15" Speaker Replacement - Older KrossRoad Amp, Need Help!

tastybasslines · #1 06-25-2010, 04:14 PM

After putting it in the wrong forum, I am reposting here...

Below is one of my amps...

I got it 17 years ago for $200 bucks from a pawnshop with the same speaker that is in it now. I love the silver sparkle padding. This amp is heavy, but i'll never sell it as it was my first amp. When I got it, it had no speaker cover, I put the grill on that's on there now.

I estimate that it is at least 10 years older than that. I don't even know the wattage of the amp, although I am assuming it is 200 watts as indicated by the model number.

In any event. I want to replace the speaker - it is flat sounding now, with not alot of punch. I can not find alot of information on the company or the amp itself. I haven't the foggiest clue how to figure out what type of speaker, or OHM's that should go in there. I'm confident though I could connect it correctly.

Advice? The picture on the back of the amp is the only information I can provide without opening the cabinet up.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

JimmyM · #2 06-25-2010, 05:10 PM

in a cab like that, i'd throw an eminence beta 15 in it and be done with it. you might could put a neo like a kappalite 3015 into it as well and get more output out of it, but the beta's a lot cheaper and sounds vintage.

Jaco who? · #3 06-25-2010, 05:11 PM

Hard to say if the "flat sounding no punch" is the result of the amp section or the speaker. I like the looks of it, though.

If it was me, I'd see if there was room to gut it and squeeze one of the two space Hartke LH500 heads in there, then use a Eminence non-LF kappalite 3015 speaker. You could wire an external jack into the back for an additional cab and have a cool little combo.

I wouldn't change the cool sparkly silver sparkly padding though, your cat would never forgive you.

crentest · #4 06-25-2010, 05:24 PM

is there a small horn in it?

billfitzmaurice · #5 06-25-2010, 05:58 PM

The 300 watt power draw indicates that it might put out 150 watts, best case, so there's no point in a 3015. Beta 15 or Delta 15 would most likely work best.

Jaco who? · #6 06-25-2010, 06:10 PM

Yes, overkill, but with the LH500 and 350 watts, it might be worth it. Or not, hell I don't know. I'm the kind of guy that likes to put small block Fords into Miatas.

JimmyM · #7 06-25-2010, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaco who?

Yes, overkill, but with the LH500 and 350 watts, it might be worth it. Or not, hell I don't know. I'm the kind of guy that likes to put small block Fords into Miatas.

putting an lh500 into it would totally kill the look.

Codger · #8 06-25-2010, 06:32 PM

Cool amp. Me want. You might check this thread, perhaps get in touch with Billy C. I think that amp might have had grill cloth back in the day.

craig.p · #9 06-25-2010, 06:37 PM

I'm going to go way out on a limb and suggest you look at the power supply first as the cause of that amp's lack of punch. If it were my amp I'd bench-test the chassis into a dummy load at full power -- especially at the low end -- and see what I got for numbers. I'm not saying the amp IS the problem, just that component aging is a possibility and should always be considered in the context of equipment that old.

tastybasslines · #10 06-25-2010, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crentest

is there a small horn in it?

Yes - top left.

crentest · #11 06-25-2010, 07:48 PM

ah, i thought it was. is it possible it isn't working and dulling the sound?

**B-string** · #12 06-25-2010, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craig.p

I'm going to go way out on a limb and suggest you look at the power supply first as the cause of that amp's lack of punch. If it were my amp I'd bench-test the chassis into a dummy load at full power -- especially at the low end -- and see what I got for numbers. I'm not saying the amp IS the problem, just that component aging is a possibility and should always be considered in the context of equipment that old.

I second this.

tastybasslines · #13 06-25-2010, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaco who?

Hard to say if the "flat sounding no punch" is the result of the amp section or the speaker. I like the looks of it, though.

If it was me, I'd see if there was room to gut it and squeeze one of the two space Hartke LH500 heads in there, then use a Eminence non-LF kappalite 3015 speaker. You could wire an external jack into the back for an additional cab and have a cool little combo.

I wouldn't change the cool sparkly silver sparkly padding though, your cat would never forgive you.

Good point. Over my bass playing life, I have probably played about 8 different basses through it, and I have always had to have the EQ bass knob on the amp turned up high, and most times, still not satisfied with the sound from it. It can get loud enough should I need it to. Also, I'm going to assume the amp power isn't THAT strong, as it doesn't clip, even when I have the volume up high.

I'm going to guess it's the speaker, but maybe the amp does have something to do with it also.

tastybasslines · #14 06-25-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaco who?

Yes, overkill, but with the LH500 and 350 watts, it might be worth it. Or not, hell I don't know. I'm the kind of guy that likes to put small block Fords into Miatas.

I think for me it would be overkill. I save my SWR 4x10 for when I need to bring out the big guns.

This is just at home, play occasionally amp.

tastybasslines · #15 06-25-2010, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craig.p

I'm going to go way out on a limb and suggest you look at the power supply first as the cause of that amp's lack of punch. If it were my amp I'd bench-test the chassis into a dummy load at full power -- especially at the low end -- and see what I got for numbers. I'm not saying the amp IS the problem, just that component aging is a possibility and should always be considered in the context of equipment that old.

This is exactly the kind of advice I am looking for.

But how do I do this??

"bench-test the chassis into a dummy load at full power"

tastybasslines · #16 06-25-2010, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

in a cab like that, i'd throw an eminence beta 15 in it and be done with it. you might could put a neo like a kappalite 3015 into it as well and get more output out of it, but the beta's a lot cheaper and sounds vintage.

The Eminence beta 15 says it is rated 600 watts at 8 ohms. Is that what I need? It's not overkill for an amp that puts out 150 at most?

tastybasslines · #17 06-25-2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

The 300 watt power draw indicates that it might put out 150 watts, best case, so there's no point in a 3015. Beta 15 or Delta 15 would most likely work best.

Could 150 watts for an amp that old, be considered even less today, as we make advances in amp design, and power etc? What I am trying to say is it a possibility that 150 watts then is "less powerful" than 150 watts today?

billfitzmaurice · #18 06-25-2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Over my bass playing life, I have probably played about 8 different basses through it, and I have always had to have the EQ bass knob on the amp turned up high, and most times, still not satisfied with the sound from it.

Running the bass knob all the way up, or close to it, was SOP with many '60s vintage amps as the speakers weren't capable of much in the lows. The lack of lows wasn't the fault of the amps.

danomite64 · #19 06-25-2010, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tastybasslines

Below is one of my amps...

I got it 17 years ago for $200 bucks from a pawnshop with the same speaker that is in it now.
I estimate that it is at least 10 years older than that. [/url]

No, they made those in the early 90's, so it wasn't that old when you bought it. Here's the specs:

craig.p · #20 06-25-2010, 09:05 PM

Quote:

they made those in the early 90's

Hm. I saw all that Naugahyde and mistakenly assumed '60s. If that's true, then we're talking components only somewhere around 20 years old. I feel somewhat less confident in my original opinion, but not quite to the point of saying, "Never mind."

You're probably looking at 1-2 hours of tech time to do the test. Most of that may be spent extracting the chassis, though, if my old Kustom 1x15 combo was any indicator. Worth it? Eh...

Quote:

Running the bass knob all the way up, or close to it, was SOP with many '60s vintage amps as the speakers weren't capable of much in the lows. The lack of lows wasn't the fault of the amps.

Bill, could the problem also be box tuning? I'd just hate to see him drop a bunch of change on a new driver and get no measurable improvement.