Not too many 15W combos with a single 10", why?

[klobasa]

I am thinking of ordering a one channel EF86 + 2xEL84 based Matchless style amp and I have the opportunity to affect on the size of the combo cabinet. At first I thought that surely it would be equipped with a 12" speaker, but lately realized that there seems to be a lot of 10" speakers which have very high decibel ratings and many reviews tells that they sound like a 12". In any case, I would make the cabinet large enough to accomodate 12" size speaker (as small 12" cabinet as possible), but maybe I will take it with a good 10".

I have a 5W Princeton clone with 12" size cabinet, but equipped with 10" speaker. The amp sounds great, I am not missing anything on the bass department. The bigger cabinet beefed up the sound nicely. I just ordered a 10" Red Fang which has 102db and according to user reviews, the sound should be huge. I can't wait to hear how does that sound with this amp.

This led me to realize that I found only a handful of 15W amps with a single 10" speaker (None from Matchless, Bad Cat, Top hat, Swart, etc. modern "boutique" brands). 15W combos are almost always 1x12", 2x10" or bigger. There are many 5W amps with 1x10" though.


Am I missing something crucial by not using a 12" speaker? Why is 1x10" not more popular? Does Santa Claus live in Northpole?

[Rod Parsons]

The Princeton Reverb amps are 10". 121/2 watts.... Great sound.

[RubyRae]

I guess you are talking about a tweed Princeton at 5 watts, since all the others are 12-15. Plenty of good clones and spinoffs of these amps, most all of which can come with a single 10" speaker.

[klobasa]

Yeah, I noticed there are few, mainly Fender voiced amps that might have 1x10", but not too many British/EL84 sounding amps.

I was just wondering if 2 x EL84 Vox type of sound and 1x10" do not fit together -- surely they would nowadays do amps like that if this combination works, no?

[Chris S.]

The 15-watt Pro Jr. uses a pair of EL84s with a single 10". Also, the Trace Elliot Velocette (and its Gibson counterpart) was the same set up: 15w, 1x10, 2xEL84. CS

[marshman]

I have noticed similar, and suspect it's an impression by the guitar-playing community that a single 10" speaker just is not gig-capable. Perhaps that's just MY impression, as I'd be a bit leary of gigging that way, unless I was playing guitar in a bluesy setting where I was the only guitar player (and my skillz are nowhere near that point)...but I had noticed it.

[Mike Eskimo]

Made in Britain/true Class A/10" Celestion/15 watts

The 3rd one I've had (they keep falling in my lap !)

Only thing I've never liked is that the speaker-out is for a 16 ohm cab...

I've gigged with it as-is though and our drummer is Keith Moon Jr.

Put it on a chair and it really cuts through

[Abu Twangy]

A single 10" 15 watt amp can be gigworthy for modest volume gigs or if mic'ed. In a lot of cases a 12" is a bit more efficient and fuller sounding therefore slightly louder and "bigger".

For a few years I was using either of two 15 watt amps for gigging--a Blues Jr
and a Pro Jr. I either mic'ed my amp or DI'ed it for bigger gigs.

[RockerDuck]

I think it mainly has to do with weight vs watts. The Pro jr. III, that I have, weighs 20lbs.. It's light and loud and is a great grab and go amp. The Blues Jr. weighs 10 lbs. more, mainly from the speaker.

[Octave Doctor]

I think the 12" is an easier sell to most people. I've got an original Sidekick Reverb 25 that I've played in medium size clubs--no problem hitting the back wall.

[Gary in Boston]

Super Champ XD is a 15 watt ( mostly tube) amp with a 10" speaker.

Gary

[celeste]

I think in the amp version of "Shelf wars" where a product has to compete with the products on the shelf around it, bigger is deemed as better by far to many, so to compete against an amp with a 12, you have to use a 12

[20721]

Kustom Defender V15. 15 watts, 2 EL84s, 10" Celestion. I run two in stereo. I am a very happy customer, nice big sound and the four-way bass voicing switch is the single most useful amp control I've ever run across. Got one for cheap off eBay, got the other a bit cheaper from a fine gent via the classifieds here. They run about $300 new but you can get them for much less if you're diligent.

Pretty good looking amp as well if you pull the logo badge off, if that's important to you.

[castpolymer]

Once the Princeton Reverb was made, there was no point in messing around with anything else.Actually, I made a cab for my Vox Nighttrain head and another 1 x 10 cab for my other heads just because I like 10" speaker so much.

[Colo Springs E]

The older version (about 3 or 4 years ago?) Mesa 5:25 was switchable between 5 and 25 watts and had a 10" speaker. They pop up every now and then on craigslist and ebay.

[FenderLover]

I think 'most' low watt amps are designed at a price point too. Smaller speakers may be cheaper. Smaller cabinets uses less material. Lighter products cost less to ship. I like it when they leave enough room to drop a larger one in, if that's your thing.

[KC]

I keep thinking somebody ought to reissue the Velocette / GA-15. I've got the Gibson Goldtone version and it's a very versatile, likable amp. Gig amp in a small package. The 10" doesn't seem to hold it back, though with a bright guitar -- a telecaster, say -- it can get a little screechy.

[jefrs]

Hmm, Laney VC15-110

2-channel, 3xECC83, 2xEL84, 15 watts, 1x10-in Jensen, reverb tank, very nice. Fender to Vox to Marshall


If you want a 12-in then you have to move up to 30 watts
VC30-112, VC30-210, VC30-212

[Sherpa]

Originally Posted by Mike Eskimo

Made in Britain/true Class A/10" Celestion/15 watts

The 3rd one I've had (they keep falling in my lap !)

Only thing I've never liked is that the speaker-out is for a 16 ohm cab...

I've gigged with it as-is though and our drummer is Keith Moon Jr.

Put it on a chair and it really cuts through

Lovely amp - I've got the same one, recording with and gigging it since '95!

[winny pooh]

If you are planning to order the Creme brûlée then you must get the OT from the original Matchless source: Bob Wood at kg6epv@yahoo.com. It was recommended to me here on tdpri and although I was skeptical it did make a big difference to how smooth and big the amp now sounds.