Help me upgrade my 8" speakers

[Jazz+]

I want to upgrade the 8" woofer and maybe the 2" piezo tweeter in my Crate Taxi 30 amps. I want full range speakers, not guitar speakers like it has now. I don't know what speaker will make it sound more like a studio monitor. Can you recommend a brand or model?

 

Taxi 30 amp specs:

 

Speakers: Woofer Crate Custom Design 8", 8 ohm, 50 watt; Tweeter 2" Piezo, 8 ohm, 50 watt

 

Output Power Rating: 30 watts RMS @ 10% THD, 8 ohms, 13.6VDC in

 

Channel 1 EQs: +/-15dB @ 600Hz

 

Power Requirements: Internal 12VDC power supply; DC adapter for 120VAC; 12V vehicle lighter adapter (optional)

 

20 lbs.

[Volken]

Originally posted by Jazz+: I want to upgrade the 8" woofer and maybe the 2" piezo tweeter in my Crate Taxi 30 amps. I want full range speakers, not guitar speakers like it has now. I don't know what speaker will make it sound more like a studio monitor. Can you recommend a brand or model?

Jazz+,

 

As an audiophile who has, over the years, developed acute allergy to anything PA related, I can only promise to keep a perspective while I offer a word of advice.

 

Is this your model? > Crate Taxi 30

 

Do you intend to use this for your own home/private playing (considering its mobile autonomy and primary design) or this setup aspires... more performing usage? That makes a difference in terms of required efficiency related with your present preferences.

 

Beside the raw specs you wrote here, I would be more interested in finding more details about its crossover. Exactly that is your main limiting factor to really benefit the changes you want to apply here. Then again, you could on the fly, find equivalent drivers that would offer sound more to your liking, but then, I'm of no use to you then. I Feel bad to actually recommend some concrete drivers, when in reality, I doubt you would profit greatly if you consider the limitations I've mentioned.

 

Those boxes still have a good value and maybe you should consider selling them... and then really choose your monitors, considering your goals.

 

However, If you insist on this, then, you should give a call to some of the links found here :

 

SPC , Mad , PE

 

They all have large databases to find match to any requirement, so give them a call, let them know

of your exact model and you will find something realistic without spending too much.

 

Some of them offer a very affordable replacement parts/drivers for (just example) Alesis... to Tannoy, so this could be very interesting to you.

 

But, hope you understand, finding your drivers is one thing, matching them is something that

in your case, worries me more (for balanced value results)

 

If you plan to use this for your own private session, and all this changes are in direction of civilizing that sound... then, you should stay away from piezo tweeters. Particularly in this price range.

 

Could you benefit a simple planar isodynamic tweeter (say $40) of more stable (in this class) dome tweeter? (Scan Speak for example)

 

Its Really hard to say, but I leave that to your ears and your personal preference.

 

Good luck.

 

 

'

[daBowsa]

Yes, I don't know anything, but like Volken says, there's more too it than just dropping a new speaker with matching ohm and wattage ratings.

 

I shop at Parts Express and often read their "Projects Showcase" and "Tech Talk" forums.

[Trill]

Jazz+,

 

I was also considering an upgrade for my guitar tube amp. If I replace the existing 12" Sheffield 8 ohms with 2 of the Eminence 12" speakers for keys. At least until I can purchase 2 Motion Sound KT -80s

 

It sounds decent now especially on a rhodes patch, but I thought it would probably save me from purchasing a keyboard amp. Than I was going to stick a Motion sound Pro 3t on top for the organ.

 

Amy thoughts

[ITGITC]

There comes a time when you should sell your old equipment and purchase something new. You're just throwing good money after bad.

 

Replacing the drivers in a speaker cabinet with different models is a gamble that may or may not sound good. You won't know until you buy the components and install them. Then, if it doesn't sound good, you've probably decreased the resale value since it's no longer original equipment... it's Frankenstein.

 

You owe it to yourself to take a little of that money you got for Christmas and pick out a new power amp and a couple of good-sounding speakers to go with it.

 

JBL and QSC have recently introduced new powered speakers. They may be worth a listen too.

 

Time to move up.

 

Tom

[David Loving]

J+, I have had good luck with this outfit. Call them and discuss what you want to do with one of their people. I changed out all the speakers and the crossover in an old crate kx160 with their help.

 

www.loudspeakersplus.com/

 

If you stay with eminence speakers, upgrade to deltas.

[Bill H.]

Those speakers in that Crate of yours were chosen for their high efficiency. The amp only puts out 30 watts and that's at 10% distortion. There is so much to this... cab tuning, crossover point, speaker sensitivity, HF horn type and size, etc. You can't just drop anything in there.

 

My suggestion would be to hook up a monitor to the amp and see if it's loud enough. It's probably not going to be, but if that works, just go with it.

 

As for raw speakers, I use MCM sometimes but usually Parts Express. In fact, I'm currently putting together 16 ambient speaker cabs for my church made with speakers and accessories from Parts Express. They're the biggest, and usually the cheapest, but you pay shipping on all orders.

 

www.partsexpress.com