Moderators Ratae Corieltauvorum Posted October 15, 2012 Moderators Share Posted October 15, 2012 Originally Posted by honeyiscool Laney does seem like the best option. I know it's impossible to ask, is Laney as good as Vox or whatever, and personally I understand it's all preference, but do you know what differences between the two I should expect? Price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KimCameo Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Originally Posted by Special J I tried a lot of AC30 type amps before I got my Valvetech. To me, it sounded more like an AC30 than the AC30's I tried. I got the head version figuring I could pair it with any cab and scale it to the gig. Sounded great, but didn't truly get "that" sound until I put it through a semi open back 2x12 with alnico blues. So I think a large part of that sound is the configuration, not just the circuit. Gotta agree with that. We have a few AC 30 heads lying around and none really nail "THE TONE" when paired with anything less than the Celestion Alnico Blue speakers. That said, the AC 30 head is the way to go, IMHO. Whether pushing a pair of Blue speakers or a decent quad, the head really shines. I have a 15 with a Blue installed. Heavenly sounds. As mentioned, ou might just spring for the speaker and put it in the AC15, replacing the Wharfdale. We're also big fans of the Laney 15 and 30 watters mentioned...beautiful tones there too. Good luck with your decision! And let us know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted October 15, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 I like the Greenbacks in my AC15, though. Will "THE TONE" be had with just changing that to a Blue? b/c if the answer is yes, I could save myself from getting a new amp... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ugameus Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 The difference between the greenback and blue may get you to where you want to be. Only you will be able to decide that. Remember that speakers break in over time. The greenback may need to be used a bit. There is a quality to a speaker that is not broken in which I would refer to as jagged, this may be what you are experiencing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members thecornman Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Could not tell you if they would cover the sound you are looking for or not, but I have two of the Laney LC-15's that I run in stereo sometimes or just use on their own through a 2-12 celastion speaker cab and they sound amazing! Super light as well and I have no problem keeping up volume wise with a full band even with just one running. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Originally Posted by honeyiscool I like the Greenbacks in my AC15, though. Will "THE TONE" be had with just changing that to a Blue? b/c if the answer is yes, I could save myself from getting a new amp... A Blue will not exactly make you sound like an AC30, but in the AC15, I think that the Greenback sounds a little thin and raspy. IMO, the Blue is the only way to go for that amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted October 15, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Originally Posted by ugameus The difference between the greenback and blue may get you to where you want to be. Only you will be able to decide that. Remember that speakers break in over time. The greenback may need to be used a bit. There is a quality to a speaker that is not broken in which I would refer to as jagged, this may be what you are experiencing. Originally Posted by kayd_mon A Blue will not exactly make you sound like an AC30, but in the AC15, I think that the Greenback sounds a little thin and raspy. IMO, the Blue is the only way to go for that amp. Ugh... everybody says this, but $279 is a lot of money to invest towards finding this out. Maybe I should get an extension cab and put an AlNiCo Gold in it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Well, there is always the return policy thing. Do they let you use that speakers? Anyway, I think it's totally worth it, but everyone's different. I recorded these videos with my AC15 w/ Alnico Blue, in response to some other threads here - maybe they'll help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ancient Mariner Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Originally Posted by honeyiscool Ugh... everybody says this, but $279 is a lot of money to invest towards finding this out. Maybe I should get an extension cab and put an AlNiCo Gold in it... No - the gold doesn't sound like the blue. I had one, but it never sounded right - it doesn't do the raspy yet smooth tone with drive that the blue does and was a major disappointment. If you want a close cousin to the blue then look at the Eminence Red Fang. It has a little less sharpness at the top, but when pushed with overdrive delivers the tone well. I have one in a 1X12 combo with a 6v6 based amp, and have had plenty of 'wow, boutique tone' comments from other guys I've played with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ugameus Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Originally Posted by honeyiscool Ugh... everybody says this, but $279 is a lot of money to invest towards finding this out. There is one for sale on TGP for $185. If you don't like it you can always sell it for about the same price and try something else. http://www.thegearpage.net/board/sho...highlight=blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tone Deaf Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 Ugh... everybody says this, but $279 is a lot of money to invest towards finding this out. I don't get it. Dude, you're already painting yourself into a corner with the weight criteria. There have been several suggestions thrown out there, all of which aparently fail to meet featherweight status. Now you get a speaker swap suggestion, and you don't wanna drop $279? Even if you pay retail for an Alnico Blue, and it doesn't get your current amp where you want it, you can easily turn it around