Peavey Session 500 Speaker

Harry Dove · From: Michigan, USA

I bought a session 500 on eBay that was supposed to work perfectly. When it arrived it didn't work at all. Since I would have been out 180 bucks for shipping to send it back, I kept it. I ended up having Peavey rebuild it. Now everything is in great shape except the speaker. It doesn't work at all. I hooked the amp up to the speaker from my Nashville 400 and it sounded great. I've tried to get a new speaker from Peavey but they just say they're out of stock. Does anyone know where I can get a speaker or what other options might work? I want to keep it sounding original. This great amp has been sitting here for several years not doing me any good.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

You could: recone the speaker; replace with an Eminence EPS15; replace with a Telonics or; replace with another BW.
I'd vote for either of the middle options. Great tone AND some weight savings.
The BW was designed for easy basket replacement as the cone, voice coil and frame come off the magnet with three screws.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

You could: recone the speaker; replace with an Eminence EPS15; replace with a Telonics or; replace with another BW.
I'd vote for either of the middle options. Great tone AND some weight savings.
The BW was designed for easy basket replacement as the cone, voice coil and frame come off the magnet with three screws.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

The original speaker in the Session 500 was a 1502-4 BW speaker. Peavey now sells that as a "bass" speaker.

Lane mentions the Eminence EPS-15C, however as the Session 500 was "voiced" (designed) for the 1502 speaker the EPS-15C may be too bright. That is what happened when Peavey changed from the 1502 to the 1501 in the Nashville 400's, the tone circuitry had to be changed to accommodate the different speaker characteristics (response). The Eminence EPS-15C was designed to be an exact replacement for the Peavey 1501-4.

I don't know what the response characteristics of the Telonics speaker is but I suspect its similar to the EPS-15C and the Peavey 1501 BW.

You only have to get a 1502-4 "Basket" rather than a complete new speaker. Reuse the magnet.

Another option is a bass speaker that will handle the power. Ken Fox used to sell SICA speakers for steel that were bass speakers (and they worked very good for steel). The SICA's are still available but Ken no longer sells them.

Harry Dove · From: Michigan, USA

Thanks for the info guys. Where can I get a new basket?

David Higginbotham · From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA

Here are some locations just with a quick search. The original Session 500 had a 4 ohm speaker installed if you're wanting to stay original. But even with am 8 ohm basket installed you will not be lacking in volume with 300 watts. I prefer using reputable places like samdaymusic.com or Amazon for most items but to each his/her own.
Dave

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Peavey-1502-4-DT-RB-Black-Widow-15-Bass-Guitar-Basket-4-ohm-/390692111781?pt=US_Pro_Audio_Speakers_Monitors&hash=item5af71085a5

http://www.zzounds.com/item--PEVBW15028DTRB

http://www.loudspeakersplus.com/product/1502-4_DT_RB/PEAVEY-ELECTRONICS1502-4-DT-RB/

http://www.amazon.com/Peavey-1504-4-Black-Replacement-Basket/dp/B004RGBIJK

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--PEVBW15028DTRB

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

At 8 ohms, you won't get NEAR 300W. The 500 is 300W at 2 ohms, 250 at 4 and probably a bit over 200 at 8 (don't recall the number, somebody probably knows the actual rating)
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

It depends on the voltage at the output how much power is available at a given ohm load.

For example, an Evans SE-200 is rated 200 watts at 4 ohms but only 137 watts at 8 ohms.

David Higginbotham · From: Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA

http://www.manualslib.com/manual/121241/Peavey-Session-500.html?page=6#manual

What I was pointing out is that the amp is rated at 300 watts. Yes, that's at 2 ohms which I couldn't imagine needing to install a 2 ohm speaker or run an additional 4 ohm speaker. The amp shows rated at 250 watts with a 4 ohm load and 225 watts with an 8 ohm load. With an 8 ohm speaker it's highly unlikely you would notice any loss in volume since the vast majority of us use only the first 30% of the volume knob on combo amps anyway.

