15" speakers and cabs

[JeffB]

Anyone using combo's or cabs with a 15' speaker?

Whats a few recommendations. I listened to a few clips on the Jensen site and they sounded pretty good.

Any cabs you can recommend?

 

Thanks

[111518]

My Rivera has a 15" EV. I'd say the recent descriptions of the ev 12 fit well --clean, efficient, well-defined. These are favorite speakers among steel players. Great for reproducing the sound of the amp, but not a tone color on its own. I like the combination of this speaker with my sealed 2-12 with v30s, which have that midrange emphasis and bite. Recently picked up the Rambler with an Eminence 15 "Red Coat Big Ben. I haven't played it enough yet to give a strong opinion, other than that it sure looks big and red.

 

I'm keeping an eye out for a Weber neo-15, which is supposed to be constructed to sound like an old alnico mag. JBL, but at significantly less weight --always liked the Vibroverb/15-JBL sound.

[JeffB]

My Rivera has a 15" EV. I'd say the recent descriptions of the ev 12 fit well --clean, efficient, well-defined. These are favorite speakers among steel players. Great for reproducing the sound of the amp, but not a tone color on its own. I like the combination of this speaker with my sealed 2-12 with v30s, which have that midrange emphasis and bite. Recently picked up the Rambler with an Eminence 15 "Red Coat Big Ben. I haven't played it enough yet to give a strong opinion, other than that it sure looks big and red.

 

I'm keeping an eye out for a Weber neo-15, which is supposed to be constructed to sound like an old alnico mag. JBL, but at significantly less weight --always liked the Vibroverb/15-JBL sound.

It was thinking about the vibroverb that lead to the question. Dont know why I was thinking about the vibroverb though. I was staring at a vibrolux.

The Jenson speaker would be less strident perhaps?

I was also thinking it would be cool to run a 115 cab with my 212 v30 cab. The EV 12" speaker from another thread I started works well with the 212v30 cab.

What is cool is running a Fender Super Sonic through the 212 V30 cab and a Fender Concert through the EV 12". That is some kind of bliss. Then I stood on the Exotic bb pre set to light overdrive and I had a big "whoa" type reaction. Then I stuck a stereo delay set to 300ms and 500ms on low repeat into the mix and had to stop playing and exhale. The revelation was to much. Thats how this all started. If my Egnater had arrived none of it wouldve even been thought about or tried.

Seems like something new and worthwhile pursuing.

[smurph1]

Don't have a lot of experience with 15 inch speakers, except a friend has a nice Fender Blues Deluxe 4x10, with a 15 inch extension cab..Holy Sh#t, does that move some air!! All tube too..WOW!!

[smurph1]

I've heard good things about the Peavey Delta Blues with a 15 in it, also..

[t0aj15]

My 15" cab is made by Lopo, it's their Vintage 2-12" cab that I ordered with a 1-15" baffle instead. I then loaded it with an Eminence Commonwealth 15". This speaker was designed by Fender & Eminence to sound like the JBL D130F 15" speakers that Fender used back in the 60's & 70's. It's a very clean speaker that IMO is better sounding even then the EVM-12L's I have. Fender now use them in the new 65' Twin Custom 15 .

Here's the description from the Eminence PDF; "

Warm and rich, but also very clean and well defined. Great presence! Very full and smooth. Very little cone break-up, but likes Overdrive.

^{I couldn't have said it any better.}

Here's the speaker at the Eminence site: Eminence Commonwealth

 

Here's a pic of my cab:

 

[rjsanders]

speakers i've liked: E-V (even freq response, power handling like you wouldn't believe), Weber Michigan AlNiCo (sweeter, breaks up sooner, will only handle 60w rms, pretty much as described here)

 

Cab: no question for me, Mather - in fact, i'm pondering a 1x15 cab, something like this slant-front 1x12 (Peter (Mather) did the custom cab for me and all the Heritage amp stuff)

[Jazzerous]

Anyone using combo's or cabs with a 15' speaker?

Whats a few recommendations. I listened to a few clips on the Jensen site and they sounded pretty good.

Any cabs you can recommend?

 

Thanks

Hey Tully check out Slider's Combo he calls Das Frankenmaster afew post before yours. Based on his knowledge of amps and speakers as most of us know Slider knows his Stuff!!! I ordered a 15"Weber British series Ceramic Blue Dog 50 watt 4 ohm for my new cabinet based on a 65 Fender Band Master head. Matherscabinets.com builds cabs dovetail pine "old school "for balckface and other vintage amp considerations . Mojotones does it too. Check em out and drop Slider a line as 15's can get muddy if not with the right specs. Good luck with your 15 project!!

 

Cheers Mike

[JeffB]

Thanks for the replies.

Its funny, after further thinking about this I actually have no point of reference for the sound of a 115 vs a 112 or 212 other than a Peavey Classic and Peavey Delta blues. Not sure what I was reading or listening to that made me think I needed a 115 cab. Obviously at 3:00am it rates highly as a necessity.

Apparently I flicked off an email to a local cab builder for the price of both a 115 and a 215 cab. He sent me back some prices and time frame this afternoon.

Well done auto pilot. Taking care of business.

 

I guess the 15"guitar speaker is normally found in an open back combo. These would be the sounds Ive heard on recordings.

 

#1 So I guess an open back cab would be the way to go? yes/no

 

#2 Being open back Im guessing the bass response would be quite diminished compared to a 212 closed back? yes/no

 

#3 What would a 115 equipped open back cab be bringing to the sound? what are the sonic difference compared to a 112 open back cab? Softer highs? Flatter mid?

