Celestion alnico cream

oldmansanj

Hi,

Doing a bit of experimenting with speakers, anyone had any experience with these with high gain? I'm not bothered about clean tones. Currently got a few 2x12s my current favourite speakers are the celestion marshall jimi Hendrix speakers - really nice top end and controlled lows.

Apart from my matamps my amps are all marshall type (800/plexi) and my guitars are tuned to drop c. 

Any other recommendations to look at are most welcome too. I've got v30s, gk100s, hot 100s just looking for something different.

Cheers 

andy1839

I use one in a 212 diagonal closed back alongside a G12M Creamback and another in my Marshall SL5.

I normally use the 212 with my Friedman BE50DLX, BE100DLX, but it currently has a Victory RK50 going through it. 
It seems to handle most amps well, honestly everything sounds good.

Cirrus

It might be a bit mellow. I really like the speaker, but I think the top end always has this... Slowness? Softness? that sounds very classy but might be a struggle for articulation at higher gain.

I generally don't like the gold as much, but did love it in a couple of higher gain amps.

ICBM

Cirrus said:

I generally don't like the gold as much, but did love it in a couple of higher gain amps.

The Gold was the first attempt at a 'higher power Blue', but actually sounds more like an 'alnico V30'. I had one in my Mesa Trem-o-verb along with one of the original V30s, and there was surprisingly little difference - the Gold was slightly brighter but also slightly smoother, without the big mid spike or the roughness of the V30, but otherwise the voicing was very similar.

I haven't tried the Cream yet so I can't comment on that, but from clips it does sound more like the Blue.

Personally I think the best-sounding speaker Celestion make is the Heritage G12H-30, but that limits you to 60W in a 2x12".

gatheredinsong

Cirrus said:

It might be a bit mellow. I really like the speaker, but I think the top end always has this... Slowness? Softness? that sounds very classy but might be a struggle for articulation at higher gain.

I use an Alnico Cream and this is a fair comment. I'm generally happy compensating with the amp eq and pedals but Cirrus is right to highlight the softer/mellower characteristics. It does sound lovely though.

Airmiles

Many flavours of cream from Barefaced on here - not a 5e3 obviously, but (to my ears) some clear differences with different levels of distortion.

CarbonCopy

Zilla cabs have some good comparison videos, such as the Alnico Cream against a V30.

I have an Alnico Cream that came in my Hamstead Artist 20RT. That's not a high gain amp though, but I have used it with a Revivaldrive for rock tones. I think the high end is a bit smoother so probably not something I'd choose for high gain tuned down to Drop C (although I'm not quite sure what that means).

57Deluxe

I prefer the V30 and for that more Marshallesque drive tone from the Cream@2.05 you just need a TS pedal for the V30 to match it. You can't however, make the Cream more articulate to match the V30.