Session 400 speaker choices

[David Jørgensen]

Ongoing amp woes!

So, I found a Session 400 head in great condition (and for a GREAT price). However, Im struggling to find an appropriate speaker for it, impedance and wattage is a bit confusing.

The 400 has a 4ohm, 200 watts output. Can I use an 8 ohm, 200w speaker (HH 1200e), or is the impedance mismatch a problem?

Also, can I use lower powered speakers if I dont crank the 400 - as in, I have a real nice K120 in my monarch, thats rated at 100w.

Im on a tight budget, hence the query - could i afford a new cab+speaker, Id obviously match it to the amp - however, funds are tight and Ive got gigs coming up that need decent power!

[Jerry Overstreet]

The impedance mismatch you cite here is not a problem for the 400. You may notice a slight loss in volume at the same setting, which can easily be remedied by just a tweak of the knob.

I wouldn't be concerned about using the K120. It should handle the 400 at moderate volume levels.

FYI, the original speaker for the 400 was a Peavey labeled K130 15 in. driver followed by the Peavey Black Widow 1501-4 rated at 300 to 350 W RMS. These are out of production but you can still find them in used condition from time to time.

Any of the Telonics, Eminence, TT15 neo mags designed for steel will also work fine.

[David Jørgensen]

Jerry, thanks for the succinct reply - this is exactly the info I was looking for!

Ill keep using the K120 in Monarch cab while i search for a higher rated speaker, for stressless (aside, of course, from the instrument itself ) live playing.

[Travis Bubenik]

Contact forum member Jeffrey Maxwell - I purchased a hybrid Peavey Black Widow/JBL k130 speaker from him (he built it) and have been absolutely loving it in my Session 400. Reasonable price - he can give you all the details.

[Clyde Mattocks]

I had the luxury of being able to A,B, C a JBL, an EV and the original Black Widow. i didn't want to believe it, but the original BW sounded best to me.

[Dave Campbell]

i have one with an 8 ohm jbl k130 and one with a later black widow. i prefer the smoothness of the jbl myself.

[Tim Rose]

I'm driving a k120 with a Ganz 500 watt (not sure what it is at 8ohM) so far so good.

[Tommy Mc]

I have a Session 400 which I split up into a head and speaker cab to better deal with the weight. The original speaker was a Black Widow 1501-4 but I'm using an Eminence EPS-15C. It was supposedly designed to be a direct replacement for the Black Widow. To my ear, it sounds better than the original Black Widow, and with the neo magnet, it's considerably lighter. The EPS-15C has been discontinued, but I've heard that the TT-15 is it's successor.

[Jack Hanson]

I have an Eminence TT-12 in an open-back Greg's Pro Audio cabinet hooked up to my Session 400 head. Sounds fine to me, but not quite up to the standard of my old LTD. 400 with a BW 1501-4 pulled from a Nashville 400.

[Bob Snelgrove]

What is the story with the yellow label spider web ones? The very first run? I found the yellow to be just a tad warmer than the white label (both spider web)

bob

[Jerry Overstreet]

Never seen a yellow label, of course there are a lot of things I've never seen but.....anything yellow is probably just discolored from age or too many smoky bar gigs.

I have owned and seen a lot of early flat mag Spider Webs and I'm pretty sure none were on yellow paper.

[Bob Snelgrove]

Key Differences
Label Color and Production Era:
Yellow Label: Early production (1970s–early 1980s), associated with the first wave of Black Widow speakers. Seen as the “original” design, often found in early Session 400s with chrome corners.

White/Silver Label: Later production (mid-1980s–1990s), reflecting Peavey’s evolution in manufacturing. Still features the spider web logo, indicating it’s from the same design family, but produced in larger quantities.

Tonal Nuances:
Yellow Label: Slightly warmer and richer, with a touch more midrange presence. The vintage construction (e.g., less standardized cone doping) may contribute to a smoother, more “classic” tone for pedal steel.

White/Silver Label: Marginally brighter or less warm, possibly due to small changes in materials or assembly (e.g., adhesive, cone treatment). The difference is subtle, and many players report they sound “almost identical” in blind tests.

