Current status of WGS speakers?

[MadAsAHatter]

I haven't tried a new WGS speaker since back when they first became popular and you could get them for $50 new; so near 10 years ago. I even still have a couple Retro 30's an ET65 & ET90 hanging around. My experience back then was of the ones I tried, they all sounded really good to an extent. They had a tone I liked and up to about medium volume it was WOW! this is a great speaker regardless of the price. But once I turned it up to band volumes that all just fell apart. They became mushy, inarticulate and undefined. To refresh my hearing I gave the ones I still have another go. It was pretty much the same thing as before. I could see where bedroom players would love them because they performed really well at that volume level. When you hit volumes needed for live situations WGS was a big ole nope for me. For comparisons sake it's the complete opposite with my Celestion and Webber speakers. They love volume. The more volume you give them the better they sound.

I've been a Madison Square Bedroom player for while, but still crank things up on a regular basis. I wouldn't mind giving WGS another chance if performance is better than before. So have things changed in the last decade with new production WGS speakers? Can they preform well under high volume or do they still turn to mush past moderate levels?

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

Interesting. I had an ET65 16 ohm that loved getting full volume punishment from a 4104. Maybe different ohm ratings or earlier/later production models were better?

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I haven't tried a new WGS speaker since back when they first became popular and you could get them for $50 new; so near 10 years ago. I even still have a couple Retro 30's an ET65 & ET90 hanging around. My experience back then was of the ones I tried, they all sounded really good to an extent. They had a tone I liked and up to about medium volume it was WOW! this is a great speaker regardless of the price. But once I turned it up to band volumes that all just fell apart. They became mushy, inarticulate and undefined. To refresh my hearing I gave the ones I still have another go. It was pretty much the same thing as before. I could see where bedroom players would love them because they performed really well at that volume level. When you hit volumes needed for live situations WGS was a big ole nope for me. For comparisons sake it's the complete opposite with my Celestion and Webber speakers. They love volume. The more volume you give them the better they sound.

I've been a Madison Square Bedroom player for while, but still crank things up on a regular basis. I wouldn't mind giving WGS another chance if performance is better than before. So have things changed in the last decade with new production WGS speakers? Can they preform well under high volume or do they still turn to mush past moderate levels?

My experience with the Vet 30 and ET65 was the mostly the same as yours. I do have to say that was mostly with high gain though. My favorite use for that pair was in an open back 2x12 for clean and roots type tones. It had a warm and sweet vintage tone to it. Under highgain in closed or open back cabs they flattened out and turned to mush at high volumes.

I had much better luck with the pair of ET90's I had. Those retained quite a bit more punch and articulation at high volumes.

I do plan on eventually giving their Blackhawk HP alnico a spin. They get pretty stellar reviews, and I love high powered alnico speakers. I've currently got a pair of 100 watt Fane alnicos, and a quad of vintage alnico EV SRO's.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

I do plan on eventually giving their Blackhawk HP alnico a spin. They get pretty stellar reviews, and I love high powered alnico speakers.

If you like high powered Alnico's, have you looked at Weber's British Alnico line? They have several that you can choose anywhere from 15-100 watts. They have what amounts to an Alnico version of a G12H30 (55Hz cone) that can be made at 100 watts. I'm interested in that one.

https://www.tedweber.com/speakers/british-series/12-models-4/alnico-9/

 

[DrewJD82]

I have no clue when they were made, but my dad ended up buying a storage unit that was fucking filled with speakers and when his hoarding got him thrown out of his place, I grabbed a few handfuls and tossed them in my kitchen. I’ve had the Retro 30’s in a 2x12 for a while and dug them, but there’s some British Legends in this pile I want to check out, as well as a bunch more Retro 30’s and one or two other types.

Anyone try those British Legends before?

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

If you like high powered Alnico's, have you looked at Weber's British Alnico line? They have several that you can choose anywhere from 15-100 watts. They have what amounts to an Alnico version of a G12H30 (55Hz cone) that can be made at 100 watts. I'm interested in that one.

https://www.tedweber.com/speakers/british-series/12-models-4/alnico-9/

I have had one Weber speaker so far, their G12H30 (55 hz) clone and tbt while it was a good speaker, it wasn't great. Tbt it kinda reminded me of the WGS speakers in that when pushed it lacked balls and punch. To me it sounded more like a Greenback than it does my two Heritage G12H30 (55hz). The Celestions have far bigger and puncher lows, better clarity, and can handle way more.high volume abuse.

