Speaker Swap For the HT-40?

Discussion - HT Venue amplifiers. Inspiration from Studio to Stage.
Firetrot
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:38 am

Mon Apr 11, 2016 7:25 pm

Hello All!

I am the happy owner of the HT-40, but, I am interested in how changing the speaker will sound. I hear a lot of talk that the tone can be drastically improved by changing out the speaker. I have done some homework, and two of the speakers I see talked about constantly are the Celestion Vintage-30, or Celestion Creambacks. Has anyone done this swap and had pleasing results? And, what speaker did you replace it with?

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thephantum
Posts: 1160
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:42 pm
Location: Virginia, United States

Mon Apr 11, 2016 11:15 pm

Just about anything is going to sound better than the Celestion 70/80's that are in it. Providing you want the upper midrange ro dominate a V30 or Creamback arr good choices. So the real question is, what sound are you going for?

Personally, I prefer emphasis on the lower midrange, so I went with a pair of Eminence Texas Heats in my 2x12.

dsmmrm
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:46 pm

Tue Apr 12, 2016 2:07 pm

For grins I threw a G12T-75 in mine from a 1960a cab and was not happy with the result. It was harsher, fizzier and had less bottom end. I put the 70-80 back in. I left the back off and it sounds a little better.

I am a little gun shy about spending substantial cash on a replacement if I am just going to get the same results. I really want an internal speaker with more bottom end. I use this amp when a marshall with a 4x12 is too much for the venue (and my back). My band mates bitch about the lack of fullness and say the 4x12 sounds better, which, of course, it does, even when the HT40 is driving it. In fact, the B* pushes a 4x12 just fine and sounds great.

So, what aftermarket speaker gets a big, tight bottom end?

Firetrot
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 2:38 am

Tue Apr 12, 2016 5:22 pm

I play in a classic-rock style band. So, the emphasis on the mids and the upper frequencies would be a little better for that. Even just for the reason that I want the guitar to cut through the mix more clearly. Although, I would be curious to hear what options there are for bottom-end heavy speakers as well...

darthchadius
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:40 am
Location: BC, Canada

Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:52 am

Have you tried changing the preamp tubes? A Tong-Sol 12AX7 in the OD channel can really fill out your sound. It's a much less expensive route and trying different brands won't break the bank. It was hugh improvement over all on my HT-40.

I run a 4x12 with Vintage 30's in. Even at low volumes they are much nicer sounding than 70/80's in my combo and my HTV112 extension cab together. I have not tried my HT-40 with one of V30's yet. However, I did play two HT-40s in the local store that had one with the V30 and one with 70/80. You may want to see if you can do I side by side comparison before getting a new speaker.

Bman
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2016 7:46 pm

Sat Aug 06, 2016 4:39 pm

Question for darth. if i was to buy 1 tung-sol what position to place it in v1 or v2

darthchadius
Posts: 27
Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:40 am
Location: BC, Canada

Mon Aug 08, 2016 5:41 am

I'd like to say V1 or closest to the back of the Amp but I can't recall for sure without looking. However, it will be very obvious if you change the clean or OD tubes. If you picked the wrong one then you only have one other option to try :-)

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thephantum
Posts: 1160
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:42 pm
Location: Virginia, United States

Mon Aug 08, 2016 8:20 pm

Bman wrote:Question for darth. if i was to buy 1 tung-sol what position to place it in v1 or v2

My answer would be "yes". In other words put TungSol's in both positions.

The only tubes currently being manufactured that sound better than TungSol/Mullard reissues are Gold Lion B759's. You won't notice the difference with pristine clean tones, but overdrive that B759 and it absolutely sings. You will pay for that though...$45-$50 for a B759 vs $15-$20 for a Tungsol or Mullard reissue. Still, that's much less expensive than a quality NOS 12AX7 would cost...

Blueswaite
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Dec 23, 2013 2:09 pm

Sun Aug 21, 2016 3:22 pm

I retubed mine with JJ's. Also dropped in a Eminence Legend 12 Speaker and like it a lot.
Thanks

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Dynochrome
Posts: 35
Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:08 pm

Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:30 am

Playing a Soloist 60 1x12. I think the amps are pretty close from what I have heard.

I challenge you to notice hardly any difference in a tube swap. The tubes do little for the tone of this amp. I have rolled a bunch of tubes in mine: NOS RCA blackplate &long & short plate Mullard, Sylvania Tung-sol,EXH,JJs Solvetec,and Raytheon from my collection. I went with Cheapo (but excellent) Sino. Sounds great

However a speaker swap makes a very big difference. I tried Stock (super YUK) to a WGS ET-65 to a Vintage celestion GT-65 to a Eminance Tonker and tried and kept a New Vintage 30 that sounds the best IMO.
For the sounds I use that speaker requires you to keep the presence below 9:00. My guess is that speaker produces the same freq abundantly found in the presence control. That might be a consideration for a HT40 that I recall not having a presence control.
I found out that the New V30's sound every bit as good with some super minor pluses and minuses to one of my cherished Made in England V30s. The guy from Avatar gets these for you at a great price.
I never really tried a "greenback" type of speaker and almost tried one but stopped happily at the V30. Of course there may be a better speaker but not out of the ones I've tried.

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