• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Ampeg vintage SVT cab speakers

A

alienscape

Sep 11, 2009
16
0
Western PA
#1
I have just been given a 70s era Ampeg V-4B head with an SVT cab.

However, the speakers aren't sounding too good. I would like to replace them all. The problem is, I don't know what to replace them with.

The cab is a 4x10, although I was told that it used to be an 8x10 that was chopped in half at some point in time. It says 4 ohms on the rear, although, I'd imaging that removing half the speakers would have changed that to something else. I took one of the speakers out and it didn't say anything about resistance on it.

Can anyone suggest what I should replace these with????? Thanks!


images:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#2
Those would be 76 eminence speakers, meaning they're probably the original, also meaning they're 32 ohm which (assuming parallel wiring as in the original cab) the cab would be 8 ohm currently, not 4. Might want to test that. IMO, you can't beat the sound of these speakers, and you may be able to have them repaired/reconed. Otherwise, if you'd like to replace them www.fliptops.com has some good options for SVT cab replacement speakers. Some people on this board have had a good experience with mixing these:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

with the stock current production ampeg speakers:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]


Or apparently there are these, which are a new design intended to be as close to the vintage 8x10 speakers as they could make them:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#5
alienscape said:
Nice, thanks for all the info.

Do you know how many watts the originals are rated at? And cost of repair? Or who could repair/recone them? If the price of repair approaches price of new ones, I think I would prefer to get new.
Click to expand...

fliptops lists recone service as $60 for eminence/CTS 10s plus shipping, but I don't know what the cost would be for doing it somewhere local to you. It will probably approach the cost of some new speakers either way, but it depends on what kind of sound you want. If you're specifically looking the sound of the original speakers, you might want to go the recone route, but if you don't mind a potential change in sound and want to save time/cost go for new speakers. Plus you could probably sell those vintage eminence speakers for a little something on ebay, I'm sure there's someone out there looking for some originals to recone.
 
#7
lazyone2 said:
Make sure the amp is on the proper ohm setting before you decide to replace the speakers. 8 ohm sounds about right.
Click to expand...

That's a good point too, it might not necessarily the speakers, it could be running the head on 4 ohms into a cab that is actually 8 ohms is causing the noise (and potentially doing serious damage to your output section).
 
#8
I don't have photos, but do your speakers have a round magnet or a flat
square magnet. If those magnets are flat/square, you may have an earlier cut in half
70's cab with CTS AlNiCos. Is the back of the cab Flat all the way or is the top of the back angled?

As far as tone, the V4B actually makes a way better guitar amp and is underpowered
pretty much as a live bass rig, but generally OK for lower volume use.
 
#9
those look to be an alnico type, the original cts design. If they are 32ohm, then the cab is an 8 ohm cab.

FWIW, eminence has just released a "vintagey" replacement for the sealed 8x10 cabs, 10inch 32 ohm.

running your selector on 8 ohms is a good idea, but having it on another setting won't hurt anything, execpt tone and power output perhaps.
 
#10
FFTT said:
I don't have photos, but do your speakers have a round magnet or a flat
square magnet. If those magnets are flat/square, you may have an earlier cut in half
70's cab with CTS AlNiCos.
Click to expand...

The speakers are 76 eminences, you can see in the top picture the top of the cab is angled back so this was the second generation cab. The magnets should still be the square alnicos.
 
#12
I'm not getting the linked photos at all.

As far as the V4B, I suppose it's a matter of personal opinion.
They reminded me of my SUNN200S for bass, but the 10" speakers did have more detail.

I still think they make an awesome guitar amp, especially with AlNiCo drivers on about 7 :-)
 
#13
FFTT said:
I'm not getting the linked photos at all.

As far as the V4B, I suppose it's a matter of personal opinion.
They reminded me of my SUNN200S for bass, but the 10" speakers did have more detail.

I still think they make an awesome guitar amp, especially with AlNiCo drivers on about 7 :-)
Click to expand...


Yes,They are great sounding for guitar too! LOVE IT!
 
#14
I've recently loaded a 8x10 with the Jensen Mod 10 Speakers .... IMHO the sound really good .... and their priced right ... if you have a multi meter ... plug a speaker cord in the cabinet and measure the overall resistance of the cabinet ...a 8 ohn cabinet will read in the range of 5.7 - 6.9= 8 ohms ..... make sure the speakers are in phase ... take a 9 volt battery and hook it up the cabinet briefly and see if all the speakers move in unison .. I'd go with the 32 ohm and wire all the speakers in parallel as it will yield 8 ohms ... one of the good features of the V4-B is it has 3 ohm setting's 2-4-8 , ... good score !!!!!
 
#16
While my primary instrument was always bass, I've evolved into a hack of all trades so to speak.
Most of the guitar players I know look at my '73 SVT cab and shudder
at the size, not understanding that it's easier for me to use leverage
to load and unload my cab, than it is for them to lift the entire dead weight of their 4X12's. Then they hear my amps through the cab and their jaws drop! :-)

These early flat back 8X10 cabs with AlNiCo drivers are fantastic for guitar!
The drivers are low efficiency so they do stomp the volume of a big block amp by as much as 30%, but the tone is wonderful and way fuller, still delivering plenty on top end chime.



If you want your V4B to cut through better for bass, try some
EVM10L's or just let it be.
 
#17
FFTT said:
While my primary instrument was always bass, I've evolved into a hack of all trades so to speak.
Most of the guitar players I know look at my '73 SVT cab and shudder
at the size, not understanding that it's easier for me to use leverage
to load and unload my cab, than it is for them to lift the entire dead weight of their 4X12's. Then they hear my amps through the cab and their jaws drop! :-)

These early flat back 8X10 cabs with AlNiCo drivers are fantastic for guitar!
The drivers are low efficiency so they do stomp the volume of a big block amp by as much as 30%, but the tone is wonderful and way fuller, still delivering plenty on top end chime.



If you want your V4B to cut through better for bass, try some
EVM10L's or just let it be.
Click to expand...
\
FFTT,that sounds great.I love your REEVE`S ,I seen your vids before.Awesome!
 
#18
I bought the 8-pack of Jenses MOD 50's from fliptops - $265 shipped for all 8. They're loaded in my Traynor 8x10 which I'm powering with an Ampeg V2. They sound great, really aggressive. They're still breaking in too, so they're going to sound even better as time goes on. I highly recommend them.
 
#19
Jaguar said:
\
FFTT,that sounds great.I love your REEVE`S ,I seen your vids before.Awesome!
Click to expand...

Appreciate the support.

My friend Johnny Tsak is playing the Little Wing interlude
with a few cool tricks.

Back in his prime he did some extensive studio work
under Led Zeppelin/Hendrix producer, Eddie Kramer

Check this out!



Heavy Metal Bassist Brian Fox doesn't sound too shabby either!

That's Eddie on the stool in front of the drum kit.
 
#20
FFTT said:
Appreciate the support.

My friend Johnny Tsak is playing the Little Wing interlude
with a few cool tricks.

Back in his prime he did some extensive studio work
under Led Zeppelin/Hendrix producer, Eddie Kramer

Check this out!



Heavy Metal Bassist Brian Fox doesn't sound too shabby either!

That's Eddie on the stool in front of the drum kit.
Click to expand...

He was big with KISS too,right?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back