Also the fact that none of their EV clones have cast frames, yet they try to claim they get the same tones is ludicrous. Then there's the fact that most of their speakers have far lower sensitivity ratings than the speakers they claim.to emulate/duplicate, and I have a love for high sensitivity speakers. Most of my favorites land in the ~100-103db range. They just feel more responsive and present.

Between those factors it has kinda turned me off to trying more of their speakers.

I most likely plan on having Weber recone my Coffee Can EV SRO15 eventually, and have another with the OG cone to compare it to.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

I have had one Weber speaker so far, their G12H30 (55 hz) clone and tbt while it was a good speaker, it wasn't great. Tbt it kinda reminded me of the WGS speakers in that when pushed it lacked balls and punch. To me it sounded more like a Greenback than it does my two Heritage G12H30 (55hz). The Celestions have far bigger and puncher lows, better clarity, and can handle way more.high volume abuse.

Also the fact that none of their EV clones have cast frames, yet they try to claim they get the same tones is ludicrous. Then there's the fact that most of their speakers have far lower sensitivity ratings than the speakers they claim.to emulate/duplicate, and I have a love for high sensitivity speakers. Most of my favorites land in the ~100-103db range. They just feel more responsive and present.

Between those factors it has kinda turned me off to trying more of their speakers.

So far I've just tried their Grey Wolf, Silver Wolf and Alnico Blue Dog 15". It's not listed but they do sound like they have a lower SPL rating, maybe 98 or 99 dB. But those sound really good when pushed. Not quite as articulate as Celestions at high volume but nowhere near sounding like mush. Much better than my experience with WGS.

 

[D-Rock]

Back in 2005 ish era I had Retro 30s, ET65s, BL80s and Vet30s. All 16 ohm
I still use the Vet30s almost daily as they are wicked sounding. I remember selling the others based only on tone preference.
My Vet30s sound great at extremely high volume. The low mids are meaty and kinda dark, there's no shhhh or kawww high mid sound like a Vintage 30. The highs aren't super present but still spicy. Big fat lows that never get overwhelmed.
They are old label mind you dated 2005, with primer gray baskets. Which I had heard and read are better than newer production. I can't say because I've never owned a new label speaker from them.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

Back in 2005 ish era I had Retro 30s, ET65s, BL80s and Vet30s. All 16 ohm
I still use the Vet30s almost daily as the are wicked sounding. I remember selling the others based only on tone preference.
My Vet30s sound great at extremely high volume. The low mids are meaty and kinda dark, there's no shhhh or kawww high mid sound like a Vintage 30. The highs are mild but spicy. Big fat lows that never get overwhelmed.
They are old label mind you dated 2005, with primer gray baskets. Which I had heard and read are better than newer production. I can't say because I've never owned a new label speaker from them.

View attachment 423442

Yeah my ET65 which is only one I ever tried was like these.

 

[EyesOfTheSouth!]

I hoard speakers of all brands. Most WGS are OK….:.not great. But I’ve never heard the mush at volume thing. My issue was that a few models had a “cloud” of noise around notes/chords regardless of volume.

My favorite standard model is the Invader. But the new 65 watt Invader HV is outstanding. It has a vented magnet and I was blasting a pair last weekend and no mush to be found.

Their spin off company Amperian takes things a step further. A line of high watt, vented magnet speakers in either 55hz or 75hz with the choice of M or H magnets. These are my favorite speakers ever in 2x12 cabs. My favorites being the Explorer 65, Explorer 60, and Revolution 60. The Revolution 65 isn’t bad, but a little too much high mid/presence zing for me. The entire line is its own thing and not meant to be copies or improved Celestions.

I can’t believe Amperian doesn’t get talked about. I’ll never take the UK greenbacks out of my 4x12, but I have three 2x12’s with Amperians and the 65 watt Invader HV mixed in here and there.