Electro Voice speakers ..... a little disappointing ....

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

I've been messing around with EVM 12L speakers and not sure I really like them. They seem to do fine if you have the pre-amp cranked up and not really putting any serious power to them. The problem is when they get overdriven and break up on the clean channel, especially when hitting the #6 E string hard, they seem to have a farty distortion going on.

I thought maybe at first the speaker was hitting the grill baffle or cloth, so I removed it, but the same farty breakup happens. I then switched to a second EVM12L that I had, but the same thing. It's a bummer because up until that point, they are great sounding speakers. They are cast framed, built like a tank, and are rated for 200 Watts, but I'm only pushing them with a measly 100w amp.

[Rothbardian]

Are you running a few of these together?

I only have experience with the one in my old Boogie combo. The speaker sounded good for some of the jam-band type stuff all the way through some o the Metallica stuff I played. I never had the problem you mention, but maybe my ears aren't trained to hear it...

I would even use that speaker for my Marshalls and it sounded good.

[Squigglefunk]

yeah, they do not sound good when pushed to me either. Are you using a single EVM with the 100 watt amp?

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

Originally Posted by Squigglefunk

yeah, they do not sound good when pushed to me either. Are you using a single EVM with the 100 watt amp?

I was, but then I bought a 1x12 thiele cabinet and ran the combo and the thiele. I first noticed the flappy sound in the cab while I was playing clean and cranked it up. It's a very unmusical type of distortion....... I am 99.999 % sure it's the speaker.

Maybe I'll whip the Hiwatt DR103 out and pump that amp through the same cab ..... that should get me to the bottom of the problem.

Originally Posted by fusionbear

I own currently own 3 EV's and have not had that problem. Maybe you are hearing your ears overdrive? Seriously, when sound is too loud, you can overload your ears. Just a thought.
Oh, also, what cab were you using?

No, it's definately coming through the speaker..... I can watch it as the cone damping is a little out of control.

[J Purcell]

I used to run a 100 watt Carol-Ann head through a single 200 watt EV and it sounded great. Tight bottom end with no farting out. Even at high volume it stayed together extremely well.
One of my favorite speakers.

[fusionbear]

I own currently own 3 EV's and have not had that problem. Maybe you are hearing your ears overdrive? Seriously, when sound is too loud, you can overload your ears. Just a thought.
Oh, also, what cab were you using?

[rwe333]

I've never heard that w/ an EV - perhaps yours has a problem (rub, etc.)...?

[BudLite]

EV's are very clean and loud, maybe your amp is breaking up. What
kind of amp are you using.

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

Originally Posted by BudLite

EV's are very clean and loud, maybe your amp is breaking up. What
kind of amp are you using.

Mesa MkIII


It's not like a tube overdriving .... like I said, I will test it out with another amp. I guess anything is possible.

Originally Posted by stratzrus

I have never heard of the EVM 12L having a sweet distortion on breakup, few ever push them to that point.

May I assume that at the point of breakup they were really really loud? They may not be the best speaker for pushing to the point distortion.

Did you buy them new or is it possible that previous owner pushed them too hard and they are slightly damaged?

No rubs and the cones are in great shape.

[BudLite]

AHHHH, theres the problem...a MIII Boogie...I had one new in 87'..
I had a EV in it too, That amp has never lived up to the hype, A real dissapointment....
Sell it and buy a better amp.....

[bosstone]

Originally Posted by BudLite

AHHHH, theres the problem...a MIII Boogie...I had one new in 87'..
I had a EV in it too, That amp has never lived up to the hype, A real dissapointment....
Sell it and buy a better amp.....

Hogwash!!!

[stratzrus]

I have never heard of the EVM 12L having a sweet distortion on breakup, few ever push them to that point.

May I assume that at the point of breakup they were really really loud? They may not be the best speaker for pushing to the point distortion.

Did you buy them new or is it possible that previous owner pushed them too hard and they are slightly damaged?

[jharpersj]

Doesnt sound right mine dont do that at all there is NO flab, I agree with the others tho at 200W you should not be getting speaker breakup, could also be the cab is not built for a speaker of that weight, avatarsperkers.com has great deals on celtions tho, try an 80W of a g12H

I bet its the cab or a messed up EV

[AL30]

This is a long shot but...

You wouldn't happen to be using a new(er) Les Paul with stock pick-ups (490 series?) into a Fender style amp would you?

AL

[mbstrums]

I remember reading that for optimum performance an EVM-12 requires a thicker baffle board. I did a few searches and couldn't come up with the measurement.

Throughout the 90's, I gigged with various amp heads (from 30-100watts) and played through an EV vocal monitor cab aimed at me with the tweeter and crossover network disabled. I never had any trouble hearing myself! I mic'd the cab for FOH. Never experienced any unwanted bottom end break-up.