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Post by slivjakm on Feb 21, 2017 12:50:19 GMT -7
So I was lucky enough to find a used (!) Cure on TGP last week and I jumped right on it. At this point in my playing days, my goal was the lightest, smallest, simplest amp I could find since the places I play always have great PA systems (i.e., low stage volumes required) and I get all my dirt and effects through pedals anyway. This is my 6th Dr. Z amp so I always trust they'll be good without having to play one. The Z-12 speaker sounds great with the amp, maybe a little brittle on the top end but I assume that'll smooth out as it breaks in. But I was curious how it would sound with other speakers...that said, I did not actually swap out speakers, just plugged the internal speaker jack into 1) A Bad Cat 112 open back with a Celestion V30, 2) a Dr. Z 112 closed back with a Celestion Blue, and 3) an Avatar 112 closed back with a Celestion Greenback. Guitar used was a PRS Brent Mason, which has a HSH configuration and both hums split. The Cure was run with the Master and Level wide open, and the volume around 9:30-10:00 and the pedals I use to simulate different amps are a TBIAC (Vox), Paisley Drive (Fender), a DLS v3 (Marshall) and a ZenDrive (Dumble). So, in this very unscientific testing, the only speaker that I liked a bit better was the V30, influenced of course by the fact it's a decent sized cab with a broken in speaker. The Blue got flubby on the neck pickup, and the Greenback was 'meh'. So of course the next step was to plug the Bad Cat cab into the external jack with the Cure sitting on top. Amazing how much air those 2 speakers moved in tandem. I started playing Doyle Bramhall's 'Problem Child' to push the bass and...dayum! Sounded great, as did all the amp pedals through the 2 cab setup. Definitely a keeper! Have fun and let me know what else you try through it.
Mark
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sam
Junior Member
Posts: 91
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Post by sam on Feb 21, 2017 18:05:38 GMT -7
Cool report. I think the Z12 will mellow nicely. Mine mellowed significantly after a dozen or more gigs where I pushed it pretty hard.
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Post by Faze on Feb 21, 2017 18:45:33 GMT -7
I been pounding my Z-12 speaker trying to break it in. Actually it sounds pretty good already but I think once it breaks in its gonna be the perfect speaker. Today nobody was home so I got to crank the Cure up and just punish that Z 12 speaker. Man was that fun! and oh what a tone! Its kind of crazy but almost every Z amp I purchased I was constantly changing speakers but since Doc came out with the Z speaker I have been completely satisfied with it. I even had one in my 1/12 cab that I was using with the therapy and had no plans on changing it but I sold my therapy and cab to get the cure. Its also in my Z-lux and that speaker sounds great with the Z-Lux.
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Post by paddywhacker on Feb 22, 2017 7:13:46 GMT -7
...i'm occasionally using a 1-12 extension cab loaded with a C-Rex with my Cure...the C-Rex warms up the top end a bit and is a touch louder than the Z-12 and sounds pretty good paired with it....... by itself i'm still liking the Z-12 better than either the C-Rex or the Tonker that i also have...i've also run the Cure through a 2-10 cab loaded with an Emi 1028 ...(which i like for low volume. lo-fi sound)...and a Weber 10F150 ( that i like for a stout classic blackface tone).....still digging the Z-12 best...have not yet tried a Celestion Gold which is one of my faves with just about any amp....
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Post by Faze on Feb 22, 2017 10:50:00 GMT -7
...i'm occasionally using a 1-12 extension cab loaded with a C-Rex with my Cure...the C-Rex warms up the top end a bit and is a touch louder than the Z-12 and sounds pretty good paired with it....... by itself i'm still liking the Z-12 better than either the C-Rex or the Tonker that i also have...i've also run the Cure through a 2-10 cab loaded with an Emi 1028 ...(which i like for low volume. lo-fi sound)...and a Weber 10F150 ( that i like for a stout classic blackface tone).....still digging the Z-12 best...have not yet tried a Celestion Gold which is one of my faves with just about any amp.... Loved the gold in the Maz Jr. I would be interested to know what the gold sounds like in the Cure. Although I think it would add some weight to it. The gold is a great speaker and it does match up well with a lot of the Docs amps.
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Post by justjoshinya on Feb 22, 2017 20:37:19 GMT -7
I threw a C-Rex in my cure this eve and love it, I think it adds some of the bass i was missing from the Z-Lux and rolls some of the highs off. I am actually running my eq's all at noon!
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kfkm
Full Member
Revelator 61
Posts: 162
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Post by kfkm on Feb 23, 2017 9:12:54 GMT -7
I threw a C-Rex in my cure this eve and love it, I think it adds some of the bass i was missing from the Z-Lux and rolls some of the highs off. I am actually running my eq's all at noon! Does the C-Rex add any weight to the Cure and is it louder or quieter than the stock Z speaker? I haven't had any problems with bass in mine and actually like the stock speaker a lot.
