Clean Guitar Speaker Shootout: Celestion, JBL D120, Altec Lansing, using Top Hat Amp Head

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Jimmyray Hawkins and Jeff Floro once again take you through a great speaker shootout. This time the speakers are put through the test with a clean signal and a Fender Stratocaster. They test everything form Celestion Greenbacks, Vintage 30, Eminence Vintage 30, JBL D120F, Altec Lansing and others. Jimmy is playing through a Prototype Top Hat Amp and uses a Fender Stratocaster guitar.
Each cabinet is recorded using a Shure SM-57 microphone plugged into the a Zoom H4n. The final audio for each speaker is a blend of the SM-57 and the overhead mics from the Zoom H4n.
Jimmy plugs directly into the Top Hat head and uses only a custom switchbox to go between all the cabinets/speakers.
List of Speakers Tested:
Celestion 25 watt Greenbacks (G12 M)
Celestion 75 watt (G12T-75)
JBL D120-F
Celestion Vintage 30
Eminence Vintage 30 Copy
Altec Lansing 417
EVM 12L
/ the.flo.guitar.enthusi...
Follow me on Twitter: / sillennium
Equipment Used: Fender Guitars, Top Hat Amplification, Diezel Cabinets, Marshall Cabinets, Bandmaster Cabinet, Shure SM-57, Shure, SM-58, Zoom H4n, Canon Mark II 5D
Video by: Scott Sill

[@klvs2ply]

Nice to have a shootout with someone playing clean!!! Now we can really hear the speakers. Not everyone plays distorted lol.

[@sillennium]

I do both clean and dirty for this reason. Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@JammondMusic]

I just love what he's playing.

[@sillennium]

JammondMusic thanks for watching!

[@sam71802]

agreed

[@sillennium]

JammondMusic and samuel jackson don't forget to subscribe!

[@sillennium]

Yeah I agree, I don't think tweaking the amp to each speaker shows you the difference you get from the speaker. The amp and guitar need to be a constant. I would love to do another one of these demos with more "standard" amp head and guitar. I agree on that for sure!

[@FransvandenBergeMuziekschuur]

I really like the altec speaker

[@5000rgb]

Me, too. The JBL and the EV sounded good but the highs were a little strident with the JBL and a little too mellow with the EV.

[@sillennium]

Nice choice

[@TheArtyBartfast]

Beautiful playing Jimmy! I've played for years and ive never gotten such beautiful harmonics yet. Very inspiring!

[@sillennium]

Rock on

[@Dakineiswhy]

This is a great example of what a shootout is supposed to be. same everything except for the speaker. Even the riffs are the same in every example. Also showing different types of playing from picking, to a strum, to harmonics. Great job!

[@sillennium]

Awesome glad you enjoyed the video

[@gric8051]

Beautiful playing Dr. Jimmy

[@sillennium]

Thx for stopping by

[@surf247365]

Just put a JBL D120F in my Fender DRRI, night & day difference in tone. Really opened up the tone. More definition & note clarity.

[@sillennium]

+surf247365 thanks for watching.

[@Eric-oz7di]

Man, Jimmy can play. Really enjoyed this.

[@sillennium]

Yeah he can

[@sillennium]

Thanks for watching. I hope to see you coming by on some of my other videos and future ones. The JBL is a great sounding speaker for sure!

[@EzyDzy85]

I love that "strat quack" in the 2-position!!... my favorite sound!

[@sillennium]

It's a classic sound

[@sillennium]

Thanks for stopping by and watching the demo. JimmyRay sure can play too!

[@Harrysound]

What great playing

[@sillennium]

Yep

[@ericyee9249]

After hearing this, Vintage 30's ROCK!!!!!! If they sound that clear clean..... Imagine what they sound overdriven!!!!

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@Cluless02]

Cool riff at the beginning!! Those JBL's are crystal clear - that's what I use in the Mesa Mk V, but use a X-over at 3k. However, the Altec's sound the finest amongst them all.

[@sillennium]

Jimmy is one hell of a player

[@sillennium]

Thanks so much for watching. come back again.

[@sillennium]

Thanks for watching man. Come back again soon I should have some more great shootouts and demos coming soon.

