Speaker selection

[jimh]

Guys.

What do you all reckon.....

Some time ago I built a 1.5W valve amp loosely (very) based on a 50's Fender Princeton style preamp.  Up till now I've been running it with my old 1x12 Laney cab fitted with a Celestion Greenback.  Great speaker but I think it's too dark for this application.

I'm thinking of building a small cab with a 6 or 8 inch speaker to compliment the amp.

This cab will serve a dual function.  Obviously it will act as a speaker for my amp, but it will also have a 'Clip on' front with a funnel which will attach to a tube, to form a talkbox arrangement.  Traditional talkboxes typically use compression drivers/horns as the speaker (I have a Seabro Tubestation somewhere, it's great fun) but my box will use a regular driver.

I'm thinking Jensen, as that's what the older style Fender amps used. My heart wants a Alnico 8inch P8R . But I've also spotted a ceramic Jensen 6inch which could be quite fun and significantly cheaper.

Thoughts?    Opinions?
:icon_thumright:
Be Mellow

 

[mayfly]

Well, I always thought that the type of magnet had very little to do with the actual tone of the speaker.  Sure, those old AlNiCo Jensen speakers sounded better than the later ceramic ones, but IMHO that's more to do with the changes in paper material, coil material, and coil size required to handle more power (which was the popular thing when the ceramic mags came out).

I think you'll be fine with the ceramic magnet version.  BTW, the new Jensens are not made in the US - they are actually made in Italy.  Not sure if that makes a difference for you, but there it is.