Speaker size: 10" vs 12"

S

Simmons

New member
I’m looking at the Groove Tubes Soul-o Single as a small studio recording amp. They offer a 10” version and a 12” version. I will not be able to audition them side by side and was just wondering what your thought were on different speaker sizes in terms of tone and character in a combo or speaker cabinet?
 
I have no experience with this amp, but 12 inch speakers almost always give you better low end. 10 inchers tend to be brittle in comparison.
 
I would think that a 10" vs. a 12" wouldn't be audibly different but, larger speakers carry low frequencies better, however, they lose some punch and definition... That would be the reason to get the one with the 10" speaker for a bit more clarity and less of the lows. It probably depends on what guitars you're playing through them. The 12" should have the most versatility. Just make sure you turn it up.
 
Farview said:
I have no experience with this amp, but 12 inch speakers almost always give you better low end. 10 inchers tend to be brittle in comparison.
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That's the main deal. Bigger speakers, all else being equal, can reproduce lower freqs. Other important factors include cabinet design (open or closed back), power handling, and modern or vintage design.

In a small combo I'd probably go with the 12". But it's personal.

A closed back cabinet can help define and tighten up low end, and provides some acoustic damping of the speaker.
A low-power speaker will distort at lower power levels, becoming part of the sound of the amp at lower volumes. A high power speaker will more accurately let the tone of your amp through.
Modern speakers tend to be designed to work in two ways at different freqs. For higher freqs, the center of the cone is supposed to be able to move kind of seperately. For low freqs the cone is supposed to move as a whole. You can see a ring somewhere between the dust cap and edge of the speaker, like a ridge in the cone material. Supposed to cut down high freq damping and distortion by letting the inside part respond faster, as the voice coil doesn't have to move the whole cone. Vintage design speakers sometimes have a cone that moves as a unit no matter the frequency, which has a different sound.

None of these are better than the other, just different. You kinda gotta listen and figger out what you like.
 
In general, and in my personal opinion and taste:

I like 10" speakers for country and blues. Bassman, Prosonic, Blues DeVille, Pro Jr all fit the bill quite well. They also have all had open back cabinets.

I like 12" for rock music. AC-30, Marshall cabs, Soldano, Twin...etc. Just seem to fit the rockier music better than 10's can.

They so both have a different sound to them, whatever floats your boat. I like to have both myself.

H2H
 
Well, in my 30+ years of playing, what has worked for me is:

10 inch in the studio
12 inch for some strat and tele solos in the studio
12 inch for live because you want the feel of the low end.

Most of what a 12 or 15 inch speaker can push in terms of low frequency would be EQ'd out in a mix. Not always but in general.

YMMV
 
I say go with 12" hands down; the mic placement versatility alone is worth it. Granted, if you're able to, of course getting both is always better for a nice tonal selection, but generally it seems that 12's are the preferred way to go.
 
I like 10" speakers myself.

Especially for recording.

12" can be nice, but realistically the bass should be covering any frequency that 12" can do that the 10" can't.

Just seems to seperate the two a bit more...in the end causing them to mix together better.
 
I think Middleman hit it on the head. In a recording situation, I find I prefer a 10". I agree that often the sound of a bigger speaker must be eq'd (eliminate some lows) to work the guitar into the mix.
 
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