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Post by justjoshinya on Feb 23, 2017 15:26:15 GMT -7
I don't think it added much if any weight, the overall sound is just a bit beefier, the bass seems a little tighter and the highs are a little less bright. I think the Z12 and C-Rex are pretty close in voiceing. The C-Rex makes my Cure feel and respond a little closer to the way I had my Z-Lux set.
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Post by dickieg on Jun 13, 2017 8:12:52 GMT -7
This may be a dumb question, but I'm used to 3 different ohm options on Dr Z Amps....and if I want to use 2 8 ohm cabs, I just use the 4 ohm out - and a "Y" cable. On the Cure, there's just the "internal" and "external" option.....How does that work with 2 cabs - do you use both??
THanks guys dickie@thegarretts.net
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Post by tgftele on Jun 13, 2017 14:02:42 GMT -7
Also wondering about the internal/external outs on the Cure. Also, how does the C Rex sound when the amp is breaking up? Is it much different? Love the C Rex!
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Post by simpleton on Jun 13, 2017 14:28:20 GMT -7
This may be a dumb question, but I'm used to 3 different ohm options on Dr Z Amps....and if I want to use 2 8 ohm cabs, I just use the 4 ohm out - and a "Y" cable. On the Cure, there's just the "internal" and "external" option.....How does that work with 2 cabs - do you use both?? THanks guys dickie@thegarretts.net The external and internal speaker both need to be 8ohm. Everything is wired by Z for that. So Cure is 8ohm and external speaker cab is 8 ohm...it's just plug and play. No options for other ohms. I've been using my Cure with a 1x12 convertible cab that has a 50watt Weber ceramic Blue Dog. The 2 speakers sound great together and give a wide sonic feeling.
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Post by LT on Jun 16, 2017 7:15:40 GMT -7
I don't think it added much if any weight, the overall sound is just a bit beefier, the bass seems a little tighter and the highs are a little less bright. I think the Z12 and C-Rex are pretty close in voiceing. The C-Rex makes my Cure feel and respond a little closer to the way I had my Z-Lux set. I just picked up a C-rex. Looking forward to hearing it in the Cure.
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Post by tgftele on Jun 18, 2017 9:09:53 GMT -7
Put my C Rex in the Cure yesterday and put it through its paces last night. I love it in there. Don't think it's a better speaker than the Z12, just adds a touch of bass and sweetens the top end just a touch. Other than that sounds fairly similar. Break up felt a bit different but not enough to really be able to put a good description on it. Just my thoughts from my ears of course.
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Post by Dannorox on Mar 17, 2019 7:55:06 GMT -7
I just put an Alnico Cream in my Cure. I was looking for a little more bass, as well as a tighter low end. The Cream is still breaking in, but I’m not sure if it will stay. It changed the tone a lot, but it does create more headroom, more bass and a tighter low end. The original Z-12 was not 100% broken in either, so I’m gonna start going back and forth to see what I like best. So far, I’m not sure I would have instantly fallen in love with the Cure if it came with the Alnico Cream. It makes it sound more British, loosing a lot of the Fender feel and tone. I already have lots of British-Style amps, so I don’t want to loose what it had. We shall see. Anyone else drop a Alnico Cream in their Cure combo?
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Post by LT on Mar 17, 2019 17:54:33 GMT -7
Update on my Cure speaker. I now have an Em Little Texas Neo in it. Love the tone and the weight reduction!
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Post by southmusic70 on Mar 17, 2019 18:11:32 GMT -7
++++Emmy Lil Texas Neo in the Cure
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Post by crabby on Jul 24, 2019 22:20:11 GMT -7
I have only had my Cure for a week. But because I have a spare Alnico Cream sitting around, I just had to give it a try. So far I’m really liking it in this amp. I really like the big bottom of the Z-12 but tend to lean toward more mid focussed speakers. The Cream has that ultra smooth top end and sweet mids that are kind of addicting. My Gretsch Duo Jet sounds just phenomenal with this speaker.
But I’m still not sure if it will stay as the Z-12 is no slouch and because it has less of a mid focus, it sounds a bit more open and clean. Tough call!
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Post by jimmysmith on Jul 25, 2019 6:59:53 GMT -7
anyone comment on using a 25 watt ceramic spkr in their Cure? I have one of those tone tubby 25 watt humboldts id like to switch out with a 100 watt one I have in it..
