Guitar Player Review
M75-8-65W and H75-8-65W 12" Speakers
Tested By Dave HunterJuly 2012 issue
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| Contact | Scumback Speakers, (310) 833-6632; scumbackspeakers.com |
| M75-8-65W | |
| Price | $169 street (plus $15 for break-in service as tested here) |
| Magnet | 35 oz. ceramic |
| Power Handling | 65 watts RMS |
| Impedance | 8Ω (16Ω also available) |
| Sensitivity | 97dB |
| Resonance | 75Hz |
| Frequency Range | 75Hz-20kHz |
| Kudos | Thick, well-textured "Greenback" tones with fuller low end and higher power handling capabil- ities. Great classic-rock speaker. |
| Concerns | None. |
| H75-8-65W | |
| Price | $169 street (plus $15 for break-in service as tested here) |
| Magnet | 50 oz. ceramic |
| Power Handling | 65 watts RMS |
| Impedance | 8Ω (16Ω also available) |
| Sensitivity | 99dB |
| Resonance | 75Hz |
| Frequency Range | 75Hz-20kHz |
| Kudos | Punchy "heavy magnet" Brit-rock tones with firm lows & affirmative highs. |
| Concerns | None. |
Scumback Speakers Represent proprietor Jim Seavall's goal of recreating the sounds of the best pre-1973 (aka "pre-Rola") 12" Celestion speakers, with a little more flexibility for contemporary use. To get there, he studied more than 500 pre-Rola Celestions, tweaking his own formula as he learned their secrets. Initially, Scumback speakers were manufactured to Seavall's specs by another U.S. speaker maker, but as of the middle of 2011, final assembly has been in-house at his facility in California, using authentic reproduction frames updated with 8-hole mountings and imported Kurt Mueller cones, which are given a proprietary treatment to help them attain the "richer midrange and less treble" of the vintage units. There's also an optional in-house Full Break In service, or "FBI", which costs an additional $15. This process replicates 40-50 hours of break-in time at higher stage volumes that are usually not attainable at home.
The M75-8-65W and H75-8-65W speakers on review here are two of the maker's most popular models. Reproductions of the lauded pre-Rola G12M Greenback and G12H drivers respectively, each has the 75Hz Kurt Mueller "lead" cone, but a power rating that is increased to 65 watts so they can take more of a licking in single units or pairs (versions in 25 watts and 100 watts are also available). I tested each with a Matchless HC30 for class-A chime and a Fryette Sig:X for crunch and high-gain tones.
True to form, the M75-8-65W had the juicy midrange, crisp, silky highs, and soft, plummy lows of a great Greenback, but with a little more fullness in the bottom than original G12Ms. This speaker excelled at thick, throaty crunch and juicy lead tones, and never sounded spikey or harsh.
With its heavier magnet, the H75-8-65W is firmer both in the bass and treble, with a midrange that's punchy yet somehow more recessed. It reminded me of the bouyant, dynamic Hendrix-style tones of the later '60s, offered a little more clarity and crispness throughout the range, and provided slightly more volume, too. Both are great sounding 12s with impressive abilities to deliver the essence of pre-Rola tone for the 21st century.