[@JHelak]

I've used the JBLs in a genuine '65 Twin Reverb and they were hard to beat. But now I've switched over to the Altecs using a Quilter Mach 2 head and they are OMG sweet! Surprised at the Vintage 30s cause they do sound so good as well.

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@sillennium]

I don't believe we have one of those to test, but if I can get a my hands on one that would be a great test!

[@sillennium]

@GODBOXFX Thanks so much. It is a lot of fun doing these videos. I have another one coming very soon. Thanks for subscribing too!

[@timthaloff4363]

GREAT speaker demo, and a great guitar player doing the demo. I am looking to get the Altecs. I have a 1975 original Ampeg VT-22 closed back cab, I use a Music Man 1975 original HD-130, and i have a rosewood Strat natural that I bought at Manny's W. 48th. I LOVE my guitar probably more than anything else on Earth. 'Ceptin o'course my family.

[@sillennium]

Thx glad you enjoyed

[@JohanSegeborn]

Great playing!

[@sillennium]

Johan Segeborn Jimmy rocks for sure!

[@ROCKSTARCRANE]

I've used nothing but JBL E-110's (2) for the last 37 years. Before that I used 417's. Both hard to beat...

[@sillennium]

Rock on

[@starstudies9004]

Which speaker should I buy to play like Jimmy?! Seriously, that quick demo is like the ultimate speaker test riff, thanks for this. Pretty easy to listen and think "Yep, that's the sound (whichever one it may be) that inspires me!"

[@sillennium]

Star Studies Jimmy is an incredible player for sure!

[@shekador]

You have a valid point regarding the volume levels vs perceived tone, but at the same time, this was a very straight comparison. Leaving the levels untouched highlights the differences in efficiency and / or frequency characteristics. Guitar amps are generally very non-linear devices, and changing the volume often has a very tangible effect on tone and feel, and could make a direct comparison more difficult. FWIW I'm not a V30 fan much but they do sound very nice here.

[@sillennium]

Ok

[@monto39]

SO happy to see this video. Not many focus on clean sounds. For me: 1) EV EVM12L 2) JBL D120 3) Celestion Vintage 30 - I didn't care much for the others. These 3 sounded great though. I was a little surprised how bright the JBL was - I always kinda thought Alnico = warm. Also the Vintage 30 prob had the most distinctive of the 3 I liked

[@sillennium]

I have many others set to clean, check them out

[@RLMUD]

put a set of JBL 120 speakers in my fender twin reverb and it sounds crazy good clean, and with blues like overdrive

[@christophertaylor1671]

As it was always meant to be... Fender originally loaded their Twin Reverb with JBL D120F's. Can't add to perfection.

[@sillennium]

Ok

[@jetblackdovemusic]

wow that as very cool and some hella sweet riffs

[@sillennium]

Yeah it is

[@piedpeter1]

That Altec has the sweetest treble, perfect for leads, think RR.

[@sillennium]

🤘

[@sillennium]

@65Superhawk, you are right, and that is what I have done with my other speaker shootouts. I just posted two new ones with Celestion speakers.

[@joesofia]

Jimmy is a badass player!!!

[@sillennium]

Truedat

[@NotUrBiz]

What happened to the G12T-75 demo? Volume sounds dramatically reduced and tone lost. I know that's not what the speaker sounds like....

[@sillennium]

+harlon57 Not sure honestly.

[@GODBOXFX]

thanks for doing demos with different speakers, a much neglected and VERY important part of the signal chain. :)

[@sillennium]

Thx

[@augustodalessandro9518]

Thanks a lot for a weel done comparison between a bounch of speaker we all loves, but no-one can compare side by side. I own 2 closed box loaded with a Vintage 30 each which I bult by myself, just bigger in size (and bass response) than a Mesa Recto 1x12", an now I know what's the difference (on the clean side) compared with the most popular speakers. Nice gtr riffs and very nice touch for Jimmyray Hawkins. Thanks again, Augusto (from Roma, Italy)

[@sillennium]

Thx

[@chuckkirkpatrick6712]

Damn....haven't seen any 417's in decades! Used to use a pair of 12's in a Bandmaster cab driven by a VOX AC-100!

