Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

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Hey guys.

Sorry for the upcoming long post.

I'm basically looking for a new pair of speakers for my Zilla Cabs Fatboy 2x12 to replace the 2 V30s currently in it. The cab is slightly oversized in order to give a bit more bass than a 'standard' size 2x12.

The V30s work ok with my Splawn Quick Rod, I think it's more compressed voicing smoothes out some of the mid spike of the V30s, but with the SLO Clone (stock with 2x 5881s) they're pretty much unbearable at anything above 2 on the volume control as the treble increases along with volume and I just can't seem to tame the shrillness at anything approaching band volumes.

Both are Mid heavy amps with a good whack of Treble too. The Quick Rod is bright but not shrill at all with the V30s in this cab or the CL80 in my 1x12 whereas the SLO is ok with the CL80 but will rip your face off at anything above 2 with the V30s. The Quick Rod is more compressed sounding whereas the SLO is very 'open' sounding. Both imo are takes on similar tones but approached from different angles.

I'm looking to replace the V30s with 2 Eminences and have been thinking of the following combos:

2x Legend V12s - Soldano themselves use a 16ohm version of these speakers in their own cabs so I'm sure they'd be a great fit for the SLO. Not so sure about the Quick Rod though as I haven't come across anyone that uses them with that amp.

Legend V12/Legend GB12 combo - This to me seems like it'd be a good combo as it gives some of the more modern voicing of the V12 along with some of the Greenback type voicing of the GB12. Eminence told me it'd be a good fit tonally but they'd advise against it as this combo would only give me 100w total power handling and may not be enough for the 100w Splawn.

2x Legend GB12s or 2x Private Jacks - Greenbacks are 1 type of speaker that I seem to read a lot about as matching up really well with both QRs and SLOs. The speaker used by most people with Splawns is called a Small Block which is an Eminence speaker based on the Private Jack that they modify specifically for Splawn. Again Eminence told me it'd be a good fit tonally but they'd advise against it as this combo would only give me 100w total power handling and may not be enough for the 100w Splawn.

Wizard/Governor combo - I'd never thought about this combo but this is what Anthony at Eminence recommended when I emailled them. From what I gather it's their take on the V30/G12H30 combo but without the mid spike of the V30s. This seems like a combo of speakers that alot of people use with many different amps and alot of different styles of music. A good friend of mine that used to use a Quick Rod thinks this combo may be too bright but he said he's in the minority as most people seem to like it.

Wizard/Swamp Thang - This is what my friend mentioned above suggested I look into as he thinks it'd be a better fit for the QR. He hates SLOs though so wasn't interested in anything that'd fit that as well. My other friend that actually built my SLO for me has used Swamp Thangs in the past and thinks they'd be too bassy with that amp. He doesn't have much experience with the QR though so isn't sure how they'd work for that.

I've also recently been made aware of Tonespotters, a G12-65 variant I think?, that I think could fit both amps but haven't looked into them in too much detail yet.

So basically my questions are: does anyone have experience of both amps I've mentioned and if so what speakers do you find work well with both? Do you have any experience with any of the combos I mentioned above and what did you think to them? Any other combos I should look into?

I know this is quite a specific question amp wise so am not expecting too much in the way of replies but thought I'd give it a go :biglaugh:

I mainly play 70s and 80s Rock with various Strats/LPs/Teles/PRS CU22/Eggle/Flying V/Ibanez/BC Rich Guitars with BKPs, a Firebird with Dimarzios and a Jackson Dinky with JB/Jazz.

Again sorry for the long post and if I've asked stuff that's been asked many times before.

Thanks.