at less of a loss than any of the other niche gear we've seen you go through, because it's actually a widely desireable piece of gear. The tooth fairy ain't gonna leave you a 20 pound AC30 clone on the cheap. (If she does, let me know, I want one ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ugameus Posted October 15, 2012 Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 I understand. I used to think trying different speakers was a spendy proposition. That was until I realized how much they can affect the tone. Now I see speaker swaps as cheap and efficient ways of changing tone. I didn't understand that until I did it a bunch. Also, I look at speakers as a time investment as well. When you buy new they change over the first 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 hours of playing. Especially Tone Tubby's. They sounded great for cleans from the get go. Horrible for OD. I stuck with them and then, BAM, all of a sudden they had some of the most incredible OD tones I have ever heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted October 15, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 15, 2012 I don't get it. Dude, you're already painting yourself into a corner with the weight criteria. There have been several suggestions thrown out there, all of which aparently fail to meet featherweight status. Now you get a speaker swap suggestion, and you don't wanna drop $279? Even if you pay retail for an Alnico Blue, and it doesn't get your current amp where you want it, you can easily turn it around at less of a loss than any of the other niche gear we've seen you go through, because it's actually a widely desireable piece of gear. The tooth fairy ain't gonna leave you a 20 pound AC30 clone on the cheap. (If she does, let me know, I want one ) First of all, it's 2012, and I don't really find 50 pounds to be featherweight in this day and age where people value lighter and smaller, and hey, the Laney VC30 does fit into that range, and I am considering that one now, but I'm curious as to how AC30-ish it really is. And I balk at the AlNiCo Blue suggestion for a lot of reasons. First of all, I like my AC15 already with the Greenback. I don't necessarily want that amp to be something it's not, and I got it knowing how it sounds. I've also heard a few comparisons of the Blue vs. the Greenback, and honestly, I'm not sure the Blue is an improvement unless you're trying to hear one. It's different, sure, but listening to demos, I don't find that an AC15 with a Blue sounds close to an AC30 to me regardless. It sounds good, but it's not an AC30. Second, it's expensive and if I don't want it for that amp after all, I don't have a use for a 15W 12" speaker, given that almost all of my amps produce way more wattage than that, so it lacks versatility in my mind. That's why the Gold appeals to me more, if I don't like it in my Vox, it could actually be used elsewhere. Lastly, $279 is more than I've spent on many of my amps, which have been most of my gigging stuff, so I'm not even sure what you're talking about there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted October 16, 2012 Members Share Posted October 16, 2012 I totally understand the weight issue, I try and stay below 45 lbs if I can. I don't gig and like to be able to pick up and carry he amp in one hand and the guitar in the other. The Blue vs. Greenback is night and day. The Blue is noticeably brighter, with a big upper midrange push and it rolls of before becoming too harsh and is very efficient; it really compliments the Vox jangle. Now, hen Celestion introduced the Blue RI, they knew that 90% of people will also pick the brighter, louder speaker as "better" regardless of audio quality, so they made the RI significantly more efficient than the original '60's speakers, making it louder and brighter than the real deal, and substantially louder than a Greenback (I believe at lease 3db). A side effect is they don't like to be pushed and start sounding ratty when pushed much beyond 15 watts. By comparisons, the Greenback is one of Celestion's darker, warmer speakers, and one of their least efficient. Driven to speaker distortion, it's a key factor in that late '60's, early '70's Marshall stack sound. Big, boomy, with a lower midrange push that sounds super thick and a top end that rolls off way earlier than the Blue. Personally, I think the Blue RI is a little too much "too much"...a little too efficient, and can get a little too harsh when pushed. I prefer higher wattage Gold or 30+ watt Weber options, and am a big fan of the Greenback, but it is not the quintessential Vox speaker. Replacing a Greenback with a Blue RI is like removing a blanket from in front of the speaker cab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted October 16, 2012 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2012 Which Webers do you like most in a Vox style amp? Their selections are a little mind boggling. (And would a neodymium speaker be a bad idea? I kind of don't really care for speaker breakup, as weird as that may sound). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted October 16, 2012 Members Share Posted October 16, 2012 Which Webers do you like most in a Vox style amp? Their selections are a little mind boggling.(And would a neodymium speaker be a bad idea? I kind of don't really care for speaker breakup, as weird as that may sound). I agree the Blue's are cheap, neither are their counterparts, they are all $200+ new. I would consider taking your existing amp and a speaker cable to a shop and see if they'll let you try out a Blue. I like Weber's 30-watt AlNiCo Blue Dog and Silver Bell best. They were his first, but they aren't as tight and brighter and loud as the Blue RI, which is one reason people like the Blue RI, so it's something to consider. Before Ted Weber died, he was working on Neo versions of lots of his speakers, but results were mixed and without Ted around they scrapped all but the JBL D-style Neos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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