replacement 8" for Ampeg

[watspan]

Can anyone suggest a source for 8" speakers to use as a direct replacement in an Ampeg classic 4x8 ? I assume I can get some through ampeg, but I was curious if there are any sources for either less expensive and/or better quality? The reason I'm asking is I bought a "project" 4x8 Ampeg classic off ebay which will need replacements.

Thanks!

 

[Indi86]

I know Ampeg is using neo speakers in their new portabass 2x8 combo. You might want to consider trying to get a hold of those?

 

[watspan]

Okay, maybe some specific choices will help here. The cabinet is the SVT-48he, 200 watt 8 ohm input for w/ high freq. and w/o. the stock replacement from ampeg is a hornsonic oem 50 w rms (polypropelene cone?) for $32.46 ea. other options from partsexpress include:

pyle "pa woofer" 200 watts @ $17.50 each
selenium "pa woofer/4x8 cabs" 125 watts @ $28.45 ea
Eminence alpha 8 125 watts @ $39.00 ea.
" beta 8 225 watts @ around $50.00 each

I plan on using the cabinet w/ 4 string basses and an AMP-bh250 250 watt SS head. ( possible secondary use could be as the high freq. section of a biamp rig w/ hartke 5000 [250+250] over a 2x15 for low freq.) Power handling is not a big concern of mine, but something of interest might be can I wire 4-8 ohm speakers into a 4 ohm total cab?

the parts express catalog gives a table summarizing the characteristics of each speaker, but they don't mean much to me. frq. response is similar, spl of the eminence seems higher.

What are your suggestions here? (or options I haven't thought of? Thanks!

 

[illidian]

I'd probably stick with the OEM Ampeg. That cab is a mid machine! I played one at lower volumes and it just honked (definately a love/hate thing). Great for what it was.

 

[ESP-LTD]

You mentioned 'stock replacement' - that implies using the original drivers; $32 is not a bad price for a speaker.

You cannot wire 4 - 8 ohm drivers to be a 4 ohm load; you can get 2 ohms (parallel), 32 ohms (series), or 8 ohms (series-parallel).

You mentioned possibly 'better quality' speakers and that PartsExpress has a 'table summarizing the characteristics of each speaker'. There is no single 'better'. If you want a more sensitive cab, higher Spl is 'better'. If you want more low end response, then higher Xmax is 'better' (but sensitivity will be lower).

Unless you want to learn what all those specs mean and how they interrelate, and redesign the cab to be something different (killing it's resale) I'd suggesting getting more Ampeg drivers.