Speaker Impedance vs Tone?

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

I have a choice on tones because Weber makes two different impedances of speakers that will work in this 6G7-A Bandmaster amp reproduction I am making:
(I moved this to a new topic - I promise I won't fill up the forum with this project. This is the last thread for a while until I post photos of the finished deal.)

How much of the coolness of this Brown Bandmaster amp is clean and how much is a slight edge of grit? I've never actually heard one of these in person.

Anybody got an opinion on this?

Here's the reason for asking:
Ted Weber makes special 12 ohm speakers for this application. From all info I can find, the originals were 8 ohm.
I can imagine the 12 ohm speakers (12/3=4) will be a tiny bit louder and cleaner, but the slight overload that the 2.6 ohm load (8/3=2.6) presents to the output circuit may be what generates the cool tone. It would definitely make it break up sooner.

I am leaning for the 12 ohm, since I will be using it for a stringmaster, and loud and clean is my thing anyway.

Any suggestions/ comments?

Edited to correct Ted Weber's name...

Thanks, Paul

[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 07 May 2005 at 07:20 PM.]

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Just to bust your chops--I assume you mean Ted Weber (Weber VST Speakers), not Gerald.
And don't be shy about posting on this. I follow this stuff and learn a lot and lust a lot.

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

In a design with an output transformer, the optimum volume and frequency response is attained when the load (speaker) is the same as the output transformer's impedence.

e.g. if the Output transformer is 8 ohms then an 8 ohm speaker would provide the most power and best fidelity.

How much power is lost or how much frequency loss there will with a mis-match depends on a lot of factors.

I see people defy electronic laws and theory all the time and do what they think provides the best sound, to their ears. Sometimes there is no harm to the electronic equipment and other times it turns into a "smoke test".

Since you have a particular sound in mind for your guitar you will have to experiment to find the equipment combination that will give you the sound you want, but be aware of the electronic limits of the amp.

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

You mention about a Bandmaster being "cool" for being both clean and gritty. All of 'em I've heard are pretty clean until they're pushed, like most tube amps, then they break up kinda soft and warm. Gritty, to me, is a Vox or Marshall quality, a kind of light, but harsh distortion.

As Jack implied, you should buy speakers that match the amp output for a clean sound and maximum output. If distortion, gritty or smooth, is what you really want, get it by using right kind of amp, not the wrong kind of speakers.

[This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 07 May 2005 at 03:42 PM.]

Paul Arntson · From: Washington, USA

Thanks for the replies.
Donny - I was asking whether the cool tone was clean or dirty. I've never heard one close up and I was wondering what they excelled at.

Yes, the reason for the post was to get opinions, since the old 3x10 brown Bandmasters had a built-in impedance mismatch I was wondering if the lower reflected impedance to the output stage of the amp was part of the magic.
(c.f http://www.ggjaguar.com/projbmaster.htm )
It has been my observation that a mismatch where the speaker is too high yields a sound that is distorted and thin. I was thinking maybe a mismatch where the speaker is too low yields a sound where some of the highs are rolled off???
I think I will go with the "correct" impedance for the electronics, rather than the "historically correct" mismatch of 2.6 ohms on a 4 ohm transformer. The output stage should work a little less hard, and the distortion may be lower than the old classic amp, but maybe it will sound louder and cleaner for steel (55 stringmaster).
Thanks to all for your inputs.

[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 07 May 2005 at 08:57 PM.]

[This message was edited by Paul Arntson on 07 May 2005 at 09:00 PM.]

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