F12-x200 - thiele or celestion design? Who's tried both?

B

brain21

Inspired
I've got an x200 on the way via a forum member here. Doug Doppler used Thiele cabs in his YouTube demos and i hear good things about those speakers in Thiele Cabs. Then there is also the Celestion cab designed specifically for the speaker, which def has some thiele-like qualities.

Anyway, I can get Thiele Cabs easily. Not so much the Celestion cabs, which i'd have to make, so I'm wondering if anyone has tried the speaker in both, and can comment on the difference? Is one better sounding than the other? Equally good, but slightly different sound? Virtually identical in sound?

Thanks!
 
Sorry man. Only tried them in the celestion spec diy cabs. Sound so good I don't have any reason to put them in anything else.
 
I have a pair of 1x12 Forte 3D cabs from Avatar with F12 speakers in both. Not exactly Thiele cabs but I have no complaints at all. Very guitar cab like but let the different IRs sound distinguishable from one another. Also responds well to tweaks from the global EQ.
 
I was afraid of this. I can't woodwork for shit. I could measure 200 times and still screw up the cut. I'll have to see if TRM will make the cabs for a reasonable price. :(. I did look into the Forte cabs, but even unloaded they are not cheap and I'm betting i could get someone to make me some Celestion cabs for a while lot less.
 
brain21 said:
I was afraid of this. I can't woodwork for shit. I could measure 200 times and still screw up the cut. I'll have to see if TRM will make the cabs for a reasonable price. :(. I did look into the Forte cabs, but even unloaded they are not cheap and I'm betting i could get someone to make me some Celestion cabs for a while lot less.
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Check with local cabinet makers or car audio shops. Give them the blueprint and ask for an estimate.
 
I'm with you. I might pull it off ok, or not.

Here's what I have on prebuilt cabs for the X200:

Think this is Celestion's recommended design:
https://www.vboutiqueusa.com/shop/vboutique-usa-vboutique-usa-frlr-1-x-12-w-celestion-f12-x200/
$499

Next two are NOT Celestion's recommended design, but I think a few folks here have tried and like them:
https://avatarspeakers.com/shop/guitar/forte-112/
$579

https://reverb.com/item/40408602-subz-2x12-tweed-oxblood-closed-extension-guitar-cabinet-sub-z
$264.50 + $48.50 Shipping = $313

Thread
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/celestion-f12-x200-speaker.157693/page-4
 
I checked with a few car audio guys and got a couple of quotes. I also checked with cab builders. It seems my cheapest and best option is TRM cabs. He's already built a couple. The price would be around $180 for pine, $210 for 18 ply birch, iirc. + shipping. That's not bad. No tolex or anything, just the raw cab and grill screen frame. But he builds them well. Unless one of the guys that builds the flat pack greenboy cabs is willing to do it for a lot less, trm is probably the route i will go.
 
Hmmm, he's like 1:45 from me, might be able to duck shipping.

Would want him to do tolex and grill cloth, does add to the price.

But the big thing for me is that I'm not psyched on adding a power amp to my rack. Tilts me back towards a powered cab.
 
Dave Merrill said:
Keep in mind that these aren't powered cabs, you'll also need a power amp.
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Yeah. Previously i was looking at the Crown xls series. I think instead I'll end up with an Orange pedal baby as apparently it's really got great feel to it compared to many others. I was also looking at some Quilter options before too. In the interim I'll probably grab a tc bam200 as they are cheap and also offer good feel. I've got a couple of Tech 21 bronzewood amps (one full, one a power engine) and a Seismic 15" powered cab that will be relegated to bass and guitar synth duties.
 
Dave Merrill said:
I'm with you. I might pull it off ok, or not.

Here's what I have on prebuilt cabs for the X200:

Think this is Celestion's recommended design:
https://www.vboutiqueusa.com/shop/vboutique-usa-vboutique-usa-frlr-1-x-12-w-celestion-f12-x200/
$499

Next two are NOT Celestion's recommended design, but I think a few folks here have tried and like them:
https://avatarspeakers.com/shop/guitar/forte-112/
$579

https://reverb.com/item/40408602-subz-2x12-tweed-oxblood-closed-extension-guitar-cabinet-sub-z
$264.50 + $48.50 Shipping = $313

Thread
https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/celestion-f12-x200-speaker.157693/page-4
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$500 for an empty 112 is ridiculous.
 
I think if you have a Thiele cab laying around then of course try it out.. the same would apply to any other 112, 212 or even 412 cab.. trying something you have is low risk... as is trying minor mods such as adding acoustic foam, dampening material, an MDF back etc.. all cheap...

I don't however think it makes any sense to buy a Thiele cab for the F12-x200.

My rationale is simple.. There is nothing special or magical about the Mesa "Thiele" cab. It is simply a closed back cab tuned for a 4th order response by a port for a specific speaker (ie. the mesa C90).

otoh, the Celestion design on the web is exactly the same, It is a closed back cab tuned for a 4th order response by a port for a different specific speaker .. in this case, the F12-x200 that is the topic of interest.

If weight is not an issue, imo forget plywood and use MDF.. its greatly damped panel resonance is a huge asset for what is to be effectively a FRFR.
 
Dude I put an X200 inside a Deuce Deluxe Power Cab and it was dope. For me it annihilated all the other options I’d tried. That thing is like $400? It’s essentially a bass cab, but it’s designed for guitar. It sounded similar to the base speaker in the thing too, but the X200 was just WAY louder. I had to almost half the volume I was previously using while testing the default speaker (I bought the DD just for the X200).

That said I have a solid state head and 4x12 with nice speakers, and I found nothing beats a real cab for me when that’s what I want. I needed studio monitors, so I got those in 8”, and that ended my need for strange frfr configurations.

If I didn't sell the X200 to fund other endeavors so rashly I would like to still have it though. May one day try a 4x12 of them :)
 
supersonic182 said:
May one day try a 4x12 of them :)
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Do it! I have them in a 1960a and had them in a 1936 2x12 and now also have them in a two 1x12 cabs designed to their spec. All options are unique and sound awesome! \

Do agree though with the real cab too - I just tried the 1936 with Marshall V30's and it was the best sounding of the lot with Marshall amp models,...duh!
 
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