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Topic: Sica versus Eminence versus JBL |
billy tam R.I.P.
From:
baton rouge, louisiana
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Posted 1 Jan 2012 6:46 am |
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I'm wanting to use a lightweight 15" speaker in a Fender Twin and trying to decide whether to go with the Sica or the new Eminence ps or to take the weight and use a good D-130 Jbl. Any opinions will be appreciated.
thanks in advance,
Billy |
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Ron Whitworth
From:
Yuma,Ariz.USA Yeah they say it's a DRY heat !!
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Posted 1 Jan 2012 7:13 am
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Hello Billy;
You said " Any opinions will be appreciated."
Here goes mine & I am sure there will be many others
to come.
I have tried all of the other speakers that have been compared to the JBL's. I have never found one that had all of the exact sound qualities of a D or K series JBL.Everyone hears differently + everyone has an opinion. I myself use a Fender Twin Reverb and a JBL.
My personal suggestion - nothing has the sound of a Twin Reverb amp into a JBL - nothing else out there can do it - sorta like all pedal steels want to sound like a push/pull ( my opinion again here ).
With all the above said IF you want that sound + you want to lighten the load = my suggestion & this is what I & a few others on the Steel Forum have done.
Get a cab for the chassis of the Twin Reverb.
Make one, buy one but put the chassis into a head cabinet. Then get a JBL speaker & put it in a seperate cabinet - if you are going to just use 1 speaker I suggest the K-130 ( handles more power )
but if you want to use 2 speakers ( in 2 seperate cabs ) then use the D-130's. This way you will have less chance of blowing your speaker(s) with the power output of the Twin. Also, the Twin want to see 4 ohms ideal speaker load so if using the K-130 get a 4 ohm.
If using 2 D-130's they can then be 8 ohms each.
This is the only way I & a few others here have found to keep that sound & to lighten the load so to speak. My best to you on this.
Ron
One other thing I forgot to say -
On the cab for the Twin chassis - if you want to use the Fender Reverb that goes with the Twin the cabinet will have to be taller. If you want to use an outboard reverb ( say a pedal ) you can get a cab the same height as a bassman cab
_________________
"Tone is in the hands. Unless your wife will let you buy a new amp. Then it's definitely in that amp."
We need to turn the TWANG up a little
It's not what you play through, it's what you play through it.
They say that tone is all in the fingers...I say it is all in your head 
Some of the best pieces of life are the little pieces all added up..Ron
the value of friendship. Old friends shine like diamonds, you can always call them and - most important - you can't buy them. |
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billy tam R.I.P.
From:
baton rouge, louisiana
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Posted 1 Jan 2012 9:19 am speakers
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Ron, Thanks a lot for your opinion, that's exactly the type of info I was looking for. I have an empty Evans cabinet to put a JBL into and that is probably the way I will go. Is the Ext. speaker out meant for a 4 ohm load as well? I know the int. spkr out is designed for 4 ohms(2 8ohm speakers in series.
thanks,
Billy |
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Ron Whitworth
From:
Yuma,Ariz.USA Yeah they say it's a DRY heat !!
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Posted 1 Jan 2012 9:42 am
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Hi Billy,
I have always when using the ext spkr jack plugged an 8 ohm speaker
Into each jack for a total speaker load of 4 ohms - 2 speakers in
seperate cabs - each speaker being 8 ohms.
Ron
_________________
"Tone is in the hands. Unless your wife will let you buy a new amp. Then it's definitely in that amp."
We need to turn the TWANG up a little
It's not what you play through, it's what you play through it.
They say that tone is all in the fingers...I say it is all in your head
Some of the best pieces of life are the little pieces all added up..Ron
the value of friendship. Old friends shine like diamonds, you can always call them and - most important - you can't buy them. |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 1 Jan 2012 2:28 pm
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Good advice here, but one more thing to consider, Billy: The JBL's heavier magnet structure and 4" voice coil produces significantly higher sensitivity with less heat loss than the competition - i.e. you get more SPL per watt, often twice the acoustic output over other "professional" speakers.
What this means is that you can run your amp cooler to get the same stage level, and with the superb fidelity of the JBL this means great clean tone, and lots of us swear by 'em accordingly for the pedal steel.
For those who want more dirt in their sound, using the lighter, less efficient speakers means that the amp has to run hotter to get the same volume and with amp and speakers dimed the added distortion and compression induced is heard as "warmth" by some, and there are players who don't like JBL's at all.
Anybody who has spent any time here on the forum knows I am a constantly shouting "JBL" from the rooftops, there have been JBL drivers in every piece of music gear I have used, so one might consider me biased but with good reason. Still, as usual, the answer to your question depends on what you are after in order to generate happiness and joy your own world... |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 1 Jan 2012 2:59 pm
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The first thing I thought of when I first tried the new Eminence EPS-15C neodymium magnet speaker was "this sounds like the K-130 I had in a Twin Reverb". Several others have commented about the Eminence having the JBL sound, but lighter in weight.
I had a SICA 15" in a cabinet when I received the Eminence for "field testing". I used them both, one at a time, on jobs and finally settled on the Eminence and sold the SICA.
There are some comparison sound files on my web site. They were done when both speakers were new and not broke in. I should go back and add some new Eminence samples, now that the speaker is broken in and mellowed slightly. www.gulfcoaststeelguitar.com |
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Ron Whitworth
From:
Yuma,Ariz.USA Yeah they say it's a DRY heat !!
