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I'm quite happy with my main wide bodied cab with a 12" EV speaker.
But - there are times it's a real pain to lug it up and down stairs,
especially when it's a rehearsal and the other guys aren't bringing out
their full rigs! I'm thinking mainly clean Jazz tone here.
I could go for a Polytone I guess (been a while..), but I'm happy with the little
Ameson SS amp, so I wonder what experience anybody's had with say
Eminence and Jensen replacement speakers? I see there
are various versions. My initial thoughts are that I'd want it
to be able to handle 100W at 8 Ohms and be a bit lighter than 19lbs -
The Cannabis Rex and Swamp Thang seem to fit that criteria.
The Jensen speakers I've seen listed seem to be lower powered.
Any ideas appreciated. I used to have a Black Shadow in a MB
cab which was nice, but that may've been an EV!
Also any ideas on a lightweight unloaded 12" cube cab?
Thanks, Jamie.
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09-03-2013 01:03 PM
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Are you willing to try a neo? I like the Eminence Lil' Texas. For a neo it has one of the best combinations of power handling, efficiency, and weight.
US Speaker - Eminence Lil' Texas 12" guitar speakers - The Eminence Lil' texas is 12" guitar speaker with 125 watts RMS power handling from the Eminence Patriot Series. The Eminence Lil' Texas 10" guitar speaker is an excellent upgrade or replacement
i've actually been using it as alternative to my own EVM-12L. Of course it's not the same thing, but with a 101db efficiency rating, you don't have to push your amp too hard to get the volume.
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No speaker replaces an EV to me.
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Jorge, R U still in New York?
Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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No.. back to Lisbon since the 6th of August.
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Okay, I can stop worrying about you then. Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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You think Lisbon is better than NY Greg?
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I've never been to Lisbon, so I wouldn't know...but least U know it! Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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Sorry to cut into your banter chaps - but what about speakers?
Woody, thanks for that, 4lbs sounds amazing light! But the
specs look good - I'll check it out. Anyone with experience
of the other two Eminence speakers I mentioned?
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If you have the money check the WGS Blackhawk.
Greg - loved NY but Lisbon is my favorite city... and always will be
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] Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
Ah, duh.. genius. We all already know that. He is asking for ideas for alternatives and the ramifications.
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I don't know what I loved more in your comment: the failed attempt of being of funny or the absence of a contribution.
The EV is by far my favorite speaker - I have not tried all of them of course but never tried one that sound close. The EV sounds big, has tons of depth, has a neutral hi-fi sound but still sound like a guitar speaker not a PA speaker, sounds the same at all volumes and it's very loud.
People have been looking for an alternative for ages mainly for three reasons: 1) they're heavy 2) they're expensive 3) they were out of production for a while. In my experience you'll have to accept the weight and price if you want that sound.
I have never tried the WGS Blackhawk (clone of the alnico version, ev sro) or the Weber Michigan (comes in both ceramic and alnco). Maybe they are good alternatives.
It's one thing to look for a good speaker for jazz given certain requirements: price, weight, impedance, watts, etc... But looking for something close to the EV sound is a waste of time (in my experience). The Jensens Neo and Tornado, for example, being good speakers are NOT EV like despite what you read at online foruns (to my ears of course).
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EV Fight! Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
Thanks for the ideas, Jorge. I think the thing is we're all agreed on is that the EV is a great speaker.
I'm asking for an alternative as the EV cab weighs over 21Kg - 46lbs. There are those situations
where you just want to take a little of your gear for a quick rehearsal/function gig/travelling by
public transport/walking a fair way. I'm hoping for these situations I can spare my back a bit
as well as find a decent part of my sound. Do you always use an EV under all circumstances,
or is there anything else that comes (maybe not real close, but) acceptable to play?
Jamie
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I'm generally with Jorge on EVs ( and Altec 417Hs IMO) being in a class of their own.
I have had the same dilemma; the solution I have adopted for now is using a Celestion Century Vintage - which sounds surprising decent, neutral and transparent. And light..One caveat is that it's paired with a tube amp, which of course adds some dimensionality; dunno how it works with a SS amp. Other prob might be it's only 60w ( but a loud 60w - I never go over 60w for jazz stuff)
I have tried the Emi C Rex which I think the OP mentioned; that's nothing like an EV, and quite dark. Great for fat single lines, but you give up a lot of sparkle and transparency. Also 50W, I think
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I like Lisbon..a lot of hills though
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The thing is watts... jazz amps have a lot of power and most guitar speakers don't handle it. The WGS ET-65 for example makes me curious... but only 65w. Most guitar players still use tube amps which don't produce that much power.
I can say the neo, tornado and c rex are NOT like an EV. The C-Rex is nice because it's smooth and VERY efficient, good for Fender type amps. But too dark and heavy too... Same with Eminence Deltas or Betas, NOT an EV.
The WGS Blackhawk is supposed to be a less efficient / watts EV SRO. It's expensive but it seems like a great speaker... with a light cab you might be able to have something around 10 kgs. And it's 100w, you'll be safe.
Do you know what happens with the Ameson at 16 ohm? If the power is cut by half it will be 45 watts, you'll be safe with a lot of speakers... the ET-65 seems great on clips but maybe a little dark like the C-Rex.
Although I like neo speakers the ones I heard tend to be ear tiring after a while... some speakers are only 3 kgs, so only 1 kg heavier than a regular neo... Will you be getting a new lighter cab too?
