Custom Mahogany 2X12 Cabinet Speaker Choices:

Thinking outloud this morning...

I'm pondering this entire speaker fiasco and looking at all the weights and sensitivity ratings....

Having two Neodymium's - for a total weight between two speakers of only 8 pounds - would be ideal.

That would keep completed cabinet weight under 40 pounds. A mahogany cabinet, with metal end caps and two speakers!!!

The best speaker that I have on hand - the WGS Reaper 55hz - is also the heaviest, at a whopping 10 pounds.

I could pair it with my new Jensen Jet Neodymium 100W, which weighs only 4.4 pounds, and end up with a completed cabinet weight of around 44 pounds. This is still heavier than I want the 2x12 to be.

My DSL40C with the WGS Reaper 55hz weighs 57 pounds and has been killing me to move it in and out of my car.

I have limited options right now, as I funded the Origin 50H purchase on tip $$$ alone, so there's no surplus for another Neodymium speaker at present.

The 8.6 pound Electro-Harmonix 12VR75 and the Jensen Jet Neodymium 100W (98.3db) would end up netting 13 pounds. The 12VR75 has to be the loudest and clearest speaker i have ever owned and features a 100db rating

Two Celestion 70/80's would also yield about 13 pounds, but at least one is needed to return DSL40C #2 back to stock speaker configuration as it is tentatively sold.

One 70/80 (6.5 pounds) and the Jensen Jet Neodymium 100W at 4.4 pounds, would yield the lightest weight combination of all my speakers currently on hand, at only 10.9 pounds for the pair, but the 70/80 is also probably the least desirable from a tone standpoint.

Decisions...
 
Hey, Speaker Gurus...

Looking for a lightweight pairing for my 100 watt Jensen Jet Tornado (97.5db) and found this Eminence Neodymium Lil' Texas. It's almost $80.00 cheaper than the Celestion Neo Creamback and weighs only 4.1 pounds!!!!!

sonic/Tonal thoughts in a 2x12 cabinet wired in parallel???

SPECIFICATION
Nominal Basket Diameter12", 305 mm
Nominal Impedance*8 Ω OR 16 OHM
Power Rating**
Watts125 W
Music ProgramN/A
Resonance90 Hz
Usable Frequency Range80 Hz - 5 kHz
Sensitivity***101.2 dB
Magnet Weight4 oz.
Gap Height0.28", 7.1 mm
Voice Coil Diameter2", 51 mm
THIELE & SMALL PARAMETERS
Resonant Frequency (fs)90 Hz
DC Resistance (Re)7.2 Ω
Coil Inductance (Le)0.42m H
Mechanical Q (Qms)11.29
Electromagnetic Q (Qes)0.69
Total Q (Qts)0.65
Compliance Equivalent Volume (Vas)43.3 liters / 1.53 cu.ft.
Peak Diaphragm Displacement Volume (Vd)66 cc
Mechanical Compliance of Suspension (Cms)0.11 mm/N
BL Product (BL)12.8 T-M
Diaphragm Mass Inc. Airload (MMs)28 grams
Efficiency Bandwidth Product (EBP)130
Maximum Linear Excursion (Xmax)1.27 mm
Surface Area of Cone (Sd)519.5 cm2
Maximum Mechanical Limit (Xlim)N/A
 
Ok...wiring question...

I got a jackplate that has (2) jacks and a stereo/mono rocker switch between them.

I know that my twin 16 ohm speakers will require parallel wiring to yield 8 ohms total impedance.

But, how to wire in this rocker switch??? I doubt i will ever run this in stereo, but I want to make 100% sure I am doing this right...
 
Here's my current lightweight speaker contenders. I already have one Jensen Jet 100watt Neodymium Speaker in my possession. I can chose from one of the following to compliment the Jensen Jet:

12" Jensen Jet 100watt Neodymium 97db 4.4 pounds

12" Eminence Lil' Texas 125wattNeodymium 101db 4.1 pounds

12" Celestion Creamback Neodymium 60watt 97db 4.2 pounds

Now, I am told that power rating is meaningless in a multi-speaker cabinet, but I believe that higher wattage speakers tend to deliver more headroom.

