It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:43 am


Cerwin-Vega for organ?

Speakers, amplifiers, headphones, multi-channel audio, reverb units, mixers, wiring, ...
  • Author
  • Message
Offline

scottherbert

Member

  • Posts: 466
  • Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:22 pm
  • Location: Southern Colorado, USA

Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostWed Mar 01, 2017 1:28 pm

O.K. folks, I know this is going to start a firestorm, but here goes. I have an opportunity to get 4 Cerwin Vega AT100 speakers, with 15" woofers, dual 5" mids, and a tweety, for under $100. I have read opposing views on how they sound for real music (i.e., NOT rock and/or roll).

Another thought was to get them, and replace the components with ones more suitable, to which my wife said, " But when will you ever get around to it?" Good point! :oops:

Any opinions? :roll:

~S
"Life is just a dream, it is in death that we truly awaken!"
Offline
User avatar

TheOrganDoc

Member

  • Posts: 800
  • Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:13 pm
  • Location: South East, Florida, USA

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostWed Mar 01, 2017 6:07 pm

I originally used a CV 18" speaker for my Sub, and then I bought a Peavy 1200 watt Low Rider, and have been fairly happy with it, I don't think the CV would put out enough 32 Hz or even Lower bass. Keep in touch , Mel :roll:
Mel..............TheOrganDoc...............
Offline
User avatar

magnaton

Member

  • Posts: 682
  • Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2015 6:28 pm
  • Location: Austin, TX

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostWed Mar 01, 2017 7:53 pm

Hey Scott:

I have a pair of Cerwin-Vega model D7 which look very similar to the AT-100. Another HW friend has a pair of Cerwin-Vega AT-12 and AT-15 speakers. We are both using them for Hauptwerk and are very pleased. I purchased mine in the 1980s and auditioned them with a mix tape (remember those) of mainly pipe organ selections.

In addition to stereo playback of CDs, I would run keyboards and an EPS Sampler through these back in the day and friends were amazed on how good the sound was. Of course I'm strictly speaking of my D7s, you might want to compare the specs between the 2. As a manufacture, I'm sure CV used the same driver designs across many speaker models to leverage the original RD costs. The woofers sure look the same across these different models.

In my setup I have a combination of this pair plus studio monitors (10 channels). For most Classical sample sets I simply send all Pedal stops to them and being a 3-way design I don't worry about missing the upper frequencies or harmonics in a Reed or say a 4' Flute.

On the flip side, with certain ranks and different organs, the stops just come 'alive' when routed to the studio monitors verses the CVs. When I first got them, as the saying goes, I didn't realize what I was missing! Which made sense given the studio monitors are designed to be as accurate as possilbe . A few ranks (again subjective to different organs) sounded about the same between studio monitors and the CVs. For those few, I routed to the CVs to offload the work from the monitors.

If these are in good playable condition, under $100 sounds like a great deal!

Danny B.
Offline

scottherbert

Member

  • Posts: 466
  • Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:22 pm
  • Location: Southern Colorado, USA

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostWed Mar 01, 2017 8:27 pm

Thanks Danny and Mel. Danny, I guess the woofers need to be re-foamed, which is no big deal, but from your description, I should probably look at replacing the other drivers as well. This changes the affordability aspect considerably! :shock: I mean, if I am changing drivers, I might as well be changing the crossover to something higher quality and more suitable to the new drivers, and .....

So I would just be buying the cabinets, which I could build, for less, I guess. :roll:

Seems like I've been here before!

~S
"Life is just a dream, it is in death that we truly awaken!"
Offline
User avatar

magnaton

Member

  • Posts: 682
  • Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2015 6:28 pm
  • Location: Austin, TX

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostWed Mar 01, 2017 11:10 pm

I've only had the woofers repaired once with new surrounds. The midrange and tweeter (1" voice coil) drivers are all original and still sounding pretty good. One cabinet started to separate on the corner and would rattle on certain low notes. Using 2 large pipe clamps and wood glue I was able to repair it from the inside.

If I were to replace the other drivers, I would make sure they were direct replacements. I wouldn't want to 'improve' on their design.

Danny B.
Offline

scottherbert

Member

  • Posts: 466
  • Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:22 pm
  • Location: Southern Colorado, USA

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostThu Mar 02, 2017 9:52 am

Yeah, but you said some ranks "came alive when routed through the monitors." So doesn't that mean that you think that they have superior drivers to the CV?
"Life is just a dream, it is in death that we truly awaken!"
Offline
User avatar

magnaton

Member

  • Posts: 682
  • Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2015 6:28 pm
  • Location: Austin, TX

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostThu Mar 02, 2017 12:24 pm

scottherbert wrote:Yeah, but you said some ranks "came alive when routed through the monitors." So doesn't that mean that you think that they have superior drivers to the CV?


I wouldn't give all the credit just to the drivers. You may have read here that active studio monitors have a perfectly matched bi-amp and driver combo with a crossover, field controls, cabinet, etc. to work together as a cohesive unit. The goal is to get as accurate flat sound reproduction as possible. This is actually focused on live sound and mixing (thus the term "studio" as in recording studio) which most HW samples qualify.

That being said, I've tried and or heard HW through powered PA speakers, passive PA speakers, (both of which a stage band would use), medium grade bookshelf speakers, cheap bookshelf speakers, and actual organ speakers for used by brand A. IMHO, my Cervin-Vegas sound better than any of these. I have a HW friend who is starting off and is using ESS speakers that have a passive radiator design and ribbon tweeter. These sound surprisingly well with HW, about equal with the CVs maybe not quite as powerful.

Danny B.
Offline
User avatar

TheOrganDoc

Member

  • Posts: 800
  • Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:13 pm
  • Location: South East, Florida, USA

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostThu Mar 02, 2017 2:57 pm

For $100 If you have the room for them, "GO FOR IT",
Cerwin Vega Speakers, are of Very Professional Quality, especially for that money .

I would not hesitate to use them in a Concert Hall for Music, or Hauptwerk .

But, do not Expect much output in the 16' Range ! ! !

I don' think you will ever find a better buy anywhere !

They are built for Powerful-quality-high level Sound ! :D


Mel
Last edited by TheOrganDoc on Fri Mar 03, 2017 4:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mel..............TheOrganDoc...............
Offline

scottherbert

Member

  • Posts: 466
  • Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:22 pm
  • Location: Southern Colorado, USA

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostFri Mar 03, 2017 1:02 pm

Thanks again guys, I really value your opinions! Although I don't like to admit it in a public forum, I am on limited income, so I have to watch every centavo. And, as my wife likes to say, I always dream more than I can afford! But I have made do with a very old pair of stereo speakers for both HW and our Stereo for a very long time, and they just don't have a full enough range, either low or high. I would love to get the monitors and a sub, but I just don't have the budget. I LOVE true high fidelity!!! But keeping the lights on and putting food on the table comes first. So I guess we will see.

~S
"Life is just a dream, it is in death that we truly awaken!"
Offline

scottherbert

Member

  • Posts: 466
  • Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 4:22 pm
  • Location: Southern Colorado, USA

Re: Cerwin-Vega for organ?

PostSun Mar 05, 2017 6:28 pm

Ach, too slow to the punch. Someone else got the deal. That's what happens when you live 75 miles from civilization, in the time it takes to travel, things get sold!

Oh well, back to the farm.

~S
"Life is just a dream, it is in death that we truly awaken!"

Return to Amplification

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest