speaker/wattage/ohm question

80's_Metal

80's_Metal

Underglazed Hair Metalologist
Ok here is my issue in a nutshell.

I wired my Randall cabinet with eminence speakers, 8ohm, high wattage (2 Swamp Thangs @150watts per and 2 Texas heats @150 watts each)
I also own a Marshall 1960 with some celestion/vintage 30's and a 75t ALL @16 ohms....

My Randall remains super tight, doesn't break up or get smooth/creamy even at full 200-watt ****ing ear-splitting volume.... it doesn't sound all that great for solo's and scoopy distortion.... its not squeally, there not much character in the sound.... kind of sterile I guess.

The Marshall cabinet sounds creamy and breaks up at any volume.... such different tones.... and I like the overall sound of the Marshall much better. (regardless of the amp its plugged into)

I had originally built the Randall Cab to copy an Old Krank I had; with that "chugga chugga" compressing your lungs/chest with drop B rhythm..... It actually does that pretty well, BUT I haven't been into that sort of thing in a while now, SO.... I'm looking at changing the speakers out of the Randall to more closely match the Marshall cabinet....



SO..... My question is:
Do I need to get 16 ohm speakers vintage/celestion/gt75's..... because they are 16 ohms? (and that's why my Marshall sounds so great)
Or should I get those similar models in 8 ohms and retain the killing volume of the 200w Amp? (because the ohms don't matter; its the speaker model that makes the difference)



The Randall amp does both 8 and 16 ohm, so I don't think that will be an issue.


What say you oh mighty knowledge brethren?
 
Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

There may be some debate about differences between different impedance versions of the same speakers. The one I've heard most often is probably related to the OT secondary winding. 16 ohm runs through the whole winding while 8 ohm and 4 ohm use less as they are tapped off at different points. Among those who do argue this, I doubt there is consensus agreement.

Regardless, the biggest difference is going to be in the speaker model (not the impedances) and the cabinet.
 
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Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

Steve Fryette has written (I don't have a link handy) that 16 ohm cabs get a slightly deeper bass and a slightly brighter treble compared to 8 ohm cabs. 8 ohm cabs get a slightly fatter midrange. But the impedance effect pails in comparison to the actual model(s) of speakers used. Next the cabinet design is still more important than the impedance.
 
Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

My Marshall Jubilee sounds better at 16 ohms than 8; I've compared the same model of cab with the same model of speakers side-by-side. Several others have said that speaker model makes more difference than impedance, and I agree. The difference I heard was small and I could happily gig with the 8 ohm cab if I didn't have the 16.

If I remember correctly the OP's amp is solid state or a hybrid, so OT windings aren't an issue here. I would suspect the tone of the two cabs to be virtually identical, with the exception of the 8 ohm variant pulling more wattage. Adding to what skyydogg01 said, the ONLY reason I'd consider going with 16 ohm speakers is if you intend to use both cabs at the same time. If the two cabs won't be used simultaneously, go with 8-ohm speakers.
 
Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

skyydogg01 said:
Switch it to 16 ohms ... That way you can run both at the same time
Click to expand...

Well I use one amp for home, and one for the band. So I won't play them together, just thinking I want to get a better/different sound from the Randall cab.
 
Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

Not sure I understand, the Randall cab is 8 ohms and the Marshall is 16 ohms?

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Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

Demanic said:
Not sure I understand, the Randall cab is 8 ohms and the Marshall is 16 ohms?

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yes and his Marshall cab sounds better but his Randall amp produces more power into 8 ohms. So, he's basically asked if the 16 ohms of the Marshall cabinet is a big reason why it sounds better than his 8 ohm Randall cabinet in the context of whether it's worth giving up the additional output power of the Randall amp for the SQ gained by going with higher impedance drivers/cab.
 
Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

Could the sterility of the eminence speakers also come from the fact that they are 150w speakers?
vs the 30 to 75w Marshall speakers? Could that be more of a factor as to why they don't break up so easily?
 
Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

Uh, yeah, I would think so! How many watts of power would it take to get a speaker rated for 150 to break up? Not to mention 4 of them?

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Re: speaker/wattage/ohm question

That cab is made to lay down tight bass heavy, scooped midrange, sizzling highs metal mayhem. It is not designed to break up like the Marshall.

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