lefrash Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I know I've got a thread already about this, but thought it was well worth while starting up a new thread to tell everyone whats happened, and how gigs have went. The story is... I own a harley benton 2x10. It has cheapo speakers (which I thought were aluminium but turns out to be just coloured in) and although it was OK, it wasnt exciting me a great deal. One thing I'd say for it though is that its a good cab. Seems to be lightm, well built and a good managable size. It was really just the speakers that let it down. anyways.... after much chat on this forum and another forum I decided to get a couple of eminence s2010 basslite speakers. £154 the pair, they werent cheap, but they were NEO and I was hoping for an improvement. Well I fitted them in series making it a 16ohm cab. I use a hartke lh500 which has minimum 4ohm load. When I used to use it (when it was 8ohm) I had a certain volume level I would set. I was expecting to increase this to compensate in the increase of resistance. I dont have to. Also, the sound is so much more responsive to my playing, and the horrible fizzy high end is not there anymore. there is a definite mid boost to the sound, but this is a major improvement as theres more clarity and less mush. Its not necessarily a cheap upgrade, but it makes massive difference. I wont say it will work for every cheapo cabinet, but I would honestly 'think' about speaker upgrade before shelling out a a fortune for a higher end cabinet. I honestly dont see me ever changing my set up now! (thats what we always say though haha) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 There`s meant to be a lot of techie workings out when swapping speakers, but whenever I`ve done it I`ve always lucked out and preferred the sound of the new ones - probably as I`ve used Eminence speakers as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Why did you wire them in series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefrash Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1367782187' post='2069447'] There`s meant to be a lot of techie workings out when swapping speakers, but whenever I`ve done it I`ve always lucked out and preferred the sound of the new ones - probably as I`ve used Eminence speakers as well. [/quote] I agree. In cheap cabinets I think you're only ever going to improve the sound. I fully accept that the internal volumes etc play a big part in how the speakers respond and how it should be ported but perhaps I've been lucky, or its not as fine an art as others say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefrash Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 (edited) [quote name='bremen' timestamp='1367782834' post='2069453'] Why did you wire them in series? [/quote] I also run an 8ohm 1x15 cab. If I wired them in parallel that would have given me a 4ohm cab, meaning I couldnt safely run both cabs at the same time. Having it a 16 ohms mean I can. I did wonder whether wiring it to give 4 ohm would be sensible, but i decided against it. After gigging it last night there is absolutely no problems running at 16 ohm. It still gives plenty of volume.... and if I need more volume I;d be running both cabinets anyway. Edited May 5, 2013 by lefrash Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I whacked an eminence Kappa into my old Ashdown EB 150 when I needed a speaker cab that could handle 500watts in an emergency (a between cabs situation). It sounds great (no distortion and super loud/clear) and I frankly just can't justify buying an expensive cab when it sounds so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 I changed the speakers in a cab..because I couldn't get replacements.. and I used 2510's I don't think this worked in my case. Whether this just wasn't a great match or whether I just don't like NEO, I am not sure, but I liked the cab with the original speakers far more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 [quote name='lefrash' timestamp='1367783582' post='2069463'] I also run an 8ohm 1x15 cab. [/quote] Gotcha. Good result all round then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 As one of the aforementioned techies I'd add a few things. The Basslites weren't a bad match for this cab so they were always going to be OK. They are also good speakers.The cabinet matching only affects the frequencies covered by the bass tone control and lefrash could probably tighten up the sound in this area by re-tuning thee ports and it might well improve his cabs power handling. However he might be fine as most bass speakers have similar resonant frequencies. Cheapo speakers save by having tiny magnets. swapping for more powerful magnets is going to make the speakers louder. Swapping for decent speakers can have the same effect as anything between doubling and having ten times the amp power. If lefrash gets time he should try wiring the basslites in parallel. He could probably leave his 15 at home then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1367784032' post='2069465'] I changed the speakers in a cab..because I couldn't get replacements.. and I used 2510's I don't think this worked in my case. Whether this just wasn't a great match or whether I just don't like NEO, I am not sure, but I liked the cab with the original speakers far more. [/quote] If you still have them let us know the cab size and I'll see if I can make some suggestions. Neo is just the magnet by the way, it doesn't have a 'sound', that depends upon which model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted May 7, 2013 Share Posted May 7, 2013 [quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1367918919' post='2070888'] If you still have them let us know the cab size and I'll see if I can make some suggestions. Neo is just the magnet by the way, it doesn't have a 'sound', that depends upon which model. [/quote] I don't have them, otherwise I would have taken up this kind offer, but thanks. I made the same mod as quite a few others and they liked the outcome... I didn't, and thought the original PAS drivers sounded much better. It was an SWR cab, of course. I was not able to A/B them tho. I understand the use of NEO...but I have never been bowled over by the sound of the cabs that use those chassis. I can't explain it, but MarkB, G&K, Ampeg, EM 2510's, Berg, ..offf the top of my head all had NEO's and altho I still use the Bergs, they are relegated to B rig, the other cabs I was quite happy not to use them again. As I say, not at all scientific, just I feel something is missing with the cabs...which happen to be NEO...???? It is the same with Class D...they will all make a pleasing sound to varying degrees, but it isn't the sound I would want given the other choices I have. So, it is not all about the carry for me... If I say so myself, my sound is regarded as good by others...even with the NEO rig but the one that gets people coming up after the gig and raving is a heavy old rig. The whole place can hear and feel it...which pisses me off if I think I was crap that night...!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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