Rocket Combo Takes Off

[dehughes]

Clips, Ron. I need clips of that Fane....AB clips with that H30. Clips....

[rawnster]

Clips, Ron. I need clips of that Fane....AB clips with that H30. Clips....

Dude, that's too much work. You expect me to pull speakers and install speakers just to make clips?

Just take my word for it and buy a Fane alnico, you won't be sorry.

[dehughes]

Clips, Ron. I need clips of that Fane....AB clips with that H30. Clips....

You expect me to pull speakers and install speakers just to make clips?

Yes, please. That's all I want for Christmas...

[adlibmusic]

Interesting experience with speaker options: As I’ve mentioned before, this build is going into a 1x12 combo cab. The cab has been on order, along with the Fane AXA 12” alnico speaker, for a while now. Well, not being the most patient person, I’ve been plugging the amp into my 2x12 closed cab loaded with M-75 65watt scumbacks. TERRIFIC sounding cab. It makes this build big and beefy with chime and balls. I’m thinking, dude this build sounds really really good. Made some clips of it to prove it.

Well the cabinet came in a couple of days ago, but not the Fane speaker. So, I thought I’d go ahead and install the chassis into the cab, and pull one of my celestion G12H30’s from my Two Rock cab, and give the amp a listen in its new home. TERRIBLE sounding. EEK. It sounded boxy, small, and shrill. Where did the beef and TONE go? I’m constantly tweaking the tone knobs. Needless to say, I’m getting depressed about it, and thinking that KF is right about not putting these builds in combo cabs. My thoughts went to “ok what can I modify in the circuit to get the full tone back.” In the meantime, the Fane speaker finally arrived FedEx yesterday. So, I’m installing the speaker, but with little hope that this change will do much of anything; after all, it’s still in a smaller 1x12 combo cab. I fired up the amp, and WOW….I couldn’t have been more wrong. The balls, warmth, chime is back in spades! I’m serious. This alnico is NOT like what you’d think in a celestion alnico. The sonic footprint is back and it’s huge. I tried not looking at the cab while playing; and doing so really made it feel bigger than a 1x12 cab. Its beefy tone made that little cab sit up and be noticed. It really is one of the perfect speaker selections for a rocket-type circuit. Hey, the Scumback is no slouch at all, and it sits firmly under my “traditional” rocket build. But, this new amp has found a buddy for life…the Fane AXA 12” Alnico.

Thanks Darin!

I think the difference is probably the cabinets we're using (an maybe the EL34's in my amp). You mentioned using a small combo, while I'm using a 1x12 half-open back cab and a head.

I did pickup the AXA 12 from Moss and we tried it out. In this cab, it's a bit dark and lost the top end brillience that the 12h30 is giving. I have a small Mesa 1x12 that I'm going to give it a try in.

Loren

[dartanion]

I have been running a 212 closed back with 2 AXA 12s in it for the better part of 9 months, and they have plenty of high end sparkle and chime. This is running my Torpedo 50 into this cab, which is pretty much the same amp as yours. Tweak the tone controls and cut to bring the chime and sparkle to the front. It could also be that I have a mid boost switch that I normally leave on. Basically a switchable bypass cap on the second gain stage.

Also, if you are above the age of 50, you are assuredly experiencing reduced hearing sensitivity to those frequencies above 3kHz. This makes almost everything sound a bit dark, unless the upper frequencies are boosted or more present in how the speaker is designed. No knock on anyone, it's just a harsh reality of being human. We lose sensitivity to high frequencies as we get old.

Anyway, speaker choice is also very personal and totally subjective. It's all 31 Flavors, your going to like certain flavors better than others.

[rawnster]

Also, if you are above the age of 50, you are assuredly experiencing reduced hearing sensitivity to those frequencies above 3kHz. This makes almost everything sound a bit dark, unless the upper frequencies are boosted or more present in how the speaker is designed. No knock on anyone, it's just a harsh reality of being human. We lose sensitivity to high frequencies as we get old.

Anyway, speaker choice is also very personal and totally subjective. It's all 31 Flavors, your going to like certain flavors better than others.

Funny Darin!

I'm fearfully close to that number. Yet the Fane AXA doesn't sound dark and dull at all to me. There's plenty of sparkle action going on. Who knows, maybe I don't like bright amps. Perhaps Fishy here from the forum could chime in. He heard, in person, my recent build with the Fane AXA. To me that speaker makes things big and full without overriding the upper freqs at all.

[dartanion]

Hearing protection wasn't big in our time. It still isn't made a health priority, so you need to protect what you've got. I am pretty sure that my hearing has been affected as I have a little tinnitis. Oh well.

