CTS 10" alnico specs?

[mgreene]

I recently got a CTS 12" alnico paper recone from Hempopotomas. It sounds really good - very much like the original one I have.

I was told by a local guy that he couldn't source CTS cones - but Hempopotomas says this one has a paper coil form like the originals - I dont know if he can get more or if he can do 10's but it could be worth a shot.

FWIW I got a hemp cone alnico 12" from him too. It makes a princeton sound like a much bigger amp - not louder - but bigerer.

 

[adjason]

I put four cts alnicos in my 67 super reverb from a mid 70's one. They replaced 4 jbls which were way too bright, then I tried 4 alnico blue emminences -still too bright, then I tried two alnico blues and 2 weber DT 10's- this was a great sound. I always thought I was missing something so I went and bought some CTS alnicos. They sound better for natural overdriven tones but for the clean tone the 2 alnico blues and two DT 10's were better.

 

[slider313]

I believe the original CTS alnico 10 was a 20 watt speaker with a 1.5" voice coil and paper former.

Using two in a Vibrolux Reverb is cutting it close.

 

[jrblue]

I'm guessing they're low wattage and, given their age, that you are at risk of blowing them. If you do gig out a lot, you might well replac them simply to assure reliability. I love 10" speakers and have had good results with various Celestions and Webers -- I'm not fond of Eminence, but I've only used a few, so I'm not well informed -- but they're all quite different, so you'll need to narrow down what you want. Good luck!

 

[TerSwanStudio]

Here's my opinion on Super Reverb or Tweed Bassman speakers for what it's worth. The speakers used in these amps were lightweight, bright, flimsy speakers. If you put one in a single 10" amp you likely would not like it much at any decent volume. Although as "one trick pony" for lead it could be good. I have done this with a few of them. What made those speakers work is that a 4 x 10, by design, puts out huge lower end and lower mids via the combo of the speakers. So much so that the Super uses a .022 tone cap where many Fender amps use a .047 cap.
I think using the Emi GA SC64 10 or any speaker with substantial lower end on it's own may not be a good thing. I have tried two Weber 10F150's in a Super with stock two speakers. It was just too much lower end. The Emi may work, but the Webers were too much. Oh it sounded fantastic, it just wasnt the Super sound...

Say buddy. I own a vintage 65’ Fender SR. I removed 2 of my 74’ CTS alnicos out recently. Don’t ask me how they made their way into a 65’ amp. I was too young and dumb to ask when I bought the amp. Anyway I just installed a Weber 10F150 and a 10A125 in a crisscross pattern with the other 2 74’ CTS. I don’t know which speaker I like more the alnico or the ceramic. Then again I know nothing about different amps nor speakers. Could you please gimme your opinion about what sounds the best? Maybe I’ll get my other two re-coned sometime later but for now I wanna try two new speakers for awhile.

 

[TerSwanStudio]

Here's my opinion on Super Reverb or Tweed Bassman speakers for what it's worth. The speakers used in these amps were lightweight, bright, flimsy speakers. If you put one in a single 10" amp you likely would not like it much at any decent volume. Although as "one trick pony" for lead it could be good. I have done this with a few of them. What made those speakers work is that a 4 x 10, by design, puts out huge lower end and lower mids via the combo of the speakers. So much so that the Super uses a .022 tone cap where many Fender amps use a .047 cap.
I think using the Emi GA SC64 10 or any speaker with substantial lower end on it's own may not be a good thing. I have tried two Weber 10F150's in a Super with stock two speakers. It was just too much lower end. The Emi may work, but the Webers were too much. Oh it sounded fantastic, it just wasnt the Super sound...

Now that is going bug me . You are probably right but I thought I saw spec sheet long ago ...

Say hey! Would you know how many watts a 74’ CTS 10” alnico speaker would be out of vintage Fender SR

 

[uriah1]

Say hey! Would you know how many watts a 74’ CTS 10” alnico speaker would be out of vintage Fender SR

Thought it was spec sheet rated at 35. But I have seen 25 to 35 posts. So prob 30. Lol

 

[schmee]

Say buddy. I own a vintage 65’ Fender SR. I removed 2 of my 74’ CTS alnicos out recently. Don’t ask me how they made their way into a 65’ amp. I was too young and dumb to ask when I bought the amp. Anyway I just installed a Weber 10F150 and a 10A125 in a crisscross pattern with the other 2 74’ CTS. I don’t know which speaker I like more the alnico or the ceramic. Then again I know nothing about different amps nor speakers. Could you please gimme your opinion about what sounds the best? Maybe I’ll get my other two re-coned sometime later but for now I wanna try two new speakers for awhile.

