Replacement driver for Ampeg BA300 115

[bassintheface]

Hi,

My Ampeg BA300 115 has been in for repair as it was sounding a bit dodgy.

The engineer (someone I know personally, who has just become an 'official' Aguilar UK service / repair guy so I trust him) has just let me know that the driver is knackered. The amp section is fine.

It's a 15" Chinese made Eminence. There's no model number or other identifying mark on it from what we can see.

Does anyone have any recommendations / suggestions for an upgraded / better quality driver for it?
I've looked on the Eminence site and there's loads of options just there.
It be handy to have some 'real life' experience recommendations.

It's not my main rig - I use it for rehearsals infrequently and as my spare rig.

Thanks.

BITF

[brensabre79]

Contact Eminence, they are usually pretty helpful. They might be able to point you in the right direction for a replacement, or even supply OEM. It's a risky business sticking any old 15" driver in there.

[chris_b]

Risky, how so?

Ampeg probably "threw" a cheapy speaker into the cab in the first place.

An Eminence 15 from Blue Aran will probably be a better speaker than the original.

Can the speaker be reconed?

+1 for asking Eminence first.

[stevie]

That combo looks like it would benefit from a better quality driver than a Chinese Eminence. One of the first problems you have to contend with when upgrading drivers is that the better ones have cast chassis, which are larger than the cheaper pressed steel chassis which you probably have at the moment. There are plenty of pressed steel chassis that will do the trick, but if you're serious about fitting a top quality driver you have to be prepared to do a bit (not a lot) of woodwork.

Then it's a matter of measuring up the interior of your cab, figuring out what will work, and deciding how much you'd like to spend. A pressed steel chassis will cost between £80 and £100, or up to about £200 for a cast chassis neodymium driver.