I've been working on a 1960 VOX AC15 clone for a while now. I finally got it done and I had a chance to play it through some 12" speakers - a Reaper, a V30 and a Green Beret. I also have a 2x12 with two Blue clones (one WGS one other brand). I gotta admit, I keep coming back to the Green Beret.
I have an empty 2x10 cabinet. I was about to order 2 Green Beret's but I figured I would ask if I should consider pairing it with another 10" speaker.
As far as tone goes, pretty much everything I play has some hair to it (not hair bands). Think 90's jangly alt rock. Matthew Sweet, Girlfriend album type of sound.
Not a lot of activity on this board lately. I hope everyone is ok.
I've been busy finishing another earlier project. I restore/modify of a Silvertone 1482 combo. New cab for it (replacing the flimsy cardboard cab that smells like musty, smoky basement) and a matching external cab. The reason I bring that up is I have a G12C and an ET65 for that amp. I tried the G12C with the VOX and I really like it. However, I'm not thrilled with the ET65 and the VOX. Actually, I don't care for the ET65 by itself with the Silvertone either. It sounds great when paired with the G12C. Its like it gives the G12C a little more of everything but doesn't necessarily contribute a lot of its own personality.
So this relates to the 2x10 because now I am trying to decide which of the following options I should go with...
Option 1: Green Beret and G10C - Because I like the 12" versions of each speaker with the Vox
Option 2: Green Beret and ET10 - Because the ET65 seems to be recommended as a good "pairing" speaker maybe the ET10 will be too.
Option 3: Two Green Berets - Because I had a 2x12 with a pair of Green Berets that I really liked before.
I wish WGS had a "loaner" program. I would pay money to be able to try out different speakers. But I guess that is called buy one of each and sell the one you don't like.
Mixing speakers doesn't always sound as expected because the individual cone resonances can cancel if they are not in phase. The ET10 should work with anything because it has the resonance damping cloth dust cover, but the peak is up near the most sensitive 3-3.5kHz hearing range at ~2.8kHz. It might be more piercing than you like at high volumes but would produce a smoother, wider, and slightly lower center peak mixed with the GB 10 (which has a 2.4kHz peak, like the GB 12). That might be great. Silvertones are pretty smooth-sounding amps, no? I'd want a G10C for the high-end extension and midrange character. I don't know how it would mix with the GB 10, but the 2kHz peak should create an even wider 2~2.8kHz peak when mixed with an ET10 than an ET10 & GB 10 combo. Of course, mixing with a G10C/S is always a good option for a flatter high-end without losing too much 2kHz clarity. I wouldn't chance mixing the G10C & GB10 unless someone knows how that sounds. The G10C/S should mix well with anything as well. AFAIK, that smooth cone doesn't have much resonance to create any phase issues.
The GB mixes well with the ET10 ... and the GB pair sounds good for what you want ...
If you pair the GB with the G10, the G10 will take-over as the prominent stone ... it's SO loud, not really a bad thing, but probably a little TOO much clean headroom for what you want.
I ordered two GB. I'm tempted to get an ET10 as well, but that would mean I would have to sell one of the speakers used which would be at least a $20 loss to sell used, plus the cost of shipping. :-(
Update... I decided to order two GB and one ET10 and take the loss. I'm glad I did... I haven't spent lots of time yet with them yet but right now I'm leaning to the GB and the ET10. The thing I noticed with the two GB is that there is sort of a ringing going. It's hard to describe. Maybe its the 2.4kHz peak being emphasized because the two speakers are in phase. The GB/ET10 combination is definitely louder and cleaner sounding, but the Vox has a lot of grit already so its not a bad tone at all. I will have to try listening to one speaker at a time and determine if the GB tone is gone or just more subdued.
Another update... I spent time listening to one speaker at a time and then listening two the ET/GB combination. The growl of the GB is not really there. The character of the GB10 seems different from the GB12... I'm going off of memory and not a side-by-side comparison. Maybe its because my 12's were broken in for years. Maybe because they were in a closed back cab. Not sure, but I'm not liking the 10 as much as the 12. So, one of the GB10's is going back and I'm going to compare the ET/GB combination to the ET/Retro10 combination. Seems like that might be the way to go. I had a chance to play a ET65 and a Vintage 30 together and it was a great combination. Very rich and complex. I'm hoping I will get that same complexity with the 10" versions.
Last time... The ET10/Retro10 is the winner. Yes, I know it's different than the Green Beret tone I like in the 12" model. The GB10 was just too overwhelmed by the ET10 but the Retro10 has pretty much the same efficiency as the ET10 (technically higher). The Retro10 gets some of the GB growl that I wanted. Even though its different, when combined I can hear the high and low end from the ET10 and the mid-range from the Retro10.
I think another reason this combination works better for my amp (1960 Vox AC15 clone) is that the EF86 channel breaks up VERY early. You are in full overdrive on 3. With the lower efficiency Green Beret I didn't have much volume at the "edge of breakup" setting. Now, I have what I need.
Big thanks to WGS for letting me try the speakers and send back the ones I didn't like. Only cost me shipping!