That's a tough one. I like the CTS Alnico's in Supers , but I also like the ceramics Fender put in there. I think one driver is weight and lightweight alnicos work well for that. Many people like the Super CTS Alnicos.
I also had two Weber 10F150's in a Super for a bit. To me it sounded wonderful, but I felt I needed a bigger stage to use the amp as it only got louder.... and heavier! Huge low end.
There's a guy in LA area that recone's those CTS speakers correctly. That's what I would do.
The other lightweight speaker I'd love to try in a super is the little Emi GA SC64-10. If I was loading a Super I'd be trying 4 of those.

 

[homesick345]

I've got a pair of 10" alnico CTS speakers (mid 1974) in my SF Vibrolux that sound great. However, I do sometimes worry I'll blow them if I play them too hard, as I get to turn the amp up quite a bit sometimes.

Does anyone know the specs? What is its wattage rating, and does anyone know the sensitivity (I'm guessing they're fairly inefficient)?

For gigging, I'm considering swapping out the speakers just to keep the lovely CTS ones from breaking when I crank the amp.


If I do replace them, I'm thinking of eminence 1028k or 1058 (or even a mix of the two).


Any thoughts? Thanks.

I can relay the answer of the late TED WEBER, who addressed this specific question for me, regarding the beloved CTS alnico 10s:

1. They should be good for 15 watts max
2. They are around 92dbs

enjoy

 

[AJBaker]

I can relay the answer of the late TED WEBER, who addressed this specific question for me, regarding the beloved CTS alnico 10s:

1. They should be good for 15 watts max
2. They are around 92dbs

enjoy

Thanks!
That's useful to know.

I guess I should avoid cranking my 35-40w Vibrolux in that case.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I wouldn’t push any 70s (or earlier) speakers as hard as they were originally designed for. Age will reduce their power handling capabilities.

I only use mine in pairs and quads and with a maximum of 15 watt amps and I take it easy on the distortion as well and haven’t had any issues.

 

[Bob M]

I have a 2 x 10 open back cab with Allesandro sc 64s in it. They are rated 20 watts. I have cranked a 50 watt amp through this cab and these speakers sound awesome and have held up wonderfully. I would be concerned with cranking up a vintage low watt speaker. I remember that in the ‘60s we routinely swapped stock Fender speakers with EV or JBLs.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

Say hey! Would you know how many watts a 74’ CTS 10” alnico speaker would be out of vintage Fender SR

I have a quad of 74s and I treat them as 15 watt speakers. I used them in pairs with a 15 watt amp and take it easy on the volume and gain just to be safe.

I use my modern more easily replaceable speakers for cranking it up. A save the vintage speakers for studio, home, low volume use.

 

[Mowgli]

I had my '66 Super Reverb ones done by Orange County speaker, They were perfect and vintage correct and they did them back to my door in 1.5 weeks! However, unfortunately, Orange County quit reconing a while back. I have the name of the guy that did work for them and he's doing recones himself now. Let me know if want it , you can communicate with him. Everything OC did for me was perfect. Too bad they quit. they did some Pro Reverb Oxfords for me and I couldn't believe how big and bold those 45 YO Oxfords were when they were back! Oxfords get a bad rap because they are all old and worn out.

I don't know the guy/gal who reconed Schmee's speakers but OC reconed a vintage Jensen P12Q for me and it sounds GREAT; OC did a huge volume of work for the LA music and film industry. Very well regarded company.

 

[schmee]

I don't know the guy/gal who reconed Schmee's speakers but OC reconed a vintage Jensen P12Q for me and it sounds GREAT; OC did a huge volume of work for the LA music and film industry. Very well regarded company.

Yeah they were. They did Oxfords for me, JBL, CTS and maybe some others. Always first class. Incidentally, the 4 Super CTS's were turned around in less than 2 weeks from when I shipped them!