Acoustic 250W 1x15 Cab Speaker Replacement

[ZackfromAkron]

Hello, thanks for reading. While it's embarrassing to admit, since becoming a bassist with an amp of my own two weeks ago, I know absolutely nothing about amplification...I'm ashamed too, but, I had a question concerning my Acoustic Amplification(the newly GC-resurrected brand) cab. The speaker is completely blown out and I need to replace it. Would replacing my 250W with a 300W or even a 400W be incredibly foolish for me to do if I don't want my amp to explode? I'm running an Acoustic B200H 200W head into it. Also, if I'm tired of having no real volume and I want to get louder, do I get a new head or a new cab?

[RickenBoogie]

Forget replacing the speaker, unless you use an exact replacement- if you need more volume, you need more speakers. consider a 410 as an alternative.

[ZackfromAkron]

so, by exact replacement, do you mean the exact same make and model of the speaker, or just another 250W

[RickenBoogie]

the same exact one that came with it from the factory, as that's the speaker the cab was built around. There may be other's that would work, but you'd need to measure the internal dimensions, including any porting, and model the spkrs with WinISD or similar. It's not rocket science, but it's not as easy as dropping in any old spkr either.

[will33]

What did you do to blow it? The displacement limit is the real performance mark in a speaker in the low frequencies. That's not advertised because it results in much lower numbers than "wattage" and doesn't look as impressive. Basically if starts to sound distorted, stressed or "fart out", it's time to turn down the volume, the bass knob or a little of both.

Of you want distorted sounds, use a pedal to get them instead of cranking the hell out of everything.

[ZackfromAkron]

I got it used and the speaker already had suffered some abuse(slight tear on the edge). I noticed that my highs were disappearing but I wasn't massively concerned. I played a show where I made the awful mistake of letting a supporting act use it, and the kid completely blasted the gain. I don't think the clipping light was ever off the whole time he played. For now though, I'll play it until I can't, then look into getting a 4x10. Thanks for all the help though, it's definitely time for me to stop focusing on pedals and start learning about amplification.

[fenderhutz]

I am pretty sure the Carvin speakers will work in that box design.

Some people treat this whole speaker thing as black voodoo magic. The cab has already been designed, just make sure it's the same ohm speaker and that it is in the range to work in that size cab for cu ft. Will it sound exactly the same? No. Maybe better, maybe worse (though I doubt it).

This one:

Carvin.com :: PS15-8

Or this:

Carvin.com :: NE15-8

If it is indeed an 8ohm speaker you need. One is Neo, one is not. The weight isn't much difference. If it were me I would get the 69.00 one and play away.

[ZackfromAkron]

So, the 400 or 600 would be fine with the 200W head I currently have? cause I need something to play through until I can get my beloved Ampeg 4x10.

[fenderhutz]

Never can underpower a speaker, it's myth. I would just get the 400 though. The NEO doesn't sound 40-50 dollars better and it doesn't sound like you will need the 600 watt capacity.

Edit: If you want to get louder you need more watts and speaker square footage. You might be able to push that replacement speaker a little harder but it sounds like you should get a 410 or a louder head.

[ZackfromAkron]

Thanks a ton everyone, I would have been totally lost without this forum.