Celestion G12K85

From mgarvi–(at)–anix.com Mon May 20 07:20:39 CDT 1996
From: mgarvi–(at)–anix.com (Mark Garvin)
Newsgroups: alt.guitar.amps
Subject: Re: Celestions again
Date: 20 May 1996 00:32:56 -0400

In <4nohj1$gp--(at)--ewsbf02.news.aol.com> tremolu–(at)–ol.com (Tremolux) writes:

>Does anyone have experience with the Celestion G12K85 speaker? It’s
>supposedly a speaker designed for keyboards, but I hear one boutique amp
>maker uses it on guitar amps. What I’m particularly interested in is it’s
>efficiency relative to the V30, and how much low-end it has in an
>open-back cabinet (more than a V30)?

Hi Tremolux,

I like it more than the V30. As you mentioned, GT uses it, so you
may be able to get a listen. Not sure if it’s really a keyboard
speaker, as it’s got all the trademark Celestion bumps and rolloffs.
That may have been started due to the ‘K’ terminology.

Celestion says it has ‘more bass’ than the V30, but I don’t take their
literature very seriously. I’ve even called Celestion USA to try to
find out about some of their speakers…haven’t been able to find
anyone who actually tries them out(!)

Anyway, my own opinion of the K is that it has less of the brash,
forward midrange bump of the V30. This may make it seem as if it
has more bass, but that’s not necessarily so. The most emphasized
effect is the upward tilt at the top end. Imparts a very chimey
character to the treble end. Not overbearing unless your amp is
overly bright to begin with. I’ve said this before: I keep thinking
the solo from Nowhere Man when I hear the K85.

Not quite as much Celestion ‘bark’ as the V30, but that’s just fine
with me. All in all, a decent speaker. More efficient and forward
than the vanilla T75. More defined, but less efficient than the V30.
I’m not a big V30 fan, as you know. And in my experience the V30
tends to produce ‘wolf tones’ sometimes. Never noticed this with the
K85.

MGarvin