Speaker Advice?

[SKmedic]

I own an Ibanez RGD2127Z with stock pups... I know, I will be changing them to DiMarzio D-activators soon as I need as much definition and tightness as I can get. I recently bought an ENGL Fireball 100 head and coupled with my uber-shitty Bugera 212V-BK cab, I can't seem to get nice, tight riffage on the low E and low B, crazy as that may seem with an ENGL...

I'm already taking care of the pickups as the V7-7 and V8-7 stock pups are great, but very loose and muddy on the low E and low B strings. I'm dead set on either a set of D-activators or a D-activator bridge and liquifire neck pup.

The main piece of advice I need from as many of you who have experience in this regard is: I am keeping the Bugera cab as I feel it's just fine as a wooden box (nice, sturdy wood with a closed back), but hate, hate, HATE the stock speakers. They are loose in the low end and flubby when palm-muting, especially the low B.... Extreme tightness and definition with palm-muting as well as extreme clarity and punch for lead work are the most important things here, please recommend me a good set of speakers. Thanks in advance!

 

[NinjaRaf]

V30s are gonna be the standard. Some other good options are K100s, Legend V12s. So many, really...but those would be what Id look at first for what youre trying to achieve. I think the k100s would be the best...they fill out a 212 sound really well, and have a super tight but also huge low end.

 

[mcleanab]

If you can't find an outright better cab, then I would highly recommend the Eminence Swamp Thang and Governor speaker combo. Or the Swamp Thang and Wizard combo. And although I've not used one personally, I hear Texas Heat coupled with a Swamp Thang is rather nice too.

 

[SKmedic]

Ninjaraf- I was thinking of V30s at first, but I've always had them kind of fart out at high volume. I will look into the other ones you mentioned, though.

Mcleanab- do you think the cab itself could affect the tone that much? I figured it would have more to do with speakers, but if the cab itself plays a huge role in tone as well, I'll look into a Mesa 212 or even the ENGL 212... Maybe an avatar cab. But again, any suggestions are more than welcome and much appreciated.

As far as the eminence speakers you recommended: I have no experience with eminence besides the Jet City branded Legends in the Jet City 212 cab I owned a few years back. I did like them a lot, but back then I was playing a lot more VH and 80's style hard rock/metal, so while I remember them being very loud and very authoritative, I can't recall if they were tight in the low end like I need.

What do you think about the Screamin Eagle and/or the Black Powder? I'm wondering if those would have a tighter bass response or if the wizard, governor, and swamp thang you recommended would be truly better? Also, what is the difference between the "British" and "American" style speakers they offer? Wouldn't the "American" style speakers be more suited to tighter bass response?

Thanks in advance to anyone sharing their knowledge/experience as it pertains to speakers.

 

[SKmedic]

Also, I have heard the G12T-75 is much better than V30 for tight metal... Any opinions?

 

[NinjaRaf]

Ninjaraf- I was thinking of V30s at first, but I've always had them kind of fart out at high volume. I will look into the other ones you mentioned, though.

Mcleanab- do you think the cab itself could affect the tone that much? I figured it would have more to do with speakers, but if the cab itself plays a huge role in tone as well, I'll look into a Mesa 212 or even the ENGL 212... Maybe an avatar cab. But again, any suggestions are more than welcome and much appreciated.

As far as the eminence speakers you recommended: I have no experience with eminence besides the Jet City branded Legends in the Jet City 212 cab I owned a few years back. I did like them a lot, but back then I was playing a lot more VH and 80's style hard rock/metal, so while I remember them being very loud and very authoritative, I can't recall if they were tight in the low end like I need.

What do you think about the Screamin Eagle and/or the Black Powder? I'm wondering if those would have a tighter bass response or if the wizard, governor, and swamp thang you recommended would be truly better? Also, what is the difference between the "British" and "American" style speakers they offer? Wouldn't the "American" style speakers be more suited to tighter bass response?

Thanks in advance to anyone sharing their knowledge/experience as it pertains to speakers.

FWIW, I cannot ....ing stand V30s. I used k100s for a long time, and they make a weak/thin sounding cab sound a LOT bigger and fuller, and just overall better. Legend V12s are my favorites, and are my go to speakers for everything. They are a HUGE part of my tone.

Ive also tried a bunch of eminence patriot and british speakers, and I was not a fan of a single one of them. The ONLY eminences I like are the legends...and fear not about them being tight. I like my tone SUPER tight, especially in the low end. I dont like the low end to have any kind of sag or give in it...

http://tonefinder.com/?section=id&value=14633

 

[Wrecklyss]

As a cab builder, i can recommend the following: any WGS 55hz rated speaker, B&C 12PE32, Eminence Commonwealth, Eminence SwamP Thang, Eminence Wizard, Eminence Cannabus Rex, Jensen Electric Lightning, Peavey Blue Marvel, Peavey Scorpion--just to get you started.

A good visual indicator that a driver might have enhanced low end response is a large diameter voice coil or more folds in the accordion surround. British speakers tend to sound more like Celestion while American voiced tend to sound more like Jensens. The British voiced tend to have an earlier cone breakup with stronger mids while American tend to break up later with more low and high end emphasis. These descriptions are very general and do not by any means cover absolutely every British or American voiced speaker characteristic, just trends in design and performance over a very broad spectrum.

 

[GraveMind]

Check out WGS speakers. Extremely good quality for a great price. I went with the Vet 30's for my cab. They're like a V30 minus the mid spike.