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Replacement 15" 16ohms speaker for 1964' Dynacord cabinet

B

bleachboy

Jan 13, 2012
20
25
#1
Hi!

I'd love your help regarding an old Dynacord 1x15" cabinet that I'm trying to put back together. It came with a 55w EL34 all-tube amp + integrated tube tape-echo (it's a 22kg beast!). I bought it mainly for the amp head itself - sounds fantastic - and figured that a 1x15" cabinet would be useful in my studio. But inside, the speaker was dead and gone (I already took it to a trustworthy speaker repair guy who basically told me the speaker was too far gone and that since it's not a collector's item it wouldn't be worth it to try and refurbish it and that I might as well get a new speaker and be done with it, which I tend to agree with). It looks like some sort of JBL knockoff ?

This will exclusively be used in the studio, and I'd like it to work well with bass at low to moderate volume. I'm going to use it with this particular amp (55w) and some of my other amps that sounds great on bass (another vintage Dynacord, 100w and a 50w Bassman). It wouldn't hurt to be able to use the same cab for guitar or pedal steel from time to time but that's not the primary goal here, as I also have a vintage 2x12 Vox cab with G12s that's just gorgeous for that purpose.

So what I'm looking for is a 15" speaker, 16ohms (that's the catch...) that sounds good with bass (guitar would be a bonus) without needing to be pushed too hard and that can handle 100w amps (bear in mind, never in a thousand years will it be used with any of my amps at full volume). If it's got that "vintage feel" (whatever that means) too, I'm all for it!

I've read good things about the Eminence Beta 15 but it doesn't seem to exist in 16ohms. There's also a couple vintage JBLs in the classifieds here in France, but I'm not 100% sure I want to go with a vintage speaker.

What do you guys suggest?


Front.jpeg

Back.jpeg

Cab.jpg


Thanks!
 
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#3
Never seen that speaker before, not a JBL knockoff though.

Going to have to see what’s available first, then do the math to see what works or what modifications might be needed. Dies your speaker repair person have any suggestions?

Is this a ported or sealed cabinet?
 
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#6
Well that's the thing, most of my amps have several different impedance speaker outs to choose from except for this one amp that came with the cab, it's 16ohms only. Same with my Vox Defiant head, same with my Italian Bassman knock-off head, they're all 16ohms. Pretty much all of the amps that I have and with which I'd like to record bass with are 16ohms only. That's why I'm looking for 16ohms speakers specifically, and from what I understand that narrows it down pretty dramatically...

EDIT: all of my amps are capable of 16ohms output, but not all of them are capable of 8ohms or 4ohms. Since it's for studio use only, I'd like to set all of my amps to 16ohms to be able to switch amps and cabs around when tracking.
 
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#7
bleachboy said:
Well that's the thing, most of my amps have several different impedance speaker outs to choose from except for this one amp that came with the cab, it's 16ohms only. Same with my Vox Defiant head, same with my Italian Bassman knock-off head, they're all 16ohms. Pretty much all of the amps that I have and with which I'd like to record bass with are 16ohms only. That's why I'm looking for 16ohms speakers specifically, and from what I understand that narrows it down pretty dramatically...
Click to expand...
Yeah, it does. You will have to first figure out what's available.
 
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#8
Indeed. That being said, I'm not looking for the end-all-be-all of bass speakers. Just a nice efficient speaker to record bass at moderate volume. If I really can't find a single 15" 16ohms speaker, I've thought about buying a 8ohms driver and adding a second smaller 8ohms driver (maybe 10"), but I would have to route a hole in the front of the cab to accommodate and I'm not sure I want to go through that trouble. Plus it would make the cab even heavier...
 
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#9
bleachboy said:
Indeed. That being said, I'm not looking for the end-all-be-all of bass speakers. Just a nice efficient speaker to record bass at moderate volume. If I really can't find a single 15" 16ohms speaker, I've thought about buying a 8ohms driver and adding a second smaller 8ohms driver (maybe 10"), but I would have to route a hole in the front of the cab to accommodate and I'm not sure I want to go through that trouble. Plus it would make the cab even heavier...
Click to expand...
The drivers need to match. Perhaps you could replace the baffle and convert it to a 210. Many more options for suitable 8 ohm 10s.
 
