Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

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Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by Basket Case »

I am looking at replacing the top V30 in my verticle 2x12 with something a bit less beamy and harsh. Since Ryan is no longer the man to go to for Celestions, I'm looking at an Eminence Private Jack (their version of a Greenback).

The trouble is, Celestion and Eminence appear to have difference ways of measuring sensitivity/efficiency. A V30 is rated at 100dB and the Private Jack 101dB. If both ratings were measured the same, this would almost be ideal. Does anyone have any experience and can offer any wisdom regarding how close in volume these two speakers would be in reality?

Thinking out loud... I'm guessing that the V30, because of its mid-spike, would tend to dominate anyway if they were exactly the same sensitivity, so any other speaker of lower sensitivity wouldn't work.

Can anyone chime in?

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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by AiRdAd »

Basket Case wrote:I am looking at replacing the top V30 in my verticle 2x12 with something a bit less beamy and harsh. Since Ryan is no longer the man to go to for Celestions, I'm looking at an Eminence Private Jack (their version of a Greenback).

The trouble is, Celestion and Eminence appear to have difference ways of measuring sensitivity/efficiency. A V30 is rated at 100dB and the Private Jack 101dB. If both ratings were measured the same, this would almost be ideal. Does anyone have any experience and can offer any wisdom regarding how close in volume these two speakers would be in reality?

Thinking out loud... I'm guessing that the V30, because of its mid-spike, would tend to dominate anyway if they were exactly the same sensitivity, so any other speaker of lower sensitivity wouldn't work.

Can anyone chime in?
Friedman run greenbacks together with vintage 30's in some of their cabs. That combo sounds great. A creamback style speaker should be a similar sound to a greenback? When I did it, I was surprised how much the 'sound' of the greenback came through. Molly might have the greenback/v30 combo in his cab?
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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by sizzlingbadger »

I have run cream backs and V30's together and its a great combination. I don't know if the Private Jack is close to a green/creamback in sensitivity but I'm thinking of doing something similar with my vertical 2x12. The home made beam blockers have helped a lot though.

It seems from general inter web knowledge that the Emi's are rated a bit higher for the same volume. So you can maybe knock 2db's off the Emi rating to compare it to the Celestion.

Buy one and let me know :D
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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by Basket Case »

I would prefer to get a Creamback if someone in NZ stocked Celestion :roll:

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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by griff »

Be aware, Eminence have quite a different voice going on with them compared to Celestions. I dont jive with them personally, not as direct sounding as a celestion to my ears.

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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by sizzlingbadger »

I sold my Creamback and the needed it a week later so I'm even more annoyed than you :winky:
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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by Basket Case »

griff7628 wrote:Be aware, Eminence have quite a different voice going on with them compared to Celestions. I dont jive with them personally, not as direct sounding as a celestion to my ears.
Yeah, in my gut I know I probably wouldn't like the Eminence. I had some a long time ago, no idea what model they were, but they were flubby and lifeless. The word "shart" comes to mind.

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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by AiRdAd »

Basket Case wrote:
griff7628 wrote:Be aware, Eminence have quite a different voice going on with them compared to Celestions. I dont jive with them personally, not as direct sounding as a celestion to my ears.
Yeah, in my gut I know I probably wouldn't like the Eminence. I had some a long time ago, no idea what model they were, but they were flubby and lifeless. The word "shart" comes to mind.
I've got one cab with an eminence legend and a celestion greenback. I like the sound on that one.
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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by sizzlingbadger »

The Tone King Royalist I had came with a custom Eminence speaker as standard and it was great.
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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by godgrinder »

I got a couple Eminence's (V1216, Texas Heat, Swamp Thang, Tonker, GB128, X12000). I'd pick Eminence over Celestion any day of the week.

Note that there're the US made ones and Cantonese ones that are usually used in el cheapo cabs (Jet City, Epiphone etc). They can be quite different.
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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by Optical »

I have a 2x12 with a v30 and a G65. Best sounding cab ive ever heard.
You probably can't go too far wrong

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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by griff »

Basket Case wrote:
griff7628 wrote:Be aware, Eminence have quite a different voice going on with them compared to Celestions. I dont jive with them personally, not as direct sounding as a celestion to my ears.
Yeah, in my gut I know I probably wouldn't like the Eminence. I had some a long time ago, no idea what model they were, but they were flubby and lifeless. The word "shart" comes to mind.
Each to their own aye. The cab plays a huge role aswell I spose. There are plenty of eminence speakers I haven't tried to be fair. But yes flubby and lifeless come to mind when I had a Tonker, couldn't get rid of it quick enough. WGS speakers are awesome. I have the Reaper which is a greenback clone, and it rips dude. I like it more than a V30. Articulate without the harsh thing going on.

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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by jeremyb »

A G12H30 could go nicely with a V30 too, Eminence Wizard is their one, cheap as chips on Thomann even with the 50 euro shipping...
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Re: Celestions vs Eminence Sensitivity

Post by Basket Case »

I just ordered a Private Jack $260 from livesound.co.nz. There are a lot of positive reviews online. I'll report my findings once I've got it installed.

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