Speaker SHOOTOUT! Ceramic vs. Alnico

#guitarspeakers #jupiterspeakers #guitar
Do you prefer ceramic or alnico guitar speakers? These are two excellent American voiced speakers from Jupiter Condenser Company, put back to back in a Fender Twin Reverb. Let us know which you like better! Using a Fender Stratocaster, a Gibson ES-345 and a Wampler Tumnus Deluxe.
Learn more here: jupiter-speakers.com
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[@williammontgomery6132]

They are definitely made with some solid components,magic comes thru.Couldn’t decided I was to caught up listening/watching your guitar work

[@gerryloughran1676]

all good luv them... both but the mix with both together is wonderful the Alnico just gives the depth ...cool

[@dwightpeters]

Great video, Jack! Very rational approach to a topic that is generally not treated rationally for some reason.

[@jessecanarte5545]

No one else is doing demo on Jupiter … thanks man

[@JackFossett]

Jupiter are well up tops on my speaker list!

[@jonlane2083]

Always enjoy your videos Jack. When it comes to your exploration of tones I think we have a lot of similar tastes. I've definitely found that Fender amps are where it's at for me. After this video I'm strongly considering a 10LA / 10LC combo for a 2 10" baffle I'm making for my Blues Deluxe Reissue. I think the alnico speaker will help get the chime that amp is short on IMHO. It can get trebly instead if sweet if you dial it up to compensate. Also it's definitely bass heavy past 2 with the 12" Creamback I've been using. Well, it could be that I'm becoming terribly partial to 10's belting out the wholesome goodness of a strat too 😎 Thanks for the video and keep em coming.

[@alexjohnson4759]

I have a milkman 2x12 with the Jupiter ceramic into a twin reverb head I love the sound. The alnico sound great too

[@GuitarMan54321]

That Tunmus sounds like Heaven.

[@spider5001]

Wow really cool! Putting them together was almost like having bridge and neck pup active on your guitar to a small extent. Definitely both together. If I had to pick I like the smoother sound of the alnico. Price is definitely a factor though lol. Did anyone else hear a little noise from the ceramic

[@hkguitar1984]

IMHO, Alnico for Tweed and Ceramic for Modern. I love both Apples and Oranges so its best to have both style of amplifiers (if possible). Great content, thank you Jack. Also, out of all your guitars that Kerry Green/Surf Green 345 is the end all of cool guitars!

[@bishlap]

does APPLE make amplifiers? NOW we really can compare APPLES to ORANGES!!

[@realtruenorth]

Exactly ,, alnico for vintage stuff, blues, jazz, even rock, but for hard rock or metal. Ceramic.

[@mrshaworth86]

alnico sounds warmer and i like that

[@TheNocturnalEvil]

I liked the alnico speaker for cleans, its compression lends a nice chime to the tone. The cleans on the ceramic were not bad but it did sound duller and cloudier than the alnico. For overdriven tones the ceramic performed better than the alnico. It sounded more open with a nice powerful and punchy low end, nice mid-range, and controlled highs. In comparison the alnico had a compressed but shallow low end, scooped mid-range, a lot of upper-mid content, and very peaky high end.

[@travelbydragonfly]

Hi: Great video! Is one louder than the other. I have a rather low wattage amp and need all the volume I can get...thanks

[@ramilrodriguez8340]

Hi Jack. Interestingly this is one case where I can’t say anything I don’t like about what I hear from either one of the speakers. Other alnico speakers I’ve heard sounds great clean but not so good overdriven. Overdriven on the alnicos I’ve tried is kind of harsh. Some high end content sounds trashy. Not the case on that one. Both sound great. I prefer the ceramic overall because even when it’s kind of brighter it’s not harsh and it’s pretty balanced across the frequency range and it’s way cheaper😁. Very nice comparison. Yes, they sound great together. I like to mix speakers too.

[@andrasparniczky58]

Hi Jack, Have you experienced a difference in which speaker starts to break up earlier? Thanks in advance!