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#13
bleachboy said:
Indeed. That being said, I'm not looking for the end-all-be-all of bass speakers. Just a nice efficient speaker to record bass at moderate volume. If I really can't find a single 15" 16ohms speaker, I've thought about buying a 8ohms driver and adding a second smaller 8ohms driver (maybe 10"), but I would have to route a hole in the front of the cab to accommodate and I'm not sure I want to go through that trouble. Plus it would make the cab even heavier...
Click to expand...
That's not going to work well at all.

You are going to need to sort out what's available to you in 16 ohms and work from there. There may not be an acceptable solution however as most of your options will be 8 ohms.

If you want efficient and sound good, just stuffing any 16 ohm speaker into the box isn't going to be a great way to go. There's quite a bit more to it, unless mediocre performance is acceptable to you. Being in France will limit your options even more.
 
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#15
It’s not original anymore, it has been replaced in the past by a somewhat newer model, so it’s possible that I might be able to change the output impedance from the OT. If that’s the case then it’s good news, but it’s still a compromise because I won’t be able to use the cab with all of my amps. But frankly if I have to buy a proper OT + 1 speaker, it’ll cost me more than I paid for the whole thing in the first place.

@agedhorse it depends on what you mean by mediocre performance? The cab is from 1964 and I’m pretty sure that the way it left the factory would be considered somewhat mediocre by today’s standards…The amp it came with has 3 EQ settings presets for guitar/bass/vocal microphone, that gives you an idea of what the original purpose of this amp was…
If I wanted to use the cab live playing bass, then I would probably be more careful with my choice of driver but in my case, the room is well treated and I just need a not-too-powerful speaker that sounds good with electric bass while being recorded with vintage mics and preamps.
 
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#17
Google mentions these (AI-search, so may be untrue in any or all ways...)

Here are the best options for a 16-ohm 15" bass speaker:

1. Eminence Delta-15B (16 Ohm)
  • Best For: All-around, powerful, modern bass tone.
  • Power: 400W RMS / 800W Program.
  • Suitability: Excellent for both sealed and vented enclosures, and specifically noted for musical instrument systems.
  • Availability: Widely available from online retailers like Adorama, Walmart, and specialty audio shops.

2. Celestion G15V-100 Fullback (16 Ohm)
  • Best For: Vintage tone with added weight.
  • Power: 100W RMS.
  • Suitability: Designed for 15-inch combos, offering an extended low end, warmer mids, and a "contralto growl" when overdriven.
  • Availability: Available through online retailers like Amazon.

3. Jensen Vintage C15N (16 Ohm)
  • Best For: Vintage Fender-style warmth and definition.
  • Power: 50W RMS.
  • Suitability: Ideal for vintage bass amps, offering a tight low-end and clear, punchy tones, often used in classic Leslie cabinets.
  • Availability: Available through retailers like Amazon and Long & McQuade.

4. Harmony Audio HA-P15LS16 (16 Ohm)
  • Best For: High-power, budget-friendly replacement.
  • Power: 500W RMS / 1000W Peak.
  • Suitability: Designed for high-output PA or bass, featuring a 90oz magnet for deep, resonant bass.
  • Availability: Available on Walmart.ca.

Summary Recommendation
  • For maximum durability and punch in a modern rig, the Eminence Delta-15B is the premier choice.
  • For vintage warmth and tone, the Jensen C15N is the best alternative.
  • For high-powered, modern rock, the Celestion BN15-400X (though often found in 8-ohm, ensure the 16-ohm version is sourced if specific to that impedance) is a top contender.
 
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#18
I was looking for a dual guitar/bass speaker, and while I didn't buy one, I was very interested in a Fane Axiom 15-300B for the (advertised) extended high end response. The reasons I didn't buy one are most of them are 16ohm and they're not common stateside (would be an easier find for you in Europe). Here's some quick rough math on the response and excursion with your box size and wattage. Not an amazing low end response sealed, but it doesn't look like you could hurt it with that amp + cab size combo.

response_axiom.PNG


excursionax.PNG
 
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#20
I was thinking about an 8Ohm 100W wire-wound power resistor in series with a nice 8Ohm 15inch speaker.
It’d affect (flatten) the impedance response curve but not the frequency curve ‘shapes’ - and you’d lose 50% of the output voltage. And it’d get potentially hot. And it might sound crap.
So - my brilliant idea is: replace output transformer and go 8Ohm (boooring!!)
 
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