Celestion F12-X200

because it's FRFR and you treat it like a monitor speaker

You certainly can use a Power Station with an FR speaker and I can’t think of a reason why you shouldn’t be able to use it with the X200.
 
Just got one F12-X200 today. I put it in an Egnater cab and used a SD PS 170. At first I installed just the cab's wood backing with the jack plate. I used AB presets that sound great through the CLR (which AB designed the presets with). I'll just say it did not sound good. I then installed the lower board and grill to the back of the cab. That improved things quite a bit, but no Nirvana. I'll say that even in this scenario, it really did provide the sound and feel of a conventional guitar cab, just not the crystal clarity and flat response of the CLR. Also, it was a lot easier to get feedback than with the CLR with the same presets.

I think presets need to be tailored for this speaker, which is a disappointment. But, if it is flat enough to convincingly (subjective, I know) express the coloration of different IRs with a cab in the room feel, there is value in that for me. I also ask myself: Is it flatter and more cab-in-the-room than other products? Is it more affordable than other products? Will it be easier and/or lighter to transport than other products? I have not played through a Xitone, Friedman, Matrix, Gemini 2, Powercab, etc., so I can't answer all of these questions. I'm going to create some presets to get the best tone I can from this speaker in this cabinet. Depending on how that goes, I'll build a ported cab.

cab2.jpg

cab1.jpg
 
Directed at nobody in particular...

PSA: the F12-X200 isn't a traditional guitar cabinet OR a FRFR solution. Comparing the 3 is like plugging your mission control pedal board into a Marshall JTM and then a Fender Twin and saying it doesn't sound the same.

So there's not much sense in expecting your current presets to sound the same. They won't.
 
Same here.

That design is 50%+ larger than a Thiele TL806 and 25%+ larger than a typical Boogie vertical 1x12 or EVH 1x12. Plus it's ported. I'd be willing to bet it sounds pretty beefy.
 
It is more beefy for sure! I had a friend build me one basicly with those dimensions and it sounds good to me, the only "problem" I think that it might not be a problem of the speaker it self but the way that we use it is that if you use it in front of your as a monitor you have tweeter squeal... BUT to be fair the speaker was ment to replace the normal guitar speakers in a cab that will probably for behind you and face the audience and not to go in a monitor in front of you.
 
I just wanted to add a little to my #214 post. Truth is, I probably posted a little prematurely. I had a chance today to run into the CLR from out1L, and into the F12-X200 from out4R at the same time. Both outs were at the end of the chain (no separate EQ). I'd turn down the volume of one and up on the other to compare back and forth. I played them together at room and gig volumes. I only played a couple AB presets (including both AC-20 presets), but I have to say the F12-X200 sounded pretty damn good. They are not as disparate as I thought when I was playing the F12-X200 alone. My hearing is limited to about 15k to 16k Hz, so YMMV. I messed with the bass and treble on the PS170 a little, but not much. I could leave that flat with the AB presets I tried and it would be fine if I was sending a separate out to FOH. I'll definitely build the F12-X200 cabinet when I get a chance.
 
I put an F-12 X200 in a Mesa Thiele can and it sounds really good. I think I’ll definitely build the Celestion designed cab since they know the science behind matching a speaker to the proper size cab.

I’ve been A/B testing against a pair of Atomic CLR’s and after reading Yek’s review I was worried and expected to be disappointed by a side by side comparison but actually I’m very pleased!
I think the Celestion designed cab will be a bigger sounding better version of what the Thiele is doing now.

I would describe the CLR’s to be more full range and they have slightly greater clarity but they are also kind of sterile in comparison. Although the Celestion speaker isn’t ‘as clear’ as the CLR’s it is a good kind of different voice. I’m going to dare to say it is an ‘amp-in-the-room’ voice where the CLR’s are more ‘studio monitor’ like.

I came to that realization when I did an A/B/C test with my Vox AC 30S (real combo amp) and the AxeFxIII with my Vox preset into the Thiele and that same preset into the CLR’s. The F-12X200 Thiele cab sounded closer to the Vox in the room than the CLR’s did.

