Current Speaker Brands. Your Favorite.

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Your cabinet needs a speaker. Which brand would you choose?

  • Celestion

  • Eminence

  • Electro Voice

  • Fane

  • Jensen

  • Jupiter

  • Scumback

  • Tone Speak

  • Tone Tubby

  • Weber

  • WGS

  • other


Results are only viewable after voting.

arlum

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So you're either replacing a speaker(s) in an existing speaker cabinet or wanting to load the new speaker cab you're building. Among current production speaker brands which would be your first choices? You can select up to 3 brands.
In the comments please give the models that led to your brand choices and what about those models made them standout speakers to you. Other cabinet owners or builders might gain insight into speakers that would fit their needs.
Thank You
 

joulupukki

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I’ve had and tried:
12” Mojotone British Vintage BV-30H - My favorite for best tone, just heavy for my combo
12” Mojotone British Vintage BV60N - A very close 2nd favorite and installed in my AB763 combo custom clone I built. Love the sound and as a bonus, it’s leighter weight!
12” Celestion Creamback Neo - 3rd favorite - I have this in a speaker cab and it sounds great and is lightweight (used to be in my combo amp before switching to the BV60N
12” Mojotone Greyhound - Can get loud, but hasn’t made me go, oh yeah!
10” Jensen C10Q - Sounded great in a Princeton Reverb cab whether powered by the PR amp or my Deluxe Reverb build
12” Jensen C12K - The stock that comes in a Fender DRRI - didn’t really compare with any of these others in a good way, imo
 

sds1

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WGS for their variety, quality, and value -- exact speaker(s) depend on the application
ElectroVoice for their EVM12L
 

nc0gnit000

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A while ago, I got a Fender SF Vibro Champ for free from a guy who threw it in to make a trade. I didn't tell him that I felt that I was coming out ahead in the trade to begin with. It sat unused in a corner for quite a few years since I had a EC Vibro Champ at the time. One day I A/B'd the both amps and liked the SF a lot better, the EC got sold. The original speaker was in the amp but I picked up a Weber that sounded really good, pretty much like the original.
1 vote for Weber.
I also have a 65PRRI with the original Jensen C10r. About a year ago I picked up a Eminence GA-10 SC64 for it. It's still in the box. Every time I think about switching the speakers I play the PR and I just like the way the stock speaker sounds.
1 vote for the Jensen.
The sweetest sounding amp I ever played was a Blonde 63 Tremolux with the 2x10 cab that I bought in the 60s. I'm pretty sure it had Oxfords in it.
1 vote for Oxfords
I really don't have any idea what kind of speakers were in the other dozens of tube amps I've owned.
 

TeleUpNorth

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My Avatar A25 sounds amazing with any amp I used it on.

Also very partial to the Mojotone BV30.
 

Dostradamas

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I adore my Celestions 20240921_185723.jpg
 

Twang-ineer

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In the last couple of months:
A Celestion Type A for a sealed 1x12 enclosure. My current favorite cab is an open back with the Type A - It had the effect I was hoping for. It really does sound half way between Brit and Cali. I love the open back with the warmth and bloom of the low end, but for dirt, the sealed enclosure keeps the mid highs that I like and tightens the whole thing up.

Jensen C12R8 - Just wow. Capable of being very delicate with a clean signal. My 5 watt "champ like" head loves it with a nice reverb in front.

A pair of Eminence ALPHA-8A speakers into those Small Vox MV series 1x8 cabs. They are flat enough to use IR's with them, yet they also sound very good with just about any guitar amp plugged in. the limitation I have found with this application is that My amp and the speakers can take WAY more than those poor little cabs can. So I bought a second pair for a bass 2x8 that I have sitting unused. One day I will get them dropped in and report back on how they worked out.
 

Mongo Park

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Eminence Canibus Rex seems to please my ears for the price and goes in a lot of fender aMos I build
 

Powdog

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Among the current production speakers, Weber is making the most authentic vintage Jensen sounding alnicos I’ve heard. The new production Jensens aren’t even close. The original Scumbacks were awsome, probably because Ted Weber was building them. As far as ceramic magnets, it’s pretty hard to beat a Celestion Vin30.
 

