Tube Amp Archive

I'm the proud owner of a Torpedo Reload attenuator that is just fantastic! I can now play home with non MV amps. While the attenuator is awesome, the speakers still need to push some air for the amp to sound good. My go to cab is a '60 Fender 2x12 loaded with Tone Tubbys 50W ceramic. Great speakers at med to high volume, but just ok at lower volumes. Nothing bad but they're a bit muffled and lack dimension (which is normal for low volume since the cones don't distort).

Here's my train of thought: If I get a 1x12 cab with, let's say, a 25W rated or less speaker, the cone should start to break up earlier resulting in getting a better sound at lower volume. Correct?

Or should like the speaker's specs for efficiency?

BTW, when I say low volume, I don't mean bedroom volume.

Efficient and inefficient speakers both have their applications.

The word sensitivity is also used to describe the same thing.

An efficient speaker is going to take less power to be loud.

Whereas a inefficient speakers won't be as loud given the same signal.

Efficient speakers also won't break up as early as inefficient speakers.

90-105db very efficient

<90db inefficient

Here is a pretty good article about it.
http://stereos.about.com/od/stereoscien ... ppower.htm

A single 12 will be 3dB less than 2.

John

You will want a speaker with a smaller magnet, and a well broken in cone. For this I would recommend something like a 35 oz ceramic magnet since it doesn't control the cone from moving freely compared to a 40 oz (alnico) or 50 oz (G12H30, V30) type speaker.

I'd recommend an old G12M Greenback (by old I mean pre 1975), or my modern equivalent, the M75 25w speaker. They are both low efficiency (97db otuput) speakers. Their cones will be softer/more pliable/responsive, and provide better tone at low volumes due to being broken in. Since they are more responsive it takes less signal to get the cones moving.

Hope that helps and answers your question.

Jim

Thanks guys!

It seems that all the speakers I can find are 97db or more.

The Tubbys are 50W, 50oz and 101db.

I like the samples of the Celestion A type speaker. 35oz and 98db but it's still rated for 50W... Don't know if it will make enough of a difference...

Two of the best low to moderate volume speakers I've heard are Celestions recent offerings, the A Type and even more so the G12-35XC.

I'm pointing this out but I haven't heard or tried, 96db, 20W:

https://wgs4.com/12-g12q-20-watts

do you think the G12Q could handle the Tweedy Deluxe?

That's what I was wondering, always on the look out for a good old style 5E3 speaker. The orig P12R couldn't have been rated more than 20W and I doubt the WGS has a paper voice coil. I bet they intentionally list it at 20W to give it better vintage cred, like the Celestion Blue, but it can handle more. But don't hold me too it.

Strtucto wrote:do you think the G12Q could handle the Tweedy Deluxe?

It says on there website great for tweed deluxes so I'm sure it'll handle one . not sure why they are calling IIT a q with a 1" vc c12q was 1.25

+1 on the M75 Scumback for lower volume applications - I must say it also sounds great LOUD.

Russ

Cantplay wrote:A single 12 will be 3dB less than 2.

John

That depends on how you wire them.... 2 in parallell-yes, in series-no, - given constant output. Correcting for output impedance at the amp transformer somewhat fixes this, but not with a SS amplifier..

Actually if you can find a G12s30 -they are a good balanced speaker and are rated at only 93db...small magnet...but will handle the same power as a G12H30