EV SRO 12's

Discussion of Speakers, Cabinets and Cabinet Building

Moderators: pompeiisneaks, Colossal

Post Reply
User avatar
jon
Posts: 566
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 6:45 pm
Location: North East

EV SRO 12's

Post by jon »

Curious on peoples thought on the old Coffee can Alnico EV's. I've got a chance to grab some in really nice shape.
Teleguy61
Posts: 1000
Joined: Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:26 pm
Location: Eastern Mass USA

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by Teleguy61 »

Great sounding speakers that weigh a ton.
They don't handle as much power as the EVMs, more along the lines of a JBL as far as power goes.
I don't think you can get the correct parts for recones any longer, much like the JBL D series.
That's just my recollection, research would reveal the answer.
Jim Messina in his Poco days is a Tele through a Dynacomp into a Twin Reverb with SROs. Pretty good sound I'd say.
Bigred
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:42 am
Location: Charlestown,R.I.
Contact:

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by Bigred »

I love them... currently I have one in a '66 Ampeg Reverberocket II and it is a fabulous match... I am looking for another to put in my '66 Princeton Reverb w/ 12" baffle (Larry Rodgers).... They are incredible in low power amps and turn them into full gigging rigs... No need to haul the AC30 or Super Reverbs... Yes,they are heavy, but the TONE is extraordinary.... it is important that they have original cones,because as mentioned in the post above,the recone parts are no longer available....
User avatar
Structo
Posts: 15446
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 1:01 am
Location: Oregon

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by Structo »

I always thought it would be cool to build four 1x12 cabinets so you could choose how many drivers you wanted at each gig.

Small coffee shop gig, one 1x12

Bar gig, maybe two 1x12.

Large venue gig, four 1x12.

Of course they would have to be high quality and designed properly (air volume) for the specs of the speaker.

Closed back or open back?

Maybe have two of one type speaker and the other two a different type.

Just kind of thinking out loud.

As I have mentioned, I have a large VOX 2x12 cab with two EVM 12L's.
That speaker cab weighs a ton!
But since I'm not playing out, it doesn't move, :lol:
Tom

Don't let that smoke out!
User avatar
NickC
Posts: 1814
Joined: Fri May 14, 2010 1:05 pm
Location: Upstate New York

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by NickC »

I have a Bag End 2x12 cabinet loaded with EVM12L's. Each speaker has its own compartment. The cabinet is deep and each compartment has a 2" round vent/baffle in the back of the cab. Great sounding cabinet, but heavy!

Here is a pic from the internet (mine looks much better):

[img:600:450]http://a2.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/imag ... ad4d/l.jpg[/img]
Bigred
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:42 am
Location: Charlestown,R.I.
Contact:

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by Bigred »

The EV 12L's are a different speaker than the earlier coffee can EV SRO.. the 12L is a ceramic magnet.... the SRO coffee can is an alnico.... both great!! ...but very different in sound...
User avatar
Turbojunkie
Posts: 151
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2012 12:16 am
Location: Maine

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by Turbojunkie »

Great speaker, my favorite 12" with a Fender amp....If you like to play clean Jazz/Country/Blues stuff, they're tough to beat for that....they weigh about 24 lbs. each, and are the most efficient speaker I've ever owned at 103db...like another poster replied, they will make a small wattage amp MUCH louder....I always thought of them kind of like a P12N, but with way better/tighter bass response, and they can handle much more juice....I think they were conservatively rated at 60w....
Turbojunkie
Cliff Schecht
Posts: 2629
Joined: Wed Dec 30, 2009 7:32 am
Location: Austin
Contact:

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by Cliff Schecht »

First off, I don't think the recone kits are unavailable. My dad had one reconed for me a few years back and it's been my go to speaker since I got a hold of it. The guy didn't do the BEST job but it's not a bad recone and the sound is to die for. Either way I am not 100% sure about that without calling all of the big speaker reconing houses.

Also as mentioned these things are REALLY conservatively rated. They'll handle a 100W Marshall at full tilt without breaking a sweat. The SRO was the only speaker I owned that could handle the 200W bass amp I built. The reason the continuous sine wave rating is so low however is because the alnico magnets will demagnetize if you put too much current through the speaker (eddy current losses cause the alnico to heat up and demag). But that's not a typical speaker operating condition (unless you are a synth player :P) and guitar amps only hit their wattages in very short transient peaks. This is where the SRO really shines, it's got a super stiff surround that can take big transients without issue.

I also have always really appreciated how sensitive these speakers are. Makes a Champ sound huge for sure! My SRO sits in a closed back 1x12 (front ported) Egnater cab and as others have put it, "there is something magical going on in that cab". The Alnico adds a nice compression and the overall response of the speaker is perfectly suited for EVERY guitar amp I've thrown at it. I won't use any other speaker to test guitar amps now (in my home lab, and once I know the amp is working!!) because I know how the SRO sounds (very little coloration).
Cliff Schecht - Circuit P.I.
User avatar
JoeCon
Posts: 632
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2012 3:06 pm
Location: Manch-Vegas NH

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by JoeCon »

Teleguy

Yes Messinas' Twin with SRO's, I loved POCO's sound so I got a Twin and did the SRO swap. Could barely move the thing after it was so heavy!! But it had that sound.

Saw Jim recently in Londonderry NH and he was playing a Strat! What's up with that.....
In theory, theory is the same as practice. In practice it's different.
Bob S
Posts: 1575
Joined: Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:38 pm
Location: Up there with the Michiganders

Re: EV SRO 12's

Post by Bob S »

I love the sound of SRO's & JBL D's (123's in particular)
As for the the great old EV12L's, the closest currently produced speaker I've found is the Eminence Commonwealth 12.
But beware, they're not for faint hearts or weak backs.
LOUD & HEAVY.
Why Aye Man
Post Reply