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Good UPGRADE SPEAKER for a VOX AD50VT?


GAS Man

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I've been contemplating for a while, getting an upgrade speaker as a present for my son for his Vox AD50VT.

 

I want to upgrade the Celestion 70/80 to something with more efficiency and that will open up the sound without loosing vintage warmth and character.

 

I've thought of the Celestion V30 (60w) and the G12 Century or Century Vintage. Also considered the Weber Chicago.

 

My kid (24 yo) likes heavy chunk music to classic rock.

 

Recommendations?

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If you want extraordinary, no compromise tone, get one of the new Celestion Gold 50's. They sound just like the Cel. Blues, but they can handle 50 watts.

 

You won't be sorry. You may change amps at some point, but you will have that speaker forever. (Yikes, $279!)

 

CelestionGold-7a476a323653ab66d533e28ab1

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A little harsh on-axis - - .

I'm sorry, but could you explain that to me. :confused:

 

After I did my original post I was comparing the $125 G12 Century versus the $195 G12 Vintage Century that you guys used.

 

It appears that in some way that the $195 G12 Century might be a better speaker, but for a 1 X 12 I'm wondering if it would also be too bright. The Vintage version I noticed has a significantly lower spec for resonant peak so I would assume it has a warmer tone, but I'm not too familiar with equating those type of specs.

 

And thanks DocJeff, I'll also scope the Gold 50.

 

The amp has a tendency to sound a bit muddy and just recently my son was telling me that it sounds way too directional. So it needs a speaker that will open up the sound more. He was saying that unless he's in the right position, he doesn't even hear the amp that well. He's jamming in a basement he's renting in Seattle right now. And I've got a belated Birthday gift to figure out for the little (24 yo) dude.

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Like if you stand directly in front if the speaker with it pointed directly at your head it will "sizzle" a little bit bit it's no big deal. It's actually a pretty smooth sounding speaker and is great for rock and roll. I think I paid $110 shipped for mine from Avatar when they first came out.

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Thanks DocJeff

 

I bought a Chicago from them a year or so ago and it really helped warm up a Marshall Valvestate I've got kicking around. Not enough to really salvage that POS amp, but it did improve it. My Valvestate is the first generation, and man is that ever a piece of crap. I think I enjoyed it for a day or two and after that it's been like, "what was I thinkin". It has a very shallow sound which is not bad with a really thick sound LP, but its also got the worst potentiometers in it imaginable. I've had them pro cleaned at a fair amount of expense just to have that amp start to snap crackle and pop within months again. I'd shove it up Jim's arse if I could.

 

But you know how that is, one likes to have some Marshall tone in the home, but my Roland and Fenders have been my mainstays.

 

But on this upgrade, I need to keep in mind that it's what my 24 yo would like, not me. I swoon for vintage tones, he's someone that likes to switch in and out of drop D tuning riffs.

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Thanks DocJeff


I bought a Chicago from them a year or so ago and it really helped warm up a Marshall Valvestate I've got kicking around. Not enough to really salvage that POS amp, but it did improve it. My Valvestate is the first generation, and man is that ever a piece of crap. I think I enjoyed it for a day or two and after that it's been like, "what was I thinkin". It has a very shallow sound which is not bad with a really thick sound LP, but its also got the worst potentiometers in it imaginable. I've had them pro cleaned at a fair amount of expense just to have that amp start to snap crackle and pop within months again. I'd shove it up Jim's arse if I could.


But you know how that is, one likes to have some Marshall tone in the home, but my Roland and Fenders have been my mainstays.


But on this upgrade, I need to keep in mind that it's what my 24 yo would like, not me. I swoon for vintage tones, he's someone that likes to switch in and out of drop D tuning riffs.

 

 

 

DOH! Didn't read carefully. Sorry.

 

My son has Celestion Vintage 30's in his HK metal amp, and they handle the bass very well.

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DOH! Didn't read carefully. Sorry.


My son has Celestion Vintage 30's in his HK metal amp, and they handle the bass very well.

 

 

In a 1 X 12 combo though, do you think a V30 will open up the sound enough, or am I better off with something like the G12 Century Vintage with the lighter magnet?

 

I haven't ruled out your other suggestion BTW.

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For what its worth, I have a Hellatone 60, which is an aged Celestion Vintage 30 you can buy directly from Avatar. They come in 8 or 16 ohms and cost about $75. I decided to give it a try. Why they are cheaper than the Vintage 30 I don't know. I suspect that Avatar buys them by the shipload. lol.

 

It is in a single 1-12 cab and sounds incredibly good. I use a valve jr. head for it. Even with the open back cab the Hellatone 60 has a lot of bass. My bud has a 2-12 cab with one Vintage 30 coupled with a GH12. The combo gives a killer sound together. The GH12 is supposed to have a bit more bottom end. He has pushed that 2-12 cab with various amps and it always sounds good. Great for driven blues and high gain stuff.

 

BUT, back to you, what tone are you trying to get? I play both my tele and LP through the valve jr. when I want that saturated distortion that only tubes (er,... a tube) give. And, despite only being a 5 watt head, its fairly loud. So much that I use a weber micro mass to pull down the volume and shape it.

 

Good luck! :thu:

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