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Topic: Twin Speaker |
Rollin Schmidt
From:
Kansas, USA
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Posted 18 Sep 2019 10:59 am |
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| Anyone running a single 12 inch on a twin reverb? |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 6 Oct 2019 7:31 pm
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I did it, but only for one gig. That was because one of the two speakers in my BF T/R broke a tinsel lead. With only the one speaker working, the volume was reduced...noticeably. That was because the open speaker raised the impedance the output was seeing, (mismatch=loss), and because there was less radiating area with only the one speaker.
Why do you ask? |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 7 Oct 2019 5:12 am
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| If you run a very efficient 4-0hm speaker it should be fine but as Donny mentioned, it will tend to limit your sound dispersion a bit. I ran a single 4-0hm 15" in my '67 Twin and it sounded great. |
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Josh Braun
From:
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2019 8:31 am
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| I used to (and would still do so now, if I gigged the twin as much). Only one speaker ever got mic'd anyhow, so it sounded the same out front. Since I only used the 2nd channel, I dropped the V1 tube too, and pulled 2 power tubes. Never had volume issues. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 7 Oct 2019 9:41 am
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Yes, I've run a Twin Reverb with one speaker. To match impedance to a single 8 Ohm speaker, pull two power tubes - either the two outer or two inner tubes - so you have a single push-pull pair of power tubes. It will sound terrible if you pull the left or right pair. The occasions I've done this were when I got to a gig thinking I needed the Twin and realized that it was way too much, and thus pulled two power tubes and disconnected one of the speakers (strongly suggest you tape those loose speaker leads!)
Or as David suggests, run a single 4 Ohm speaker if you want to use all four power tubes.
To avoid dragging around the extra bulk/weight of a Twin, I generally use something like a 2-6L6 amp (there are many) or a 2-6V6 Deluxe Reverb if I want "less loud". I've been having good luck with an '83 Rivera-era Concert 112, a non-ultralinear 60-watt 2-6L6 amp which I run with a high-efficiency, 300-watt neodymium 12" speaker that weighs 7.5 pounds. Or my standby Deluxe Reverb, which is a great pedal steel amp for me if I'm playing at a lower volume. |
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Charley Paul
From:
California, USA
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Posted 7 Oct 2019 2:44 pm
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Be sure to consider speaker power when doing this. The general rule is to use a speaker with a rating of twice the power of the amp.
50 watt amp > 100 watts of speaker
85 watt amp > 170 watts of speaker
This might be hard to accomplish with a Twin Reverb using only one speaker. One possibility is to use a high powered Neo speaker like the Telonics or Travis Toy Eminence. If you like alnico, I really enjoyed the Celestion Alnico Cream 90. I imagine you would be fine using it with a Twin, so long as you don’t dime the volume for an entire show.
Unless your Twin is in a head shell, why wouldn’t you want to use two speakers? You’ll get a better spread of sound, and have many more speaker choices. If weight is the issue, get a few neo speakers for it |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 8 Oct 2019 12:15 am
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I ran a single 8 ohm JBL 15 in my 1970 Twin for 20 years ! Didn't pull tubes, didn't do anything. Just dragged it out to every gig for over 2 decades.
_________________
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders , Eastman Mandolin ,
Pro Tools 12 on WIN 7 !
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 9 years
CURRENT MUSIC TRACKS AT > https://tprior2241.wixsite.com/website |
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Rollin Schmidt
From:
Kansas, USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2019 6:24 am
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| Thanks to all for the replies. I'm currently using my twin as a head cab with a separate 15 speaker which sounds great. There have been many on this forum who prefer the 12 inch speaker for steel on other amps and I wondered if anyone had experience running a single 12 with a twin. It would put me back with a combo amp, one less thing to carry. Thanks again guys! --- rollin |
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Tim Whitlock
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 8 Oct 2019 10:29 am
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| Rollin Schmidt wrote: |
| Thanks to all for the replies. I'm currently using my twin as a head cab with a separate 15 speaker which sounds great. There have been many on this forum who prefer the 12 inch speaker for steel on other amps and I wondered if anyone had experience running a single 12 with a twin. It would put me back with a combo amp, one less thing to carry. Thanks again guys! --- rollin |
One of the great attributes of a Twin is that spacious 3D sound you get from the open back and the two twelves. Although I have an Altec 15 in mine, I'd prefer two 12s, as long as they are JBL or Altec. I think the Twin Reverb works best as it was designed - a powerful, clean 2x12 combo. Running it as a 1x12 can be done of course, but it seems like a downgrade. |
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