Craig
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I'm very partial to a V30 / Cannabis Rex paired up together. The C. Rex smooths out the piercing mids of the V30, and the V30 adds a little edge/excitement to the C. Rex. You get a really nice mid range with some clear bass and a slightly laid back higher frequency with the combo.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

The V30s work ok with my Splawn Quick Rod, I think it's more compressed voicing smoothes out some of the mid spike of the V30s, but with the SLO Clone (stock with 2x 5881s) they're pretty much unbearable at anything above 2 on the volume control as the treble increases along with volume and I just can't seem to tame the shrillness at anything approaching band volumes.

i have emis in two of my amps and have tried a couple of models in other people's amps too. Im a total eminence fan and the next speaker i get will be emi also.....
...however....i reckon a clestion g12K100 (formerly the g12h100) is the speaker for the job you require. Superb with high gain 80's sounding amps. Think of it as a more muscular, less spikey cousin of the v30. more grunt, less brightness and the mid voice is lower. They sound good when they are getting pumped too - they just get fatter and meaner.


ps. Dont quote me on this next bit because i know the wattage ratings are different and ive not had the chance to try one, but i belive the rough tonal emi equivalent of the g12K100 is called "the tonker".
 
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Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

No experience with either of those amps, but I've had most of those speakers.

V12's are pretty smooth and darker on the top end than V30's, but still in that realm, I think those would be a decent choice.

GB/PJ and like sounding speakers would probably be decent too, for the same characteristics.

Wizards are bright and loouud, not really deficient in any area. They just might be too bright though, if you think what you've got now is too bright I wouldn't recommend them unheard, see if you can find someone who has some to goof around on first.

Swamps are awesome, big lows, not as scooped and dark as people say they are. They're actually not overly bassy on their own, judt solid, but if you pump them hard they will destoy buildings. I loved them, needed 16 ohmers and traded them off, still haven't replaced them. *sigh*

The Wiz/ST combo is really cool, huuuge sounding, and again, loud, just a little more flat in the midrange than I really go for.

Texas Heats might be cool to check out, kind of a cross between the Swamp and a V12. I read somewhere that it's the same speaker as the Swamp, just with the smaller magnet.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

Good suggestion, G12K100's are actually kinda similar to the Swamp, more crunch, less smooth, more midrange oriented. Swamp is smoother, more growly in the low mid.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I'm very partial to a V30 / Cannabis Rex paired up together. The C. Rex smooths out the piercing mids of the V30, and the V30 adds a little edge/excitement to the C. Rex. You get a really nice mid range with some clear bass and a slightly laid back higher frequency with the combo.

I can see that combo working well. I have a 2x12 with a V30/G12H30 mix, and a 1x12 with a Cannabis Rex. The Rex is a very smooth sounding speaker, with rolled off (but not dark!) highs and plenty of bass response. I'd imagine the more middy V30 would compliment that very well.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I have two Governors in a diagonal 2x12. THey are very very good with my Oranges, lots of mids but, if I understand/listen correctly, they're not as harsh on the midrange as the V30s.

The Wizard is even more mid-heavy than the Governors (Used one for about 5 years). Great speakers but if you're worrying about too much mids, that may not be the best speaker to use...

I can't speak for the others though...
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I've used Cannabis Rexs for some time, until Celestion reissued the G-12 65. Robben Ford approved! ;)
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

Thanks for your opinions so far.

Looks like I have a few more speakers to look into that I'd not thought about! :smack:
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I've got two "Texas Heats" in my Twin, a "C-Rex" in my 1X12 extension cab and a "Ragin Cajun" in my SCXD. All of their speakers are superb and their web site descriptions are accurate. You can't go wrong with them.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

My Jet City is a Soldano design, so the voicing is probably very similar to the SLO clone. I run it through a Wizard and Governor combo, and on its own, it gets close to shrill territory. But once you step away from the cabinet a few feet, it's really just well-defined and full. I think the one-directional nature of the treble is causing the problem.

If you compare it to a pair of Vintage 30s, you get a lot more fullness, and everything just sounds better. I had a pair of Governors before, and the bass response was lacking, and the voicing was all crammed into a small upper-mid range of the frequency spectrum. Once the Wizard came along, it was exactly what the cabinet needed. Now, it's very well balanced with plenty of cut and definition.

