I'd opt for an era-correct CTS again. They come up often. Or recone the original.
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Ampeg B-15N: best replacement speaker today
- Thread starter boroman
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- ampeg b-15n replacement speaker
As BassmanPaul pointed out, there is not much of a challenge finding a speaker that can handle the power,
but age and use will eventually wear out any speaker.
There is certainly nothing wrong with getting the original reconed.
However, if there is something about the original that you feel could be improved,
this is a good time to do that.
You have been given several choices.
Each one will bring with it a different sound.
It's up to you to decide if and of those choices seen like they will give you more of what you want.
Some people will want higher sensitivity to get more volume out of the limited power.
Some will want a darker or brighter sound.
Some will insist on originality.
Each of those are valid choices.
but age and use will eventually wear out any speaker.
There is certainly nothing wrong with getting the original reconed.
However, if there is something about the original that you feel could be improved,
this is a good time to do that.
You have been given several choices.
Each one will bring with it a different sound.
It's up to you to decide if and of those choices seen like they will give you more of what you want.
Some people will want higher sensitivity to get more volume out of the limited power.
Some will want a darker or brighter sound.
Some will insist on originality.
Each of those are valid choices.
My 1970 still has the original 421 and it still sounds great, but I've also had other Altec 421's re-coned in the past with great results.
I have a 60's square magnet CTS speaker, which I believe originally came from a B25B cabinet that you could try if you're interested.
I have a 60's square magnet CTS speaker, which I believe originally came from a B25B cabinet that you could try if you're interested.
For CTS you want something with not much high end, like no more than 3khz. I think Eminence has a few but I have to leave so I'll look them up later and let you know what looks closer on paper. For Altec, I believe that Faital 15PR400 would work well in its place. Since it's what became the TL606, old EV's usually work very well in them, but I don't know what's a modern day equivalent.
Again, this is all guessing through my experiences owning one and getting to know its tonal profile and not actually replacing speakers, so please feel free to take it with a grain or two of salt.
If you like the sound of your stock CTS speaker; just have it re-coned.
If you are looking for a different sound, it will be difficult to know what you want without hearing it first.
Personally, I never cared that much for the CTS bass drivers and much prefer Altec 421A's (have them in a 2x15 cabinet) or EVM 15's (in a TL606 and in a B115M).
If you use another amp and want loud & clear, none of the above is a good choice.
If you are looking for a different sound, it will be difficult to know what you want without hearing it first.
Personally, I never cared that much for the CTS bass drivers and much prefer Altec 421A's (have them in a 2x15 cabinet) or EVM 15's (in a TL606 and in a B115M).
If you use another amp and want loud & clear, none of the above is a good choice.
Joining this thread late, I know, but I'm just on the precipice of taking the plunge with a new manufactured double baffle cab (FlipTop or Trinity). I have modeled 6 or 8 different drivers in Speaker Builder Pro but quite obviously that's not anything like hearing them in a cab. I also read Jimmy's earlier A/B thread with soundclips but the link is now dead.
Earlier in this thread Jimmy mentioned the Faital 15PR400 as a possibility. In many respects it models better than the other drivers I looked at (Jensen, Eminence, Celestion, Beyma). The Beyma 15WR400 also looks good on paper but it's ferrite and weighs about twice as much as the others (over 13 lbs). Has anyone tried either the Faital or Beyman in a double baffle? Any further comments or observations on the subject (other than the fact that, as Jimmy mentioned, the Faital is very spendy).
I don't need a lot of volume but I am looking for as much clean extension as possible, particularly at the low end. Speaker Builder predicted some serious excursion problems with the Jensens (the T/A parameters for the C15N show only +/- 1mm excursion).
Earlier in this thread Jimmy mentioned the Faital 15PR400 as a possibility. In many respects it models better than the other drivers I looked at (Jensen, Eminence, Celestion, Beyma). The Beyma 15WR400 also looks good on paper but it's ferrite and weighs about twice as much as the others (over 13 lbs). Has anyone tried either the Faital or Beyman in a double baffle? Any further comments or observations on the subject (other than the fact that, as Jimmy mentioned, the Faital is very spendy).