[@sillennium]

Thx man those guys keep their gear

[@markjoseph8795]

#! JBL D120-F #2 EVM 12L .....it's close though between those speakers. Never been a fan of Vintage 30's. They only seem to sound good when hammered into submission. Nice demo though. Cheers

[@sillennium]

Mark Rossi thanks man! don't forget to subscribe.

[@swamilainen]

You're absolutely correct. The magic is in finding the right amp, speaker, guitar AND player at the right volume. That's why we agonize so much over the smallest details. Everything between your fingers and your ears influences the sound. One weak link in the chain can ruin it all. The characteristics change dramatically between open and closed back cabs as well. Still, to improve this shootout, you need to normalize the levels in post-production. Efficiency does not equal good tone.

[@sillennium]

Yep

[@sillennium]

@Beeroomsterm, thanks for watching.

[@mimcri]

Nice Guitar playing! Very interesting test. Celestion Vintage soundsfor me best, JBL and Altec is also OK ...

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@EchoFilmz]

Looking for a great balanced clean speaker for my deluxe reverb. I want something that doesnt break up so soon since I usually go to high volumes. Any suggestions? I use pedals too

[@sillennium]

Try the celestion cream Alnico

[@pharmerdavid1432]

Weber 12F150 is absolutely the BOMB in a Deluxe Reverb. The guys at a local blues jam all recommended it, Deluxe Reverb being the most popular amp in this group, so I replaced the Jensen (Italian) P12N, which sounded great, with the 12F150, and it was a HUGE difference in sound quality, sounding like a different amp with the Weber. It won't give you as much headroom as an Altec 417B (not sure if they used the B, H, or whatever 417 version?), JBL or EV, but the sweetness can't be beat, and it has a high enough clean headroom for me. I'm wondering what a 12A150 would sound like - the AlNiCo version of this Weber speaker. These are American sounding, similar to vintage Jensen speakers, but more volume, headroom, and bass. I think you would love the Weber 12F150, and the 10" version is awesome sounding too. I have both the 10F150 and 10A150 versions of this Weber "vintage" series speaker, in a GA-18T and GA-14 respectively, and both those amps sound MUCH better than they did with their Jensen P10R speakers they had, sounding more like a 12" speaker is in them. I never liked 10" speakers previously, but these Weber speakers with larger voice coil and magnets have converted me, because they have a quicker response, tighter bass, and I just love the way they sound for single 10" and 12" applications, so I assume they would work well in multiple speaker cabs too. Cheers!

[@jessepersoneni7225]

I think overall I ended up liking the JBLs the most to my taste, even though I came to see the altecs, which were kind of lack luster. The biggest surprise to me was how much more I liked the eminence version of the vintage 30 than the Celestion, much more body and cool highs.

[@sillennium]

Thx for watching

[@marc_leblanc]

My thought going in was that the JBL would blow the others out of the water but I actually favored the V30 in the end. I just loved the breakup from it...

[@sillennium]

Ok

[@sillennium]

@Mark LeBlanc thanks for stopping by. Feel free to come by anytime, actually will be uploading a new speaker demo tonight. Make sure to subscribe.

[@bishlap]

Jimmy isn't real, he's a robot... nice playing, Robot.

[@sillennium]

He is pretty good

[@archangele1]

This is a cool video. It proves my point that speaker choice has a really pronounced effect on the sound of a person's rig. The JBL and EV both sound nice, but that Greenback had a very pleasing warm tone. Your Altec sounded a lot different then my Altec 15" speakers in my late 60's Kustom 200 bottom. I have driven those two 15's with one of my tube amps and they had a much fuller frequency response. More bass and much more extended highs. Actually comparable to my JBL E120's.

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@Instramark]

Where can I get a speaker switcher like this in the video? Thanks for the posting. Very revealing!

[@sillennium]

It was custom made

[@sillennium]

Thanks for watching...and I hope that you will be back to view some more of my videos.

[@davidcurtis7547]

I also liked the Jbl . Ever tried the Jbl 123 it is my my fat in a 2x12

[@sillennium]

I haven't

[@sillennium]

Thanks for stopping by. Feel free to subscribe.

