Super clean speaker for guitar?

[notCardio]

Need a recommendation for a super-clean speaker, or cab. I want to use a preamp and power amp setup, with a cab that just reproduces the sound without it's own coloration. Am I looking at JBL's? Would it be silly to consider a pa cab?

 

[miroslav]

Weber Ceramic Chicago

Celestion Lead 80

 

[mixsit]

Let's define Super clean.
There's (relative) low distortion. D-110's, 120's, 115's used to be along those lines. 'Closed back vs open 'combo style- less out-of-time spread, more direct.
But you've introduced extended bandwidth', (beyond the typical 6 or 7k electric guitar range) in the pa speaker question. Do you really want all that much top end extension?

 

[Washburn100]

Could you explain a little more what you are looking for. Is it clean electric sound or clean acoustic you want. The PA may work well and another suggesion is a keyboard amp.

I use a VG-99 for guitar/amp/effects modeling and it works best through a PA or keyboard amp because a guitar amp colors the already colored sound if that makes sense.

 

[notCardio]

That's exactly what I meant. Most guitar speakers are selected for the particular coloration that they add. I want something that doesn't color the sound that I'm already producing. I've got a power amp, so I really just wanted recommendations on a 'clean' cab, or speakers to put in one.

And no, I don't need the added frequency response per se, but I figured pa cabs are supposed to be generally 'flatter' than guitar cabs. And I don't need anything high powered, either.

 

[Washburn100]

Then I think PA cab is the way to go. As you mentioned, JBL's or even have a look at Mackies. There a lots too choose from in all kinds of price range.

 

[Anfontan]

A JBL would be a good choice, I had a friend with one of the old Fender Twins and it had a set of JBL's in it. It was so loud and clean it was brutal-I couldn't stay in the same room as the amp! It sure wasn't a rock & roll amp...

I don't think the P. A. cab would be too good though-especially one with a horn-if you played your Tele through it you could fry out everyone's eardrums that were close by!

 

[Harvey Gerst]

If you can find 4 old JBL D123's, I'd go with that. Very clean, very smooth.

 

[notCardio]

Thanks, Harvey. I'm assuming those are 12"s. Does it matter what kind of cab they go in (open or closed)? All I really need at this point is a single, I'm guessing a 12. What I would like to have is a 4x12 slant front cab wired for stereo, but that's out of the budget right now. Or maybe a single 12, and a second, monitor-wedge style cab.

Anyway, I'll check into them.

Anfontan: I was in a band with a guitarist that had a JBL-loaded Twin. My ears still hurt thinking about it, and my back still hurts from lugging it around.

 

[miroslav]

I want something that doesn't color the sound that I'm already producing.

The two speakers I mentioned are exactly like that...very neutral, especially the Lead 80.
I found it to be rather boring because of it's neutral resonse, as I like to think of a guitar, amp and cab/speaker as a tone system rather than as individual pieces...but for the way you are approaching it, wanting the speaker/cab to have little/no effect... you would like it, assuming the cab is also neutral.

The Weber is very close to it, with maybe a touch more low end extension.

 

[Outlaws]

Surprised the EVM 12L hasn't come up yet...other than the fact they are not cheap.

 

[ggunn]

I have an Altec K130 in my Deluxe Reverb; it's very clean and crisp, but a 412 cab loaded with them would be hideously expensive and take a fork lift to move.

 

[Kingofpain678]

Could you explain a little more what you are looking for. Is it clean electric sound or clean acoustic you want. The PA may work well and another suggesion is a keyboard amp.

I use a VG-99 for guitar/amp/effects modeling and it works best through a PA or keyboard amp because a guitar amp colors the already colored sound if that makes sense.

Not if you turn the speaker sim off and run only the preamp signal of your modeler through the FX loop in (power amp in)... in which case you could actually have the sound of your amp head's built in preamp amp and all the sounds of your preamp modelor at the touch of your toe if you have an FX bypass switch.

that's what I do Of course the sims of my modeler will never sound as good as the tube preamp section of my amp head but it gives me a wide range of tones.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Buy an old 60's Sunn cab with JBLs or their own Transducers in them. Pure clean tone.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Thanks, Harvey. I'm assuming those are 12"s. Does it matter what kind of cab they go in (open or closed)? All I really need at this point is a single, I'm guessing a 12. What I would like to have is a 4x12 slant front cab wired for stereo, but that's out of the budget right now. Or maybe a single 12, and a second, monitor-wedge style cab.

Anyway, I'll check into them.

Anfontan: I was in a band with a guitarist that had a JBL-loaded Twin. My ears still hurt thinking about it, and my back still hurts from lugging it around.

Yes, the D123 is a 12" speaker. It's not as bright (or as heavy) as the D120F's in your friend's JBL-loaded Twin.

A single D123 would work very nicely (open or closed back), as long as you don't drive it too hard.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Buy an old 60's Sunn cab with JBLs or their own Transducers in them. Pure clean tone.

Some of the old Sunn stuff had Dynaco power amps (which were damn clean), but the front end (and the JBL's) made them a little too bright for my taste.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

I have an Altec K130 in my Deluxe Reverb; it's very clean and crisp, but a 412 cab loaded with them would be hideously expensive and take a fork lift to move.

The K130 is a JBL, not an Altec.

 

[ggunn]

The K130 is a JBL, not an Altec.

Oops; you are correct, sir! I know the difference but apparently my fingers forgot to check in with what's left of my brain. It's still very crisp and heavy, though.

 

[notCardio]

Yes, the D123 is a 12" speaker. It's not as bright (or as heavy) as the D120F's in your friend's JBL-loaded Twin.

A single D123 would work very nicely (open or closed back), as long as you don't drive it too hard.

Just off the top of your head, do you remember what the power rating is on one of those? I can't imagine that I'd drive it too hard, but you never know.

And KOP: I want to avoid using any other preamp, tube or not. A Twin would suit my needs, if I could completely bypass the preamp. That said, I already have a power amp, so I'm really just looking for a cab, or the right speakers to put in a cab. Somehow I knew they'd end up being JBLs, but a small pa cab, coupled with a monitor wedge, or just 2 small pa cabs would suit me better, just maybe not sound better. I like the thought of being able to adjust my volume for me with the wedge, independent of the voulme for the audience.

Thanks all.

 

[Harvey Gerst]

Just off the top of your head, do you remember what the power rating is on one of those? I can't imagine that I'd drive it too hard, but you never know.

Thanks all.

As I recall, they're rated for around 25 or 30 watts for full range music, but as a guitar speaker, I think you'd be fairly safe using it with a 50 or 60 watt amplifier. I used one in an old 60 Watt Ampeg Portaflex for many years on stage without any problems.