Looking for a non-Neo 12" speaker.

[Benjamin Strange]

Hey gang,

I'm looking to replace the 12" speaker in my Mesa Powerhouse Jr.:



Why? Because I'm rewiring it so I can run both sides of my Strategy 500 tube amp through one cab. My plan is to run the 8"s one one side, and the 12" on the other. The 8"s are 16ohms each, so if I run them all in parallel, the total load will be 4ohms; but the 12" that's in there is at 16ohms, which my amp doesn't have a tap for. I want to find a 4ohm replacement, so each jack on the cab will be for a 4ohm load.

I don't generally care for the sound of Neo speakers, and I'm looking for a speaker that sounds similar to the one that's already in there (which is an Eden of some sort). I'm looking for a big, robust, midrange heavy tone. I don't care about weight - the enclosure itself weighs a ton, so adding or reducing magnet weight won't be much of an issue. It needs to handle about 200 watts.

Any recommendations?

[honestjohnny]

I know nothing about that amp, but I would think the 8's have the mids and treble covered, especially if you used a crossover. Wouldn't you want to find a high sensitivity 12 that would cover the low-mids and lows? On paper, at this time, for that wattage, that is the Eminence 3012HO. Good luck!

[Bmorefoozler]

What's the interior volume of the chaamber for the 12" driver? Is it seperate from the 8's? What is the port tuning?

Not that I can answer this question, but anyone that can, will need that information.

[Benjamin Strange]

There's some baffling which mostly separates the 12 from the eights, but it's not a sealed enclosure around each. Essentially the 12 is sitting in a 11"x11" box, which is open towards the back, with a 3" gap before the back of the cabinet. There are two 3" ports on the front, which are about 6" deep.

There is no internal crossover in this thing - each speaker receives full range signal.

[wcriley]

Originally Posted by honestjohnny

I know nothing about that amp, but I would think the 8's have the mids and treble covered, especially if you used a crossover. Wouldn't you want to find a high sensitivity 12 that would cover the low-mids and lows? On paper, at this time, for that wattage, that is the Eminence 3012HO. Good luck!

The OP is looking for a 4 ohm driver.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the last I checked the 3012HO is only available at 8 ohms.

[honestjohnny]

Oh yeah, 4 ohms, nevermind.

[JimmyM]

recone?

[DukeLeJeune]

I like the recone suggestion, JimmyM.

Eminence and Beyma both make a non-neo 4 ohm woofer, but neither one of them are what I'd call "mid-heavy". I can't think of any others offhand, and a recone job would be considerably less expensive anyway.

[Benjamin Strange]

Can you actually change the ohmage of a speaker simply by reconing? I was not aware of this.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

Can you actually change the ohmage of a speaker simply by reconing? I was not aware of this.

impedance, not ohmage...



anyway, yes you can but a reconing kit has to be available for the speaker to do it. but i was thinking that you'd want to get the original reconed...are you thinking of buying new and having it reconed? i wouldn't do that if you are

[Benjamin Strange]

Did I just say "ohmage"? Damn... and I went to school for electrical engineering.

I didn't finish, obviously.