[@telecasterbear]

The 25 watt greenbacks sound great to these old ears.

[@sillennium]

Thx

[@sillennium]

@Okavipra, okay thanks.

[@sillennium]

@garbagemanify Sounds very interesting, would love to try them out and do some demos.

[@mrfish4lyfe]

damn! came for the JBLs but that dude can play!!!

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@sillennium]

@Mrfish4lyfe, yes he can!

[@TheBossTides]

The JBL D120 sounds best to me!

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@beasty1489]

Jimmy wakes up every morning and plays that riff doesn’t he?

[@sillennium]

Sure why not, cause only he can

[@garbagemanify]

Have you guys ever heard or tried custom built drivers by PMR Speakers????? Pretty wild stuff.Some stuff winds up on E bay, but you can have them do custom built drivers that's blow your gourd!!!!!

[@sillennium]

No

[@amcom5884]

JBL is the no. 1 for clean sounds in my opinion. Unfortunately the EV 12 L is missing, this would have been the no. 1b.

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@tymsrfr1]

Great review!! Very nice playing, too. Interesting how people hear things differently. Maybe it's personal preference, or the fact that our ears and brains are wired uniquely. The Vintage 30's I thought sounded the best, rich in mids and overtones, although at high gain have found them to have a very nice, but signature tone. The Altecs and EV's sounded really good, but tighter, more constrained. The G12t-75's are lame. Check out G12H-30's, G12-80's and G12-65's. Along with V-30's, the best.

[@sillennium]

Thx

[@MajorSwag4U]

Jbl d120-f sound great!

[@sillennium]

Awesome

[@MajorSwag4U]

You are welcome!

[@sillennium]

Thx

[@alphasxsignal]

Like the JBL

[@sillennium]

Great choice

[@wahwahman_guitar]

Playing some open chords and letting them ring would have been nice. Those harmonics and fast hybrid picking doesn't let me hear any details.

[@sillennium]

Well, I think Jimmy's playing was pretty awesome. But I hear ya.

[@2beJT]

post your own videos and do them better

[@sillennium]

This is my own video. I shot, edit it, and set it up.

[@2beJT]

​@@sillennium My mistake, I wasn't clear. I was replying to wahwahman

[@sillennium]

@@2beJT ahh ok thx

[@dickdog1]

Oh man, the Altec is the purest and sweetest, and the Greenback was the thickest warmest. The G12-75 was the worst, and the V30 was surprisingly good, but a littel strident. The JBl was also very nice of course, a littel less gorgeous cleans than the Altec, and the EV12L had the flattest most hi-fi sound.

[@sillennium]

Cool

[@roadtonever]

JBL sounds like the intro to a good song. Everything else sounds like a speaker demo.

[@sillennium]

Ok thx

[@petelucchini1168]

D-120 and the EVM 12-L Harmonics jump out.

[@sillennium]

Thx

[@sillennium]

@Eric Yee, there is a video with distortion/overdriven sounds. Check it out in my channel.

[@davidbuzzin426]

👍🇺🇸❤CELESTION 75'S & JBL D120F

[@sillennium]

Yes yes

[@4wd24traction]

Altec 417 is the ducks nuts !

[@sillennium]

Thanks for watching!

[@rogerburton3143]

Has anyone heard the JBL D120 and JBL 077 Ring Radiators with N7000 crossover.? Wonderfull sound and better than the D120 alone

[@sillennium]

Interesting

[@michaelcraig9449]

JBL D120F!

[@sillennium]

Yes!

[@WilliamSmith-dg5re]

What he played I liked the clear chimmyness of the JBL

[@sillennium]

Yes for sure

[@timthaloff4363]

The chime definitely there but thin. I thought the Altecs chimed along with a thickness.

[@sillennium]

@@timthaloff4363 no matter what plays it chimes

[@ROCKSTARCRANE]

Brilliant guitarist. Unfortunately, this style is not what most of us play nor is it a good one to really demo a speaker with. We need to hear some some solid clean rhythm, some crunchy rhythm, clean picked lead, dirty...etc.

