Eminence Delta 12LF Speaker Blown! Need help

[ramoneo14]

Avatar B212 cab (8 ohms) loaded with 2 x Eminence Delta 12LF 12" 16 ohms speakers. One blew last night!! I am having an impossible time finding the 16ohm Delta drivers.

Called Avatar and they said the "best" option is to replace both speakers with Delta 12LF 4 ohms (in series) to produce same 8 ohm cab. $160 for two drivers

Questions for all you bassist.
1. Is the Eminence Delta 12LF what you would recommend for this setup? If so, is $160 a good price for 2?

2. Is there a better choice for 12" speaker for this cab? (sealed) for same/less $$ ?

3. What is the best of the best 12" speaker at any price??

[MuzikMan]

Did Avatar make a sealed 2 x 12 cab? I used to have a delta lf loaded Avatar 2 x 12 and it was ported and tuned to approximately 50hz with a box volume of approximately 3.8 cu. ft.

[MuzikMan]

Now that I think about it you should contact Avatar again and get whatever drivers they use these days. I bought from them in the past and their driver prices were absolutely unbeatable.

[billfitzmaurice]

IMO the D12LF used without a midrange driver is a serious error. The LF stands for Low Frequency, and it's intended usage was for PA subwoofers. But that was when it was introduced 10 years ago. Today it's also quite obsolete.
Finding 4 or 16 ohm drivers isn't easy. But unless you need to run more than one cab using a pair of 8 ohm twelves for a 4 ohm cab isn't problematic. I'd load it with either Deltalite II 2512s or Kappalite 3012HO, depending on your budget, and your amp. There's not much point in 3012HOs unless you have more than 400 watts to push them with. The alternative is to have the D12LF reconed.

[ramoneo14]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

I'd load it with either Deltalite II 2512s or Kappalite 3012HO, depending on your budget, and your amp. There's not much point in 3012HOs unless you have more than 400 watts to push them with. The alternative is to have the D12LF reconed.

I am using an Eden WT130 head. Not super high power but very musical.

The Kappalite 3012HO has many good reviews. Anyone else recommend that one?

[ramoneo14]

Originally Posted by MuzikMan

Now that I think about it you should contact Avatar again and get whatever drivers they use these days. I bought from them in the past and their driver prices were absolutely unbeatable.

They still recommend the Delta 12LF but the 4 ohm version. 500w version. $80/piece! Is that a good price?

[smoov]

M.A.P. is $94 $80 is ok

[MuzikMan]

Kappalite 3012HO > Deltalite II 2512 > Delta 12lf. I use the Kappalite in a 2.2 cu. ft. box tuned to 42 hz and it absolutely smokes. In my opinion it is the best value of the three in terms of price/performance. I am surprised that Avatar still uses the Delta 12lf because, as billfitzmaurice said, it is an obsolete driver. I think that is because it falls short in excursion and low end output compared the more recent offerings. The Deltalite II 2512 is right in the middle as its price would suggest.

Basically you will get what you pay for with these choices.

[MuzikMan]

Originally Posted by ramoneo14

They still recommend the Delta 12LF but the 4 ohm version. 500w version. $80/piece! Is that a good price?

They used to do a little better with their prices but I am thinking back 5 years .

[ramoneo14]

Originally Posted by ramoneo14

I am using an Eden WT130 head. Not super high power but very musical.

Correction. I am using an Eden WT300.

[GrowlerBox]

Originally Posted by billfitzmaurice

'd load it with either Deltalite II 2512s or Kappalite 3012HO, depending on your budget, and your amp. There's not much point in 3012HOs unless you have more than 400 watts to push them with. The alternative is to have the D12LF reconed.

Having played BFM-designed Jack 112s both with the Deltalite and Kappalite speakers, I found the latter to provide a better-balanced tone, with more to give in the low end (?better Vmax) for my purposes. With my usual rig (see sig), I have a maximum of 300 W through 8 Ohms, so there may still some benefit in the admittedly more expensive speaker, even with a more paltry power output.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by GrowlerBox

With my usual rig (see sig), I have a maximum of 300 W through 8 Ohms, so there may still some benefit in the admittedly more expensive speaker, even with a more paltry power output.

It's complicated. The 3012HO has higher sensitivity than the 2512, so it will run louder with the same input, and if you're shy on power that's a good thing. But that mainly applies when using only one. With two the system sensitivity for the same input voltage jumps by 6dB, and that makes the additional sensitivity of the 3012 less advantageous. IMO the 3012HO is usually the better choice in a 1x12, but with a 2x12 it's a tossup unless you're pushing enough power that you'd go beyond the displacement limits of the 2512.

[Thor]

You have it from one of the experts on the board.

You have one cab. Go with the 8 ohm speakers in parallel on the
Deltalites for 4 ohm load total on 2x12 setup. Get a S/M and sell the other
speaker.

The Eden WT-300 will drive that cab at 4 ohms, no problem
and theoretically put out 300 watts into that rig as opposed
to mabe 180 watts at 8 ohm. A nice increase in power by lowering
your impedance load in the system.

Note sure what style of music you play, but a 2x12 likw that
will do pretty much any room alone. With the DI on the Eden,
anything louder that that can go to the PA subs.

You have then converted this cab to a major bad@$$ cab,
nice upgrade.

[Doug Parent]

Dave will take care of you at Avatar when you explain the situation, just spoke with him myself on the same subject. 8 or 4 ohm Neo driver that he uses in his cabs are the ticket.