[adlibmusic]

Also, if you are above the age of 50, you are assuredly experiencing reduced hearing sensitivity to those frequencies above 3kHz. This makes almost everything sound a bit dark, unless the upper frequencies are boosted or more present in how the speaker is designed. No knock on anyone, it's just a harsh reality of being human. We lose sensitivity to high frequencies as we get old.

Anyway, speaker choice is also very personal and totally subjective. It's all 31 Flavors, your going to like certain flavors better than others.

I definately have the hearing issue @ 4.5kHz; drops like a rock. I passed the age of 50 a long time ago. Makes me wonder if I over compensate for highs because I can't hear them....

[dartanion]

Also, if you are above the age of 50, you are assuredly experiencing reduced hearing sensitivity to those frequencies above 3kHz. This makes almost everything sound a bit dark, unless the upper frequencies are boosted or more present in how the speaker is designed. No knock on anyone, it's just a harsh reality of being human. We lose sensitivity to high frequencies as we get old.

Anyway, speaker choice is also very personal and totally subjective. It's all 31 Flavors, your going to like certain flavors better than others.

I definately have the hearing issue @ 4.5kHz; drops like a rock. I passed the age of 50 a long time ago. Makes me wonder if I over compensate for highs because I can't hear them....

I think more of us are affected than anyone would care to admit. It sucks getting old.

[Structo]

One only has to listen to Eric Clapton or Pete Townshend to hear how much they have lost.
I think Pete lets his sound man adjust his amps or EQ but Eric really seems to boost the highs on his Tweed repros.

[rawnster]

Enough of this "old man talk" on my amp build thread.

As I said, the Fane AXA alnico is the real deal. It adds nice body and bloom to a smaller cabinet, all the while not robbing any hi-end freqs. great speaker. I'll do my best not ever to buy another G12H30.

[RJ Guitars]

"Old Man Talk" - Humbug I say! When we have driven the rest of the folks deaf we'll be able to play our amps at a pleasant volume! Until that point we'll have to think of them as having hypersensitive hearing - it's their problem not ours!

It Might Get Loud - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sBLir8H2zM I think Jimmy Page doesn't look a day over 65...

O.K. Rawnster - I'll shoot for the target now. What about 10's? Does anybody else like to use 10's? I've always found them to be a good alternative to a single 12" yet keep the small package size in a combo cabinet.

rj

[Zippy]

What about 10's? Does anybody else like to use 10's? I've always found them to be a good alternative to a single 12" yet keep the small package size in a combo cabinet.

I dig 2x10 combos - especially mixing alnico and ceramics. I've done it in my tweed Super 5F4 and did it in a blackface Bassman redux that I made into a combo last century. If you scale the package, it is eminently portable and having two speakers lets you blend for a result that you might not get in a 1x12.

Add KT66s and you're onto my favorite ol' family recipe for the ultimate portable giggin' amp.

[rawnster]

"Old Man Talk" - Humbug I say! When we have driven the rest of the folks deaf we'll be able to play our amps at a pleasant volume! Until that point we'll have to think of them as having hypersensitive hearing - it's their problem not ours!

It Might Get Loud - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sBLir8H2zM I think Jimmy Page doesn't look a day over 65...

O.K. Rawnster - I shoot for the target now. What about 10's? Does anybody else like to use 10's? I've always found them to be a good alternative to a single 12" yet keep the small package size in a combo cabinet.

rj

RJ, you're a funny man. A few years ago my daughter, who was in her late teens at the time, said, "hey dad, you're just getting into your prime." This was after her hearing my diatribe about how old I'm getting and how life is basically over. I said, "how's that?". She said that life is like climbing a mountain and coming down from the mountian...over and over again (or like a full AC sign wave). When you're at 20,you're at the top; 30 you're at the bottom; 40 you're back on top; 50 you're at the bottom again". She said see, "you're at the top right now, being around 40". Like I said, this was a few years ago; so I"m down the mountain a bit; But dang, I thought she was very intuitive, if not flattering. So, if you're in the valley with age, just hang on... you'll be back on top in no time.

As to 10's, only in a bass cab have I tried 10's (4x10 Hartke). A friend has a 2x10 combo. It's cool sounding, but does lack in the low/low-mids quite a bit. I'll stick with 12's.

[Zippy]

As to 10's, only in a bass cab have I tried 10's (4x10 Hartke). A friend has a 2x10 combo. It's cool sounding, but does lack in the low/low-mids quite a bit. I'll stick with 12's.

Hmmmm... lacking lows and yet they show up in a bass cab...

Whattaya think, maybe there's something more to the picture?

2x10 have more area than 1x12 so you can have faster response and yet push more air. Seems like with judicious tuning, you should have it all over 1x12.

What's in your friend's 2x10 cab?