I’m using my same presets with cab sims etc power amp sims no tweaking to the presets at all. Just rolling in a little more treble on the guitar most of the time for the F-12 X200.

For power I’m using the 6L6 side of my old trusty Randall RT 2/50 power amp and setting the presence and depth at 2oclock presence 9oclock depth.

I can see building two of the Celestion designed cabs and buying a second F-12 X200 is in my future
 
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@CipherHost @randombastage So I would like to know how did you guys deal with the tweeter squeal that others have mentioned and that I've been have issues with too? Also how close are you to the speaker when you did your testing? Was the speaker in front of you facing up like a monitor or was it behind you like if you where playing live?
 
Received my F12-X200 the other day and installed into a Mesa Thiele. I run separate OUT1 / OUT2 feeds as I use my EVM-12L's on stage. For testing I pulled from OUT1 Left to CHA of my Matrix. I was able to then compare my onstage mix with my FOH mix. Very impressive. I had to up the output on CH1 to match levels but I was very satisfied with the reproduction out of the F12. So much so, I gigged this week with the 'mixed' outputs. I'm looking for another empty Thiele cab or possibly into building wedges (based on Celestions drawings) so I can just use the FOH mix.

jbw
 
Received my F12-X200 the other day and installed into a Mesa Thiele. I run separate OUT1 / OUT2 feeds as I use my EVM-12L's on stage. For testing I pulled from OUT1 Left to CHA of my Matrix. I was able to then compare my onstage mix with my FOH mix. Very impressive. I had to up the output on CH1 to match levels but I was very satisfied with the reproduction out of the F12. So much so, I gigged this week with the 'mixed' outputs. I'm looking for another empty Thiele cab or possibly into building wedges (based on Celestions drawings) so I can just use the FOH mix.

jbw
So no issues with you and the tweeter squeal? did you have it in front of you as a monitor or behind you as a regular cab?
 
@CipherHost @randombastage So I would like to know how did you guys deal with the tweeter squeal that others have mentioned and that I've been have issues with too? Also how close are you to the speaker when you did your testing? Was the speaker in front of you facing up like a monitor or was it behind you like if you where playing live?
I had the CLR on a short stand with the F12-X200 on the floor under the CLR tilted back, leaning on the stand. Both speakers were about 4 to 5 feet away from me with the F12-X200 pointed towards my chest while I was in a seated position. Without altering any gain or level settings on the AB presets, I have maxed out the level knobs on the front of the AxFXIII and the PS170. I have not experienced any squealing. I also separated the two speakers to hear how they sounded for stereo. Both speakers pointed straight forward (parallel with each other) with me between the two about 4 feet away from me. Sounded great.

There are a lot more qualified folks on this forum to help you with the squealing issue, but I can say the following:
I don't use high gain amps for the music I play in a Blues band. (but they are fun to play, I just haven't used any with this speaker yet)
I have used active single coils, passive single coils, and passive humbuckers with this speaker.
I am using professionally created presets (please don't take that the wrong way if you created your own).
I don't know if you did this already, but you will likely want to upload your preset (unless it is a purchased one) for others to test on their setup.
 
@CipherHost @randombastage So I would like to know how did you guys deal with the tweeter squeal that others have mentioned and that I've been have issues with too? Also how close are you to the speaker when you did your testing? Was the speaker in front of you facing up like a monitor or was it behind you like if you where playing live?

I have it about 3 feet above floor sitting on another cab facing me as I sit about 4-5 feet away. no squeal. playing louder than bedroom practice level but not quite loud enough to play with a drummer. maybe 110 - 120dB was the loudest but average just under 100dB?
 
So no issues with you and the tweeter squeal? did you have it in front of you as a monitor or behind you as a regular cab?
No squeal issues whatsoever. Facing the cabinets or with them behind me. I do have Low Cut / High Cut settings on my IR's. Could be the difference.
 
I've been playing around with a 2x12 with these speakers for a couple weeks now and I dig em. They replaced a Vintage 30 and a Creamback H. If I ever want to go back to that sound, the Bulb Zilla IR pack can easily get me in the ballpark so really I haven't lost anything. YMMV
 
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