Will the telonics or eps 15 really help a Peavey 400

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 15 Jan 2014 11:56 am

I am planning on upgrading my Peavey 400 with a new speaker. Before I order I just want an opinion if it is really worth it or should I just get a new amp.

I have a hard time thinking the 80w Nashville 112 will have the headroom for a club gig.

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 15 Jan 2014 12:07 pm

The Peavey Black Widow speaker is the favorite of many top level studio and touring steel players. Paul Franklin and Wayne Dahl come to mind. A different speaker might not actually be an upgrade. If you are not happy with the sound of the amp I would suggest trying out a different type of amp altogether. Some of the Nashville guys are switching to 12" speakers in there amps these days also.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 15 Jan 2014 12:08 pm

The EPS-15C was designed to be an exact replacement for the Peavey 1501-4 Black Widow speaker that is used in the later Nashville 400's, Nashville 1000/2000's and in later model Session 400's. The EPS-15C weighs about 7 lbs compared to about 20 Lbs for the Peavey Black Widows.

I can't say about the Telonics as I don't have one and never heard one live.

The Nashville 112 will surprise you. Its rated at 80 watts but its a "loud" 80 watts.

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 15 Jan 2014 12:08 pm

Sorry, I should have mentioned the speaker in my Peavey turns out to be a scorpion not a BW.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 15 Jan 2014 1:30 pm

I put the EPS-15C primarily as a weight saver, but I'm loving the way it sounds, too. IMHO, it is an upgrade.

Chuck Blake · Post by **Chuck Blake** » 15 Jan 2014 1:40 pm

I added the EPS 15-C to my NV400 split cab amp.

By splitting the cab and adding the EPS15C I have cut major weight from the amp and I love the sound.

I can't comment on the telonics

Chuck

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 15 Jan 2014 2:37 pm

Any of those will be better than a Scorpion for steel.

Paddy Long · Post by **Paddy Long** » 15 Jan 2014 2:48 pm

In my rack setups I use both the PV 1501-4 with a Neo magnet and the Telonics 15" Neo .... both are awesome and lightweight ... I've never tried the Telonics speaker in a Peavey amp but it is an outstanding speaker so I doubt you would be disappointed with it... as mentioned, either would be better than the Scorpion.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 15 Jan 2014 3:32 pm

The Scorpion speaker was not the original speaker. Scorpion speakers were never used in Steel Amps.

The original Session 400's used a JBL speaker but it couldn't handle the power and thus the Black Widow 1501-4 was designed (according to Mike Brown at Peavey) to emulate the JBL sound but able to handle higher power levels.

The "JBL sound" is the first thing I thought of when I got the EPS-15C from Eminence for "field testing". When I first tried it the first thing I thought of was "this sounds like the JBL K-130 that I had in a Twin Reverb amp".

I have some sound samples of the EPS-15C on my web site. Some used a Nashville 112 amp and some used a GK MB200. www.gulfcoaststeelguitar.com

David Cook · Post by **David Cook** » 15 Jan 2014 4:31 pm

I really like the Telonics 15 in my Nashville 400. it sounds better than the Black Widow did.

Mike Kowalik · Post by **Mike Kowalik** » 15 Jan 2014 6:24 pm

If you're using a Reno 400 for a steel amp that is likely the problem.....that's not a steel amp.

You need a Session 400,LTD400,or a Nashville 400....

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 16 Jan 2014 9:39 pm

hey mike..your signature thingie about the american indian....the govt. has now made millionaires out of the casino tribes. that's kinda prosperous.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Jan 2014 12:45 am

I disagree, Mike. There's lots of steel players running Vegases. The Reno has the same power amp, so it has the headroom. Just give it better speakers than the Scorpion.

Greg Johnson · Post by **Greg Johnson** » 17 Jan 2014 4:33 am

Thanks for the input. I am going to the Music Store today, steel in hand. I think I am going to retire the 30 year reno.

Lane Gray · Post by **Lane Gray** » 17 Jan 2014 4:58 am

Unless it's a steel-catering store, you might not find a better steel amp. I mean, I'd look anyway.

Bill Bassett · Post by **Bill Bassett** » 18 Jan 2014 6:55 am

I picked up a Peavey Classic VTS with 2 scorpion 12 inch speakers. When I actually used it on a gig I was disappointed that it sounded muffled and way too midrangey.

I occurred to me that the difference between this Classic and my other one was the speakers so I swapped out the scorpions for pair of Altec 417 I had. It greatly improved the sound. What I discovered about the scorpions was that there was very limited movement as if they had stiffened up. The cones simply don't move. The suspension ring is stiff and brittle. I wonder if they got wet. Anyway. It's all good now.

Karol Wainscott · Post by **Karol Wainscott** » 4 Feb 2014 9:21 am

The EPS-15c speaker is manufactured by who ??

Howard Montgomery · Post by **Howard Montgomery** » 4 Feb 2014 10:01 am

Eminence

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 4 Feb 2014 10:54 am

Eminence, KY

World’s largest loudspeaker manufacturing company.

http://www.eminence.com/about/the-eminence-factory/

Karol Wainscott · Post by **Karol Wainscott** » 4 Feb 2014 11:36 am

Thanks guys. I have been to the Eminence plant many , many times. Prior to retirement I was a plastics engineer and Eminence was one of my customers. Very nice plant and group of guys.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 4 Feb 2014 7:23 pm

Eminence, the World's Loudest Largespeaker Company

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 4 Feb 2014 8:46 pm

yes, your emminence.

how big 'is' the world's largest loudspeaker?

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 5 Feb 2014 12:06 am

Mike Kowalik, I'll also have to disagree with you on the Reno 400. There are a few forum threads where it is basically stated that it is the same power section and almost the same eq circuit. You have to plug into input 2 and I also disconnected the horn and covered the spades with electrical tape. Mine has the older speaker (Jensen) speaker, not the Scorpion. In the case of the scorpion speaker, yeah I'd swap that for the eminence speaker.

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 5 Feb 2014 11:55 am

Try a Reno next to a Nashville or Vegas, and you will change your mind.
The Reno is basically designed as a Acoustic/Electric Guitar amp.
There is very little similarity in them sonically.

Dustin Rigsby · Post by **Dustin Rigsby** » 6 Feb 2014 6:19 am

Bob,yes it was marketed as an electric/acoustic amp. According to a post by Ken Fox,it's the same amp,with a few differences. The +10 db #1 input, the horn and the speaker. Yes even if you put in an eminence speaker and/or disconnect the horn,it will sound different due to the difference in cabinet dimensions. It won't necessarily sound unpleasant. I have owned both amps. The reno 400 is a worthy steel amp with some tweaks. I have a friend who has a NV 400 in a Rick Johnson split cab. That sounds sonically different from a standard NV 400....it sounds much better that way ! My favorite steel amp is a Music Man 65 head into a 15 inch cab......different strokes for different folks. There is no right or wrong here.

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Will the telonics or eps 15 really help a Peavey 400

Will the telonics or eps 15 really help a Peavey 400

Re: Scorpions

Reno 400