Cornford Roadhouse 30 speaker swap problem

camf · January 2014

Has anybody any advice on how to remove the front-loaded speaker on a Roadhouse 30? I can't seem to work out out you take the fabric speaker cover off without damaging it. It's driving me nuts!

Help?

cam f

CHrisP86 · January 2014

Not sure if I can explain it quite right but..

On my carrera, I take all the screws out of the speaker cover board and remove the top two corners, then put a slightly larger screw into one of the holes in the cover and tighten just enough to give something to pull the board off. They are a pain to get out!

What speaker you putting in?

ICBM · January 2014

Have you checked for screws holding the grille frame to the baffle inside the cabinet? Sometimes they can be very hard to see if they're black and countersunk. I'm not familiar with this amp though, so I don't know.

ecc83 · January 2014

ICBM said:

Have you checked for screws holding the grille frame to the baffle inside the cabinet? Sometimes they can be very hard to see if they're black and countersunk. I'm not familiar with this amp though, so I don't know.

I wouldn't know either of course but yes, some of "our" combos are bit tricky! Buy yourself a really long #1 Pozi, only about a fiver from Wickes. The S1 45 has its secrets, PM me if any of you are stuck.

Dave.

camf · January 2014

Thanks guys.

I was thinking about replacing the V30 with a Legend GB128, as I've never been a massive fan of V30s and the GB128 sounds like my ideal speaker. However, given the hassle involved it might just tip the balance in favour of shifting it on and looking at getting another head. The Roadhouse seems like a great amp but a little strong in the upper mids for me - probably due to the V30 - but it's also quite a big beast for a 1x12 and a bit too much for an old fella like me to be lugging around. Hmmm. Watch this space.

cam f

camf · January 2014

@ICBM, I might bring it out to you if I decide to swap the speakers... get it done properly.

Dave_Mc · January 2014

^ Don't do that, he won't knowingly let you put an eminence in there

) Maybe stick a celestion sticker on it and hope he doesn't notice

Seriously though, I'm not familiar with that amp either so I can't help, I like the GB128 though.

ICBM · January 2014

camf said:
@ICBM, I might bring it out to you if I decide to swap the speakers... get it done properly.

You mean put a Celestion in it?

Dave_Mc said:

Maybe stick a celestion sticker on it and hope he doesn't notice

lol

Dave_Mc · January 2014

And LOL to the first bit

camf · January 2014

See... this is why I'll just leave it as is. It could turn nasty. (Does anyone have a spare Celestion label they're not using?)

ICBM · January 2014

Actually I'd notice straight away - it weighs about half what a proper Celestion does

.

Hmmm… maybe that's an advantage given what camf said

.

I didn't like the one I took out of a friend's Soldano Astroverb recently - it sounded small, boxy and flat. The Heritage G12H-30 we put in was much bigger-sounding, deeper, clearer and about twice as loud… just in every way better. I can't quite work out why Soldano would deliberately strangle their amp like that, but they did.

On the other hand the one in the Victoria 5112 he had before (not the same actual speaker, they both come with OEM Legends - I think Victoria's Legends are a bit different from standard ones though) was much less bad - still not as big-sounding as the H30, but it seemed to suit the amp better and the difference wasn't as vast.

I also agree that V30s don't suit the Cornfords I've heard them in - far too middy.

camf · January 2014

I reckoned a Greenback wasn't going to cut it wattage-wise and I just happen to have a GB128 sitting around and as it's supposed to be based on a Greenback, it has to be worth a pop... and as you know the weight issue is a biggie for me... er... in amps, I mean...

$:\$ ">

ICBM · January 2014

It's got to be worth a try if you have it, anyway. I don't think it sounds like a Greenback, but that's beside the point really.

CHrisP86 · January 2014

I put a (scared to admit) Eminence Wizard in my carrera and it got rid of most of my grips with the amp. Agree on the V30, far too much mids.

camf · January 2014

Thanks Chris... I'd love to try a Carrera sometime.

camf · January 2014

Of course... another option would be to put a Celestion Gold in it, as I have one in another cab. I guess that would keep a similar character and soften that mid spike a bit.

@ICBM Maybe? Acceptable?

ICBM · January 2014

That should sound good - certainly a lot clearer and more open than the Legend. It's quite like an 'Alnico V30' to me - it's brighter at the top end and doesn't have the upper-mid spike, but otherwise is surprisingly similar - it's certainly not exactly like a high-powered Blue as Celestion claim, more like a cross between a Blue and a V30. It is also definitely lighter than the V30. Check it will fit though, the big magnet can be an issue in some combos.

57Deluxe · January 2014

It amazes me how when it comes to speaker swapping everyone goes in for a 'Turkey Shoot' - the RH allows for a multitude of speaker out options - simply couple up to an external cab with some speakers and see what works - damn sight easier and cheaper than buying and swapping over constantly. There are several retailers that will help you with this exercise - best on a mid week afternoon though...

ICBM · January 2014

Yes, exactly - although sometimes speakers don't sound quite the same in a cab as they do in the combo... but at least they'll be in the same ballpark.

Not that easy to do a lot of different comparisons unless you have a lot of cabs, or something like an empty 4x12 and some croc clips, though.

camf · January 2014

Yep, I can definitely do a check with the Gold as it's already in a wee cab but the legend is just loose and loading it into another cab would be almost as much bother as fitting it into another cab.

ICBM · January 2014

Minimum effort approach... A/B the amp with the cab with the Gold in it. Then swap the Gold for the Legend. Then A/B the amp with the cab again. Now you'll know which you like best.

Then put the Gold in the amp

.

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Cornford Roadhouse 30 speaker swap problem

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