Which replacement speaker for a HRD Mk3?

Bowks

As mentioned elsewhere, my HRD is with a tech who's working his magic to improve the amount of available clean headroom. 

I'm toying with changing the speaker in the amp too, and have very little idea of what to go for! It's got to play nicely with single coils and HBs and not break up too soon. 

What have others used and what is recommended?

Chalky

Fender did a run with Celestion 70/80 speaker. Lovely full clean sparkle if that is what you like.

ICBM

Chalky said:

Fender did a run with Celestion 70/80 speaker. Lovely full clean sparkle if that is what you like.

The standard speaker must be *really* crap if a 70/80 is an upgrade . I would definitely not describe it as full or sparkly normally - it's the opposite... flat, lifeless and lacking in deep lows or clear highs.

The best speaker I've heard in an HRD is the old Fender Special Design blue label Eminence with the big vented magnet, from something like a Stage 112 or a Super 60 - but you can't buy them new, they're fairly rare now, and they weigh a ton. I'm not certain which current Eminence model is the closest, but probably the Swamp Thang.

I'ver also heard great results with the Jensen Tornado neodymium in Fender-type amps - although not a HRD yet - the original 100W model, I haven't tried the newer 'Stealth' ones. Very clean and full-sounding, but not overly bright or thin like some neos can be. And they've very light.

richardhomer

ICBM said:
I'ver also heard great results with the Jensen Tornado neodymium in Fender-type amps - although not a HRD yet - the original 100W model, I haven't tried the newer 'Stealth' ones. Very clean and full-sounding, but not overly bright or thin like some neos can be. And they've very light.

As mentioned previously - I’ve fitted a 100 watt Tornado in my Musicman RD50 based on @ICBM’s suggestion.

I took the amp to the recent tFB jam in Huddersfield and got the chance to use it at ‘stage’ levels for the first time. It sounded superb - there was no sign of the speaker flubbing out, getting shouty, or doing anything else unpleasant.

DJH83004

Bowks said:

As mentioned elsewhere, my HRD is with a tech who's working his magic to improve the amount of available clean headroom. 

I'm toying with changing the speaker in the amp too, and have very little idea of what to go for! It's got to play nicely with single coils and HBs and not break up too soon. 

What have others used and what is recommended?

I would actually hold off until you get the amp back and see how it sounds with the stock speaker, I actually like a good old Jenson ceramic, say a C12N in a HRD, but they do need breaking in for a good few hours. Would be interested to know what magic your tech is working to improve the clean headroom, they are normally pretty clean up to ear splitting levels! though I agree not BF or early SF cleans.  

stratman3142

When I had an HRD3 I started off trying a Celestion Vintage 30 which was good with OD pedals for a rock sound but somewhat hard sounding for cleans. But it cut through well in a band context.

I ended up with a Celestion V type, which I tried because Mike Landau used them. That was a good match for me.

Wazmeister

stratman3142 said:

When I had an HRD3 I started off trying a Celestion Vintage 30 which was good with OD pedals for a rock sound but somewhat hard sounding for cleans. But it cut through well in a band context.

I ended up with a Celestion V type, which I tried because Mike Landau used them. That was a good match for me.

These are my findings exactly...

The V30 sounds crude, almost, at home volumes... but man, it is awesome cranked and in a band setting. Completely cuts through...

crunchman

Weber 12F150.  It's Weber's take on the classic C12N.  I put one in a mark 1 HRD and it was excellent - huge upgrade on the stock speaker.  A reissue Jensen C12N would probably be good, but I think the Weber is a bit better.

If you have lots of money then I'm sure a Weber 12A150 or Jensen P12N would sound lovely.

I'm not a big fan of Celestions in Fender style amps.

menamestom

Cannabis Rex, loud, smooth and sweet

Modulus_Amps

Has anybody tried a EVM 12L in these

Dan

WGS G12C for fender type cleans. Got one in my DR and Carr Sportsman. WGS's take on Jensen C12N.

Or WGS ET90 for bigger bolder almost "hifi" type cleans.

Chalky

ICBM said:

Chalky said:

Fender did a run with Celestion 70/80 speaker. Lovely full clean sparkle if that is what you like.

The standard speaker must be *really* crap if a 70/80 is an upgrade . I would definitely not describe it as full or sparkly normally - it's the opposite... flat, lifeless and lacking in deep lows or clear highs.

The best speaker I've heard in an HRD is the old Fender Special Design blue label Eminence with the big vented magnet, from something like a Stage 112 or a Super 60 - but you can't buy them new, they're fairly rare now, and they weigh a ton. I'm not certain which current Eminence model is the closest, but probably the Swamp Thang.

I'ver also heard great results with the Jensen Tornado neodymium in Fender-type amps - although not a HRD yet - the original 100W model, I haven't tried the newer 'Stealth' ones. Very clean and full-sounding, but not overly bright or thin like some neos can be. And they've very light.

My memory failed me. Google says it was a G12P-80 not a 70/80.

Edit - although google also suggests they are the same speaker!  All I know is that playing side by side with an older HRD it was like a blanket had been taken off the speaker.

ICBM

Chalky said:

My memory failed me. Google says it was a G12P-80 not a 70/80.

Edit - although google also suggests they are the same speaker!  All I know is that playing side by side with an older HRD it was like a blanket had been taken off the speaker.

Yes, it's the same speaker.

The stock HRD speaker is very middy, certainly - I find it 'shouty', but without the aggression and cut-through ability of a V30. The 70/80 is a very 'flat'-sounding speaker, which is why it's often used for modelling amps (eg Line 6) because it doesn't add much character of its own - I actually don't think it's terrible, just that there are almost always better-sounding alternatives. I haven't directly compared the two, but if the 70/80 was like taking a blanket off, something with real depth and sparkle would be even more dramatic!