 

I think I do want a speaker that likes gain. I dont really use pristine cleans when I play electric.

 

@t0aj15

That Lopo cab would look great with my Mesa LSC. The speaker description sounds about right as well.

 

@rjsanders

The Mather cabs look great as well. Shame about the freight over here. Some good design ideas though.

[JeffB]

Hey Tully check out Slider's Combo he calls Das Frankenmaster afew post before yours. Based on his knowledge of amps and speakers as most of us know Slider knows his Stuff!!! I ordered a 15"Weber British series Ceramic Blue Dog 50 watt 4 ohm for my new cabinet based on a 65 Fender Band Master head. Matherscabinets.com builds cabs dovetail pine "old school "for balckface and other vintage amp considerations . Mojotones does it too. Check em out and drop Slider a line as 15's can get muddy if not with the right specs. Good luck with your 15 project!!

 

Cheers Mike

Thanks Mike, I dont know how I missed that thread?

I was checking Mojotones sight today. The internet is evil.

[212Mavguy]

Thanks for the replies.

Its funny, after further thinking about this I actually have no point of reference for the sound of a 115 vs a 112 or 212 other than a Peavey Classic and Peavey Delta blues. Not sure what I was reading or listening to that made me think I needed a 115 cab. Obviously at 3:00am it rates highly as a necessity.

Apparently I flicked off an email to a local cab builder for the price of both a 115 and a 215 cab. He sent me back some prices and time frame this afternoon.

Well done auto pilot. Taking care of business.

 

I guess the 15"guitar speaker is normally found in an open back combo. These would be the sounds Ive heard on recordings.

 

#1 So I guess an open back cab would be the way to go? yes/no

 

#2 Being open back Im guessing the bass response would be quite diminished compared to a 212 closed back? yes/no

 

#3 What would a 115 equipped open back cab be bringing to the sound? what are the sonic difference compared to a 112 open back cab? Softer highs? Flatter mid?

 

I think I do want a speaker that likes gain. I dont really use pristine cleans when I play electric.

 

@t0aj15

That Lopo cab would look great with my Mesa LSC. The speaker description sounds about right as well.

 

@rjsanders

The Mather cabs look great as well. Shame about the freight over here. Some good design ideas though.

 

A lot of 15 inch guitar speakers have a problem with very low and very high notes played simultaneously, a low droning note on the 6th sting played simultaneously with some high notes on the first string does not sound good. What is helpful is a speaker with an exceptional control over the cone. I have an old Allen organ open back cab that I converted into a semi closed back with a slot all the way across the back baffle a la THD longhorn 2/12 cab design. Adjusting the width of the slot tunes the cab. Narrower = more bassy. I am currently running a pair of JBL g135 15 inch speakers in series in that cab for 16 ohms.

 

JBL took three years of buying their competitors speakers before starting production on the g125 12's and g135 15's. Unlike their d120's and d130's the ga25/g135 have a paper dust dome and are smooth when doing the dirty tones, that is what they were designed to do. They handle the low/hi note thang well because they have massive 12 1/2 pound magnets, as well as 3 inch flattened aluminum wire voice coils, good control of the cone, not ice picky, big bottom and mids. Pretty cleans too. Hard to find but worth the search to get them. They were only produced for a short amount of time. Can handle 150 watts apiece all day.

[rjsanders]

...

I guess the 15"guitar speaker is normally found in an open back combo. These would be the sounds Ive heard on recordings.

 

#1 So I guess an open back cab would be the way to go? yes/no

 

#2 Being open back Im guessing the bass response would be quite diminished compared to a 212 closed back? yes/no

 

#3 What would a 115 equipped open back cab be bringing to the sound? what are the sonic difference compared to a 112 open back cab? Softer highs? Flatter mid?

 

I think I do want a speaker that likes gain. I dont really use pristine cleans when I play electric.

...

 

in the BF days Fender boxed their 15s in open back combos (e.g., Vibroverb) and closed back cabs (e.g., Showman).

 

1 - i would guess yes

 

2 - yes, but it's possible to have too much bass response, depending on cab design and amp used...

 

3 - again it depends on speaker used & cab design. a kinda extreme similar comparison is Duane & Dickie using completely open back Marshall 4x12 cabs in the Duane days. speakers varied, but mostly JBLs and the like. closed backs would've focused the bass and mids and given a lot more thump, attenuated the really high highs some. i had Peter Mather make me a cabinet with a removable middle panel in the back, so i can use it either way (the slant-front 2x12, kinda like half a half stack). others may offer the same option in cab builds.

 

the Weber site describes different high-power speakers (California, Chicago, Texas, Thames), among others of their 15s that have earlier->later breakup & power handling

 

oo-oo lookee what i just stumbled across

 

[mad dog]

I'm a little late to this party. But have an abiding affection for 15" speakers. My faves so far:

 

Weber Cali ceramic with paperdome

Eminence Big Ben

Weber 15A150, 50 watt

JBL D130 with paper dustcap

 

Just got a used Jenkins 1x15 cab. Already had the Jenkins 2x12 and like it alot, so looked for and found the other size. It's pure tone magic with the JBL.

 

Most players think 15" speakers are all about bass. Not IMO. The bass presence is different than with 1x12 or multiple speakers. I find 2x12s bassier actually. It's in the middle and high end where the larger speaker exerts itself. If you get the right one, match it with the right amp, the sound takes up a lot of space. Just sounds big. And the high end is clear, with this rich kind of sound I don't hear with other speakers. It's a fat sound. Slower responding than smaller speakers, so extremely fast players probably wouldn't appreciate it, but perfect for the blues and rootsy stuff I favor.

MD