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Ampeg B-15N: best replacement speaker today

boroman

boroman

Apr 27, 2009
374
149
boro
www.dustblow.com
#1
I've probably read every B15 "replacement speaker topic" over the web in the last weeks. My '69 B15N CTS speaker is blown.

- I have asked Weber - they recommend "Bass15F" (175w, ceramic)
- I have asked Fliptops - they recommend Eminence Beta15a
- Some people here swear for Delta 15a as even better choice than Beta
- WGS recommends their BG15C (300w ceramic) - but it's more close to JBL

But the first question is - almost every B15N that's listed over the web has a replacement speaker or reconed CTS. Why? Is that a design flaw? I mean, they put in CTS speakers that had lower power handling than B15N's power amp? So, if that's true, better to recone an old one (and risk blowing it again in near future) or put there better replacement?

I have also never played B15N with factory installed JBL D130/D140 and a lot of people talk about it that this was the best speaker for B15N... so?...
 
#3
Lots of people dig the beta, the Delta works too - less low end, but overall more sensitive. That being said, at this wattage it's kinda hard to find something that at least won't work. I know JimmyM likes his with a beta if I recall. It's been a long year though, so I could be wrong.
 
#7
Soulfinger said:
Just been through this dilemma myself (see link below)---the B25B is about the same size (per driver) as the B15. Now I have Betas in both and couldn't be happier.

My Altec 421s sound lousy (V4B/B25B)
Click to expand...
Well it appears that you disagree with Cenzo Townsend as well, who owns a very smart original Altec option B15
he specifically chose for his world class studio Decoy, although of course the driver in his, is the original Stepped Alnico magnet Altec 418 Series II.
image.jpeg

I have a pair of very old SVT 115 cabs with the same drivers in which in A/B testing against loads of other manufacturers 15" cabs record extremely well, brighter and more forward in the upper mid that the stock CTS 15"
I prefer the 418 but have used 421a's in the past and have not had a problem with no high frequency response as you describe.
It's also interesting to note that you also appear to disagree with Ampeg Heratige as they paid eminence to try to clone the Alloy voice coil cap, with the bright tone ascociated with the original no longer available Altec options.
There must be something badly wrong with your old Altec's as they just don't sound as you describe them normally.:-)X
PS Perhaps someone dropped some Hi Fi woofer re-cones in them and put Alloy voice coil caps on to look right.
 

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#8
boroman said:
But the first question is - almost every B15N that's listed over the web has a replacement speaker or reconed CTS. Why? Is that a design flaw? I mean, they put in CTS speakers that had lower power handling than B15N's power amp? So, if that's true, better to recone an old one (and risk blowing it again in near future) or put there better replacement?
Click to expand...

I have a 1978 B-15S with the original speaker in it, not sure if it's a CTS speaker or not but it looks like one..
 
#9
pie_man_25 said:
Lots of people dig the beta, the Delta works too - less low end, but overall more sensitive. That being said, at this wattage it's kinda hard to find something that at least won't work. I know JimmyM likes his with a beta if I recall. It's been a long year though, so I could be wrong.
Click to expand...
My B-15 cabs have Deltas in them, actually. They're great in those little double and single baffle B-15 cabs, but was not a fan of them in the 77 B-15N I used to have. Mine had a 71 CTS in it...don't know if it was a recone or not, but it was a good bit darker in the highs than the Delta, and in that big Thiele cab the Delta is really scooped.

The JBL D130/140 was a popular speaker for the smaller B-15 cabs, but the upgrade speaker for your B-15 was the Altec 421a (actually in 69 it was the 418b, but the 421a is more highly regarded). It worked well in those bigger cabs because it had more mids and good highs. The CTS also works well, but it's mostly about low mids and mid bass.

I really don't know what modern speaker I'd get, but the Faital 15PR400 is one I've always wanted to try in one of those Thiele cabs. Not cheap, though.

bobyoung53 said:
I have a 1978 B-15S with the original speaker in it, not sure if it's a CTS speaker or not but it looks like one..
Click to expand...
It would have been Eminence in 78. If there's a number on the magnet that starts with a 67, it's Eminence. If it starts with 137, it's CTS.
 
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#10
As I see form specs, Alpha > Beta > Delta in terms of sensitivity (97, 98.2, 100dB) and frequency response - Delta curve looks also most natural. But how this looks in real (and most important in B15N) I don't know. Alpha should be cool too with less power rating and better ability to drive the speaker.
 
#11
boroman said:
As I see form specs, Alpha > Beta > Delta in terms of sensitivity (97, 98.2, 100dB) and frequency response - Delta curve looks also most natural. But how this looks in real (and most important in B15N) I don't know. Alpha should be cool too with less power rating and better ability to drive the speaker.
Click to expand...

I corrected my post above, I should have said Delta 15A.
 
#13
JimmyM said:
My B-15 cabs have Deltas in them, actually. They're great in those little double and single baffle B-15 cabs, but was not a fan of them in the 77 B-15N I used to have. Mine had a 71 CTS in it...don't know if it was a recone or not, but it was a good bit darker in the highs than the Delta, and in that big Thiele cab the Delta is really scooped.

The JBL D130/140 was a popular speaker for the smaller B-15 cabs, but the upgrade speaker for your B-15 was the Altec 421a (actually in 69 it was the 418b, but the 421a is more highly regarded). It worked well in those bigger cabs because it had more mids and good highs. The CTS also works well, but it's mostly about low mids and mid bass.

I really don't know what modern speaker I'd get, but the Faital 15PR400 is one I've always wanted to try in one of those Thiele cabs. Not cheap, though.


It would have been Eminence in 78. If there's a number on the magnet that starts with a 67, it's Eminence. If it starts with 137, it's CTS.
Click to expand...

Whelp, I've been wrong before :)
 
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#14
fliptop site says the beta is their choice of replacement. i have one sitting in my amazon cart right now, considering it. but the peavey scorpion in my cab actually sounds really nice, to my surprise. we'll see how much $$$ santa brings.....
 
#17
JimmyM said:
My B-15 cabs have Deltas in them, actually. They're great in those little double and single baffle B-15 cabs, but was not a fan of them in the 77 B-15N I used to have. Mine had a 71 CTS in it...don't know if it was a recone or not, but it was a good bit darker in the highs than the Delta, and in that big Thiele cab the Delta is really scooped.

The JBL D130/140 was a popular speaker for the smaller B-15 cabs, but the upgrade speaker for your B-15 was the Altec 421a (actually in 69 it was the 418b, but the 421a is more highly regarded). It worked well in those bigger cabs because it had more mids and good highs. The CTS also works well, but it's mostly about low mids and mid bass.

I really don't know what modern speaker I'd get, but the Faital 15PR400 is one I've always wanted to try in one of those Thiele cabs. Not cheap, though.


It would have been Eminence in 78. If there's a number on the magnet that starts with a 67, it's Eminence. If it starts with 137, it's CTS.
Click to expand...

Mine has a square magnet that starts with 67, I wonder if they had left over CTS speakers in 78? The second pair of numbers is 78.
 

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