Update on Speaker/Cab reviews

[windsen]

Hey guys,

Lots of stuff happening lately, both with life and with Splawn gear. Last Friday I got in a new Splawn 212 w/ the brand new SB25s speakers. I have to say that the SB25s are AMAZING!!!! Playing the QR through the 212 was a whole new experience. The cab/speaker config sounds absolutely massive. I was testing it out alongside my other Splawn 412s, one with all Governors and the other with the BB/SB65 X-patterns and the 212 sound just about as huge. Tons of low end thump, very tight, very thick, warm...but the thing I really like is that the speakers seem to cover a lot of ground frequency wise. They aren't overly dark, overly bright, but nicely balanced...making everything sound very musical. I thought the QR sounded BY FAR best through that cab than any of my other cabs. The Nitro sounded good too, but it got a bit too "thumpy". Not boomy, but kind of congested in some of the lower frequencies. The QR just breathes nicely through the SB25s.

Compared to the Govs, I'd say the SB25s are more neutral sounding in that they don't have that prominent upper mid hump. But the SB25s sound fuller and more musical...it's a very rich sounding speaker. The SB25s are just as tight, if not tighter, but they don't feel stiff at all. They feel just awesome, haha. I'm finding now that my all Gov 412 sounds a bit too "focused" around certain frequencies so I've decided to put two Man-o-Wars back into the all Gov 412 to return to the Gov/MoW X-pattern cab. I'm finding that helps "open" up the sound again, for both the QR and my Nitro.

Compared to the BB/SB65 cab, the SB25s are definately tighter, not as boomy and more balanced again. They also have a bit thicker mids I think. The BB/SB65 cab has a very prominent low end and a rather glassy top end that I've never been able to get along with. The SB25s have the thickness and saturation of the BB/SB65s but have a really nice smooth top end and upper mids. Things sound full, but not overbearing.

So far the SB25s are my favorite speaker for the QR, at least in the 212. I don't know if things would sound different running 4 of them in a 412, but as it stands the SB25s in just the 212 sound absolutely wonderful Again, for the Nitro...I'm still prefering the amp through the Gov/MoW setup over the BB/SB65s, just because the latter isn't as tight, are not as thick in the mids and I don't get along with the glassy top end.

As far as cleans with the SB25s go, I think they sound very, very nice. I like how they sound clean more than any of my other speakers. The SB25s are actually 55 watts so I haven't found them to break up on higher volumes.

All and all the SB25s are HUGE winners in my book. I'm looking forward to about possibly mixing them with some other speakers to see what happens.

Sorry for the long post. I'll leave you with a pic of the Splawn collection ;D:

[gtrwun]

Thanks for the details on the SB's windsen! Ive been waiting for someone to really chime in on a comparison on these various models with the QR. Sounds like the SB's could be a great speaker for those who feel the QR is too bright. I personally dont have a problem using G12H/private jack combo. I might get some of the SB's to load into an empty 2x12 I have laying around though.....

[windsen]

sure thing gtrwun. i do want to note that I don't mean to rag on the BB/SB65 x-pattern. my friend, who plays a lot of the same type of music i do, preferred the Nitro through the BB/SB65 412 than my other 412. it's just all personal preference.

[LooseCannon]

Clips! Man glad to hear you like them, you comared them to the gov's, but how do they compare to the gov's and man's combo? Are they darker? Punchier? I want to order a splawn 2x12 and it's between the gov+man, and the SB25's. Right now I have vintage 30's and don't like them very much, I want speakers which are less bright and harsh, and not as brittle.

[windsen]

loosecannon, what amp are you going to be running through the 212? if it's the QR i highly recommend the SB25s. those speakers rule man. compared to the gov/mow combo, the sb25s are not as bright, a bit more relaxed in the mids but everything is still very tight and very full sounding.

[glfan]

windsen,

I've got a Comp & 4x12 w/ BB/SB65s on order. I thought I was set on my order till I read your post. How would you compare the SB65 vs SB25? I know I want the BB, but you just got me thinking about SB25s now.

Thanks

[kent]

Windsen, as stated before, you need to get some clips made man! If you get the time you should make some clips with just the SB65, and then just the SB25's. Then maybe a clip with the two mixed together. Like you have done before with some of your clips with one speaker on the left side of the mix, and a different speaker on the right. Hooked up through the QR of course.

[windsen]

GLfan, it's been a while since I've just messed with the sb65, but I'd say the sb25 has more mids, a smoother high end and tighter/bigger low end. the tightness thing may be due to the 212 vs 412 though.

I do want to do clips but my schedule is tight. I will definately do them if I can so stay tuned.

[SonicExplorer]

Great review, thanks!

The SB25's are not as bright as the gov/man-o ?? It was my understanding the gov/man-o's were already a bit more "tame" on the brightness in comparison to Celestions. Hmmm.... Are the Governors alone also brighter than the SB25's ?

[windsen]

the sb25s are just warm sounding speakers. the govs have more upper mids while the sb25s have more low mids, but i don't know if "dark" is a good word to describe them. the QR sounds very alive and punchy with the sb25s. the QR through the all gov cab sounded almost like it was being held back a bit b/c those speakers seem to not have as wide of a frequency response as the sb25s. does that make sense?

[glfan]

windsen said:

GLfan, it's been a while since I've just messed with the sb65, but I'd say the sb25 has more mids, a smoother high end and tighter/bigger low end. the tightness thing may be due to the 212 vs 412 though.

I do want to do clips but my schedule is tight. I will definately do them if I can so stay tuned.

Thanks for the info windsen! Too many choices, I think the room is spinning. My wife will kill me if I start buying & selling speakers to experiment with like I do guitars now.

Back to do some more research before the build date.

[SonicExplorer]

windsen said:

the sb25s are just warm sounding speakers. the govs have more upper mids while the sb25s have more low mids, but i don't know if "dark" is a good word to describe them. the QR sounds very alive and punchy with the sb25s. the QR through the all gov cab sounded almost like it was being held back a bit b/c those speakers seem to not have as wide of a frequency response as the sb25s. does that make sense?

This again suggests to me a SB25/gov x-pattern might be a really intersting combination. hint hint.... ;D

Sound clips!!! hahaha

[LooseCannon]

windsen said:

loosecannon, what amp are you going to be running through the 212? if it's the QR i highly recommend the SB25s. those speakers rule man. compared to the gov/mow combo, the sb25s are not as bright, a bit more relaxed in the mids but everything is still very tight and very full sounding.

Thanks winds. I'll be running it through my competition. I'm still having hard time deciding between a standard or an oversized 2x12 though, what made you pick the standard?

[windsen]

so uh i realized that we were demo-ing the nitro in OD2 through all the cabs this past weekend. i hadn't plugged in my footswitch that day but today i was cleaning up some things, i plugged in the footswitch and the OD2 light was on. My bad! OD2 on the nitro seems to add even more low end where as OD1 is much more clear IMO. so i'm not ruling out the sb25s for the nitro just yet. hopefully later this week i'll be able to test out the nitro through the sb25s again, this time on OD1. stay tuned =)

[hollywood]

Hey Windsen, I just got lucky and my wife just ordered some scumback speakers for me. ;D Jim actually had them in stock. Only because they double shipped his december order. So instead of a 1 1/2 to 2 month wait they ship tomorrow. I will have to get with ya on these smallblock 25's cause it sounds like I'm heading for a set of them also. Later.