1x12 combo --> 2x10 ??

[Doug H]

It occurred to me I could squeeze two 10s into my marshall combo. Some quick searching seemed to suggest that this will alter the sound too much, rob the bottom end etc...

The custom fender Vibro jhhas two 10s, and a big bottom end, my bass player has two 4x8s for his bass! so what say you?

I think it would project a fuller sound, but if 10s just woin't do for a cranked Marshall.

Circuit is more or less plexi superbass...

I suppose the other problem is southbay doesn't sell 55hz 10s, which is what I want for my strat.

[Mars Hall]

I run my JTM45 through 4x10 cab. I have no issues with bass response. When you think about it, the original Marshall amp the Tweed Fender Bassman had 10's and it was designed as a bass amp. IMO, 2x10 is better than 1x12 just for the fact that you have 8 more inches of speaker surface pushing air.

[Doug H]

I might be into trying it, but who makes 10 inch 55hz cone greenback clones . Weber doesn't even offer that on your build your own page for the 10". Looks like you can only get 15w speakers now on that page as well, odd...

[Mars Hall]

I might be into trying it, but who makes 10 inch 55hz cone greenback clones . Weber doesn't even offer that on your build your own page for the 10". Looks like you can only get 15w speakers now on that page as well, odd...

For my build I used the Weber British Silver Ten's. You can choose between 20 and 30 watt versions also alnico or ceramic magnets. My 30 watt alnico's sound awesome! They also provide "breakin" service, also ask about the special doping.

https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/silver10a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/silver10f.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Weber also offers the Blue Pup

https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/blue10a.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://taweber.powweb.com/weber/blue10f.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Celestian does make a 10" Greenback, also an alnico version.

http://professional.celestion.com/guita ... .asp?ID=33" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://professional.celestion.com/guita ... .asp?ID=31" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[fillmore nyc]

IMO, 2x10 is better than 1x12 just for the fact that you have 8 more inches of speaker surface pushing air.

Well, you're getting more "air movement" from 2-10's but its in a different (higher) frequency range than a 12"... you're getting more of a higher frequency than with 12's, but a 10" speaker cant touch the low / low-mid frequency response of a 12", in the same way a 12" cant touch a 15" for absolute bottom end.
Put it this way... if a single really deep sounding 12" (an EVM12L, for example) was compared to a pair of just about ANY 10's, my bet is that the 12" will sound fatter.
I actually did do a comparison between a 2-12" cab loaded with EVM12L's vs 4-10" cab with 50 watt Eminence Legends using my Soldano, and a 50 watt Roccaforte. I thought that 40" of speaker surface in the 4-10 cab would sound fuller, or at least somehow "better" than 24" of speaker surface in the 2-12 cab, but the 4-10's couldnt even come close to the punch and balls of the pair of EV's.

[Doug H]

interesting, and noone seems to make 55hz cones.

Funny, the Fender custom vibro with two tens has a huge ass...

[fillmore nyc]

Funny, the Fender custom vibro with two tens has a huge ass...

I guess I should have added that I think some amps ARE more suited to 10's than 12's, and the Vibro-King would be one of them. An early Bassman would be another. The frequency response of those amps sounds amazing with 10's.
IMO, the reverse is true with Marshalls, Soldano's, etc. I think they're more closely related to 12's than 10's, so I guess depending on the amp, the comparison I did might not have been usable as a general rule.


Given the Vibro's bottom, it WOULD be interesting to hear it with a pair (or a quad) of 12's though.

[Doug H]

great info thanks

[Mars Hall]

IMO, 2x10 is better than 1x12 just for the fact that you have 8 more inches of speaker surface pushing air.

Well, you're getting more "air movement" from 2-10's but its in a different (higher) frequency range than a 12"... you're getting more of a higher frequency than with 12's, but a 10" speaker cant touch the low / low-mid frequency response of a 12", in the same way a 12" cant touch a 15" for absolute bottom end.
Put it this way... if a single really deep sounding 12" (an EVM12L, for example) was compared to a pair of just about ANY 10's, my bet is that the 12" will sound fatter.
I actually did do a comparison between a 2-12" cab loaded with EVM12L's vs 4-10" cab with 50 watt Eminence Legends using my Soldano, and a 50 watt Roccaforte. I thought that 40" of speaker surface in the 4-10 cab would sound fuller, or at least somehow "better" than 24" of speaker surface in the 2-12 cab, but the 4-10's couldnt even come close to the punch and balls of the pair of EV's.

Definitly gonna get a different frequency range when comparing 12's and 10's, but my experience is that you get a tighter bass response with 10's vs 12's. I think that is why we see a lot of 4x10 bass rigs. As for the EV's, I would expect a pair of 300 watt speakers (600 watts total) to have more "punch and balls" than a quad of 50 watt speakers (200 watts total). The drawback of using a heavy duty speaker like the EV, it takes a lot of power to push them into "breakup". They would be a good choice for someone seeking clean headroom.

There are always exceptions, but comparing similar power rated speakers, I believe my statement holds true, especially comparing 1x12 and 2x10. It's a give and take scenario, have a high wattage 1x12 and give up speaker "breakup", or use 2x10 and loose some mid range. Then again most Marshall circuits are heavy on the mids anyway.