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Replacement speaker for B-18?

Lo-E

Lo-E

Dec 19, 2009
8,475
14,419
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Brooklyn, NY
#1
The title says it all.
A coworker has an old B-18 cabinet that he'd like to replace the speaker in. I don't know what's in there now. The chassis is long gone, so he's going to pair it with a PF500 head.
Any thoughts? There are lots of B-15 opinions out there, but I didn't see anything on the 18s.

Thanks!
 
#2
There were a few original speakers in that cabinet if they want to check out the used market: C18N Cleveland (most seen speaker in these cabs), Fane 18", and Goodman 18". I've seen JBL speakers in some vintage amps as well.

As for a modern speaker here is a selection. Prices can vary. A faital Pro 18XL1600 is $600 but many more affordable options are available. The PF 15" cabs use an Eminence speaker so it is worth checking out their offerings.

The Invalid Link Removed is an affordable speaker for a B18 cab if you want to flip the amp. Other speakers are too big. They cost about Invalid Link Removed.
 
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#3
If your coworker just wants to use the cab and is not interested in a restoration (or the original tone), the Peavey mentioned above is a good choice. If budget is a real issue try the Dayton PA460-8. It's a very good driver regardless of cost, and should work well in that cab. It will produce hifi bass, not peaked and 'rich & round', but will take boost well.
 
#4
The Peavey Black Widow was actually one of the first things I thought of. Faital came to mind, too, but they're a bit spendy and I think he's on a budget. Just wondering what the better speaker/Ampeg-educated TBers had to offer. There doesn't appear to be an 18" equivalent to the Eminence driver that's well regarded for B15s; the Delta 15A. Unless the Delta Pro-18A is the closest? I just don't know the Eminence line enough to know the subtleties. Is Delta Pro equivalent to Delta? Do the speaker mavens think this would work in a B18 cab?
 
#5
AstroSonic said:
If your coworker just wants to use the cab and is not interested in a restoration (or the original tone), the Peavey mentioned above is a good choice. If budget is a real issue try the Dayton PA460-8. It's a very good driver regardless of cost, and should work well in that cab. It will produce hifi bass, not peaked and 'rich & round', but will take boost well.
Click to expand...
Thanks for that. He does, in fact want to use the cab, but I think he is interested in the original tone - or something close to it. He told me that, during the 80s, he had used it with a 200W EV driver but had always preferred the tone with the original, which he no longer has. At that time, he also had the head. Not sure what fate it met..... :(
 
#8
Fliptops.net recommends the Peavey 1801 because it's the only modern 18" that the transformers on the head will clear without bashing into it. But it only has a 1k top end, which is super dark. I would tell your friend to go hunting an old Fane or Cleveland on used sites. Might take a while to find, but he will find one if he's patient.
 
#9
Lo-E said:
Thanks for that. He does, in fact want to use the cab, but I think he is interested in the original tone - or something close to it. He told me that, during the 80s, he had used it with a 200W EV driver but had always preferred the tone with the original, which he no longer has. At that time, he also had the head. Not sure what fate it met..... :(
Click to expand...

So your friend would prefer close to original tone, but higher power handling (louder). How much power will he be using? Finding an original driver, like JimmyM suggested, will get the original tone, but will not get additional power handling. Maybe ask him what it was about the original tone that he liked. It may be possible to find a modern driver with that tone plus more power handling.
 
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#12
AstroSonic said:
So your friend would prefer close to original tone, but higher power handling (louder). How much power will he be using? Finding an original driver, like JimmyM suggested, will get the original tone, but will not get additional power handling. Maybe ask him what it was about the original tone that he liked. It may be possible to find a modern driver with that tone plus more power handling.
Click to expand...
I spoke with him this morning. He's not looking to get a head any more powerful than your typical 500W micro - probably a PF500, so it's unlikely he'll be pushing huge power into the cab. He told me that what he liked about the B18 is that it was - to quote JimmyM - "super dark". He wants a thick, wooly tone. With that in mind, the Peavy might be right up his street. He's still scraping his coins together for it, so he's got a few weeks to think it over.
 
#14
This offering will be loud and somewhat dark sounding with a 300 watt rating. It prefers a largish sealed box, but will work okay in the B-18 box. With an advertised spl of 100db at 1 watt/1 meter (this is probably a slightly optimistic spec. but indicates it is a high sensitivity driver) it should perform well enough in the B-18's cab imo. And it is very inexpensive at $50:

Invalid Link Removed

My diy PA subs are a sister model in this line of woofers, I am VERY happy with the sound, durability, and cost. 6 years old now with zero failures.

I do not represent either of these companies but I am a very satisfied customer.
 
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#17
The Dayton PA460-8 will work well in that cab for any tuning between 40 and 56 Hz. Higher tunings are 'richer' due to broad, mild peaking which reaches about 3 db at Fb= 57 Hz (1.8db@50Hz). Fb/F3 ranges from 40/46 to 50/48 and 56/52. The high end goes to 2 kHz on-axis, after which it dives. Off-axis it probably starts a dive much lower (probably an octave), so it's not going to sound bright. Spend $0.50 more to get a total of $98 to quality for free shipping. This is a 'plug-n-play' solution with 500w rms power handling and a healthy 6mm Xmax.
 
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#18
AstroSonic said:
The Dayton PA460-8 will work well in that cab for any tuning between 40 and 56 Hz. Higher tunings are 'richer' due to broad, mild peaking which reaches about 3 db at Fb= 57 Hz (1.8db@50Hz). Fb/F3 ranges from 40/46 to 50/48 and 56/52. The high end goes to 2 kHz on-axis, after which it dives. Off-axis it probably starts a dive much lower (probably an octave), so it's not going to sound bright. Spend $0.50 more to get a total of $98 to quality for free shipping. This is a 'plug-n-play' solution with 500w rms power handling and a healthy 6mm Xmax.
Click to expand...

I thought the B-18 was a sealed cab? There is not much room for a port on the front baffle, perhaps on the back or sides? I was recommending a sealed design initially as I believe it was originally and it is a much simpler installation overall. Also, using that cab as a sealed design anything is plug'n'play, no calculations or port installation required.
 
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#19
bassmeknik said:
I thought the B-18 was a sealed cab? There is not much room for a port on the front baffle, perhaps on the back or sides? I was recommending sealed initially as I believe it was originally and it is a much simpler installation overall.
Click to expand...

It is a ported cab. They call it a double baffle design. There are oblong ports on the speaker baffle. The ports shown here are smaller than usual, normally they are about ¾" by 6" each.

 

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