• 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.

Help replacing 12” speakers in Ampeg cab

S

slimekiller

Dec 19, 2025
7
2
#1
Hi, I picked up an Ampeg SVT-212E secondhand a while back and the speakers blew on me :/

Was using an early Peavey 300 series bass head that runs 120W/200W (I've found conflicting info online and haven't been able to test mine) and the cab is rated for 200W so I'm wondering if the speakers weren't stock (they were labeled: 12838G 12-3710 187 7936 Peavey Electronics).

Anyways, I am hoping someone could suggest some speakers to match the cab. I'm not really a bass player so I initially thought I could just get whatever and pop them in but after some research it looks like it is a bit more of a complicated issue. Would hope to get a lot of low end and some midrange — primarily play noise rock esque stuff also use it as backline for local shows so open to more general recs. Definitely want the speakers both at 8ohm since I have the cab wired at 4ohm to match the Peavey head, also more power handling would be great as my friend has a Tech21 300W head that we use sometimes. Thanks.
 
#2
slimekiller said:
Hi, I picked up an Ampeg SVT-212E secondhand a while back and the speakers blew on me :/

Was using an early Peavey 300 series bass head that runs 120W/200W (I've found conflicting info online and haven't been able to test mine) and the cab is rated for 200W so I'm wondering if the speakers weren't stock (they were labeled: 12838G 12-3710 187 7936 Peavey Electronics).

Anyways, I am hoping someone could suggest some speakers to match the cab. I'm not really a bass player so I initially thought I could just get whatever and pop them in but after some research it looks like it is a bit more of a complicated issue. Would hope to get a lot of low end and some midrange — primarily play noise rock esque stuff also use it as backline for local shows so open to more general recs. Definitely want the speakers both at 8ohm since I have the cab wired at 4ohm to match the Peavey head, also more power handling would be great as my friend has a Tech21 300W head that we use sometimes. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Those speakers are certainly not from Ampeg.

Have you tried calling Ampeg to see if they could sell you the correct drivers?
 
#3
Ampeg never used Peavey speakers.

210's are generally better wired as an 8 ohm cabinet unless you are ONLY planning on using with that low powered amp (which you stated you were not).

This means 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel, maybe Ampeg offered this cabinet in 8 ohms? If so, that's how I would go figure it using 16 ohm original drivers.

Or, you can do the math to see what else MIGHT work ok.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bassic_desires, Hawk620, InnerCityBass and 1 other person
#4
agedhorse said:
Ampeg never used Peavey speakers.

210's are generally better wired as an 8 ohm cabinet unless you are ONLY planning on using with that low powered amp (which you stated you were not).

This means 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel, maybe Ampeg offered this cabinet in 8 ohms? If so, that's how I would go figure it using 16 ohm original drivers.

Or, you can do the math to see what else MIGHT work ok.
Click to expand...
Ahh yes you're right, my cab's badge is super beat up but found a clear info online of it stating 8ohm. I'll have to call Ampeg after the weekend to sort drivers out. Thanks!
 
#6
That's a pretty old cab, so the odds off being able to buy new factory replacement speakers is probably pretty low. Also, the cost of buying suitable drivers may be more than the cab is worth. Just for comparison, a single replacement driver for the current SVT 212AV is $199. SVT-212AV Replacement Speaker If this driver will work in your cab, the cost for a pair is about $400

FYI the cab and drivers work as a system. So you can't just drop in random 12s and get good performance. You need a 12 that is compatible with the cab design. No guarantee the driver above will work.

Ampeg may be able to recommend a suitable replacement driver. Ampeg – Bass guitar amplification If not then some engineering is required to select a compatible driver.

How to select a driver. The first step is measure the internal volume of the cab as well as the port dimensions. Drivers have a range of electro-mechanical properties that are called Thiele/Small (T/S) Parameters. Of the shelf drivers will have a spec sheet that list their T/S Parameters. A program is used to model how the cab and driver work together. Basically you input the cab measurements and the driver's T/S Parameters into the program and it does some match and spit out data and charts. Someone here may be willing to help with the modeling if you do some of the leg work.

Power handling specs can be misleading. We normally go by a cabs RMS power handling. The RMS rating tells us the long term power the voice coils can handle without overheating. However, with we need to be concerned with mechanical power handling, which can actually be significantly less than the drivers' RMS power rating. If the cab is not properly designed to work with the driver, mechanical power handling may be only a fraction of the drivers RMS power rating.

