Speaker Shootout! Wizard vs Tonespotter!

[scottl]

Here are a couple comparison clips of the Eminence Wizard vs the Eminence Tonespotter. The Wizard is loaded in an Avatar 1X12 and the Tonespotter is in a 2X12 Twp Rock Sig cab. Both loads were 8 ohm total. SM57 close miced on both. Amp was not changed between the first two takes. The last Tonespotter clip had a little less gain on the amp. The guitar was my Baker RF on the bridge. Recorded dry. A touch of reverb and delay in the mix. No EQ at all.

The amp is the Glaswerks SOD50 set to Hot Rubber Monkey mode. That would be the post overdrive tonestack. I also had the OD fat switch on to get lots of low end texture.

Wizard Clip 1 http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/HRMTestWizard.MP3

Tonespotter Clip 2 with less gain http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/HRMTestTonespotterLessGain.MP3

{NEW CLIPS! WITH AMP TWEAKS- Wizard}

http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/FrogHRMNC004OD1xx.MP3 (90s voice)http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/AussenGlasSpotterHRMChoke05CL2.MP3

http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/FrogNoHRMNC004OD1.MP3 (80s voice)http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/AussenGlasSpotterHRMNoChoke05CL2.MP3

I really think this mornings mods improved the amp tone... No?

Happy Holidays to all!

Scott

 

[fig]

Hi Scott -
I have to say all three sounded good. The Wizard gives you more highs. With the Tonespotters, I liked the one with less gain.
Hey, I need a Hot Rubber Monkey mode . .

Greg

btw, the Tonespotter is closer to RF's tone, to me.

 

[lhallam]

Damn Scott, there is nothing that I can put my finger to point out the differences. They sound too similar to these old ears.

I think being in the room allows for much better analysis.

Funny you should post this, I was going to ask you what you think of the TR cab. I can't tell much from the clips. What's your assessment? Drop me an e-mail if you want to. BTW - Happy Holidays.

 

[abergdahl]

Hard. i prefer the Tonespotter with less gain of the gainier clips I prefer the wizard .
The amp sound great, more bite and clarity than you're "usual" tone. :AOK

 

[Normster]

I wish I had spent some time with the Wizard when Greg was selling it. It seems to have a sweet top end. Probably would have been a good match for my amp since it's a little dark. On the other hand, I really like the balance and open sound of the Tonespotter clip. It does seem to have more of a musical quality, especially in the "less gain" clip. Was it my imagination or did the Wizard seem to go into harmonic feedback earlier?

BTW, that's a killer backing! Are you gonna post it?

 

[scottl]

Thanks guys.....

Lance, you sure you did not hear a missive difference between the Wizard and Spotter?? They are very different.

Norm, the Wizard speaker is more efficient. The amp was a tad louder in the room on that take. I had to bump the mic pre on the Spotter clip. Good ears!

Scott

 

[scottl]

Here is another Wizard clip. I have a love/hate thing with these speakers.... They give me something I like, but something seems missing too.... Maybe I am crazy! I do agree that they seem well suited for higher gain tones.

http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/JimLoopHRM390pfNoFBLoop.MP3

 

[Woodyworld]

Here is another Wizard clip. I have a love/hate thing with these speakers.... They give me something I like, but something seems missing too.... Maybe I am crazy! I do agree that they seem well suited for higher gain tones.

http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/JimLoopHRM390pfNoFBLoop.MP3

Interesting hearing you say this Scott. Every time I load the wizard I love it for the first 30 minutes or so and then I start to really go off it. Can't quite put my finger on why , but it sometimes sounds a little sterile with my set up. Saying that though, I've had some pleasing results pairing them with other eminence speakers.

God I don't know with tone. Maybe it's like taste buds, somedays some things taste great and other days they just don't taste as good.......

Of the clips above:
#3 sat better with me, but as always with your takes they're all great tones.

 

[lhallam]

Thanks guys.....

Lance, you sure you did not hear a missive difference between the Wizard and Spotter?? They are very different.

Scott

Well on second listen I turned it up and could hear more distinct differences, I usually listen to stuff at a very low volume. It seems the Wizard has some more highs/bite maybe tighter focus whereas the Tonespotter sounds a little darker (in a good way), smoother and more open.

Hard to say which spkr I prefer as your clips sound great. Out of the 3 I liked the low gain Tonespotter the best.

 

[fullerplast]

It seems the Wizard has some more highs/bite maybe tighter focus whereas the Tonespotter sounds a little darker (in a good way), smoother and more open.