I don't need a lot of volume but I am looking for as much clean extension as possible, particularly at the low end. Speaker Builder predicted some serious excursion problems with the Jensens (the T/A parameters for the C15N show only +/- 1mm excursion).
My 1970 B15N (theile cab) has a JBL D140 8 ohm in it. Sounds fantastic but is a bit beefier on the low end and shyer on the highs than my earlier B15 w/ original speaker (dbl ported cab). If I were to replace the JBL i think I'd try the Eminence beta15A as recommended by fliptops.net. I may do it.
Holy Zombie thread Batman!!
I tried an Altec, a JBL 2205 and I preferred the original driver it came with. In my book leave the poor thing alone. If you like what it does don't go searching for some quixotic 'improvement.'
I tried an Altec, a JBL 2205 and I preferred the original driver it came with. In my book leave the poor thing alone. If you like what it does don't go searching for some quixotic 'improvement.'
I'm jumping on this Zombie thread too. I have a '73 B15 N with the square magnet CTS and I actually find it a bit bright? Even with my P bass with flats? Had everything on the amp checked out (twice) and everything comes back with a clean bill of health. Now, in the interest of full disclosure I haven't taken it out on a gig to see how it blends in a room but it does take a bit of tweaking to get it not so clanky. I prefer to turn down the treble on the amp than roll the tone nob down too far. I feel I lose too much of the P bass character when I have to roll that tone nob down too far.
The bright sound is a opinion really of the player.
But agree and found many early 2 band tonestacks to be on the bright side.
I've turned the treble way down on Ampegs , Bassmans and Hiwatts with simple bass / treble controls.
Almost to where I felt guilty or wrong.
Then again it wasn't muddy tone at all.
Got over the visual aspect of it
And just leave the knobs where it feels right.
Might have been my Jazz Bass bridge pickup was very bright too.
But agree and found many early 2 band tonestacks to be on the bright side.
I've turned the treble way down on Ampegs , Bassmans and Hiwatts with simple bass / treble controls.
Almost to where I felt guilty or wrong.
Then again it wasn't muddy tone at all.
Got over the visual aspect of it
And just leave the knobs where it feels right.
Might have been my Jazz Bass bridge pickup was very bright too.
That's odd because I found the 71 CTS in the 77 B-15N I used to have to be one of the darker speakers I've heard. Honestly, I think you should take it on a gig before you decide it's too bright. Any treble I heard by itself got eaten up on a gig. And there's always the treble knob, which on those Baxandall/James tone controls, is super effective.
Glad to hear someone else has to turn the treble knob way down too. After all the talk of the glorious sound of the B15 I assumed it would be all caramel goodness coming from my B15. Great tubey sound but a bit on the bright side. Once dialed in, it's pretty damn good but I was surprised at how much I had to turn down that treble knob.
That's really interesting. I don't like to boost the bass knob too much compensate because I find it pushes th speaker a bit too much. I find myself with the treble around 8 or 9 o'clock and the bass around noon.
Wow, that is super dark no matter what speaker's in it! I guess if you're playing reggae...
I thought I read somewhere that Jamerson used to turn the Bass all the way up and the Treble all the way down, on his B15. I don't know how that driver survived that way !Wow, that is super dark no matter what speaker's in it! I guess if you're playing reggae...
Bass all the way up, treble halfway. And I'd bet dollars to donuts that he want through more than one
Send your original speaker to Freeman Tuell Speaker Repair in Dallas. You will be very pleased with their work.
Wow, that is super dark no matter what speaker's in it! I guess if you're playing reggae...
Not on mine. That setting on mine gets it closest to the Jamerson thing. This is why I had the thing checked out twice by two different techs to see what the heck is going on.
