really trying to do is re-create my Peavey Classic 50 that I sold long ago. Regarding your comment - I watched several Victory Copper Deluxe videos. On paper it's great although it wasn't quite what I was looking for - I think b/c Victory does nail that Vox tone - but it's not what I'm after. Still - the Victory looks really cool.

I've tried Peavey Classic 30 in the store and it was just OK; that's part of what gives me pause for the PC 20. Plus the DGT15 has so many bells and whistles... seems fun. I'm concerned how much clean it has but seems like it will be enough.

[tomems]

I have the big brother DG30 which is also EL84 , plenty of cleans even cranked it's pretty clean. The 15 has a few features that the 30 does not. It's in some ways a bit more versatile.

As far as the cab goes, for Jazz I'd recommend the Celestion Creamback , I have many speaker cabs and I've built them for 40 years.

Thank you for the speaker rec. Are you happy with the DG30? It's a little over budget but it looks really good. I've watched a few videos on it. I like the 15's trem and other features but I bet the build quality on your 30 is really good...

[ruger9]

I started out by telling a friend I wanted a "Fender EL84 sound." What I'm really trying to do is re-create my Peavey Classic 50 that I sold long ago. Regarding your comment - I watched several Victory Copper Deluxe videos. On paper it's great although it wasn't quite what I was looking for - I think b/c Victory does nail that Vox tone - but it's not what I'm after. Still - the Victory looks really cool.

I've tried Peavey Classic 30 in the store and it was just OK; that's part of what gives me pause for the PC 20. Plus the DGT15 has so many bells and whistles... seems fun. I'm concerned how much clean it has but seems like it will be enough.

The Peavey Classics were great amps, did you have the 2x12 or 4x10? I had the 4x10. I sold it only because it was simply too loud for home use and too heavy for gigs.

[tomems]

The Peavey Classics were great amps, did you have the 2x12 or 4x10? I had the 4x10. I sold it only because it was simply too loud for home use and too heavy for gigs.

100% - best amp ever. Sounded so good. 2x12. But agree - too loud for home and I never, ever wanted to take it anywhere for a jam session. When I was gigging with a band 20+ years ago, I was in the mode to haul it everywhere. Lost the mojo to do that. But I still miss it!