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Rasmus Broegaard · Posted 14 Apr 2024 12:15 pm

Hello Steel forum,

I am a long time reader of all the good info you guys offer on this forum.

I am in the hunt for a good 15" speaker, not only for steel, but also for regular guitar (mainly strat and tele). I use a 50w dumble style amp with a nice fender spring reverb in it. It came with a 2 x 12" cab, with WGS ET65 speakers, that sounds great, but sometimes lacks clarity and they sometimes seems to have a very very bright treble shizzle that I dont like. I actually installed beam blockers to take out the treble and it helped some.

Currently I have tried the JBL D130F (orange frame), Peavey black widow (the one with a spider web print on the back, not sure of the model name?) and a celestion fullback.

I found the JBL D130F too brittle, harsh but it has this crisp paper sound that I do like. The fullback sounded okay, but had this very annoying ultra trebly high resonance that was just too ice picky. The Black widow almost hit the spot. I find it good, but it has some of the same characteristics of the D130F, but it lacks a little bit of bottom end and fullness in my opinion.

I have been looking at the following speakers:

- EVM 15L or EVM SRO 15L
- JBL E130 or JBL k130
- JENSEN NEO 15-150
- eminence legend 1518

I cannot try these speakers before buying, so it will be a blind buy. I guess I am looking for a black widow with more fullness and bottom end that maybe takes drive pedals a little better. Not sure if the alu dust cap is why it doesnt sound so nice with drive pedals ?

My gut says EVM 15L, but I read that some people say it has a very trebly icy top end as well. I heard the JBL e110 (10") and they sound great, but I would guess that the E130 has lots of the same qualities as the D130F ? and would thus not be a match ?

Any input about comparison and your experinces would be great and much appreciated, thank you all !

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

I tried several 15s in my Twin Reverb. I liked the JBL D130 but found the top end a little too much. The Weber Neomag 15 sounded very good but at only 75 watts it would crap out when things got loud. My goldilocks speaker is the Altec 418b. Has the clarity and power handling I need and a silky smooth top end that is addicting. Magic in a Twin. YMMV with your amp.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

If your gut says EVM-15L, but you’re afraid of too many highs, then go with the bass version, the EVM-15B. (That’s what I did. Winking

)

Dave Meis · From: Olympic Peninsula, Washington, USA

I have JBL E-130s and a K-130.. I find them to all be very bright sounding. My Twin has been converted to a single 15", and the speaker I really like in it is the Sica 250 watt (neo magnet). They sound good and...it gets the weight down to 60#! 😃👍 They're out of production, but still come up from time to time. You may also like the Peavey Black Widow 1502 bass speaker with a ribbed cone. Good luck with your search!

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Eminence neo TT15 is an excellent compromise and under 4 kg, it's basically a reworked version of the EPS-15C which was popular with many steelers before it was discontinued. Less brittle with more mids than the D130f/K130 and a lot lighter.

Lee Rider · From: Fort Bragg, California, USA

I have a Sica 15" Neo and a D-130F, but the Altec 418b sounds the best in my Evans amp. The neo is a bit dark but sounds great in my Standel Custom 15. The D-130F sounds best with my blackface Showman amp. Hard to pick a particular speaker for any particular amp without trying it first (and, for me, it takes a couple of weeks to figure it out).
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Bowman SD10 push pull 3x5, Modified Hudson PedalBro, Sarno Tonic preamp, Evans FET 500. with Altec 418B, Standel Custom 15, '67 Showman with D-130F in cabinet, Ganz Straight Ahead, custom Wolfe 6 string dobro, '52 Gibson Century 6.

Ken Metcalf · From: San Antonio Texas USA

Two 12s for me.
Newer speakers sound better than old worn out ones.

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MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes

Rasmus Broegaard · Posted 24 Apr 2024 1:40 am

Thank you for all the replies !

Lots of you use the Sica neo speakers or neo speakers generally. I have a neo 12" in my leslie 16 cabinet and it also sounds good. Will probably look into Neo speakers as well.

I will however most likely try the EVM 15L first because there is something about that speaks to me.

I guess it is a good point that different speakers sounds good in different amps.

I heard super reverbs that sound amazing with the JBL E110, but the same speakers sounds not as good with my dumble style amp for example.

Fred Rogan · From: Birmingham, AL USA

What about the Eminence PF400?? I've been through many 15" speakers and I have settled on the PF400. I have two of them, each in different size cabs and I find them to be the most balanced and musical of all of the 15" speakers I have tried (including most of those you mentioned). The PF400 is heavy so I'd recommend getting a cart for your gear if you move it around.
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Show Pro SD10 guitars
Milkman Amps

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