Secondly, one group tells me that sensitivity ratings are totally meaningless, but I have also read that a speaker that is 3db louder than another speaker is twice as loud in terms of volume.

Thoughts on this subject????
 
Robert Herndon said:
Here's my current lightweight speaker contenders. I already have one Jensen Jet 100watt Neodymium Speaker in my possession. I can chose from one of the following to compliment the Jensen Jet:

12" Jensen Jet 100watt Neodymium 97db 4.4 pounds

12" Eminence Lil' Texas 125wattNeodymium 101db 4.1 pounds

12" Celestion Creamback Neodymium 60watt 97db 4.2 pounds

Now, I am told that power rating is meaningless in a multi-speaker cabinet, but I believe that higher wattage speakers tend to deliver more headroom.

Secondly, one group tells me that sensitivity ratings are totally meaningless, but I have also read that a speaker that is 3db louder than another speaker is twice as loud in terms of volume.

Thoughts on this subject????
Click to expand...

Now, I am told that power rating is meaningless in a multi-speaker cabinet, but I believe that higher wattage speakers tend to deliver more headroom.

The speaker will saturate at a certain input power. Then it won't get any louder.
A higher wattage rating might mean that the speaker saturates at a higher power, compared to a lower wattage rating.
And so you may get more headroom before saturation point occurs. Probably.

Secondly, one group tells me that sensitivity ratings are totally meaningless,

The sensitivity rating is very important, if it's truthful.
Some manufacturers might be wildly over stating the sensitivity, just to make the speaker look better than it really is....
I know that EV ratings are accurate.

but I have also read that a speaker that is 3db louder than another speaker is twice as loud in terms of volume.

That is correct.
3db more (on a 1 watt input) is twice as loud.
Like for example:
EVM 12L is 102db on a 1 watt input.
12" Celestion Creamback Neodymium is 97db on a 1 watt input.

The EVM is close to 3 times louder, a 5 db difference on 1 watt input.

But super efficient speakers have advantages and disadvantages. Like weight sometimes.
12" Celestion Creamback Neodymium 60watt 97db 4.2 pounds
EVM 12L, 102 db, 200 watt, 19 pounds ---it's a great sounding boat anchor. Weight is almost 5X that of the neo speaker.
 
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So, looking around at different speakers, I found the Jensen Mod12-70 ceramic relatively light at only 5.29 pounds and relatively close to my current Jensen Jet Neo at 4.4 pounds. That's only 9.6 pounds for the (2) speakers, or less than the weigh of my single WGS Reaper 55Hz!!!!!

The Jensen Mod12-70 has a sensitivity rating of 96db

The Jensen Jet Neodymium 100watt is around 97db
 
I feel like a big wimp, making all this fuss about weight reduction, but I've been laid out for 3 days from my SI joint issues, so anything I can do to make it better is a necessary thing.
 
Robert Herndon said:
I feel like a big wimp, making all this fuss about weight reduction, but I've been laid out for 3 days from my SI joint issues, so anything I can do to make it better is a necessary thing.
Click to expand...

Dude, there is nothing wimpy about doing something that makes you more comfortable. This stuff is heavy, and when you have to lug it around there is wear and tear on you and the gear. Anything health-related is a good enough reason.

For the first time in my entire playing life, so 43 years now, I have started sitting when I play because I have been getting some soreness in my lower back, especially with the Les Pauls. It's about 50/50 standing vs sitting right now but I think I am going to be getting myself a proper stool and I bet that number changes.
 
Robert Herndon said:
Here's my current lightweight speaker contenders. I already have one Jensen Jet 100watt Neodymium Speaker in my possession. I can chose from one of the following to compliment the Jensen Jet:

12" Jensen Jet 100watt Neodymium 97db 4.4 pounds

12" Eminence Lil' Texas 125wattNeodymium 101db 4.1 pounds

12" Celestion Creamback Neodymium 60watt 97db 4.2 pounds

Now, I am told that power rating is meaningless in a multi-speaker cabinet, but I believe that higher wattage speakers tend to deliver more headroom.

Secondly, one group tells me that sensitivity ratings are totally meaningless, but I have also read that a speaker that is 3db louder than another speaker is twice as loud in terms of volume.

