# Does speaker configuration make the tone?



## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

Question of the day:
How big of a part does the speaker or speakers play in making the tone/voice of a classic amplifier?

Would a tweed bassman (5F6A) still sound like a tweed bassman if it was running a single 12" instead of 4 x 10"? Or two 12"s maybe? I don't mean just any crappy old 12", but the right vintage tone, hi quality speaker. Is cabinet size still important too, even in an open back cabinet?
Would that tweed bassman sound like a tweed bassman in a twin sized cabinet with two 10's ?

Does a princeston reverb still have all the tone of Princeton reverb if it's got a 12" instead of a 10"? There's lots written on that one, but it's like reading a debate on which tube is better.

We've learned that tone comes from the tone stack of an amplifier, and the output transformer. Nothing else really effects tone to a noticable degree except the brand, model, and quality of the speaker. But nothing I've seen has really talked about speaker configuration.


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

At first I thought you were eluding to the quality of speaker (ie: does a V30 or G12H etc in any particular amp sound better than the speaker that it came with). I've never really been able to grasp the drastic differences talked about with differing speaker brands. 

However, with regards to configuration I firmly believe that along with cabinet size, it matters significantly. I have 210 combos, 112 combos 115 combo, 212 combos and head/cab configs and again in different sized cabinets and they all sound different to my ears. The best example I can think of is a recent comparison I did with two 5E3's, 66 Deluxe Reverb (original) and a Swart AST master head/112 cab. The Dlx Reverb and Swart were close in cabinet size and sound with similar speakers but the 5E3's sounded quite different. Not better or worse, just different. Now of course, none of this considers the amp circuitry which I also firmly believe plays a very large role.

I bought a Fender Excelsior just to try out a 15" speaker and haven't been able to warm up to it. I think that when the dust settles, I'm a 12" speaker fan, whether it's a single or double.

I know I haven't really answered your question. Sorry. Hopefully others will chime in with more experience and better stories.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

Swervin55 said:


> At first I thought you were eluding to the quality of speaker (ie: does a V30 or G12H etc in any particular amp sound better than the speaker that it came with). I've never really been able to grasp the drastic differences talked about with differing speaker brands.
> 
> However, with regards to configuration I firmly believe that along with cabinet size, it matters significantly. I have 210 combos, 112 combos 115 combo, 212 combos and head/cab configs and again in different sized cabinets and they all sound different to my ears. The best example I can think of is a recent comparison I did with two 5E3's, 66 Deluxe Reverb (original) and a Swart AST master head/112 cab. The Dlx Reverb and Swart were close in cabinet size and sound with similar speakers but the 5E3's sounded quite different. Not better or worse, just different. Now of course, none of this considers the amp circuitry which I also firmly believe plays a very large role.
> 
> ...


You can plug into a 2 x 15, or 4 x 12, or 2 x 12 or a single 12 cab and of course they all sound totally different but they are never all the same brand & model of speaker either. How much of that "difference" you noted and I've noted comes from the actual speaker? How much of that difference is from the speaker configurations?

The Excelsior sure isn't getting much love......you think they cut a few too many corners to keep the price down? What would 2 x 10's do to your Excelsior?? Brighten it right up?


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

Can't say about the Excelsior and 2X10's, but there are some who have changed the baffle to 1X12 and claim better results than the stock 15". It doesn't seem to like pedals either. For what its worth albeit a bit different issue, I wanted to directly compare my two 5E3's (Trinity and Mojotone) so I bought an ABY switch and started with identical speakers (Fender-Eminence such as Hot Rod Dlx, Blues Jr etc) and identical tubes. Then I experimented with different speakers one at a time (Weber 12A125A, Weber 12F150, Celestion Blue) and I didn't notice any really discernable differences but then again I'm kinda deaf. I will admit that there are slight variations in bottom end and brightness, but in a live situation you'd never tell.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I've discovered I prefer two drivers over one almost all the time. To me it just sounds more full, rich and weighty. Even with the volume turned up, I don't find I like the sound of a single driver. I guess that's why I like my Bassman combo so much


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

hollowbody said:


> I've discovered I prefer two drivers over one almost all the time.


Plus the added advantage of mixing the speaker types (say Ceramic and AlNiCo) for a different mix.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Swervin55 said:


> Plus the added advantage of mixing the speaker types (say Ceramic and AlNiCo) for a different mix.


Exactly! I'm also a big fan of the V30 and G12H30 combo (both ceramic, but with big differences in sound).


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## Wild Bill (May 3, 2006)

Swervin55 said:


> Plus the added advantage of mixing the speaker types (say Ceramic and AlNiCo) for a different mix.


The speaker arrangement and the differences between different models and brands can make a HUGE difference in tone! The speaker is where your guitar signal stops being just a flow of electrons in a circuit and actually becomes sound! The speaker cone moves air. Is that not the very definition of sound?

In general, bigger speaker cones do a better job on lower frequencies than smaller ones. Also, although a 2 x 12" cab might total a larger cone surface area than a single 15", the 15" will tend to sound better in the bottom end. A 4x10" speaker will sound brighter, for similar reasons.

Other than that, I don't know any other simple rules you can follow. A classic Jensen sounds so much different from a Celestion or an Oxford, along with the difference between the various sizes, that you really just have to go with what sounds best to YOU!

Wild Bill/Busen Amps


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

You ever played a JCM800 combo amp vs the head version with a 4x12 cab? All though the core tone is similar, you get more punch and bass out of the 4x12. Cab size will have an overall effect on sound.

If you want to test this, take a 4x12 and build a new baffle for it loaded with only 1 12" speaker of the same model. I think the sound wouldn't be quite as different in feel as comparing the 4x12 to the same speaker in a standard sized 1x12 cab.


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Moving more air makes the sound fuller, heavier and meatier as has been said. Larger drivers will have more low frequency response but multiple smaller drivers can give the illusion of more bass. Harp players much prefer multiple smaller speakers for a thick tone. Think the Gibson GA90 with 6 8's or the GA45 Maestro with 4 8's.


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