15 ohm speakers – what gives?

[Sirion]

15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I see there are some of the British made Greenbacks who are rated at 15 ohm rather than 16 ohm. To be brief: I assume that the discrepancy here is small enough that the speakers will not run into problem when treated as 16 ohm speakers? (e.g. combined with 16 ohm speakers, used with an amp on a 16 ohm setting &c.) I love the sound of the G12M, and it would have been awesome to try to combine them in a 4x12!

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Considering how nominal impedance numbers are derived, I'd be surprised if it made a difference.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I've never heard of such.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I asked Celestion about that. They do that on the historics because that's what they were rated on the label at back in the day. It's not that meaningful because the impedance varies by frequency, so it's an average, not an absolute number.

 

[dystrust]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I asked Celestion about that. They do that on the historics because that's what they were rated on the label at back in the day. It's not that meaningful because the impedance varies by frequency, so it's an average, not an absolute number.

+1

TL;DR: They're effectively the same as 16-ohm speakers.

 

[Sirion]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

What?! Four replies, and all are polite, helpful and on the point? Who would have thought it was possible! Thanks guys!

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

What?! Four replies, and all are polite, helpful and on the point? Who would have thought it was possible! Thanks guys!

Go to Tips and Clips for some horror stories.

On topic, I've never heard of such as well, but let us know how they sound! Greenbacks always sound great for vintage tones (I don't know if I'd djent with them).

 

[Sirion]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Go to Tips and Clips for some horror stories.

On topic, I've never heard of such as well, but let us know how they sound! Greenbacks always sound great for vintage tones (I don't know if I'd djent with them).

I will, if I get them. For the time being I'm merely scouting the territory, but they do look awfully tempting for my stuff. I guess I run a vintage modern (or modern vintage, whichever you like!) rig with an ADA MP-1 preamp and a Marshall 9040 power amp, and I really love how the greenbacks complement the rig's top end. Since I want to be running w/d/w with a manageable rig using so low-wattage speakers will be a problem, but they just sound so dashed good that I will have to find some way around it! The higher-wattage ones don't manage to get the same colouration of the top end that I love.

 

[dave74]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Noticed that years ago when I was browsing their website in research.
Speakers always read low anyways,,,,and not uniformly-low either.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I think Celestions have always tested at 15 Ohms, even when they were labeled 16. At least mine did.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Speakers always read low anyways,,,,and not uniformly-low either.

That's because you're reading the DC resistance, not the impedance.

*

15 Ohms was the standard when capacitors were condensers, pots were rheostats, 'gain' was volume and 'EQ' was tone. Before you young whippersnappers started with your beat groups, electronic guitars and heavy mental noises. You know, back when you could understand the words and singers had nice haircuts and suits.

The addition of that extra Ohm was a turning point .... many of us knew it would lead to no good. If you care for quality over quantity, you must say NO when the push to move up to 17 Ohms begins.

 

[IM4Tone]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

That's because you're reading the DC resistance, not the impedance.

*

15 Ohms was the standard when capacitors were condensers, pots were rheostats, 'gain' was volume and 'EQ' was tone. Before you young whippersnappers started with your beat groups, electronic guitars and heavy mental noises. You know, back when you could understand the words and singers had nice haircuts and suits.

The addition of that extra Ohm was a turning point .... many of us knew it would lead to no good. If you care for quality over quantity, you must say NO when the push to move up to 17 Ohms begins.

:haha:

 

[Sirion]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

That's because you're reading the DC resistance, not the impedance.

*

15 Ohms was the standard when capacitors were condensers, pots were rheostats, 'gain' was volume and 'EQ' was tone. Before you young whippersnappers started with your beat groups, electronic guitars and heavy mental noises. You know, back when you could understand the words and singers had nice haircuts and suits.

The addition of that extra Ohm was a turning point .... many of us knew it would lead to no good. If you care for quality over quantity, you must say NO when the push to move up to 17 Ohms begins.

Magnificent. Incidentally, the guy you are calling 'a young whippersnapper' most anybody else here could confirm is really 30 years behind the times.

 

[Mincer]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

The British use the metric system.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

What?! Four replies, and all are polite, helpful and on the point? Who would have thought it was possible! Thanks guys!

It helps when someone asks an interesting question or something that requires some insight.

 

[dystrust]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I will, if I get them. For the time being I'm merely scouting the territory, but they do look awfully tempting for my stuff. I guess I run a vintage modern (or modern vintage, whichever you like!) rig with an ADA MP-1 preamp and a Marshall 9040 power amp, and I really love how the greenbacks complement the rig's top end. Since I want to be running w/d/w with a manageable rig using so low-wattage speakers will be a problem, but they just sound so dashed good that I will have to find some way around it! The higher-wattage ones don't manage to get the same colouration of the top end that I love.

I see two possible solutions. First of all, use the Greenbacks in your dry cab regardless and then either mic it and use a mixer for effects, or if you insist on using all guitar cabs, use something higher-wattage in your wet cabs.

 

[Sirion]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I see two possible solutions. First of all, use the Greenbacks in your dry cab regardless and then either mic it and use a mixer for effects, or if you insist on using all guitar cabs, use something higher-wattage in your wet cabs.

Those are both possible, but I actually think there might be some other ways to do it First of all impedance works very differently on solid state power amps than tube power amps. Ohmage does effect the sound, but it also works as a power scaler: the power amp puts out 2x200 w at 4 ohm; at 8 ohm it will only put out a little over 100 w, and probably a little over 60 w at 16 ohm (I'm going to have to run a test of this at some point). What is more, the power ratings on solid state amps are truer to fact than on tube amps, so it might be possible to avoid compromising on the wet cabs if I am a little careful when turning the volume knob, as well as using ohmage to my advantage.

Of course, apart from being light and reliable one of the main appeals of solid state is that it is cheap, so I might also end up downsizing the rig to something like a Rocktron Velocity, which should give plenty of choice wattage wise and probably be large enough for my purposes.

 

[Sirion]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

It helps when someone asks an interesting question or something that requires some insight.

It doesn't hurt, but it is hardly a guarantee. But don't let me sound too negative; I like it here, and keep coming back.

 

[playas]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

The British use the metric system.

Do they?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

Re: 15 ohm speakers – what gives?

I have two 15 ohm EVH siggies mixed with two 16 ohm Vintage 30's in my 4x12.