Hiwatts-n-Gibsons

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Celestion Heritage G12H-30 both 55hz and 75hz models, and G12-65. The 55hz and 75hz G12H-30's are my two favorite currently produced Celestions. The 75 hz Heritage is imo the best of its type between it, the V30, the Amniversary G12H-30, and the Creamback 75. It has none of the newer versions of the V30's harshness, and is more open sounding without the slightly honky mid notch of the Creamback 75 while occupying the same sonic space. I personally cannot stand the Anniversary G12H-30, it is by far my least favorite H magnet Celestion.

The 55 hz G12H-30 is just a phenomenal speaker with clear sweet treble, and full yet punchy lows, with nice lower midrange growl. Neither speaker ever sounds cold and harsh, and both have distinctly different but vocal midrange with neck and middle pickup positions that crunch up nicely with a bridge pickup.

As for the G12-65 it is the only modern ceramic M magnet Celestion that works for me. That said most of my experience is with the vintage versions in my JCM800 1935 Lesd 4x12. They have tight punchy lows, and amazing upper midrange kerrang paired with an articulate and airy treble. While they lack the woody reedy quality of Greenbacks, they make up for it with a pervussive glassy crunch that makes them better suited for a lot of rock and metal tones. Also as much as I love them, I have to say I love the rarer 55hz G12-65's in my 1935 Bass 4x12 even better, and wish Celestion would add those to the Heritage line up. It's not like the 55hz cones they use on the G12H's would not be able to handle the extra wattage.

Eminence Wizard, Cannabis Rex, and Swamp Thang.

I used a Wizard for a long time in an Ear Candy 1x12, and it covered tones from vintage British voiced cleans to metal tones really well. It has a taut lowend punch with really toothy midrange grind, and articulate but not harsh treble. It reminded me most of a early '90s Marshall Vintage speaker which was the first and imo best version of the V30 ever made.

I also had a pair of Cannabis Rex mixed with a pair of WGS ET90's in a 4x12 I bought. It was a big, balanced, and articulate sounding mix with plenty of punch and chime.

Swamp Thang. Just a big, ballsy, smooth and dark speaker that somehow manages to balance that with good clarity and definition.

For my other selection, Rawson Sparfield Yorkshire. I am a vintage Fane addict, and this speaker is their clone of the Purple Label Fanes like I have in my '72 Hiwatt 4x12 which are amazing sounding speakers. If it sounds anything like my vintage Fane Purples it is easily worth the price. They're punchy, and articulate with clear smooth treble and a broad complex midrange grind. Cranking my Hiwatt or Reeves heads paired with a P90 loaded guitar into that cab gives up instant Live at Leeds clean and crunch tones.
 
Last edited:

Chiogtr4x

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I like affirdable everything, ( with guitar gear),
and I have had great results with the Eminence Legend Series, Jensen Ceramic & Mods Series, and the little 8" Celestion Eight 15- various combos

- however, prices have jumped as we know!
( hell, a Combo Meal is $11+!)
 

telemnemonics

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I voted with the masses, but could really get by with only Celestion.
I have Emi speakers I like a lot too but used Celestion since the '80s and only tried Eminence in the early 2000s.
I prefer to match the speaker to the rig and have no single speaker I prefer for every amp and sound.
Golds are favorites but now use a neo creamback mostly.
Used to love the V30 but got tired of a thing about them.

I have dozens of speakers including vintage Jensen and EV, which are great for certain uses, but old.
Used to like vintage speakers but not so much any more.
 

dom ray mustang

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I've 3 4x12 cabs loaded with old pre-'74 Celestions G12Hs (some with 55Hz, some with 75Hz cone).
These are my fave speakers. For the stuff I play they do it all.
I'm fortunate that none is blown yet.
But I guess if one speaker blows I'd just replace it by a Celestion G12C, not because it's my favourite current Celestion speaker, but I have 8 pcs at home sitting in the basement.


...and I guess there's no tonal substitute for Pulsonic coned Celestions and nowadays original ones are scary expensive...


