The Steel Guitar Forum

I am thinking about making another run of 4 speaker cabinets because that's how many I get out of full sheets of plywood. I am thinking about cutting a hole in one side for a 12" speaker and a hole in the other side for a 15" speaker. One cabinet for either size speaker, or you could put a different speaker on each side and add some port holes. With front loaded speakers and open back cabinets, I think this would work just fine. It's such a simple idea, somebody must have already done this, so if I am stepping on your toes, I apologize. Anybody have any thoughts on this or would like to buy such a cabinet? (I have made reducing rings to mount 12" speakers into 15" holes, so I am well aware of that option)

Many years ago, I picked up a set of electronic drums, and built myself a cab with two 15's, one on either side. It worked fairly well as an speaker cab/monitor, but I didn't port it, just wired the speakers out of phase.

I think that’s a great idea if your using different size speakers. I use a 12” Telonics 4 ohm and a Eminence Eps 15c 4 ohm. The Eminence gives the bottom end and the Telonics gives the dynamic highs. George if you have a chance to try it , i think you will like it.

Michael, I have tried exactly what you are talking about. I tried using my JBL D-130 15" speaker and my 12" TT-12 as a pair. The problem was, the two speakers were so far apart in tone and my Stereo Steel only has one set of tone controls for both speakers, if I brought down the highs on the TT-12, it killed the highs on the D-130. The two speakers were just too different. I may try a TT-15 instead of the D-130 . I think they would be much more compatible. I think using a 12 and a 15 inch speaker in a stereo set-up is a good idea worth trying.

George I’m using an Evans pre amp out to a Transtube Fex into a Stewart 1.6. The pre amp and Transtube were Gary Hogue’s. I run parallel out of Transtube to the Stewart and then out to each speaker so that I control the power to each speaker. Tone is as good as I’ve ever had. I will try it out live at the Southern Illinois Show April 12 and 13th. I played thru two TT 12’s and thought it lacked bottom end. Give it a shot if you get a chance E 9th is good and C 6th is even better. Experimenting is fun. Come and see us in Illinois. We have a great show there with some of the best steel guitar in the USA. Thanks Mike

Using different brand/model speakers in a single cab gets good results but you have to experiment with a number of speakers depending on the cab used and the amp/instrument to play through them, to get them to match up.

If using a 15 and a 12, you would best serve the idea by choosing speakers that can keep up with each other without clobbering the other in certain frequencies, SPL's AND without creating a build-up of a certain frequency unless that is your intention.

As with any system using more than one speaker, each speaker, even if the same brand and model will not automatically react in the exact same way, hence pains taking matching which means having access to number of the same models to test which compliments the other is part of the process.

But you may get lucky on the first try.

As far as porting, you would need to ball park the size of the ports, what type, if tube, or bass reflex, how long a piece of tube to tune the cab (in the case of a tube port) and which speaker gets the port computation. Perhaps the fifteen is the candidate for a port measurement since it will handle the lows. Or you can add a shelf/divider for the 12" inside the cab somewhat to attenuate the lows so it does not build-up over the fifteen.



Lots of trial and error. But if you hit on a good combination, then you can think of marketing.

The speaker cabs we buy, someone has (or should've) figured all this out.

Nothing ventured...

I use open back cabinets that are designed for the 15” speakers. I cut a new face plate for the 12” Telonics. Each speaker being separate, i control the power to each one separately with the stereo power amp. I can adjust the volume to each one for taste. This works good for me. I adjust the bottom end of the 15” Eminence and then bring in the 12” to match for sound. Good luck with your project. Thanks Mike