That's how I hear them also, and it agrees with my own findings with my ODS30. I prefered the tonespotters in a 2x12 cab, but if I had to go to a 1x12, I think I'd prefer the Wizard. I did not like the tonespotter in a 1x12 as much as the 2x12. As it turns out, in a 1x12 combo I prefer a stock (older) G12H30 to either.

Scott, I'm sure you know this, but when you have the tonespotters set up as a 2x12 you are changing the dynamics of the speaker from a 1x12, so your comparison is not totally apples to apples, even if you are only close micing one of them.

 

[slackandsteel]

I prefer the sound of the Wizard. It does have more toothiness than the Tonespotter and that's what I'm liking.

 

[cocheese]

Thanks for the comparison clips Scott. I've been wondering what these two speakers sounded like side by side. The Tonespotter has a more mid-focus and seems smoother than the Wizard. The Wizard seems a tad more expressive dynamically speaking. It picks up more of the chirp when you did in with the pick. I like them both. Tough choice! They're both winners!!!

 

[scottl]

I just posted two new Tonespotter clips. Same amp settings with just the tight/loose switch changed between takes. I made two internal tweaks to the preamp. Really richened up the mids I think!

Clip 1 set on tight http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/AussenGlasSpotterHRMChoke05CL2.MP3

Clip 2 set on loose http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/AussenGlasSpotterHRMNoChoke05CL2.MP3

Thanks for listening!

Scott

 

[Rid]

Those Tonespotters are very sweet indeed.
Crisp, fat and clear...what else can you ask for??
And a pleasure with the playing.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[Normster]

Mmmm...creamy! The "loose" setting really softens the attack and smooths the top end. Kinda cool to be able to choose between tight and loose. (There's a part of me that was mighty uncomfortable saying that. lol)

 

[L5player]

Here is another Wizard clip. I have a love/hate thing with these speakers.... They give me something I like, but something seems missing too.... Maybe I am crazy! I do agree that they seem well suited for higher gain tones.

http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/JimLoopHRM390pfNoFBLoop.MP3

Oh yeah, the wizard hands down! It cuts through with the highs and does not seem overburdened with the mids like the tonespotter. Maybe the speaker is better matched to bring out the nuances in the Mod. Excellent tone! (note to self: find some wizzards )

Jim

 

[Woodyworld]

I just posted two new Tonespotter clips. Same amp settings with just the tight/loose switch changed between takes. I made two internal tweaks to the preamp. Really richened up the mids I think!

Clip 1 set on tight http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/AussenGlasSpotterHRMChoke05CL2.MP3

Clip 2 set on loose http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/AussenGlasSpotterHRMNoChoke05CL2.MP3

Thanks for listening!

Scott

Hi Scott,

I enjoyed these. They are quite different to your first tone submissions. It’s a Violinist type tone, very smooth with a nice creamy midrange. I compared it to the First low gain spotter clip and preferred them.
I think I like the #1 of these newest ones (http://www.scottlernermusic.com/glas/AussenGlasSpotterHRMChoke05CL2.MP3). Were splitting hairs at this point of course because they are all great tones, and it’s getting harder to rate one above another, but the bottom end sounded tighter and was more to my preference.

Woody

 

[granite]

I have read that the Wizard paired with a Red Fang in a 2x12 cab is just killer. Similar to a Cel Blue and G12H30. I'm leaning toward this Emi pair for my next cab. BTW...I preferred your Wiz clips.

 

[Woodyworld]

I have read that the Wizard paired with a Red Fang in a 2x12 cab is just killer. Similar to a Cel Blue and G12H30.

Hum that's interesting suggestion, I had not thought of that combination. I'll load them up later and try them. I did a quick tone take for someone on a Stonehenge and Wizard together which was a nice match. Its very short but gives a taster:

Wizard& Stone Henge

The fangs Quite a bright speaker so I imagine it could sound nice considering the bottom end of the Wizard. Here's a Couple of Fang only samples here:

Fang 1

Fang 2

Fang Clean

If the Wizard and fang work well I'll post a seperate thread if anyones interested rather than distract from Scotts thread here

 

[granite]

Hum that's interesting suggestion, I had not thought of that combination. I'll load them up later and try them. I did a quick tone take for someone on a Stonehenge and Wizard together which was a nice match. Its very short but gives a taster:

Wizard& Stone Henge

The fangs Quite a bright speaker so I imagine it could sound nice considering the bottom end of the Wizard. Here's a Couple of Fang only samples here:

Fang 1

Fang 2

Fang Clean

If the Wizard and fang work well I'll post a seperate thread if anyones interested rather than distract from Scotts thread here

Awesome!!!! I would really appreciate a clip of the Fang/Wizard combo.