What's the loudest 10" you've heard?

[doctornorbert]

So in my perennial quest to move more air in a band context, with my 2x10 I want to know what's the loudest 10" speaker out there.

I have been running different AlNiCo 10s which I love the sound of, but which get drowned out by a 300w SVT. These 10s tend to be in the 95-96 dB range. I have also tried the Eminence Ramrod and Lil' Buddy and may go back to this pairing. I like the dynamics and definition of AlNiCo, though, and right now have the 'Buddy (99 dB) and an AlNiCo in, which seems a good combo.

Also upping the filtering to 50/50/22/16 uF helps.

Another possibility is adding another 2x10 cab with a couple more 95-96 dB speakers I have lying around, making four 10s in all, none louder than 99 dB.

But how do I really push some air??? From Eminence's published sensitivities it looks like the Red Fang 10 at 102 dB is worth checking out.

Other suggestions?

[echuta13]

A 3db change in speaker efficiency is like doubling the power of your amp's output. The Fang is probably one of the most efficient 10" speakers I've seen, and it should give you a decent bump in output.

[doctornorbert]

I think I'm gonna try one, maybe two...

[1950]

A few db's over 100 makes so much difference. My 18 watter gets awful pharty if I use my Vox twin 12 speaker cab, saying that, I never tried 10" ers. I have 2 seperate epiphone VJ'r cabs, 2X 12"s in seperate boxes (far easier to carry) and sounds as good as I heard it, but using one of these cabs still sounds slightly better than 2
I have a Valvetronic 30 (cheesy SS + a tube) with a 10" and that is very loud (Vox speaker?).
Keep trying Doc & let us know.

[kleuck]

I recently replaced my P10R (sounded really good, but not with the amp crancked) for a Emi Legend 105.
Really louder, dynamic and definition are quite the same, sound is a little more midrangey and bassy, but a really great speaker, don't get fooled by its low price, it's not a "little" Speaker.
I was condidering the Fang too, but with only one speaker in my combo, it would perhaps give the same kind of sound when cranked as the P10R, too expensive too give it a test and be disapointed.
For you, it may be the best choice.

[doctornorbert]

Overall, I really like the Eminence stuff I've tried.

[doctornorbert]

I'm finding that the Lil' Buddy is gosh darned loud, and a cool-sounding speaker to boot!

[doctornorbert]

I got my Red Fang 10 and now have it paired with a Lil Buddy. Haven't used it with a band yet (the true test), but my initial impression is that it sounds like an AlNiCo speaker all right, and is plenty loud.

I know I'm not supposed to pair a 102 dB speaker (Fang) with a 99 dB speaker (Buddy) as the louder will likely dominate, but I'm hoping the Buddy will nevertheless warm things up.

Won't really know the deal until a reasonable break-in period has passed, including with some ensemble playing.

[doctornorbert]

Played it tonight with an ensemble. It indeed appears to rock, even with no real break-in yet. Compresses at high volumes, keeps the definition on chords without killing you with treble.

I am considering picking up a second one (the Lil' Buddy is probably not very audible here, at 3 dB less), for one very loud 2x10.

[krx]

The Ramrod and Ragin Cajun are very loud with big low end. They pretty much sound like 12s but with more upper mid focus. I haven't heard the Red Fang 10 in person but my impression is that its even louder but with less low end emphasis and more sparkle.

[dotfret]

Just to mention a couple of classics that used 10" speakers -

The Fender Dual Showman had a 6 x 10" cab that sounded very good - full of Jensens, of course.

Marshall used to sell a 6 x 10" cab in the 60s. A friend of mine had one, great big thing with wheels. Don't know what was in there, but it sounded OK - probably Celestions. It was very heavy.

[doctornorbert]

I had a very early Peavy 6x10, which rocked.

I bet that old Marshall 6x10 would sound killer with an 18 watt head. Could be loaded with Elac AlNiCo 10s like in the AC10, just to guess.

[Mr_dB]

Just to mention a couple of classics that used 10" speakers -

The Fender Dual Showman had a 6 x 10" cab that sounded very good - full of Jensens, of course.

That would be the Fender Super Six Reverb-Amp, which was a 6x10" combo amp. It was heavy as hell, and big enough to house a small homeless family. Loud and bright. Same amp chassis as a Twin Reverb-Amp or Dual Showman Reverb-Amp. All Super Sixes were silverface amps with master volume.

The Dual Showman had two 15" speakers, usually JBL, and was a piggyback.

[doctornorbert]

Some recent comments on the amp with the 'Fang and 'Buddy loaded in:

"That amp sound great"

"I couldn't believe how loud it was"

[kleuck]

Do you think a single Red Fang can stand the full power of a 18 watter without too much compression ?

[doctornorbert]

Don't know, haven't tried it! My guess is it would be fine...

[picothinker]

I had a very early Peavy 6x10, which rocked.

I have one, I have owned it since 1973. It had a very bad 130w SS head sitting on top of it, but the cabinet sounded very good with other amps. One of the 10's is blown, I have been intending to fix it for the last ten years.

6x10, with a 4 ohm impedance? None of the charts I see for more normal speakers can do that combination. I still have the original speaker, I probably should see about getting it reconed.

[Norbert]

Just to revisit the loudness of the Red Fang 10...

I have one RF in my Vox AC10 (also a 2xEL84 format, but less output due to a slightly crippled OT), and a pair of TW alnico tens, one blue, one silver, in my 18 watt. The Vox with the one RF is WAY louder with tons of bottom end, than the 18 watt with its 2 TW tenners.

The TWs get a great tone for recording, though.

But then the moral here for 18 watt amps is that if you want a loud 10", the RF is something to consider.

[rbeachflk]

I use vintage JBL E-110s in two Fender Champ II 18W amps in a stereo configuration. I haven''t heard the RFs but I've just always used the JBLs in my Fender amps, very clean and very loud - I let the tubes generate the crunch. That stereo rig can get very loud and placing the amps 4-6 feet apart moves a lot of air. I would prefer D110s but all of the JBLs are getting hard to find and expensive.