12 inch or 15 inch speaker

OHARA · Post by **OHARA** » 12 May 2020 1:24 pm

If you just play E9th do you really need a 15 inch speaker ? .

Paul Sutherland · Post by **Paul Sutherland** » 12 May 2020 1:30 pm

No. Paul Franklin uses 12s, for both E9 and C6. Let your ears tell you what is best. I have both and seem to always go for the 12s when it's important.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 12 May 2020 6:42 pm

What you "need" is really fairly subjective. I could make do with even 8" or 10" speakers for certain small venues, and just about anything for practicing. (There's some really nice sounding amps with four or six smaller speakers!). That said, I have many amps, and just grab what strikes my fancy at that moment that I think will do the job. As with many things, there really is no "best" or "required", just a lot of opinions as to what people have come to like. Presently, I have assorted amps with the following speakers:

One with a 2 1/2"
One with a 4"
One with a 6" (actually 5 1/2")
One with an 8"
One with one 10"
Two with one 12"
Three with two 12"
One with a 15"

I also have a (giant) Lansing-designed cabinet with two 15" speakers. But it's too heavy and bulky to deal with anymore. $:\$

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 13 May 2020 9:42 am

I've heard 15's that have a better high end and 12's that have a better low end. I think it's a myth that you need a larger speaker for low end. There are so many other variables, and everybody hears different and not everybody is looking for the same sound. I think the answer to your question is what ever sounds best to you.

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 13 May 2020 11:45 am

People compare old worn out 12s to a brand new JBL 15...
I have a Fox 4-10 bassman that works very well.

Steve Sycamore · Post by **Steve Sycamore** » 14 May 2020 5:00 am

My experience in comparing a 4 x 12 D-120F cabinet to a single D-140, all of which have either new cones or are in mint condition, is that you can dial in similar tone in both situations. But the depth, transient response, fullness, musicality and overall "right" feeling of the D-140 completely overwhelms the 4 x 12 combination. But the 4 x 12's do give a fantastic sound stage due to their geometric footprint.

It feels as though the 12 inch drivers are especially sweet from about 800 Hz upwards whereas the 15 inch driver is especially sweet from about 1200 Hz downwards. Maybe PSG needs more help in making the somewhat lower frequency range powerful and musical compared to many other instruments.

The D-120F and D-140 have the same magnet and voice coil so that is an apt comparison I think.

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 14 May 2020 2:24 pm

Depends on the brand and model, doesn't it?
Dave Beaty at Telonics says his 12 and 15 are mostly identical over the range, but the 15 does have more of a low end, and he advises using it for C6.
I've read that in general a 12 has better wide dispersion and the 15 tends to be more focused, also.
that is all second hand info...
I use Jupiter ceramic speakers (recommended by Tim Marcus for my Milkman amp). The 12 I have (in a Princeton size cab) has both more sparkle and better low end than the 10 - but the 10 is in a small cabinet (Champ size), which has a lot to do with it, I expect.

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 14 May 2020 5:55 pm

It would depend on your amp, the particular model of speaker, open back or closed, even semi-closed and then your playing style.

But bass speakers are more than not arrays of 10 inch speakers as in the mainstay major concert rig, the Ampeg SVT.

A single 15 inch will get more bass but for a bass guitar.

A steel guitar nestles more in the upper mid bass range, not the low-lows. Playing with a band you would want to stay out of the bass player's domain and find your psg niche of upper lows and mids.

Again, it is not easy to suggest which would suit you.

Everyone comes to their gear by trial and error, even the pros like PF.

As mentioned before on this forum Robert Randolph uses car-audio speakers in his cabinets and those are most likely smallish sized speakers. Car audio technology due to the small spaces in an automobile build their speakers small to be able to produce the sonics of larger traditional speakers by adjusting the XMAX (the excursion distance the cone is able to move in the case of bass frequencies). But again it needs to be understood what frequencies will be the primary focus of the instrument played through them.

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 15 May 2020 12:50 pm

I have to admit, I've always been tempted (and, luckily, so far resisted) solving the "what size speaker" issue by re-creating John Cipollina's (Quicksilver Messenger Service) speaker stack...

Godfrey Arthur · Post by **Godfrey Arthur** » 15 May 2020 1:03 pm

Steve Lipsey wrote:I have to admit, I've always been tempted (and, luckily, so far resisted) solving the "what size speaker" issue by re-creating John Cipollina's (Quicksilver Messenger Service) speaker stack...

Hehehe I saw that photo back in the 70's of Cipollina's rig. That's what they did back then to cover the frequency range.

Bill Duncan · Post by **Bill Duncan** » 16 May 2020 6:41 am

I remember reading an article about purchasing microphones for recording. I don't remember the exact quote but the point of it was...the better the microphone, the more it's likely to sound like you really sound. I also read a statement by Paul Yandel, that he always tuned and set up Chet's guitar before a performance. He said, when I played Chet's '59CG I sound like me. Chet came out, picked up the same guitar, played through the same amp and sound like Chet.