Speaker replacement question (Celestions and techie numbers)

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Concretebadger
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Speaker replacement question (Celestions and techie numbers)

Post by Concretebadger »

My closed-back 2x12 cab has a pair of Celestions and I'm falling out of love with one of them. Back at the Matamp factory I did their blind speaker test and found out I liked the V30 but didn't care for the G12H at all. Now the Matamp's honeymoon period is over I reckon my cab would suit it better if the G12H was replaced with something else.

I'll spare you all the pretentious *amber* terminology and skip to the end of my reading around and trying-out, because the blurb sounds as vague and unhelpful as a wine bottle label. I really like the sound of creambacks, but Celestion do two types: rated at 65 and 75 watts. In a 2x12, either speaker would be fine from a safety POV but I'm concerned about sensitivity matching. The V30 is rated at 100dB, so would the 65 creamback be drowned out because it's only rated at 97dB?
johnnyseven
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Post by johnnyseven »

I have a Creamback and Vintage 30 in my Marshall 2x12 and I think it sounds great. Before I had the Creamback I had 2 Vintage 30's and it sounded awful, there was a definite difference in sound for the better when adding the Creamback, so my conclusion would be that it doesn't get drowned out by the Vintage 30. Running a Greenback/Vintage 30 combo is very common (Creambacks are similar to Greenbacks with a higher wattage), so I would be surprised if Vintage 30's tend to drown less efficient speakers completely.
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Post by Concretebadger »

^Excellent, cheers. ((thumup) The 65w creamback is a great-sounding speaker...when I listened to it on its own, at least. A lot like the greenback as you say, but ballsier and would work better in a 2x12 because of the power handling. The V30 to me is a speaker that works well in combination with something else but not so much on its own - too much of those mids. Swapping the G12H for a creamback would also mean I can use the cab with a cranked 100w head, in the (albeit unlikely) event of me needing to.

A creamback speaker'll be on my 2015 shopping list then... :)