Celestion & Fane AlNiCo Speakers Part II: The Gold & A60 Compared (AKA. "Mid-Powered Monsters")

[@qddk9545]

I think the Gold sounded much better in all the clips. Fuller and with more bite, but of course it depends on what you are after. Sensitivity is just an average figure and I am not sure if there is an agreed on way to note it. I really like your videos, they are so practically helpful.

[@moustachio334]

What I like when I look at the frequency response graph of the Fane is that there is a dip at 1khz. 1khz is the boxy mid range frequency. If people listen to this on their phone, they will think the Celestion is better sounding just because the Celestion has a bump around 1khz. My experience with Fane is that they are more pleasing all around whereas Celestions can be annoyingly peaky.

[@stevehughes1510]

The A60 reminds me of the Celestion Blue that is brighter than the Gold...........thanks for this Joe.

[@garygallagher7341]

Great comparison! I have a gold and I find it really versatile. That Fane sounds very sweet too; would love to try one.

[@jfrorn]

The Gold is a bit harsher, but its sound is fuller. I suppose you can tame that brightness with an EQ tweak but the fullness takes the cake.

[@moustachio334]

Good point about the break in at the end

[@middle_pickup]

The Fane was pretty cool. I'm a big fan of the Celestion blue, and gold. I liked that one too though.

[@mikeroadblock]

Excellent & exquisitely executed.

[@bluesful]

Great comparison Joe. Couple of random thoughts: I'm really surprised to hear how much louder the Gold was here, given that the speakers have the same sensitivity rating. Does age and use actually increase the inherent volume? The Gold really is a lively speaker, certainly compared to the A60 at least, and you can see how each would have merits in specific applications. Given the relevant 'flatness' (for lack of a better term) of the A60, an interesting comparison would be to the EV alnico, which I think is the SRO. But they are basically impossible to find down here in Australia, and I doubt you'd find one easily in the UK too.

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

I think it's mostly down to the Gold just being more pronounced in those loudness frequencies - it's 'boosted' there (relative to the Fane) so even though the full-frequency sound might be the same when they're measuring the sensitivity, with a guitar it's almost like having a treble booster on...it'll sound louder and be more bitey. In terms of age - the moving parts inside the speaker (driver, etc) loosen up over time, so the more you use a speaker, (theoretically) the more dynamic and responsive it'll become - that can make it sound a bit louder and more detailed. New speakers tend to feel a bit 'stiff' and need 'breaking in' - the older speakers I've got do feel more 'alive' (it's hard to explain!) Never tried an EV speaker - would like to though if one ever appears on the 2nd hand market :-)

[@profile_01]

Great comparison, liked both

[@williamsmothers8830]

If you look at the graphs, from 1.5k up, the Celestion spl is substantially greater, ranging from +3 to +9db. Since those are the frequencies where a great deal of the information from a guitar reside, especially all of the harmonics, that is what we are hearing. I'm sure mechanical age plays a role, but the frequency characteristics, based on design differences is the primary factor. Since low open E is 82.41hz, the Fane does sound louder, because the spls are actually about +3db greater for the Fane until about 1.5k, then the Celestion really takes off.

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Yep, that's exactly it - it's almost like having a treble booster on...brighter and louder in those frequencies by design, so the whole thing sounds a bit louder overall :-)

[@enricopallazzo8510]

The Fane was the most pleasant, BUT the Gold sounded the best with the Hudson Broadcast

[@Iamgavrilo]

Celestions always sounds emptier than Fanes, more solid state alike. The old ones from 70s, the new ones always the same. Sonically Fane is better speaker overall I would say.

[@rossbrumby1957]

I liked the celestion best for heavier, deeper sounds but the fane for sounds like surf guitar style.

[@OgamiItto70]

Another interesting comparo video. To me, the Gold sounded much more big, loud and brawny than the Fane. It sounded better to me in all the clips except the one with the TV Jones-looking pickup. (I was just waiting for you to break out that Gretsch like last time, but no joy.) The Gold also sounded less "boxy" than the Celestion Creamback in the previous matchup vid, more full all-around and not just strong in a small slice of the mid-range. Still, it's not like the Fane is a _bad-sounding_ speaker. Once again, I think the best use of these two types would be in a 4X12 with them set up in an X-pattern.

[@AtomEveEclipse]

I like both. I have both. The Fane is creamer for sure. Both are rich. The Gold sounds fuller here but that seems like volume to me, not "fullness" through headphones. Would be interesting to have them side by side in a 212 cab.

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Funny you should say that...I've just bought a 2x12 and I've put that exact pairing in there! :P Sounds epic!

[@AtomEveEclipse]

@@JoePerkinsMusic Nice! I'm currently playing through a couple Reeves and a Hiwatt. Between the three amps I have a Reeves Space Cowboy using a Celestion Gold in a Leslie with an Avatar Forte ext. cab with 2 x Fane F70's , a Hiwatt SA212 with two stock Fanes and a Fane A60 2 x 12 Forte ext. cab and, a Reeves Custom 50 PS going into 2 G12H30s and 2 V30's. It makes it a hard choice when it comes to deciding what to mic for recording.... lots of options. I do like these kinds of problems. Thank you very much for the videos!

[@chrisseger6420]

Hi Joe. What do you think of the Fane in combination with non tube amp and a Les Paul junior?

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

I don't own a solid state amp to try it out, but I imagine it'd sound great. I love it with a LP Junior though - it still has bite, but softens the aggressive P90 a little. I use my LPJ in this video at 3:46 :-)

[@dougb5028]

Perky, do you have a break-in regimen for the speakers before doing these tests?

