Replacement Speaker Recommendations....

[Toph]

I've got a Crate BT-215 cab that's probably 13 or 14 years old, and it sounds to me like the drivers are hurtin a bit. I'm considering replacing them as opposed to buying a whole new cab, but I'm not sure about selection. Anyone have any recommendations?

 

[LesS]

Here is my input (in order – first being best):
1) My first choice would be JBL 140 series (D140F, E140F)– better for bass than the 130 series.

2) Eminence Kappa 15

3) Carvin PS15 400 watts $79.99 + $8.99 shipping
Carvin also has a cast frame 15 for $109.99 + 8.99 shipping

4) For a bargain, try the Madison 15” from Musicsupplycenter on ebay. The 250 watt 15 sells for $50 a pair + $20 for shipping.
I have used the high power Madison 8 inch and it is a very good speaker for the money.

5) Has anyone tried the Celestion 15 inch T4903/P bass speakers that Dave at Avatar is selling on ebay? They are going for $76 to $78 per pair plus $25 shipping.

6) Another 15 I like is the EV EVG-15 15” speaker – a great cast frame from the early 1990’s – 200 watts, 100 dB sensitivity, 12 ½ lbs, you see them on ebay all the time.
It is normally used for PA and is not known as a bass speaker.

6 ½) This is a long shot but you might try using your cabinet for a while upside down and see if you notice a difference. It is possible that your cones have warped slightly from being stored in the same position. (Heavy cone speakers should be rotated periodically - you should periodically store them upside down. This is so the heavy cone will not warp due to gravity from always being stored in the same position.)

-LesS

 

[Magneto]

I've got a Crate BT-215 cab that's probably 13 or 14 years old, and it sounds to me like the drivers are hurtin a bit. I'm considering replacing them as opposed to buying a whole new cab, but I'm not sure about selection. Anyone have any recommendations?

Link Removed

Is your cab anything like this one? This is a tough call. Cabs are designed for a particular speaker. It's hit or miss (with an emphasis on MISS) when trying to install different drivers into an older box.
To choose a suitable bass driver, you really do need to know how much internal cab volume/space you're working with, and how (if ported) the box is tuned, which style of ports it has, etc.. Even with a selected driver that matches the internal volume, you will probably want (or need) to retune the cab to get the most from the drivers.

Although people have dropped new drivers into an old box without worrying about any of this, you could easily end up with a configuration that might even be hurting the new drivers, and/or leaving you with a sound no where near as good as it could be.

Your scenario is one that comes up alot. I also had an older cab that I outfitted with 2x15s. Since the size of my cab (like yours) isn't adjustable, I had to make due with trying to get a decent tuning. I completely rebuilt the interior of the box, and I am pretty-much happy with it.

bgavin has a comprehensive spreadsheet that can help you choose a driver that might be suitable, but you'll need your cab's interior volume for starters. I couldn't find my link to it.
You can also download a freeware program called WinISD pro alpha that has many parameters for drivers and can help you choose replacement drivers for the cabinet. You'd probably want this program anyway before beginning any kind of redesign project.

I know this sounds like alot of tech stuff, but since the new drivers you choose will probably cost you half of what a new cab might cost, it's worthwhile to spend the time and get it right.

Good luck..
Mag...

 

[Crockettnj]

from what i understand from a few recent posts, bGAVIN pulled his comprehensive, amazing list (of resources on speakers and other musical related gear) off of his site.

check, it may be back up. I hope it is.

a pox on those who complained about it being there.

 

[Toph]

Thanks much for the info! It looks like I've got my work cut out for me. I've got no problem wrapping my brain around the numbers and design involved, but I wasn't sure where to start looking or if it's a worthwhile venture.

Magneto - Yeah, that's the cabinet I have, that link is just a newer version.

 

[Magneto]

Thanks much for the info! It looks like I've got my work cut out for me. I've got no problem wrapping my brain around the numbers and design involved, but I wasn't sure where to start looking or if it's a worthwhile venture.

Magneto - Yeah, that's the cabinet I have, that link is just a newer version.

It's a learning experience, that's for sure. If the cab is still in good condition and built well, you might start by simply getting the cabinet's internal measurements to figure out the internal volume. How's it ported? Does it have round ports or a slot port?
With that info, some of us here can help you crunch some numbers and try to find a driver that is a good fit. And of course you could also just buy some decent drivers and try them as-is..

Mag...

 

[Toph]

The cabinet itself is still in great condition. Never gigged. It's pretty much spent it's whole life sitting in my basement, with the exception of occasionally dragging it to a friends house to jam. The port is a single slot down the side. I'll have to get some volume measurements this weekend.

 

[Magneto]

The cabinet itself is still in great condition. Never gigged. It's pretty much spent it's whole life sitting in my basement, with the exception of occasionally dragging it to a friends house to jam. The port is a single slot down the side. I'll have to get some volume measurements this weekend.

The slot-ported cabs are a bit harder to retune, but still possible, if needed.
The main thing is to get the volume measurements, choose some drivers that will work best with that, and finally buy the drivers that won't cost more than a new cabinet to begin with..

Mag...