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Posted 1 Jan 2012 6:38 pm
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Hello Billy;
I was re-reading your post here + mine & all the others. I said in my earlier post above >
" Everyone hears differently + everyone has an opinion."
Maybe you should purchase one of each of the speakers ( Sica, Eminence & JBL ) & give them all a try. As I said everyone really does hear things different - you ears may like one of the lightweight speakers.
I did not mean to sway your decision as I am biased toward the JBL's myself. As Jack says - some folks do like the other speakers - try them all out for yourself then decide which one is for you.
Ron
_________________
"Tone is in the hands. Unless your wife will let you buy a new amp. Then it's definitely in that amp."
We need to turn the TWANG up a little
It's not what you play through, it's what you play through it.
They say that tone is all in the fingers...I say it is all in your head
Some of the best pieces of life are the little pieces all added up..Ron
the value of friendship. Old friends shine like diamonds, you can always call them and - most important - you can't buy them. |
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Jay Ganz
From:
Out Behind The Barn
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Posted 2 Jan 2012 5:57 am
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| Jack Stoner wrote: |
I had a SICA 15" in a cabinet when I received the Eminence for "field testing".
I used them both, one at a time, on jobs and finally settled on the Eminence and sold the SICA.
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Yeah, but supposedly the SICA Premium Lites (both the 250 watt & 350 watt version) are not the same as the Standard Lite series.
Frequency response is different, the Premiums having less highs between 5K and 15K. Standards with more high end sparkle.
250 watt Premium
350 watt Standard
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Curt Langston
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Posted 3 Jan 2012 12:13 pm
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Eminence PS-15C and forget about it. IMHO, there is none better.............
To me the SICA lacks the string separation. |
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Ken Fox
From:
Nashville GA USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2012 2:19 pm
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We are now offering standard lite just for that reason and all using them are very pleased. Just one more nice speaker option to choose from. The choice is yours for sure! The premium lite has a response more similar to the older 1502-4 Black Widow while the Standard Lite offers extended high end and a very efficient low end as well.
Here is a sound clip of one that was not even yet broke in:
http://foxvintageamps.com/linked/n400%20and%20350%20watt%20sica.mp3
Last edited by Ken Fox on 4 Jan 2012 3:28 am; edited 1 time in total |
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billy tam R.I.P.
From:
baton rouge, louisiana
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Posted 3 Jan 2012 3:55 pm speakers
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Thanks Ken, Ron, Jay, Curt, Jack, and Dave(hope I haven't left anyone out). Ken that clip sounded really good. I have 2-D130's, 1-K-140, 2- E130's and an EVL 15". I thaink for now I will use one of those in a separate cab and build a cab for my twin. Maybe I will get lucky and find a bargain on one of the lightweight spkrs to help my old back out in the future.
Thanks,
Billy Tam |
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Jay Ganz
From:
Out Behind The Barn
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Posted 4 Jan 2012 5:51 am
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| Curt Langston wrote: |
| To me the SICA lacks the string separation. |
OK...but which SICA? Was that the 250 watt Premium Lite? Standard Lites are different.
It's like comparing a JBL E-130 to an E-140.
Same company...different specs.
I always liked the EVM-15L also, but it was like hauling around a boat anchor from gig to gig!  |
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Kevin Mincke
From:
Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2012 6:23 am
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Good luck finding an Eminence PS-15C  |
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billy tam R.I.P.
From:
baton rouge, louisiana
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Posted 4 Jan 2012 6:36 am speakers
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Jay you are so right about the EVM-15L. When I was running stereo with a REV pre and a JBL on one side the ev on the other---very nice. They seemed to find a zone at different levels, almost like turning a switch. Just too much to haul around.
Billy |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 4 Jan 2012 10:11 am
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| Got it from a reliable source that there will be more Eminence steel speakers...many manufacturers are dropping the"neo"speakers...Eminence is hanging tough!Better get you one...I have two,and am about to buy a couple more...the best sound going,and the lightest weight...don't miss out! |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 4 Jan 2012 11:17 am
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| I am glad you found out Steve because I could not get a definite word and I'm a dealer. The EPS-15 blew me away, and that's not easy. I'm extremely critical. Speakers are really a matter of personal choice, but for me Eminence got it exactly right on that one. If there are more to be made I will be carrying them. |
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Matt Elsen
From:
Deer Harbor, Orcas Island, WA
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Posted 4 Jan 2012 4:36 pm
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| Steve & Kevin - do you use the speakers in an amp or in separate cabs? If so, what kind of cabinets? |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 4 Jan 2012 7:13 pm
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| I'd go with a Tommy Huff all in one cabinet with a GK MB200 or 500. |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2012 5:08 am
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| I use the Eminence speaker in a Marrs cabinet... |
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Roger Francis
From:
kokomo,Indiana, USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2012 7:11 am
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| I have the Eminence 12 neos' that TC Furlong sells, great speakers |
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Jay Ganz
From:
Out Behind The Barn
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Posted 5 Jan 2012 1:53 pm
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| Do those have the aluminum dust cap in the center? |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 5 Jan 2012 3:17 pm
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| They don't,Jay...an excellent sounding speaker...I tried it out...sounded great but I missed the s-s-s-s of the aluminum dust cap. |
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Chris Boyd
From:
Leonia,N.J./Charlestown,R.I.
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Rich Gibson
From:
Pittsburgh Pa.
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Chris Boyd
From:
Leonia,N.J./Charlestown,R.I.
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