[@andrasparniczky58]

Bump

[@HiHello-ku1fl]

Wow the combination was amazing sounding. Especially overdriven. I do prefer the alnico when they were demoed individually. The Alnico doesn't that the hard edge of the ceramic. The alnico just sounds right. Very sweet. But one of each is ideal. Now I have to go check how much these speakers are. I heard WGS makes them for Jupiter but not sure if that's true.

[@auntjenifer7774]

When it comes to speaker magnet I can go for whatever, but pickups have to be alnico of some level ! With that said I do appreciate the sonics of the alnico magnet speakers and have a pair myself in a tweed twin style extension cabinet but 8 have noticed I favor the alnico cabinet for my Marshall heads over my fender amps into alnico speakers🤷 but yeah man I can hear the difference in your tone comparison !

[@JackFossett]

While I have played some pickup sets that are exceptions, I very much agree with you overall - alnico or bust!

[@adaptercrash]

I mixed my white alnico with a blackbird, on the bottom then isolated in a 2x12 with an attenuator, isolated attenuator made in canada- and they say its the best tone, volume control for mixing various, high watt, frequencies within a multi dimentional mix of celestion and things in a medium called spacetime.... various speaker systems. With this, I can isolate a 16ohm that neo copper that will just round everything it out, In an isolated 16ohm jack, alongwith with 2 x12 celestion G12 and an eminence swamp thing on top of the alnico dual systems in this little apartment. And it sounds so amazing even at small volume. Mix them and separate them into attenuators, then integrate them with a mix of various ceramic speak speaks all played at the same time, in one Amp. You can just sit around and feel the glory of the frequencies. You won't even need a sound check.

[@bishlap]

considering THE ceramic, that's a high quality tone you got out of that plastic, very pretty. Price is never a consideration when "chasing" tone, it all adds up for me when you play that Handsome Gibson. Thanks for your effort (again), Jack.

[@lordjs9726]

In my personal opinion ceramic for solid body electrics and alnico for hollow and semi-hollow electrics. Have you ever played a Gibson Super 400 ? I got to play a used one in my local store today. It was from the 60s and had the sharp-shaped cutaway and PAF-humbuckers. I wish I had enough money to buy it.

[@anthonydratnal1870]

I'm fairly new to American-voiced Alnico speakers, but they seem to be more sensitive to cabinet size than ceramics - maybe because they're already so compressed that every bit extra makes a huge difference? My current favourite is an oversized 2x10 with Alnico Webers mounted diagonally - sort of approximates a 4x10 at considerably less volume and weight.

[@Bleats_Sinodai]

I really like how they sound together, and I feel not enough people try to mix speaker types on their cabs.

[@JackFossett]

Oh yeah, mixing and matching speakers can make an amp sound way more full and dynamic - totally agree with you

[@bishlap]

You're correct, of course, GEAR HEADS are all krazy... they hear shit no one else does. Take Dumble for instance...please, just take them!!!

[@adaptercrash]

We'll refer to my top comments if you wanna get ran over it

[@Tecniconta]

Yo en mi pantalla VOX conectada a un cabezal VOX AC15 , tengo un Greenback con un Weber 12F150.... Y es mucho mejor que dos Greenback juntos !!!

[@Earlvis]

I never use same model speakers in a 2x12 or 4x12 cab. I have several cabs and they all sound killer with mix-match speakers.

[@graemero5532]

Ceramic one sounded sweeter for me. I love the idea of you sneakily swapping the sound and images. I think most would say alnico regardless. I have noticed that people say similar things about ceramic magnet pickups. Guitarists can be so easily influenced by "magical" tone speak. Lol

[@voxpathfinder15r]

I didn’t really pay attention which was which, I really like the tones from Jupiter speakers. I have an old Oxford ceramic speaker that has more Alnico “detail” than any Alnico speaker I have.

