Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

[psychles]

Hi everyone...

Tonight I finally found the 2x12 cabinet I've been seeking as a replacement for the 4x12 Bugera I've been using at home. I like the Bugera cab, but I just don't need anything that HUGE in my flat.

Anyway, what I found was an Avatar cabinet with a pair of English Celestions and I'm wondering if the combination of speaker models (and wattage) is really optimal.
The cabinet has a G12H 30W Vintage Series and a G12 Classic Lead 80W.

When I tried the cabinet out at the seller's house, I definitely noticed the 80W speaker was much louder than the 30W. This won't be good, if it persists at higher volumes...
I'm less-than-knowledgeable about these speakers, so I'd appreciate any advice/opinions that anyone has to offer. Is mixing the models and/or wattages a good way to find unique tone, or is it recommended to match them up? Also, if you had to choose ONE of these two speakers to keep, which would you choose?

Thanks in advance /bow to you all...

EDIT: By the way, for power, I'm just using a Bugera V22 combo - running the cabinet ONLY (unplugged combo speaker) - thanks

 

[tone4days]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

what kind of music will you be playing? ... more than anything, that will determine which speaker you'd like most ...

as long as you are not overpowering a speaker, its power rating isnt as important as its sensitivity in determining 'loudness'

the G12H30 70th has a sensitivity of 100dB .... the Classic lead has a sensitivity of 99dB ... so if each is performing without issue, there should not be a tremendously different volume level between the two ... in fact, the G12H should be slightly louder

that is, of course, if they are the same impedance, wired with proper polarity, and if neither is broken

i am wondering if the G12H is an 8 ohm speaker ... you want each speaker to be 16 ohms so that you can combine them in parallel to create a total load of 8 ohms for the power amp ...

for the music i play, i'd want a pair of G12H30s - each 16 ohms - wired in parallel

 

[psychles]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

what kind of music will you be playing? ... more than anything, that will determine which speaker you'd like most ...

<snip>

i am wondering if the G12H is an 8 ohm speaker ... you want each speaker to be 16 ohms so that you can combine them in parallel to create a total load of 8 ohms for the power amp ...

for the music i play, i'd want a pair of G12H30s - each 16 ohms - wired in parallel

Thank you for your reply. I was also wondering about the G12H as I know I need a set of 16s... The person who sold this to me has been using it for a while, as far as I know... do you know what would be the result if I was running at 8 ohms setting on amp and the cabinet had an 8 and a 16?

As far as what I'm playing, about 90% drop tuned, scooped, heavy rhythms with lots of low end... just typically imrov my own metal tunes at high volume. I use a V22 Bugera to drive the cabinet and run it on clean channel with a MXR Fullbore distortion pedal. The "scoop" setting sounds nice, but it also boosts the bass frequencies pretty substantially, which is why I needed to add the cabinet to the V22. Just as the gate kicks in it give this sort of quick, booming bass that was definintely upsetting the stock, Bugera 12" in the V22.

Hmm what did I miss... any other info i can provide? Thanks for listening.

EDIT: Oh and my main player is Jackson DK2M that is JUST about to receive a Duncan Custom TB-5 in the bridge and a '59 in the neck. Still play my Soloist with active EMGs, but these days it's the DK2M and Les Paul Special (stock pups)

 

[psychles]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

<snip>... i am wondering if the G12H is an 8 ohm speaker ... you want each speaker to be 16 ohms so that you can combine them in parallel to create a total load of 8 ohms for the power amp ...

for the music i play, i'd want a pair of G12H30s - each 16 ohms - wired in parallel

It looks like they make an 8 and 16. Just had the speaker out last night, maybe it's time to take it out again... IF It even says on the speaker?

 

[psychles]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

i am wondering if the G12H is an 8 ohm speaker ... you want each speaker to be 16 ohms so that you can combine them in parallel to create a total load of 8 ohms for the power amp ...

Good news!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

Looks like a good pair to get clean lows and bright highs.

 

[psychles]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

Looks like a good pair to get clean lows and bright highs.

Ah thanks! It's funny.... so many speakers out there and there seems to be a pretty clear consensus that the V30s are THE metal speaker. Of course there are some folks who say different, but if you took a poll of a large enough group of guitarists, I'd say 65% said V30s.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

well, i am not a metal guy, so i cant give you good advice in terms of tone

with the tech details sorted, i am confused as to why the one speaker sounds so much louder than the other ... here's what i would do ... listen to the cabinet at the volume you intend to play at - if you play loud, try it out loud, not soft ... play a while with the cabinet 'rightside up' and see how you like it ... then turn it upside down and play a while - see if you like it more, less, or about the same ... you can do the same with the amp on its side - probably doesnt matter which is on the left and which is on the right, but you can try both .... if any of these positions sound good, then just roll with it ...

also, have you checked the polarity to insure that they are working in-phase?

 

[Rich_S]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

I think that's an awesome pair of speakers. I have CL80 in my little Marshall 18 Watter clone combo and love it. Most guys prefer the G12H30 in 18 Watters, but I've A/B the H30 and CL80, and prefer Classic Lead's clarity. (Admittedly, my "thang" is '80s jangly pop rather than '70s classic rock, so that may explain my preference.)

The volume difference you hear might simply be a difference in clarity - the CL80 has an extended range that can really stand out. Or maybe it's just a matter of one speaker being a foot farther off the floor. Overall, I think those two speakers should complement each other nicely, while actually being somewhat similar.

Try it upside down and see if which way your prefer, then swap the speakers top/bottom if you like them the other way around. For recording and live use, experiment and mic whichever gives better sound through the desk.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

With the H30 on bottom, the floor should reinforce the lows. The floor acts as a soundboard. With the H30 on top, you'll lose some of the lows and hear more of the clarity and top end of the Lead 80 (assuming that you are standing far enough away to hear an even blend of the speakers...if you're standing too close, you're gonna hear the speaker closest to you ears the most).

 

[psychles]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

Thanks Tone4DAys, Rich S and GuitarDoc... Very good info (and great to hear that you think I have an "awesome pair of speakers," Rich!

I took the cabinet completely apart and pulled the speakers out and re-connected all the wires, bolted it back up and gave it a test run on my rig. It appears the volume issue is ONLY at low volume - which tells me that the 80 is just a bit more sensitive and it becomes audible before the 30. At "2" they both "appear" to be emitting similar signal, but only further testing will confirm.

One thing I can say - even that brief test at low volumne (too low for me) sounded REALLY GOOD!

Thanks again.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Speaker Opinions/Advice Requested

That's a cool score psychles! Being more of a classic rock/hard blues tone sort of guy, I love the G12H30 that I use, but having the Classic Lead 80 in there seems like a great match for your purposes!