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Does anybody else dislike Neo speakers?

powellmacaque

powellmacaque

Aug 16, 2006
925
17
36
Clearwater, FL
#1
Maybe it's because I've only played them in noisy guitar shops. Maybe I haven't played the right brand, I don't know. But I can't really find a neo cab that I can "warm up" to.

I'm a fan of the "middle ages" of bass tone, the 80s and 90s tones, so I don't really like anything ultra hi-fi, nor do I like anything super warm and pillowy. It seems to me that the Neo speakers are considerably brighter, but it could just be me. To me, there isn't much of a weight benefit (I'm a young guy) compared to the tone.

Not knocking you guys who like the Neo cabs, please don't take this as trolling. I'm just wondering if people here still prefer the traditional speakers.
 
#2
I have an Avatar B410 that with NEOs and I like it allot. I have noticed however that NEOs in new cabinets need to break in before they get a warmer sound. I bought one of Daves cabinets a few years ago, and it needed some time before it really started to sound its best which happened after maybe 12 -15 hours of stage volume playing? I will never forget how my guitarist kept asking me if I was turning up between songs on our second set when in fact I was turning down, and the sound just got warmer and fuller!
 
#3
You talking about like as in playing in the basement or out on a gig?

Love both my Berg AE112 and AE210 for different bands and live situations. Previously had non-neo cabs. No regrets from a tone perspective with the Berg neos.

Agreed on break-in. My AE112 got a lot bigger/warmer after a few long gigs.
 
#6
Neodymium magnets are smaller (and therefore) lighter than ceramic ones. Magnetism is magnetism; I don't see how the magnet materiel should affect performance/tone.

Most speakers sound their best after a few hours of 'breaking in', but that's the cone and surround breaking in, not the magnet.

good luck!
 
#9
I like the ceramic speaker in my amp and loved the 12's that trace elliot used to use.

Can't complain about the old magnets aside from the weight.

FWIW, portability trumps tone when it comes to a gig with stairs.
 
#10
Completely useless generalization. Nothing about neos makes them inherently sound a certain way. TS specs determine what it sounds like, and the neo magnet mostly affects the magnet strength parameter IIRC.
 
#11
powellmacaque said:
Maybe it's because I've only played them in noisy guitar shops. Maybe I haven't played the right brand, I don't know. But I can't really find a neo cab that I can "warm up" to.

I'm a fan of the "middle ages" of bass tone, the 80s and 90s tones, so I don't really like anything ultra hi-fi, nor do I like anything super warm and pillowy. It seems to me that the Neo speakers are considerably brighter, but it could just be me. To me, there isn't much of a weight benefit (I'm a young guy) compared to the tone.

Not knocking you guys who like the Neo cabs, please don't take this as trolling. I'm just wondering if people here still prefer the traditional speakers.
Click to expand...

Celestion Green neo [if you can find one] in in that middle area.

That said my sound is "super warm and pillowy", I have a Celestion green neo in my old sunn cab, sounds like a old JBL D140 but clearer and more even.
 
#13
quoting newbold: Can't complain about the old magnets aside from the weight.
FWIW, portability trumps tone when it comes to a gig with stairs.

I love the tone of my Eden 410xlt (4ohm) w/F1. And I love the tone of my Neopak with GB Neox 112T/212T or just a single 212T w/F1 or LMII. But all with VT pedal, just makes it for me.

All are a fairly easy lifts overall for me and I'm an old farter. I rarely deal with stairs and never with public transport. But that's just me. :cool:

I thought I heard a big difference for awhile, made me swap out a GB XB2 410 cab, but I dont seem to hear that now. But again, that's just me.
 
#14
Neodymium is a magnet material that is much lighter than ceramic or ferrite. As already stated in this thread, a neodymium magnet has nothing at all to do with the sound of the driver. So, there may be something else about the driver you don't like but it certainly is not attributed to the neodymium magnet.
Personally, I am achieving some phenomenal low-end utilizing neos. YMMV however.

Neodymium:
A bright, silvery rare-earth metal element, found in monazite and bastnaesite and used for magnets. Atomic number 60; atomic weight 144.24; melting point 1,024°C; boiling point 3,027°C; specific gravity 6.80 or 7.004.
 
#15
Well here is my comparison:

I liked/loved the Gallien-Krueger RBX/SBX and RBH series cabs, they had just enough warmth mixed with some sizzle

I DON'T like the Neo cabs as much (not saying they sound bad, but to me the RBX was the epitome of "my tone"). They sounded less warm to me than previous GK cabs.

Maybe they do need to be broken in? I don't know. I haven't played many other cabs because frankly I like GK too much to really mess around with other brands.
 
#18
ptidwell said:
Neodymium is a magnet material that is much lighter than ceramic or ferrite. As already stated in this thread, a neodymium magnet has nothing at all to do with the sound of the driver. So, there may be something else about the driver you don't like but it certainly is not attributed to the neodymium magnet.
Click to expand...
not directly, but since the neo magnet is much smaller, it works in a much smaller area, and that can cause tonal differences, and probably does contribute at least a little to the way they sound.

i've played a handful of neo cabs i really liked, and a handful i didn't. i can also say the same about ceramic magnet speakers. i'd also take a good neo any day over a crap ceramic. as the others have said, it's a case by case basis.
 
#19
Not to generalize, but a not that good experience with MarkBass cabs made turn back to "classical" cabs. They used to "pump" so much (yes, the levels were set OK), that I was always frightened one speaker or another could blow up anytime.

Possibly my fear had no reason to be, but I need to feel zen and trusty when I play.
 
#20
IMO there can be a difference. Depends on a lot of factors.

There is a sound difference, despite what anyone says, whether it's good or bad is down to other factors of the cab.

The Berg neos I tried next to the ceramic definitely had a mid aggression.

Tecamp got it right with there cabs!

It's not just the speakers as mentioned, but I've yet to hear a neo that sounds like a tradional speaker. Damn close, but not quite.

I'm waiting to see what happens next...I'd like a neo 2x12 like the new Markbass 122.
 

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