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Chris how heavy is the Altec? Would love to try one. Originally Posted by Franz 1997
Yeah, lots of hills... I am used to it I guess but it's not nice sometimes (specially considering how hot the summer is here)
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My current thinking is a lightweight cube type plywood cab (10Kg) and
a Swamp Thang Eminence 150W 8 Ohm speaker (3.7 Kg) which would
be about 30lbs - not bad. There are some YouTube A/Bs which are
pretty useless as far as Jazz goes. There are a few archived posts on
this forum about Eminence speakers which have no responses, My
choice is based on the weight, cost, availability and specs. I've never liked
Celestion speakers. Jensens are not easily available in the UK, more expensive
and it's not exactly a Fender sound I'm after. It's a bit like pickups - you can
get an approximate idea from reviews etc, but we're all choosy types here -
it depends on how it sounds with your guitar and amp. In the past I spent
a lot of time and money switching pickups. One of my first swaps was a
Seymour Duncan Jazz neck pickup on my Gibson semi, but I didn't like the
sweet clean sound and swapped for a Gibson 490R. But my current
Godin solid sounds great with the SD Jazz. Guitar logic.
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Yeah hard to be able to get the right pickup / gutiar / amp / speaker combination.. you seem to be on the right track with the cab. Some cabs are even lighter if made with italian poplar...
Jack loves the Eminence Tonker but he goes after Fendery sounds.
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Jorge, the Altec 417 8H is 14lb..quite heavy, but not EV heavy, because it's an alnico speaker. This is why a few people get fanatical about them, I think - that alnico vibe, which softens the attack a bit. Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
I sympathise about this topic generally. Once you have got used to the sound of EVs, JBLs, Altecs etc, it's very difficult to trade down and not miss them - they are such good speakers. Roy Sainsbury, a well known UK pro, used to cart around a JBL 15" cab because it was the only sound he could live with - I don't know if he still does.
One different solution might be a B&Q trolley?..only £20 or so...
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With my EV cab I use a trolley... but it's worth it, it sounds SO good.
I am thinking about getting a 15 alnico for a custom cab and a 10 EV for a mambo cab soon. I carry everything with Trolleys these days and I am getting addicted to these type of speakers sound.
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I put wheels on the bottom, but they're not too good on stairs. We even have a spiral staircase up Originally Posted by Franz 1997
to my studio.. Have you seen this YouTube clip? Maybe I need something like this -
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Actually, I was about to order the cab and speaker, when I started to think -
what if I don't like it? Then what - put an EV in it?!!!
I think I'll compromise and use the EV cab I use with the valve amp, and
leave it downstairs. I may even get a trolley from B&Q (Thanks!)
So I'd have my sound but my back will be happier. In the meantime I
think I'll look for a little cube combo, polytone or whatever, for those
situations when you want to just plug in and play.
Cheers
Jamie
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Just a postscript to this - the cab I use for my straight ahead(ish) Jazz sound has
an EVM-12L Classic speaker, whereas I have two EVs (same designation) which I
used to use in my Yamaha DG (er, fusion period, rig). The earlier ones I bought
from the former UK distributor in the late 1990's. They are exactly the same shape
as the newer one (which is silver) but are anodised black with stencilled lettering, like they
were made in the old Soviet Union. I've never used them with the purer clean sound.
They seem slightly lower output, but with a clearer top end - slightly more rockish
with more breakup, really. Interestingly different tonality. So - when someone says
"I always use EVs" you can ask them - "which one?". As I was saying, we're all a
bit picky here - we have ears! Something I've noticed recently recording my CD
project, is that the Monster cables I use - The Jazz ones - are great for the
live sound I want, but are quite bassy for the DI (pre-reamp) recording on
more modern tunes. I need this, I need that..
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I have a similar dilemma, but am resigned to just getting a new EV for my Vintage Sound 35 watt Deluxe. I have an old EV SRO (ceramic) from my first Mesa Mk I from the late 70's that I recently reconed and put in a 1x12 closed back cab (with removeable center panel on the back.) Sounds great with everything I use it with, including the Deluxe, much better than anything I've put in the Deluxe cab: Celestion Lead 80, Weber 12F-150 and California, ET-65 - all sound a bit thin, depending on where the amp is in the room. So, I'm thinking of biting the bullet and putting a new EV in, but wonder if anyone can comment on the difference between new EV 12Ls and the older SROs, like I have? (probably someone older, like me
I suspect they should be close, but I've no experience with the newer versions.
I've tried to like the Warehouse ET65, but it's not as full sounding to my ears as the Celestion 12-65s (I have a pair of those in a Twin, sound pretty great, really.) It's good to hear comments on the Eminence suggestions, as that was where I was headed next, but think I'll just skip to the EV and lift weights more regularly. Seems we all have our tone threshold that, if not reached, tends to inhibit the pleasure of playing, at least for me. Still, if a lightweight cab with neo speaker could get close, I'd be interested.
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Not sure what the difference between mine is (described in the post before yours Y) but the earlier ones from
the late 1990's (I ordered a couple of EVM 12Ls and that's what the distributor sent) with their no frills black finish,
look and weigh the same as the Classic I bought a few years ago. They must have the same type of magnet or
the weight would be different I guess. The earlier ones definitely suit a more rockish sound - slightly thinner
bottom, more airy. I'm happy to have the two options.
I got into EVs after I had a Petersen SS combo and a friend of mine had a MB Mk IV. I think it's a good idea to
hear before you buy, tho' I have bought mics and preamps on recommendations before. Saw a terrific demo
YouTube clip by Eric Johnson of his Eminence speaker, but that was no help to me in terms of a Jazz tone!
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