[@sillennium]

ROCKSTARCRANE thanks for watching. Check out some of my other speaker shootouts, hopefully a bit closer to what you are looking for. Don't forget to subscribe.

[@arbitermatt]

Why not? Good range of notes and harmonics, various dynamics seems a good way to get an idea of how they sound

[@sillennium]

arbitermatt the same cabinets and mic placement wasn't used exactly so a lot people get upset over that. As you can see in my other speaker shootouts that is take care of.

[@SnakeRiverFishing]

JBL sound best for me : )

[@sillennium]

that is a nice speaker

[@FabioKasper]

+SnakeRiverFishing liked that one too...

[@mattcat5668]

Altec all the way. Thats why they were on Van Halen 1

[@sillennium]

Oh yeah!

[@sinjon]

AL all the way, followed by the JBL’s. The Celestion 75s sounded terrible for some reason

[@sillennium]

Thx for watching

[@65Superhawk]

Hard to do a comparison with the speakers being in different cabs. Thanks tho....(a confessed tone chaser)....

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@sillennium]

Ok

[@swamilainen]

I disagree. Go to 2:27 and then 4:18 and you'll hear much richer harmonics from the Vintage 30. The EV is a bit more sterile sounding with more fundamental and less harmonics. The other problem with this shootout is that the levels between the speakers is not the same. Many people's ears 'fool' them into thinking the louder speaker is the better one. Not necessarily so. If all the speakers could be played at the same volume (using a SPL reader) there might be some surprises in this shootout.

[@sillennium]

K

[@Braccioni]

EVM-12L

[@sillennium]

Ok

[@PhuckHue2]

JBL

[@sillennium]

PhuckHue2 thanks for watching!

[@tymsrfr1]

Also, to boddumblues, hilarious how I've had the same experience. Those JBL's with the big magnets and aluminum dust caps in a 70's twin, they can take your head off, make you wonder why you're listening and not running for cover. Yikes, indeed!

[@sillennium]

Ok

[@pharmerdavid1432]

My ears are still ringing from the early 1970's concerts that were WAY TOO LOUD: "Who", "Johnny Winter", etc........

[@Tremolux59]

I liked the JBL the best.

[@sillennium]

Cool

[@sirvidia]

I've got Altecs and JBLs and actually i just sold the Altecs. There's really no middle at all and a pretty sterile sound IMO. I like the tonality of the JBLs but don't like the clicky attack. EVM12L actually has a pronounced mid hump, it's not really flat at all

[@sillennium]

Thx

[@pharmerdavid1432]

Weber recommends using a paper dome instead of aluminum on their JBL "Cali" type speaker, maybe you can replace yours?

[@sirvidia]

@@pharmerdavid1432 I now like the clicky attack and still use JBLs

[@TheAudiorub]

JBL D120F

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@jonilundberg62]

The celestion V30 is more blunt than the JBL.

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@trevorgwelch7412]

JBL is much more defined

[@sillennium]

Ok

[@sillennium]

It is home made by Joe Mazzeo, I can see if he would be interested in building one for you. send me a private email and I will help you get in contact with him

[@jordansage9655]

Altec sounds a bit muffled and spikey simultaneously - not sure the koolaid everyone's been drinking in the comments... Cool riffs.

[@sillennium]

Yeah I totally dig his playing

[@davidrussell8918]

What I the eminence copy? Why not just say the model like the rest . Speakers in different cabs? Not a fair shoot out, waste of time!

[@sillennium]

I agree, that is why i do them completely different now

[@pastorkev777]

The EV wins and the JBL a close second. The v30 sound unique but no as rich as the EV.

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@gearlabdoc]

Don't fking jimmy jimmy me!

[@sillennium]

Heng Zhu thanks for stopping by

[@tucsonsoccor4952]

JIMMY RAY HAWKINS LOL

[@sillennium]

That's a great name, even better player

[@dafxtone]

You are variying the cab each time ? The comparison worth nothing... 01:37 JBL 3:24 Altec

[@sillennium]

Yeah, check out my other speaker tests. I fixed that.

[@aportilla007]

JBL

[@sillennium]

Nice

[@goodstashhkr3w]

JBL

[@sillennium]

Nice