8" speaker questions

**Jim Soloway** · 10-28-2015, 05:45 PM

I picked up a used Earcandy ported 8" cab. it sounds really nice at low volume but it starts to buzz on some notes when the volume gets to even moderate levels. The size is just so convenient that I'd love to be able to be able to beef this thing up a bit. What 8" speaker has the most headroom before crapping out? What's in a Raezer's Edge NY8? What did Redstone use? Any suggestions or comments would be appreciated.

**KEOKI** · 10-28-2015, 05:56 PM

Celestian TF 0818. Used in Quilter products

**hans halmackenreuter** · 10-28-2015, 06:29 PM

I build an 8" ported cab in the style of RE and used an Eminence beta 8 an it is really a nice speaker for guitar. The frequency response is very even and has enough highs for the guitar. I use it with my bass-amp head 150W (Fender Rumble 150) but I have tried it with a 100w Hiwat tubeamp as an extreme example and it was able to handle the power. Of course the amp was not turned up all the way, but it was extremly loud and the speaker reacted well.

**Tom Karol** · 10-28-2015, 06:38 PM

Hey Jim,

This may be obvious but, make sure the speaker is screwed on tight to the baffle and that it has a proper gasket. I've installed new a new speaker in an amp that sounded good at low volumes but buzzed at moderate volumes. I just hadn't tightened it enough.

**Greentone** · 10-28-2015, 06:58 PM

The other thing to watch for is tightening to the point of distorting the basket of the speaker--i.e., over-tightening one or two screws to the point that the speaker basket goes out of round. Not usually a problem, but it can lead to improper alignment of the cone in its travel, blah, blah, blah.

What may be more likely if you purchased the cabinet second hand is that the person before you really cranked the cab on one or two occasions (keeping up with the Mesa crowd at a jam) and caused the speaker to develop a rub on the voice coil. I did this with a Baby Brute Polytone once at a jam. Dern it! I had to get a replacement speaker or content myself to just use the "Baby" as a practice amp. NOPE! I replaced the speaker.

I have observed on several occasions that 8" speakers are ideal for jazz guitar (archtop) reproduction. Find out what driver you need, get a replacement, and enjoy.

**marcwhy** · 10-28-2015, 07:51 PM

Cool, Jim! Are you using the Quilter with it? Raezer's Edge uses Eminence Pro Audio (Professional and American Standard) 8's. Depends on what you need, though: 4 or 8 Ohms?

I have a 2x8 cab with Jupiter speakers, and it's 50W total; great sound, but one of these would not be enough power for the Quilter.

**Jim Soloway** · 10-28-2015, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by marcwhy

Cool, Jim! Are you using the Quilter with it? Raezer's Edge uses Eminence Pro Audio (Professional and American Standard) 8's. Depends on what you need, though: 4 or 8 Ohms?

I have a 2x8 cab with Jupiter speakers, and it's 50W total; great sound, but one of these would not be enough power for the Quilter.

I am using the Quilter. I'm really happy with it. The existing speaker handles the archtop just fine but I've been playing my plank quite a bit lately and it's a much louder guitar with a bigger low end. It just blows away the speaker that's in there now. (And the 1x10 handles everything I throw at).

BTW, an interesting thing about the Quilter, the voice and settings that I use for the archtop absolutely do not work with the plank but the beauty of the voice control is that by changing it from the jazz setting to the surf setting, it works perfectly. It makes it an incredibly versatile amp.

**KirkP** · 10-28-2015, 09:40 PM

Before changing out the speaker, make sure it's really the speaker and not the cabinet buzzing. I think you can check by pulling the driver out of the cabinet and playing a fairly pure bass note through it (e.g., open 6th string with treble cut). If the driver is the problem it will buzz as you turn up the volume.

**Franz 1997** · 10-29-2015, 10:56 AM

If you have the Celestion 0818, as suggested, I found that speaker to be nothing like as robust as the Beta 8, with lower power handling. Its main asset is its extended treble range, which is why some makes use it.

**KirkP** · 10-29-2015, 04:54 PM

The Celestion TN0820 is rated for more power than the 0818 and is half the weight, but expensive. It's what Jazzkat switched to when they dropped the Eminence whizzer cone drivers.
http://www.parts-express.com/celesti...-ohm--294-2061

**Jim Soloway** · 10-29-2015, 09:39 PM

Thanks all. I ordered the Eminence Beta 8A today. We're getting ready to move in about two weeks so it probably won't get installed right away but I really like the idea of using the same speaker that's in the RE NY8. I had a really good time with mine and always regretted selling it.

**WahmBomAh** · 06-17-2016, 05:02 PM

Hey Jim ... well ...old thread revival time.
I just bought a RE 10 ( i think it`s the bass amp model) off ebay.
Price was right ....it`s a Rich built cab and I haven`t unpacked it yet (still on the road)
Since it`s a 10 and the cab seems to weigh near 30lbs ... I was wondering if there`s a more modern and hopefully lighter speaker out there for my archtop use?
Is the weight more due to the speaker ...or the RE cab construction? Sorry , i`m not familiar with them.
I have a redstone 10 which is great and nowhere near 30lbs. I bought the RE because I need a backup .
I guess I can just swap the redstone speaker in the RE for a taste test. Thanks
So ...Anyone out there know about what was used in the Rich era vs what`s shipping now ?

**iim7V7IM7** · 06-18-2016, 07:24 AM

Jim also make sure that the Thiel parameters for the speaker are capatible with your cabinet. Speakers together with a cabinet are a system. Good luck...

**Klatu** · 06-18-2016, 08:08 AM

How's about an update on the Eminence 8A, Jim?

**Sam Sherry** · 06-18-2016, 09:26 AM

Thank you, Jim and JGF, for another GAS-prevention lesson.

I was thinking about picking up an EC 2x8. Now that I know it's a project I shall happily forebear!

**Jim Soloway** · 06-18-2016, 12:37 PM

Interesting that this thread has come back. I've had the cab and the Beta 8A for 7 months now. I go back and forth between my 8" cab and my 10" cab and lately, the 8" cab has been getting most of the attention. No particular reason, I've just been playing some mix and match since I replaced my dead reverb pedal and the 8" cab seems to work well with everything.

I should probably point out for Sam's sake that I bought the EC 1x8 cab used and for very little money, so it didn't bother me at all that it was a project cab (and from what i had heard from a few others it was not at all a surprise). I have about $170 US tied up in this cab and for that price it's a fantastic bargain. That being said, if you;re after a 2x8 cab, talk to marcwhy here on the forum. He's had a lot of experience with those and has a few vendors he can recommend.

For anyone else who's interested, I'm very happy with this cab as it is. Contrary to what I posted when I started the thread, I didn't bond long term with the Quilter 101 Mini and replaced it with a second GK MB200, so that's what I've mated it with since the speaker went in. The Beta 8A can take a lot more power than the MB200 puts out at 8 ohms but it's loud enough for my purposes. I use the rig for teaching, practice and small gigs. It has a lovely sparkle in the high end that works well with my lowered tunings and sounds good both with and without reverb. Best of all, it works equally well with all three of my guitars.

I'd love to A/B the cab as it stand with my old NY8. I have very fond memories of the sounds I got from that cab but I really am happy with this cab as it is.