Moral of the story is if you can't find a 4 ohm basket an 8 ohm speaker will work just fine in the amp!
Dave

Bill Moran · From: Virginia, USA

http://www.tubesandmore.com/search/node/peavey%2Bspeaker?page=2

Tubes and More has 1501-4 and 1502-4 baskets in stock
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Bill

Douglas Bone · From: Fort Worth,Tx. USA

So if Peavy can rebuild it wonder why I couldn't get a post gain pot? Talked to Mike at Peavy.
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D10 Sho-Bud,D10 Mullen Pre RP, Session 500, N12

John McGuire · From: Swansea,Illinois, USA

You may also want to take the magnet off the speaker and look at the voice coil. That foam piece in the speaker can and will deteriorate and can keep the speaker from working. Since you have to separate the mag from the speaker any way do it before you order your new basket.

Harry Dove · From: Michigan, USA

Thanks for the info. I was just looking at new baskets and was about to buy one. Now I will take the speaker out and check it out before I decide whether to buy a new basket or the whole speaker.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I see no reason to buy a whole identical speaker, just clean the voice coil gap and reuse the magnet.
If you want a whole 'nother speaker, that's a different question.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Harry Dove · From: Michigan, USA

I'm assuming then that the foam piece John mentioned will come with the new basket. I guess I'll understand how it works better once I take it apart.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

did peavey ever make a session 500 with an 18in. speaker?

Garry Vanderlinde · From: CA

If the Foam piece crumbles and falls out do you need to replace it or will it work just fine without it?

John McGuire · From: Swansea,Illinois, USA

The foam piece I don't believe is used anymore. It will work without it. The foam just keeps small critters from getting in the voice coil gap.

Murray McDowall · From: Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia

Harry, the Session 500 speaker works fine without the foam.....Been there, done that, and it works fine.

Regards,
Murray.

Harry Dove · From: Michigan, USA

Thanks for all the info guys.

Lefty · From: Grayson, Ga.

I put a JBL E130 in my Session 500.
I prefer the sound over the black Widow.
The weight is enormous though.
Lefty

Harry Dove · From: Michigan, USA

Wasn't it the JBL D130 that was so sought after, or doesn't it really make a difference?

Lefty · From: Grayson, Ga.

The JBL D130F and JBL K130 are very fine speakers.
With the Session 500 being 240 watts thought (if I remember correctly) I used the E130 so I would not have to worry about blowing the speaker. Sounds really good to my ears, but it is a beast to move around.
Lefty

Mark Galup · From: Nashville, TN

Hey folks,

Apologies for reviving a dead thread, but I have a question in this line.

I have a Session 500 with original 1502-4 bw in it that is passing signal but sounds scratchy on low notes especially, and feels very stiff and tight upon moving the speaker with my hands (obviously gently). I have taken note of this thread and removed it, separated the driver and basket, removed any foam I could see present, but still it sounds the same. Do you all have any ideas what could be the issue? It doesnâ€™t sound horrible but it does sound dirtier than I like. I am a studio owner, producer, and mixer, as well as a player, so Iâ€™m considering this in terms of other amps which I record with. This would not work on a recording at the moment. For your info, I tested this with a bass guitar to see the low end issue in action.

Thanks in advance for any help!
Mark
_________________
Mark Galup
Producer/Engineer
www.ReelRecording.com
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2000 Zumsteel SD-10, Telonics FP-100, VP Zumsteel VP, Strymon El Capistan, Fulltone TTE, Moog MF-104Z, '66 Fender Showman, '72 Fender Twin Reverb, Carr Rambler, Fender Princeton Reverb

Kevin Mincke · From: Farmington, MN (Twin Cities-South Metro) USA

I would check it with an ohm meter. It will or should show somewhere around 4+ or-. Did you clean the coil gap when you separated the basket from magnet? A business card and a little acetone used sparingly works great to get the gunk out. Try a business card first and run it around the gap. I use a small vacuum to get particles out. If its a little sticky, acetone will loosen & dissolve that. Repeat process as needed until you feel that gap is now free of build up.

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