I can highly recommend this combination, since I stopped looking to fix my cabinet once I got that pair in there. Two Governors by themselves is not great.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I've got two "Texas Heats" in my Twin, a "C-Rex" in my 1X12 extension cab and a "Ragin Cajun" in my SCXD. All of their speakers are superb and their web site descriptions are accurate. You can't go wrong with them.

Thanks for the info.

I'd considered Texas Heats myself but the guy I spoke to at Eminence says they're very clear, articulate speakers that suit amps that are muddy and lack definition. Neither of those are problems I have so I kind of discounted them.

I need to sit and re-read through their descriptions and see if anything not already suggested to me jumps out.

My Jet City is a Soldano design, so the voicing is probably very similar to the SLO clone. I run it through a Wizard and Governor combo, and on its own, it gets close to shrill territory. But once you step away from the cabinet a few feet, it's really just well-defined and full. I think the one-directional nature of the treble is causing the problem.

If you compare it to a pair of Vintage 30s, you get a lot more fullness, and everything just sounds better. I had a pair of Governors before, and the bass response was lacking, and the voicing was all crammed into a small upper-mid range of the frequency spectrum. Once the Wizard came along, it was exactly what the cabinet needed. Now, it's very well balanced with plenty of cut and definition.

I can highly recommend this combination, since I stopped looking to fix my cabinet once I got that pair in there. Two Governors by themselves is not great.

Thanks for the info.

Governor/Wizard was the suggestion put to me by Eminence and Swamp Thang/Wizard was put to me by TO on here who also owned a QR a while ago.

Looking at the descriptions on the Eminence site Id've thought that the Wizard may be too bright, but it seems like the Governor balances that up some way going by what you said.

I think it's down to either the Gov/Wizard combo or a pair of Legend V12s at the moment.

I wish I lived in the States as then I'd have access to Scumbacks, WGS, Splawn Speakers, Webers etc but unfortunately alot of those aren't available here so I'm limited somewhat to Celestion and Eminence.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I love Eminence speakers. I have a 10" Rajun Cajun in my Fender Champion 110 and I put a 12" Swamp Thang in my old Crate GX-65 combo that I used to have.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

My only experience with them is the Governer / Man O War combo in my Splawn 4x12, but those are fantastic. The Governer has the mid-spike of the V30 without the brittle high-end, and the more scooped sound of the Man O War smooths out the tone and fills in the low mids and bass while adding a touch of extra top-end complexity.

That speaker config in that cabinet is also the most efficient and consistent cab from a recording perspective that I have ever encountered.
 
Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

I've got two "Texas Heats" in my Twin, a "C-Rex" in my 1X12 extension cab and a "Ragin Cajun" in my SCXD. All of their speakers are superb and their web site descriptions are accurate. You can't go wrong with them.
i have texas heats in my twin too! They are freakin superb speakers for that usage (they replaced weber californias), but i would probably not use something like that in a high gain hotrodded tone amp like a soldano. I stuck a cannabis rex into a friends princeton and that really impressed me...i might just do the same thing in my princeton. Sounds like we have similar taste in speakers BB.
I'd considered Texas Heats myself but the guy I spoke to at Eminence says they're very clear, articulate speakers that suit amps that are muddy and lack definition. Neither of those are problems I have so I kind of discounted them.
Yeh. that sounds about right. Stick with a darker brit voiced speaker for your two amps. (hence the g12k recommendation)
 
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Re: Looking to be schooled on Eminence Speakers by anyone in the know

Thanks guys.

I need to look more into the GK100 as mentioned above.


My only experience with them is the Governer / Man O War combo in my Splawn 4x12, but those are fantastic. The Governer has the mid-spike of the V30 without the brittle high-end, and the more scooped sound of the Man O War smooths out the tone and fills in the low mids and bass while adding a touch of extra top-end complexity.

That speaker config in that cabinet is also the most efficient and consistent cab from a recording perspective that I have ever encountered.

This is good to hear too.

I'd heard this was the 'go to' combo for Splawns before the small blocks came along.

Do you have any clips at all?
 
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