JBL D140F - 8 ohm speakers for steel?

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 17 May 2005 3:12 pm

How good are D140F's for steel? Anyone have some experience with them?

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 17 May 2005 4:37 pm

They sound fine, good choice for studio work. Won't handle as much power as modern speakers, but a nice "sweet" tone. They sound best in a sealed-back cabinet.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 17 May 2005 5:13 pm

Thanx Donny,

How would they compare to a D-130F? Or an SRO 15 B tone wise?

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 17 May 2005 10:14 pm

They have a heavy, ribbed cone for "bass guitar and organ" and are otherwise identical to the D130F or K130.

Pretty much the most rugged of JBL's instrument speakers, the heavier cone makes for a poorer high end response. Some folks really love that about them, though.

Incidentally, the baskets being identical, it is easy to recone to a K130.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 18 May 2005 4:25 am

Thanx Dave, I thought they would really do well on the C6th neck.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 18 May 2005 9:31 am

James,
As Dave said, these were the speakers that Fender used in their Bassman cab's
They do work very well for the C6 neck if you are looking for a darker tone, as they don't have the "sparkle" that the D130's have .....Still a great sounding speaker ...
Jim

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 18 May 2005 11:38 am

I've got one in a Twin, rune the treble on, like, 4, and it sounds fine!

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 18 May 2005 12:00 pm

<SMALL>I've got one in a Twin, rune the treble on, like, 4, and it sounds fine!</SMALL>

Ditto.. no shortage of top-end.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 23 May 2005 8:40 pm

They're pretty bulletproof, too.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 24 May 2005 1:06 pm

Well, They sure are rugged, Dave, to take organ music. I wonder how much difference there is betwwen the D-140's and the D-130's? How much high end DO you lose? Is it a slight difference, or is it a night and day difference? I sure like the idea of the ruggedness, but I sure don't want to take a huge cut in tone, either!

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 24 May 2005 2:12 pm

James,
I can only give you my experience, but I was looking for a D-130 when I found the D-140 I currently have in my Twin. I had exactly the same questions you have, but went ahead and bought it because it was affordable (especially compared to the going rate for D-130s).

I have played through Twins with a D-130 and mine with the D-140, and there is certainly a difference, but IMO, the 'loss' of high freq response is minimal and easily compensated for with moderate EQ change.

I don't have to run extreme amounts of treble and cut in the bright switch to get a bright enough tone. I think boosting the treble control a a notch or two did it for me... I think it's usually around 5 or so.

What I noticed a lot more than decrease in top-end was a tighter low-end response, which worked great for me. BTW, I played a Tele through my Twin with the D-140 for a year or too as well, and I thought it matched up nice with that too.

These are my opinions of course.. YMMV, everybody hears something different. I think I paid $140 bucks for my D-140 (original cone). What are the D-130s going for these days? $300 or more?

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 24 May 2005 6:46 pm

And my D140 is 4 ohms, which is just right for a Twin.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 24 May 2005 7:51 pm

Hi Bill, Thanx for the input! I can score these speakers, I have them on trial, they are a matched pair, and 8 ohms, never reconed. I can poke 'em into a pair of Marrs cabs, 'cause I like to run a pair of speakers on stage. I pushed them through my twin, and they sounded super, and never faultered. But I have never tried the D-130F's. I do have a pair of K-130's, though, and I hear they are nearly identical too the D's. I sure like them K's! I might bend and permanatly score this matched pair of D-140's.

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 24 May 2005 7:55 pm

Stephen, sounds like you have a super nice rig! I know I have lots of room to go on my treble knob on my '71 twin! HA! My buds sure sound sweet through that old twin!

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 26 May 2005 1:56 pm

Well, I tried the D140 up against my K130 that Woody just reconed a couple months ago. I will pass on the D140's. They are original, never been reconed. But they don't have the crispness that my K130 has. Some call it that high end "sparkle", I guess. Although I could dial in more highs, they tended to become "harsher". The lows were dominate enough to border being muddy, though they could be backed off and "make it work". So the K130 has a home with me. If I ever get a D130F, it may be better yet than the K130, I don't know. I have heard the K130s and the D130s are nearly the same in tone. I may be home and not realise it yet.HA!