For my 5E9A Tremolux build I had a certain sound reference from a YT clip, where a guy played his Tele through that Tremolux with an original P12Q.
A friend of mine and I were testing and going through many different speakers. Celestion Blue, Eminence GA-SC59, Celestion Cream Alnico, Weber 12A125A, Weber 12A150, Weber 12A150F, Jupiter 12LA-P. And a Speedshop A12Q (made by Weber). The A12Q finally filled that missing link, and brought us to that reference clip really close.

If choosing one speaker without having any reference in mind I can think of Eminence GA-SC64 (never played one but the GA-SC59).

V30s is a love hate relationship for me... very depending on impedance and cabs where it's used.
I like it as 8Ohms version in open cabs. I like them in Fender (open and closed) cabs in general.
But I don't get along too well with V30s in Marshall cabs, can't stand that pronounced splurging high mid and buzzy thing it adds to an overdriven sound.
 

thankyouguitar

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So you're either replacing a speaker(s) in an existing speaker cabinet or wanting to load the new speaker cab you're building. Among current production speaker brands which would be your first choices? You can select up to 3 brands.
In the comments please give the models that led to your brand choices and what about those models made them standout speakers to you. Other cabinet owners or builders might gain insight into speakers that would fit their needs.
Thank You
Eminence all the way!! It was an unorthodox choice, but I needed high power speakers and got a pair of Delta 10As around 2003 and haven't looked back since. The narrower 63-3.7K frequency response has really worked for me and I can't argue with the 350w RMS power handling at 98.8 dB sensitivity. I used to have a pair in an old Vox Cambridge Reverb 30 Twin cab and it was a total sleeper!!
 

Uffepungen

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I'm curious if anyone had the same "journey" as me:

I started out playing Marshalls and Celestion speakers (because that was what you were "supposed" to play), then travelled through VOX (with Alnico Blue), to now prefering Fender Tweed with Jensen type speakers. I also use a Carr Telstar (which is based on a tweed Pro) with a Weber 12A125A speaker. All my other Jensen types are also Webers.
 

Hiwatts-n-Gibsons

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I'm curious if anyone had the same "journey" as me:

I started out playing Marshalls and Celestion speakers (because that was what you were "supposed" to play), then travelled through VOX (with Alnico Blue), to now prefering Fender Tweed with Jensen type speakers. I also use a Carr Telstar (which is based on a tweed Pro) with a Weber 12A125A speaker. All my other Jensen types are also Webers.

My trip was way different.

I started with a Peavey Rage 158

Next up was an ss Crate half stack

Then a Paul Rivera era Fender SS combo

My first tube amp was a Soldano designed Yamaha T100C with a Celestion G12H-100, and I often paired it with a Boogie Half-Back 2x12 with EVM12L's

Then I found my first real keeper, a '96 Mesa Tremoverb combo with V30's, which was also sometimes used with the Boogie Half-Back cab

Some years later I added to that a 4X6550 powered KMD XV100SD (think JCM800 with two independent channels) that I used as a slave head for the Mesa's preamp split stereo with stereo pedals in the Mesa's loop

After 26 years with the Mesa I got my life long dream amp, two of them to be specific. A Hiwatt Custom 100 DR103, and a Reeves Custom 100 DR504. I was that weirdo that didn't lust for a Plexi stack in the '80s and '90s, but instead a Hiwatt stack

Along the line after that I also brought in a Magnatone Stereo Panoramic Head, and DR Z Rt 66 head, both of which were stolen along with my truck.

I have also added a Matamp GT150

And an early '70s NMV Ampeg VT22

As for speakers and cabs, I'm a die hard vintage Coffee Can alnico SRO12 and Coffee Can SRO15 lover, a lover of vintage Fane's made from the '60s to the early 2000's (55hz and 75hz low wattage models from the '60s, Purple Labels from the early '70s, Medusa 30's from the '90s, AXA12's ftom the early 2000's, and Studio 12L's from the 2000's), and a few vintage or Heritage Celestions, particularly both the Heritage 55hz and 75hz G12H-30's, G12H-100's, and both vintage 55hz and 75hz G12-65's.
 
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