The Mechanical power handling relates to how much the driver cones bounce around at low frequencies. If the cones move too far, then the drivers incur cumulative damage and will eventually fail. How much the cones move with a given amount of power and how far is allowable are determined by the cab design and the driver's T/S parameters. If you move the same drivers to a different cab design, it impact how much the cones move...and thus changes mechanical power handling.

I would say Mechanical power handling is usually more important than the cabs RMS power rating. With many cab designs you can blow the drivers with less than it's RMS power rating if you pump up the lows enough. Unfortunately few companies publish any thing related to their cab's mechanical power handling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bassic_desires and eniac
#9
agedhorse said:
This means 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel, maybe Ampeg offered this cabinet in 8 ohms? If so, that's how I would go figure it using 16 ohm original drivers.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity, is it preferred/better/whatever to wire two 16 ohm drivers in parallel than two 4 ohm drivers in series? Both should result in a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, right?
 
#10
shwabilly said:
That cab is supposed to have Eminence speakers I believe. I replaced speakers in an Ampeg 410, and they were Eminence legend bp102 speakers. You can always keep an eye out for some used ones, but as the poster above has stated, you may be better off getting a different cab as far as a cost standpoint.
Click to expand...
The BP-102 is a terrible choice for that cabinet (especially when used with a low powered amp)... they have very low sensitivity. Just because Ampeg used Eminence speakers doesn't mean that all Eminence speakers are suitable. But more important is that he has a 212 cabinet, not a 210 cabinet as I had originally commented about.

definenredefine said:
Out of curiosity, is it preferred/better/whatever to wire two 16 ohm drivers in parallel than two 4 ohm drivers in series? Both should result in a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, right?
Click to expand...
Better using 2 x 16 ohm drivers wired in parallel, they are usually higher sensitivity than their 4 ohm counterparts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bassdirty, definenredefine and Wasnex
#12
Wasnex said:
However (AFAIK), not a lot of suitable off-the-shelf choices in 4 or 16 ohms.
Click to expand...
This is indeed a problem, which is why I suggested contacting Ampeg for the correct (or their recommended) replacement drivers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wasnex
#13
agedhorse said:
Ampeg never used Peavey speakers.

210's are generally better wired as an 8 ohm cabinet unless you are ONLY planning on using with that low powered amp (which you stated you were not).

This means 16 ohm speakers wired in parallel, maybe Ampeg offered this cabinet in 8 ohms? If so, that's how I would go figure it using 16 ohm original drivers.

Or, you can do the math to see what else MIGHT work ok.
Click to expand...
Got in contact with Ampeg and they have no documentation on this cab in their archives at all LOL. I need to do some measurements of the cab when I get home to see if it's within recommended volume/diameter/etc, but I'm looking at potentially going with a pair of Basslite S2012. I'd wire for 4ohm and probably only ever use that Peavey head I have for it. If this is stupid let me know ha.

I have seen a 212E on reverb with a pair of Kappa 12A but that seems to be overkill for the amount of power I'm supplying.
 
#15
agedhorse said:
Don't know if the Basslites are a good match without doing the math.

Kappa 12A is an absurd match, the cabinet would weigh about 100 lbs give or take!
Click to expand...
ok so internal volume of cab is ~3.57ft cubed which I halved to get ~1.79ft cubed (given that it is chambered) and the port diameters are 4". Seems to fall in line with the Basslite spec sheet but I'm sure I'm missing something lol.
 
#17
Ignore my botched patch job ha, 2 ports in 3/4" plywood. I found the diagram from another thread on here that gives a better look at what's going on inside

212e.jpg
SVT212Ediagram.webp
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Bass Jones and Wasnex
#18
Over the years I've built some guitar and bass cabs that have sounded pretty good and replaced drivers in pa subs and bass bins etc by measuring for interior volume and changing port sizes to what I need.Eminence,PRV,B+C etc if you tell them general dimensions of your cab,interior volume they can tell you what size ports you need for certain results.But as Agedhorse and Wasnex have said that a good used cab would be far more cost effective. Scratch dent and ding, closeouts,returns and after Christmas deals should be considered as well.Decent drivers can easily be $200 plus apiece and ports etc. you can get $500 or more invested real quick and may have average to unsatisfactory results.Something to consider.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eniac, Kindness and Wasnex

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back