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Replacement speaker for Traynor Bloc80B

whatever4

whatever4

Dec 12, 2012
192
201
#1
I have an old Traynor Bloc80b combo (80 watts RMS through a 4-ohm 15" speaker), and thought about replacing it with an Ampeg BA115 until I took it to the music store and tested it side by side with the Ampeg. The 100-watt Ampeg had a rounder sound, but it farted out at a much lower volume than the Traynor, which didn't fart out even when maxed. I liked the sound of the Ampeg BA112. so I bought one and use it for low-volume coffee house gigs.

I kept the Traynor for louder gigs because it only weighs as much as the BA112, and it filled the big ballroom at the Stanley Hotel with volume to spare. The Traynor sounds great in the bass, but sort of flat in the high end. The amp is probably about 40 years old. Would a new speaker brighten up the sound? If so could you recommend a replacement?
 
#2
I've had a Bloc 40 since they first came out. I've modded mine to 80 watts. The Block 80 and the Bloc 40 have the same circuit, but the 80 has a higher voltage power transformer, and I put one in my little 40, as well as an extension speaker jack.

Your limitation will be the 4 ohm speaker. MCM has a couple, but the high end is limited. I have an Eminence 4 ohm kappa pro, but i've never used it alone as again, not enough top end for me.

A 4 ohm Peavey Black Widow might be nice. An Eminence Legend would be close to the original speaker. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

How much do you want to spend?
 
#3
My thoughts went right to the Legend until I saw his (her?) want for more topend.

Check out Eminences Delta Pro 15. Not the regular "American Standard" model but the "Pro" model. Loads of mids and top and high spl. Will still make lows but they may not sound like as much lows compared to the rest. Putting it in a small ported box should get enough midbass bump to help that...and it's xmax and especially xlim are such that your 80 watt amp pretty much couldn't kill it, even with the bass knob cranked. Nothing is truly indestructable of course, but that one comes damn close.

Another is Peavey's 8ohm 1505DT Black Widow...not the 1502 as is found in many bass cabs. That one will have good "pseudo treble". It's more like strong uppermids, but plenty of attack and definition while also having strong lows and again being able to take whatever your amp has to give.

Because of their sensitivity, either of those will run louder at 8ohms thana lot of average speakers will at 4, so don't worry about the ohms/power thing.

With 80 watts, older EV L's and B's ar also great choices. Either of those will have rich, forceful mids and plenty of top.

Of course, pretty much anything that says JBL on it is always good.

There has to be some spending limit here with a low power combo. There are some newer neo magnet options that will perform as good as, but not any better than, these classics we've mentioned at this power level. The only advantage being losing a few pounds...you won't really gain anything in terms of tone or overall loudness with you given 80 watts of input and they will be a good bit more expensive.
 
#6
Just ran across this old thread while trying to find out what kind of speaker was installed in these amps. I've had one since the late 80s and have used it in duo/trio gigs as a bass amp and as a keyboard amp in larger groups. Always DIed or miked it for bigger rooms and have never had a problem with it, other than having to replace the AC plug.

Does anyone know what they put in these for speakers originally?
 
#7
Steve Dallman said:
I've had a Bloc 40 since they first came out. I've modded mine to 80 watts. The Block 80 and the Bloc 40 have the same circuit, but the 80 has a higher voltage power transformer, and I put one in my little 40, as well as an extension speaker jack.

Your limitation will be the 4 ohm speaker. MCM has a couple, but the high end is limited. I have an Eminence 4 ohm kappa pro, but i've never used it alone as again, not enough top end for me.

A 4 ohm Peavey Black Widow might be nice. An Eminence Legend would be close to the original speaker. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

How much do you want to spend?
Click to expand...

I also have a 40B that I've owned since about 1986. The speaker has finally blown and I've ordered the Eminence Legend you recommended here for it - how would I go about upgrading the power amp? That sounds like a really fun mod.
 
#9
MtManiac said:
I also have a 40B that I've owned since about 1986. The speaker has finally blown and I've ordered the Eminence Legend you recommended here for it - how would I go about upgrading the power amp? That sounds like a really fun mod.
Click to expand...

I did the mod so many years ago that I don’t remember much. I’m not even sure where I got the transformer. Sorry, but I’ve got a pretty failing memory.

I compared the schematics of the 80b with the 40b, and if I remember right, the only differences were the higher voltage transformers. The 80b did have an effects loop which I added too. I did the mod back in the early 90’s and the amp has run fine since the mod. It does have more headroom.
 

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