Build Variations:
Yellow Label: May have slight inconsistencies due to early manufacturing, which some players believe enhances its unique tone. Seen as more “handcrafted.”

White/Silver Label: Likely more standardized, improving consistency across units. Minor tweaks (e.g., in the spider or surround) might affect response, but no major design changes are documented.

Availability and Collectibility:
Yellow Label: Rarer and more collectible due to its earlier production and association with vintage amps. Commands a higher price on the used market (~$150–$200).

White/Silver Label: More common, as Peavey produced more units in later runs. Slightly cheaper (~$100–$150 used) and easier to find, but less mythologized among purists.

User Perception:
Yellow Label: Revered for its vintage pedigree and slightly warmer tone, often considered the “best” for pedal steel in a Session 400. Carries a certain mystique among players.

White/Silver Label: Highly respected and functionally equivalent for most players, but lacks the vintage allure of the yellow label. Some prefer it for its potential brightness in certain setups.

[Bob Snelgrove]

PS: I own both and have A/B'd them and they are close but yellow is a little more mellow in a good way.

[Bob Snelgrove]

I have a Session 400 which I split up into a head and speaker cab to better deal with the weight. The original speaker was a Black Widow 1501-4 but I'm using an Eminence EPS-15C. It was supposedly designed to be a direct replacement for the Black Widow. To my ear, it sounds better than the original Black Widow, and with the neo magnet, it's considerably lighter. The EPS-15C has been discontinued, but I've heard that the TT-15 is it's successor.

I just found out my stereo steel cabs have the EPS-15C. Could you describe the difference from the BW and was it the original spider web one?

thx

bob

[Dave Grafe]

Contact forum member Jeffrey Maxwell - I purchased a hybrid Peavey Black Widow/JBL k130 speaker from him (he built it) and have been absolutely loving it in my Session 400. Reasonable price - he can give you all the details.

What Travis said

[David Jørgensen]

Very happy to see this thread still going!

For those who play 8ohm JBLs with their 400´s - I have a K120 that Im a little hesitant to play with the 400 for fear of blowing it.

Considering the impedance mismath (400 is 4 ohms), shouldnt an 8 ohm speaker in a 4ohm spkr out halve the power rating of the 400, basically making the K120 (rated at 150w) safe enough to use with the 400? Or am I misunderstanding something here?

[Dave Grafe]

Yes an amp rated at 400 watts into 4 ohms will only deliver half that power to an 8 ohm load. That being said the JBL puts out a lot of sound per watt and you're not likely to ever run it that loud, i have played on some prerty loud stages but never ran my 300 watt Webb or Randall amps past 3 on the volume knob with my 8 ohm K130's. I DID blow a 4 ohm JBL in a Randall once though...I also blew a K130 cone completely out of the voice coil gap with my 45 watt 64 Vibroverb when a burst of feedback resultee from the volume pedal accidentally getting kicked wide open once.

[David Jørgensen]

I think I’ll give it a go @davegrafe - a speaker blown playing beats a speaker in a cardboard box, I guess!

[Tommy Mc]

I have a Session 400 which I split up into a head and speaker cab to better deal with the weight. The original speaker was a Black Widow 1501-4 but I'm using an Eminence EPS-15C. It was supposedly designed to be a direct replacement for the Black Widow. To my ear, it sounds better than the original Black Widow, and with the neo magnet, it's considerably lighter. The EPS-15C has been discontinued, but I've heard that the TT-15 is it's successor.

I just found out my stereo steel cabs have the EPS-15C. Could you describe the difference from the BW and was it the original spider web one?

thx

bob

My original speaker was a 1501-4 spider web type. I don't see any yellow label, but I bought the amp used in the late 70's. When I bought it, the aluminum dome was missing, so at some point, I replaced the basket. I don't know how, or if, that affected the original tone. Since the basket was made to be replaceable, and it was the same part, I wouldn't expect there to have been a difference. If you look at the specs, the EPS-15C is very similar, except less high end response. Considering that the Session 400 tends to have a very sensitive (some might say harsh) treble control, the EPS-15C is a good match. Honestly, I have to really listen hard in an A/B situation to hear the difference. And of course, the EPS-15C is a few pounds lighter.