Well I did it. After shopping around for the past couple months and reading every post I could find, watching every video I could find I took the leap and bought a new Peavey Valveking II 20 watt combo. I love the amp. I get good tone at low volume, and can practice at bedroom level as well as getting loud enough to jam or gig small venues. I love the amps clean channel and the dirt channel goes beyond my needs. So what else could I want? Well, although the tone is good with the factory speaker I would like more low end. The high end and definition of the stock Valveking speaker is pretty good, but it can get a little fizzy with distortion set at high gain. Would the ET90 be the best choice for my amp?
I don't think the ET90 would be a bad choice ... but my gut tells me the Reaper or Reaper HP would be the BEST choice ... but my disclaimer is that I've never played through that amp!
I've got three Reaper 30s. One is in a 25 watt Peavey Bravo, another is in a Peavey Express and the third is laying in wait for a Peavey Classic 30 to come along at the right price. I've been interested in the Valve Kings too and if I got one like yours I would definitely go with the Reaper- no doubt about it.
The Reaper is fantastic. Nice full and resonant low end and sparkly crips highs and very articulate and well-rounded. I can guarantee you will like it way better than the stock BM- no comparison. Great for lower-watt amps IMHO. Sounds super at low volumes or high volumes. Has nice speaker break-up when pushed too but still pretty clean.
While I do not have the ET90, I'm very interested in it. I have an old Peavey Stereo Chorus 400 that I recently refurbished and I think it would just love a pair of ET90s. They are also 100 watts which is what both of the speakers would need to be rated at as it is a 200 watt RMS amp. But for lower-powered amps, I think I would stick with the Reaper.
Thanks guys! That will help. Any demos of the reaper on you tube?
Hey I also have a Valveking II 20w but my needs are slightly different.
a. Will wake up the amp - make it more lively.
b. Without beinig overly bright or tons of bottom end (I run a Super Champ X2 in tandem with the Peavey. Using a separate oversized cab with a 10" blue alnico, the X2 gives me lots of brights and a big ole bottom).
c. Is extremely versatile - something that does all sounds (everything less than uber BRUTALZ) well. All generes from very clean to pretty well overdriven.
It doesn't need to be extra loud or anything - I'm mostly a studio guy. Think articulate, responsive and extremely versatile/able to handle anything I throw at it.
I am looking at the Retro 30 or the ET65. (Maybe a g12c/s, but I might get a c/s to replace the somteimes overly bright alnico blue in the SCX2, so I don't know).
Wow ... your needs are actually QUITE different! And ... for you ... I'd say go ET65, FOR SURE!!
This summer I picked up a Valveking II micro head. It has the same output section as my combo. I'm building a stereo rig and I just ordered a Reaper HP for this cab. I hope the blend of ET90 I got for my combo and the Reaper HP sounds as good as I think it will. One question though. The cab I'm using with the mini head is closed. Which speaker will work better in a closed cab, or should I convert the second cab to an open one?
Man ... the Reaper will sound excellent in a closed back cab!
Hi Vaughn, I have a VKII 20 watts and need a speaker able to give more fatter low end, i play country and using the Bridge pick up on my telecaster, on clean channel i have to dial the bass at 7 or 8 to get a nice warm tone, on the lead channel, it's at 10 and would need a lot more to be happy, i replace the 12ax7 on this channel to drop the gain, i use now a 12ay7 and it's now more controlable! i was thinking at the ET65, what do you think?
I think a Reaper HP is probably your best choice!
Thanks for your time Vaughn!