[@matthewf1979]

The early 60’s Oxford’s are great sounding speakers. They just can’t hang with the power handling and sensitivity of modern speakers. They are perfect for home and studio use though!

[@friedrudibega6384]

I paired an alnico Jensen with my Orange Tiny Terror and am getting maxed out Silvertone sounds. Haven’t broke it in yet but it sounds pretty great already.

[@pharmerdavid1432]

With my Weber speakers I slightly prefer the AlNiCo versions: 10A150 vs 10F150 and 12A150 vs 12F150, but they are all great sounding speakers. Recently got a used Jupiter LC-12P 25 watt, which sounds great in 1957 Ampeg Mercury(Atlas branded) - it helps tighten a loose sounding amp. I'm probably going to buy a LA-10P or LA-12P next, their "midnight" versions with lower sensitivity/efficiency are supposedly more like the old Jensen speakers, great for home or studio lower volume use.

[@loyolaschool]

ES345 clean demo ? Or did I totally miss that.

[@matthewf1979]

I believe WGS manufacturers the Jupiter speakers. I really appreciate everything that Jupiter Condensor makes. If you want to build a historically accurate guitar amp or a modern hifi amp, they have you covered.

[@saddle8bag]

The poppy attack on that Ceramic speaker bordered on ice picky to my ear. I tend to play clean like you were at the beginning and I prefer the Alnico. I think maybe the compression in the distorted bit calmed that down. The notes still came in strong and clear, but didn't sound poppy like they did clean.

[@Elaleyelunivese]

wow ALNICO!

[@druwk]

I have the Jupiter LC in a 5e3 Tweed Deluxe clone. It replaced a Celestion ALNICO Blue. It’s much tighter and more focused. the Jupiter has a more “American” voice (less Mid’s), which is better for me with a Mid heavy amp. Clean, the Blue was great, but a 5e3 don’t really do clean! Breaking up, the Blue got too compressed and mushy. Granted, the Blue is only 15 watts, where as the Jupiter is 50 watts. The last couple of years, I’ve realized how much a different speaker can change the voice of your amp. I’m currently putting together a 1 x 15” (guitar) cabinet for a Dr.Z Z28 amp…trying figure out which speaker to go for? Don’t want to end up with 2 or 3 speakers laying around!

[@GuitarMan54321]

I just bout a Fender DRRI. It has the Jensen C12k and there’s a certain ear piercing sound. Very bright in spots so I use my Boos eq and bring down the 3k hz ever so slightly and it helps. That being said, I want. A new speaker that doesn’t have that piercing. Can you tell me if the Jupiters have the a piercing to your ears? Any help is appreciated!

[@JackFossett]

I personally think the Jupiter Alnico fits that bill.

[@brent3086]

Can you crank your twin reverb?

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

both of these speakers sound amazing, i prefer alnico i have a celestion alnico cream on a hot rod deluxe and 2 greenback heritage 20w with my 1974x. if you want a warmer tone from your twin more towards a bassman put a vintage mullard i63 tube on v2 for the vibrato channel.

[@CoolhandLukeSkywalkr]

I spoke to Midwest speakers on the phone today. They have a little jensen replica, but there's no demos of it anywhere and no mp3 no youtube. But the guy who worked there essentially admitted to me that it won't get the authentic vintage jensen tone. That means Jupiter alnico is the only real option. I'd like to hear jupiter alnico compared directly to vintage jensen alnico speakers. Since every other speaker fails that test, jupiter will fail it, too. But by how much? I think that this is the best replica for vintage jensen out there.

