Emi Texas Heat review

FuseG4

Our Neighbor Totoro
The Eminence "Texas Heat" speaker
12", 8Ω, 150W. 38 oz magnet.

Egnater Tweaker Head, open back Vox Night Train 1x12 cab

So, a lil background. I've been "stuck with" a Celestion Super 65. I needed a cheap 50W+ speaker when i bought my DSL50 as I didn't wanna blow the greenback I had, and so I got a Super 65 from avatar speakers for like $35 shipped. It was light on the bass, lots of highs, and rather quiet at 97 dB. With it's 20 oz magnet it felt like a lightweight, and really behaved like one.

Eminence describes the Texas Heat speaker as being warm and fat with some top end bite and some slightly british midrange flavor. I used the MIM Strat in my sig throughout the testing.

When setting my Tweaker to USA mode, clean, volume at 90% and gain at about 20%, I was instantly treated to fatness. The bass is very full and even, so the speaker isn't explosively punchy, but there's no ass-dragging and (as of yet) no farting here. The treble "bite" they were talking about helps to keep that piano-like sound on the wound strings. It's VERY bluesy, with buttery smooth sustain. There's not much loss of sparkle in this otherwise quite warm speaker though, so it's less like a treble "bite" and more like a treble kiss. "Bite" is what I feel from a greenback. Bright amps would benefit from this. I wouldn't put this in a Valkveking, or in a tweed amp, or anything which doesn't need to be thickened up any further. If you need a TON of punch, skip this one and try the RW&B or a Screamin Eagle.

My amp previously displayed a little fizz at low volumes but this speaker has smoothed that WAY out. For that alone I'm quite happy.

I didn't get the whole "hint of british flavor" thing until I stepped on the Blues Driver and hit the bridge pickup. Not totally a "honky" quality, but still crisp. This is where they get the "Texas" in the name, you can hear texas blues wanting to come out of this. The Screamin Eagle I used to have never did that kind of midrange, and C12Ks they put in the DRRIs don't generally sound as forward and up front as this, either. It's quite a nice balance.

Trying out the Brit setting on my tweaker seemed just a lil less british than with the celestion super 65, but raising the treble helps put more of that raunchiness back in there. This speaker really favors the USA part of the amp as I hoped it would.

The volume is a manageable 98 dB, and I haven't been able to test when the speaker breaks up, and i doubt I'll get to (15W amp in an apartment, 150W speaker, you get the picture.)

In closing, this speaker really seems to impart a smoothness and fatness that would benefit any Fenderish tones without limiting you to a "scooped" midrange. If your smaller Fender or Fender-like amp needs a little push towards that "deep and 3D" Twin Reverb feeling, definitely try the texas heat. If you need absolutely glistening treble, try something else.
 
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Re: Emi Texas Heat review

The amp's own gain sounds MUCH "bigger" now, but it's a 15W 6v6 amp with cathode bias, so the vintagey spongey bass comes through a lil more. My whole setup is no longer geared toward punchyness (like when i had the DSL and the bright Super 65 speaker), so while certain things sound awesome now like neck pickup lead tones and sustaining thick power chords, palm mutes don't hit very hard and I have to raise the amps treble control to get the KERRANG from the Agile with A2P's, but it's certainly still in there. I can raise the treble quite a bit and things don't get harsh at all.

Also now I can play with a little less gain as I don't have to add so much to get my amp to "thicken up" now.
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

how's it sound under amp overdrive/distortion?

These are great speakers for heavy music as well. I've had mine for almost 2 years and not 1 complaint. very smooth, tight, very... American i guess you could say. Great in the lower mid range. Some of the Krank 4x12's came loaded with these (don't know if they still do) Pair it with some swamp thangs and that would be a great metal 4x12. But yes these speakers would really shine in a fender twin.

Edit: Also I think these would sound great with a 5150 style amp. I have yet to get my hands on one but to me it seems like it would be an ideal speaker for that.
 
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Re: Emi Texas Heat review

Do you think you'd get more punch out of it in a closed back cab?

Just curious
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

Do you think you'd get more punch out of it in a closed back cab?

Just curious

almost certainly it would have much more THUMP. Perhaps I will go with a closed back when I finally replace this MDF job. the NT cab isn't terrible, but I know there's better stuff out there.
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

I seem to hear a particular low mid hump in all of the Eminence spkrs I have tried... which are quite a few.
All in all, I am very disappointed in them. I liked the Can Rex the best... but it still also had this hump. A real cardboard sound in the low mids. I do not hear this in the Celestion spkrs I use. G75T, V30 and Greenback.
I would agree... In any over bright sounding amp and for the money... It might be the thing for someone.
But personally, I have a stack of them in boxes in my home. Can. Rex, Texas Heat & Private Jacks.
.
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

I want something that wont break up as easily as the stocker in my Marshall class5, unless it is deliberately cranked past 6 or i step on a blues driver.

what would you recommend?
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

as far as quality control and overall satisfaction, is Weber on par or better than Emi or Celestion? I admit the name sounds familiar.

The description is exactly what i want. thanks
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

as far as quality control and overall satisfaction, is Weber on par or better than Emi or Celestion? I admit the name sounds familiar.

The description is exactly what i want. thanks

yeah weber makes great products. Built by hand, one at a time when you order.
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

i basically only buy three speaker types.

eminence, english celestions, and webers. weber makes a damn good speaker. best 10" guitar speakers ive tried
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

I have one in a 2x12 closed stereo cab. The review matches my experience with my Tweaker head as well.
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

I seem to hear a particular low mid hump in all of the Eminence spkrs I have tried... which are quite a few.
All in all, I am very disappointed in them. I liked the Can Rex the best... but it still also had this hump. A real cardboard sound in the low mids. I do not hear this in the Celestion spkrs I use. G75T, V30 and Greenback.
I would agree... In any over bright sounding amp and for the money... It might be the thing for someone.
But personally, I have a stack of them in boxes in my home. Can. Rex, Texas Heat & Private Jacks.
.

Personally I'm big fan of GB-128s, they are green back clones but 50watts... there's anything but cardboard sound in the low mids in this babys.
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

Do you think the Texas Heat would be good for a British sounding amp to play instrumental stuff like Satch and Vinnie Moore?
 
Re: Emi Texas Heat review

Do you think the Texas Heat would be good for a British sounding amp to play instrumental stuff like Satch and Vinnie Moore?

Well do you want to keep it sounding.. "british"? I think the TH is awesome for american metal and blues sounds. I haven't been able to max out the bottom end on them yet. Smooth top end. I'm not sure how something like a Marshall would take them.

Edit:I totally agree with it not having the british flavor mids. I didn't really get the sense out of them.
 
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Re: Emi Texas Heat review

Thanks for the great review! I'd love to see similar reviews of the C Rex and the Swamp Thing, if anyone's got those speakers. .
 
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