Help! need to replace driver on Swr workingman's 12

funkydjembe · #1 08-01-2010, 05:52 AM

I have an Swr workingman's twelve, 100 watt solid state from 1997. The speaker has been getting fartier and fartier with high volumes, yesterday it only farted. I took out the speaker and checked it and it had only 6 ohms impedence instead of 8. Tried the amp with another speaker and it worked fine. The blown speaker is a Celestion K12T-200, I assume that the "200" means power handling watts? Lately i have been using an EBS octabass through the amp resulting in lower frequencies,,could that be the culprit for a fried speaker? Anyway,,my big question is; can i replace the speaker with a Celestion Green BN12-300x which has a 300 watt power handling? or ,,,stick to a 200 watt celestion? I gotta get a new speaker quick, as I am lugging around a big cab and amp just for practice

will33 · #2 08-01-2010, 10:01 AM

6ohms is a normal reading for an 8ohm speaker but if it works good with a different speaker then the speaker is still the problem. There are many, many different parameters and specs to speakers, power handling will be the least important or close to it with a 100watt amp.

will33 · #3 08-01-2010, 10:04 AM

Yes, using an octaver will put some real stress on the speaker. An eminence basslite s2012 will likely have more excursion than whatever was in there and is friendly towards smallish boxes and relatively inexpensive. That's just one idea, don't run with it until you do your homework.

jellymax · #4 08-01-2010, 10:09 AM

i have a 1996 model i think. replaced the driver around 2000 with a $59 carvin driver
because it blew similar to yours
actually sounds great. if it happened again, i would go with a neo (lightweigt) driver
though. there are many here among us that can help you with choosing which
one is ideal. 6 ohms on a meter could be the normal reading BTW

bobcruz · #5 08-01-2010, 12:16 PM

I put an Avatar-sourced Eminence neo 2512 (with longer than stock Xmax) in one of my WM12's and retuned the rear port with a longer flare that fit over it like a glove. The tone is way different from the stock speaker in a good way--much better lows and smoother mids. Even if you put in a long-throw speaker like I did, go easy on the sub-bass stuff or you can blow it again no matter what the thermal power rating of the speaker is. You'll blow it when you run out of Xmax on the lowest tones, and that can happen with even 100 watts.

funkydjembe · #6 08-01-2010, 12:19 PM

Thanks guys,,so,,there is no problem with a 300 watt speaker in my 100 watt amp? I can get a green label neodium celestion here in norway for $165. Should i ??????

funkydjembe · #7 08-01-2010, 12:26 PM

yeah, bobcruz,,i kinda figured that that octaver meant trouble on that small enclosure. I will read up on that eminence neo 2512

lbwdog · #8 08-01-2010, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkydjembe

Thanks guys,,so,,there is no problem with a 300 watt speaker in my 100 watt amp? I can get a green label neodium celestion here in norway for $165. Should i ??????

Check your cab's internal volume and see if would accommodate an Eminence 3012 HO. That would be the toughest 12" you could find in a Neo.
http://eminence.com/proaudio_speaker...2&SUB_CAT_ID=3

will33 · #9 08-01-2010, 12:44 PM

This right?

http://professional.celestion.com/ba...BN12-300X8.pdf

4mm xmax isn't bad but it's not all that good either compared to a lot of stuff. With a 100watt amp it could be a non-issue.

Is eminence expensive to get to norway or what? The emi basslite's shipping weight, box, packaging and all is 2.6kg.

Their xmax and xlim numbers are better but again it may not matter with 100watts but it sure could if you're using an octaver effect thing. I do know they work well in smallish boxes meaning you don't lose as much lows as some other speakers in a smaller box. I haven't model the Celestion and don't know how it will react to different box sizes.

will33 · #10 08-01-2010, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkydjembe

yeah, bobcruz,,i kinda figured that that octaver meant trouble on that small enclosure. I will read up on that eminence neo 2512

In the same size box, the basslite's model an f3 about 5hz lower than the deltalite series. The HO is the best of the bunch. Normally one would say you don't have enough amp power to make use of all that excursion but then there's that octaver thingy. Do you have to use that for some golden tone you're going for or are you trying to make up for a speaker that's shy in the bass? If so, the right speaker could eliminate the need for the octaver.

funkydjembe · #11 08-01-2010, 01:05 PM

I usually don't use the swr on stage unless it's a small jazz club gig. I use the octaver on very few songs,,and usually stomp it on and off in songs, with octaver at about 25% together with the original signal. I play a four string and sometimes i use it to get a lower funky sound, but i never play below c when i use the octaver,,otherwise it's just noise.

funkydjembe · #12 08-01-2010, 01:17 PM

found a basslite in denmark for $160 plus shipping

funkydjembe · #13 08-01-2010, 01:30 PM

okay,,down to three choices; Eminence basslite S2012, Eminence Deltalite II 2512, and Celestion BN12-300x, all between $150 and $170

will33 · #14 08-01-2010, 01:46 PM

Next step is to measure your box. The lowend the speakers will have depends on the size of the box they're in. Need internal dimensions of the box and separately internal dimensions of the tuning port be it a slot, round tube or whatever.

bobcruz · #15 08-01-2010, 01:55 PM

Internal volume of the WM12 is about 40 liters, or 1.4 cubic feet. That's a bit small for the S2012 which requires about 1.5 cf or more, while the 2512 can get by with 1.2 cf or more. Stock port tuning is in the low 60-Hz region, about 63 Hz; I got it down under 40 Hz for the 5-string bass I play with the 3x6 inch flare I installed. The flare gets up closer to the speaker's back plate than I like because SWR installed the port directly opposite the speaker, but darned if it doesn't work just fine with no port noise (I think the back plate mostly blocks out the mids that would otherwise leak through).

will33 · #16 08-01-2010, 01:59 PM

I haven't model any 12 in a box that small. OP, if these speakers over there are all similair in price I would probably follow bobcruz's advice just because he has the same amp and has already done the port mod. My intuition tells me the box size should be a ported 10 or a sealed 12 but you're not going to want to hack it up that much.

funkydjembe · #17 08-01-2010, 02:05 PM

I have 1.3 cubic feet (36.7 cubic liters) and a 3" (7.5 centimeter) port

funkydjembe · #18 08-01-2010, 02:13 PM

whew,,trying to convert cubic centimeters to cubic feet is a bummer

I cant find the Neo here,,is the Neo the same as the Deltalite? oops,,,duh

neo means neodium,,,time to drink coffee instead of beer

funkydjembe · #19 08-01-2010, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobcruz

Internal volume of the WM12 is about 40 liters, or 1.4 cubic feet. That's a bit small for the S2012 which requires about 1.5 cf or more, while the 2512 can get by with 1.2 cf or more. Stock port tuning is in the low 60-Hz region, about 63 Hz; I got it down under 40 Hz for the 5-string bass I play with the 3x6 inch flare I installed. The flare gets up closer to the speaker's back plate than I like because SWR installed the port directly opposite the speaker, but darned if it doesn't work just fine with no port noise (I think the back plate mostly blocks out the mids that would otherwise leak through).

So i would have to modify the port to eliminate noise with a longer, flared port,,,flared on the inside? please explain.

funkydjembe · #20 08-01-2010, 02:54 PM

Hey bobcruz,,,did you change the wires from the amp to the driver?,,,I think they look rather thin