[@andrebrito3816]

This Video Made me realise something very interesting..while one could indeed distingue the typical tone caracter of an alnico here (to my hears alnico always carry a metalic sound, a more acoustic tone which usually produce Richer clean tones) the creamic speaker wasnt Miles apart! This left me thinking That when choosing a speaker is More about How That speaker really sounds rather than power and magnet Types! Unbeliavable How Music tone in General can be complex! Ps: i am slightly disapointed with these, I felt a normal jensen c12N + p12N here would Sound better, more pleasing..but well in KZbin Land is all relative.. Question: if I am Crazy enough to Convert my twin reverb 65 into a 2x10 configuration, which problems, mistakes will I encounter? Was actually thinking about These Júpiter alnico 10s as they have 50W 10s alnicos 👌 Thank you for your vídeos, loved your comments, because of you i avoid bying a Deluxe reverb (which for some here would be Hard to understand!)

[@livingabovethe12th]

Wonder if Jupiter is going to venture into British voicings, the lineup is all 'american' voiced at the moment. If they do something original greenbacky, I'm all-in on that. Speaker mixing in multiple spk cabs is great but just be aware of the speakers sensitivity spec...don't go a past a 2 db sensitivity diff or one spk is going on to be audibly quieter (or louder) than the other. Not a big deal if you're individually miking speakers and that's what u r listening to, but if you're listening to the multiple speakers as a whole it'll be noticeable.

[@jacobbockover1628]

Already i prefer the la through my headphones it has "softer" highs a bit more jazz tone. I came across the 10la while shopping for something to "fill a gap" in my 4 10

[@allensale4809]

Which would you recommend for Fender blues jr

[@JackFossett]

For the Blues Jr it would probably have to be the Ceramic, as I don't believe there's room for the alnico. That "Bell" cover of the magnet protrudes quite a bit farther than the ceramic magnet and I think would hit the amp chassis

[@enonknives5449]

I wonder how much preference is psychological. To me, the ceramic sounded smother (warmer); the alnico sounded more harsh -- especially with distortion. Some commenters have mentions "ice-picky" -- as did Jack -- but the only time I heard anything I would describe that way was with the alnico. Both speakers sounded amazing. Even assuming someone had a preference, the difference is like 98.9 vs 99.1. The difference is detectable in a laboratory setting, but I doubt it could be heard in a mix under performing conditions. Given the price differential, I guess I'd go for ceramic.

[@rgbplumbinghilton]

Both speakers sound decent. I am listening through monitor speakers and can say the ceramic has very brittle highs compared to the Alnico. It has warmer mids too. I would be happy with either 🙂

[@rgbplumbinghilton]

@@Gma7788 what's that got to do with my reply?

[@ichisatori]

this guitar is tuned flat?

[@JackFossett]

Yes

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

They do work well together, 1 alnico +1 Ceramic. I put alnico in a Princeton which I honestly found too bright and skinny sounding(Strat) with the ceramic it had and after 6 months of "Running in" it made the amp sound bigger and punchier with a better bass tone too. I think the speaker can make an "Okay" amp sound much better and a "Cruddy" speaker can make a great amp unusable. The video was really well put together, I could feel the tones ! P.S. wicked Guitar, 345 stereo ? A beauty!

[@georgefromgreece4119]

Alnicos tend to have a soft attack (upper mids) but more extended highs sometimes (sizzle, chime etc, example: Alnico Blue). They also tend to deliver looser bass and/or low mids compared to ceramics. They tend to sound more compressed and mid focused, while ceramics can get range extended. If you don't misunderstand frequency ranges, etc upper mids with highs and bass with low mids, you will always perceive tones right.

[@georgefromgreece4119]

Adding weight extends the spectrum both ways. That applies to anything.

[@brucereed4145]

I found it difficult to discern the difference when you are not playing the same phrases for each one. Just an observation. Thank you for doing this.

[@sergethiriet3740]

Exactly. Quite frustrating.

[@singletonepickups]

Alnico has better compression and note Bloom. I hear it clearly.

[@JackFossett]

Bloom is a great word for it

[@pellelindberg3932]

alnico

[@JackFossett]

I tend to agree!

[@paulogatto1514]

there is no differency

[@Flat_Stanley]

How is this a shootout? You played 2 completely different styles, using different effects, on different guitars…you gotta be trolling?!?