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Just play them a lot! Good amount of volume and low end :-)

[@guntherabrahamowicz4659]

Wow, I've been looking at the Fane for a few weeks, but that Gold is just sweeter and fuller in every way through that set up. I'd have been curious to hear them with some edge-like delays or even some ambient rather than generic "classic rock" tone, which is Celestion's wheelhouse.

[@BadMotivator66]

The gold sounds gloriously strident!

[@j.rozman7016]

Great episode! Where would you put Celestion Ruby with this one`s? Is Ruby suitable for Fender style (bright) amps? Thanks!

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Without comparing them directly, I think the Ruby is much more rolled off up-top....you 'can' get treble out of it but it needs to be in the right amp and usually with a huge dollop of high EQ dialled in. I'd definitely say it could be suitable for a bright Fender amp though, if you're trying to tame it a bit!

[@dennisflock3958]

Gold was louder, but harsher in the high mids. Fane was quieter, but more muffled and crunchier. Definitely a creamier tone from the Fane.

[@pieve5516]

Hi Joe, great quality video. Question. I have a PRS MT 15 amp that I place at intermediate volume. Like the Cel Cream the best but will the CEO Blue be better at the volumes I play at?

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Hi David - in theory, as long as the speaker wattage is above the amplifier wattage (and as long as impedance, size, etc are right), you can use any speaker in any amp and it'll work fine. So you could run the 90W cream in a 15W amp and it'll be good. That said though, speakers do usually sound better when being given more power relative to their rating - with lower wattage amps, high wattage speakers won't compress as much and they can sound a little unexciting and thin. The Fane A60 is the best I've found at being a higher wattage speaker that still sounds great at low power - and it's _fairly_ similar to the Cream in its EQ - so that might be worth a look. The Gold/Blue are different to the Cream in their midrange - they're more spikey and aggressive - but personally I probably wouldn't put the Cream in a 15W amp as a first choice. Especially for clean tones, the A60 has more clarity and sparkle at lower volumes, so I'd personally choose that over the Cream. But the only 'right' speaker is the one that gives you the tone you're after - and if the 90W Cream does that, then fantastic! :-)

[@pieve5516]

Joe, the Fans 60 it is thanks. I am an avid watcher of guitar videos. Anderson's is my first choice. What is clearly lacking is a site that will actually critique gear. Most get paid and they just tell you its great. If you could fill that gap it would be great. A thought is to ask for donations to buy the gear. For me it would be worth it getting an actual review rather than buying gear and reselling on reverb. Pedal reviews are probably a good way to start. Maybe Stefan at guitar pedal x could lend you a few.

[@arnelgladyprudenciado1086]

Celestion Gold for me!

[@hardyputl1388]

TheFane A60 was more muffled and a little quieter. It didn't seem quite as clear to me as the Gold. The more accentuated heights of the Gold could certainly be reduced somewhat by the treble on the amp. I'm not yet sure which of these two speakers should replace the Celestion Vintage 30 in my Brunetti SingleMan 35.

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Am I right in thinking the Singleman is a blackface-style amp? I’d be tempted to say the A60 to thicken the low mids out a little if so. But it depends on what tones you’re into - the mids can be dialled in to the A60; the brightness can be taken out of the Gold. Both are epic :-)

[@frantisca]

2:47 That's Pete Townsend's sound in a Hiwatt ! The Gold is more precise and cutting through. Both excellent speakers.

[@guntherabrahamowicz4659]

The Gold sounded a bit richer and fuller, while the Fane had more jangle. One of each in a 2x12 might be even better.

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Stay tuned for that in a couple of weeks....! ;-)

[@tgvettes]

what do you think about a Gold and A60 mixed in a 2x12?

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Have tried it and sounds amazing - though personally, I prefer the new A30 paired with the Gold....that combination is magic!!

[@stratocastermaster9]

I liked the gold better. Sounded fuller, more present and detailed. Fane sounds great, sorta like an alnico version of the greenback 25m shitting it's self.

[@christopherphillips2351]

The A60 will get loads more detailed over time. Mine has.

[@kosmicwizard]

The Fane has a fizz similar to a vintage 30

[@McSlobo]

First video on today's KZbin marathon was a comparison of some Celestion ceramic speakers. All sounded like overdriven fart generators, tooth drills or ear piercers - and I was like really, that's all there is? Then I encountered Fane F70 vs. Celestion fartsies and Fane won about 4000-0. Then I found Fane comparisons and after it this A60 beast was already on my shopping cart because it was the first that sounded alright. Then I stumbled upon that Celestion Gold - finally something that that actually sings and is not a fart generator. Now comparing it to the A60 and murdering it - A60 sounds muffled and farty beside it. Don't get why people buy these fart generators. Is much easier to make your amp to sound like crap with crap pedals and insane EQ with a good speaker than make your amp to sound good with fart speaker that has no tone. Actually the latter is impossible. Blue ain't bad but it's only 15W. I guess it's bye bye for almost 300e.

[@McSlobo]

And if you're fan of vintage tones, just bolt this to a roof of a smoking room for a year and then marinade it a while in whiskey. That's it.

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

So….maybe just buy yourself a Gold and stop farting as much? 🤷‍♂️

[@Cluless02]

Fanes kick it!

[@Sirstarfish]

Ooo, I prefer the gold here but my amp is 60watts. Bugger

[@JoePerkinsMusic]

Two Golds in a 2x12? ;-) haha

[@davidkastin4240]

The celestion sounds better to me.