Thoughts on this subject????
Click to expand...

That wiring for stereo is tricky. Even when you look it up it's very confusing. My 4x12 has that switching.
We can go over it when you come to the shop.

Power rating is not a big thing as long as it's about half your amps max unless you run wide open.

Sensitivity is also not going to be a big issue once you wire them up. That 3db is twice as loud comes in more when you are talking
about an output power of an amp and not quite as much for the speaker sensitivity rating.
 
Sp8ctre said:
That wiring for stereo is tricky. Even when you look it up it's very confusing. My 4x12 has that switching.
We can go over it when you come to the shop.

Power rating is not a big thing as long as it's about half your amps max unless you run wide open.

Sensitivity is also not going to be a big issue once you wire them up. That 3db is twice as loud comes in more when you are talking
about an output power of an amp and not quite as much for the speaker sensitivity rating.
Click to expand...

Yes! It looks tricky! I would just as soon bypass the switch (if possible) and just go straight parallel....

20200914_145016.jpg
 
gball said:
Dude, there is nothing wimpy about doing something that makes you more comfortable. This stuff is heavy, and when you have to lug it around there is wear and tear on you and the gear. Anything health-related is a good enough reason.

For the first time in my entire playing life, so 43 years now, I have started sitting when I play because I have been getting some soreness in my lower back, especially with the Les Pauls. It's about 50/50 standing vs sitting right now but I think I am going to be getting myself a proper stool and I bet that number changes.
Click to expand...

I appreciate the kind words and understanding....I agree, this lugging stuff around gets old!
 
I might just buy a second Jensen Jet Tornado Neodymium 100W. I just thought speakers with different boiling might sound cool, but I'm frankly confused by all the variations.
 
Sp8ctre said:
That wiring for stereo is tricky. Even when you look it up it's very confusing. My 4x12 has that switching.
We can go over it when you come to the shop.

Power rating is not a big thing as long as it's about half your amps max unless you run wide open.

Sensitivity is also not going to be a big issue once you wire them up. That 3db is twice as loud comes in more when you are talking
about an output power of an amp and not quite as much for the speaker sensitivity rating.
Click to expand...

Is it possible - or advantageous - to just go straight parallel and abandon the switch altogether???

I've read accounts of guys damaging their amps by hooking the wiring up wrong.
 
Robert Herndon said:
@syscokid - after really looking closely at the specs, i must agree with you that the 'dB variation makes this Eminence not a good choice.

So, the Jensen at 97.3db and the Neo Creamback at 97db look best on paper, but what about mixing the 100watt Jensen with a 60watt Creamback???
Click to expand...

The Jensen should be a bit clearer since it’s a more “efficient” speaker with a higher rating. The Creamback will break up before the Jensen will. Either way, with the head you’re using, it won’t be much of an issue as you’ll need pedals for dirt with those ratings of 60 and 100 watts. My JTM has a very clear sound with about 35 watts pushing a Silver Jubilee 4x12 with G12T-75 speakers, as it’s a 300 watt cab.
 
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SG John said:
The Jensen should be a bit clearer since it’s a more “efficient” speaker with a higher rating. The Creamback will break up before the Jensen will. Either way, with the head you’re using, it won’t be much of an issue as you’ll need pedals for dirt with those ratings of 60 and 100 watts. My JTM has a very clear sound with about 35 watts pushing a Silver Jubilee 4x12 with G12T-75 speakers, as it’s a 300 watt cab.
Click to expand...

I'm kinda torn as to which speaker to pair up with my Jensen jet Tornado 100watt Neodymium....but it has to be on-par as far as weigh is concerned, which is about 4.4 pounds.
 
Here's something interesting.

Go to this link and click on the "Metal Sound Sample" to hear the Jensen 70 Watt 12" Ceramic:

Sound Sample Files | Jensen Loudspeakers

Go to this link and click on the "Metal Sound Sample" to hear the Jensen Jet 100watt Tornado Neodymium:

Sound Sample Files | Jensen Loudspeakers

Despite some differences in output, the db rating is only 1 point different between the two. The Tornado Neo has more subdued high frequency response in this sound sample, but I almost think the mix of the two might sound better than two of the same speakers...
 
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