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tommc
New Member
Posts: 12
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Post by tommc on Apr 5, 2020 17:52:29 GMT -7
I bought a used Cure a couple years ago (serial number 4, confirmed). the stock speaker was virtually new when I got it as the previous owner had changed speaker as soon as he got it. I tried a couple different speakers when I first got it but they were both fairly new also, so not broken in. After watching the vid where Dr Z explained what how the Cure speaker was developed, I decided I needed to put it in and give it some time to break in. After a year, I still didn't love it. So I have now put an Eminence Josh Smith in and I like it a lot better. For lack of a better description I'll say the amp now sounds much more Fender blackface. With a Strymon Flint in the loop, this is pretty darn close to a Fender Deluxe Reverb to my old ears. Give it a try if that interests you.
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Post by Seńor Verde on Apr 13, 2020 19:07:38 GMT -7
I'm really diggin' the Eminence GA-SC64 12" with my Cure and Allen amps.
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Post by kenjazz on Jun 7, 2021 19:14:35 GMT -7
I tried a Austin Speaker Works Peacemaker with my cure; Used it for awhile and found I like the Z12 better. It just matches the amp better.
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Post by kenjazz on Jun 7, 2021 19:19:47 GMT -7
Using the ASW as an extension speaker gives a nice full tone.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2021 3:22:56 GMT -7
Zman, I recently bought a Cure amp used on Reveb, since I am a buyer seller for 5yrs. I am getting older these days, next yr. I am pushing the Big 70, any way I got the amp at a good price, the speaker that was in was Celestion Creamback, I am an Eminence Man, I dropped in a Wi,zard, BRITISH FLAVORED AND 56OZ. MAGNET, wow the amp is amazeing, I have had many amps through the yrs. but I must say, Dr. Z amps are awesome.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Aug 22, 2021 5:14:08 GMT -7
Zman, I recently bought a Cure amp used on Reveb, since I am a buyer seller for 5yrs. I am getting older these days, next yr. I am pushing the Big 70, any way I got the amp at a good price, the speaker that was in was Celestion Creamback, I am an Eminence Man, I dropped in a Wi,zard, BRITISH FLAVORED AND 56OZ. MAGNET, wow the amp is amazeing, I have had many amps through the yrs. but I must say, Dr. Z amps are awesome. Welcome to the group, it's a great bunch of people! The Cure is one of my favorite Z amps, it's light and punches well above it's weight. I use it for rehearsals and gigs too, it never ceases to amaze me how Doc gets his small amps to avoid the 'boxy' curse. He makes the best amps on the planet.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I run the Z-12 speaker in my Cure. I tried some others and always come back to Doc's Z-12; it sounds great clean or overdriven.
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Post by "Z" Steve on Aug 22, 2021 9:15:14 GMT -7
Welcome to the forum! I've tried a few different speakers in my Cure, but the one that has stayed the longest is the Ragin Cajun. I use OD pedals to get where I'm going with any amp, but a few months ago I took a "risk" and used the EQ bypass for the 1st time. Glorious! Enjoy your Cure!!
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tmh77
New Member
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Post by tmh77 on Apr 18, 2024 8:49:49 GMT -7
Figured I would resurrect this thread instead of starting a new one,
Just picked up a used cure for a lightweight gigging amp after hearing one live numerous times over the last few months. Still waiting on delivery, but saw it was loaded with a 70w warehouse g12 c/s. I think I’ve seen a few posts that mention using this speaker with good results, it seems really efficient for the amp but I don’t have any experience with it, so if anyone does, and has any sort of point of reference of voicing I’d appreciate it.
Chose the cure over an old Princeton for reliability, and I did like my maz 18 when I had it, but it was pushing 50lbs and was getting tough for me to take out.
Thanks for any feedback/suggestions
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Post by tumeniamps (Tom) on Apr 18, 2024 9:04:28 GMT -7
I tried many speakers in my Cure, and settled on a Celestion Alnico Ruby. It sounds incredible in a Cure. Many others sounded great as well, but the Ruby really does it for me.
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Post by "Z" Steve on Apr 18, 2024 9:24:30 GMT -7
The stock Z 12 that came in mine sounded real good, but it seemed to have a bit too much high's. I saw that some users were recommending the Ragin' Cajun so I picked one up and really loved it. It might take you a few tries to find the tone you love, but it's in this amp if you are patient. Welcome to the forum! There's a lot of great insight and information here.
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tmh77
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by tmh77 on Apr 18, 2024 10:28:08 GMT -7
Thanks for the replies and suggestions, the warehouse description seems to address the high end, that leads me to think it was a swap by choice and not necessity. Looking forward to firing it up!
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Post by John on Apr 18, 2024 12:35:49 GMT -7
Thanks for the replies and suggestions, the warehouse description seems to address the high end, that leads me to think it was a swap by choice and not necessity. Looking forward to firing it up! My worthless two cents: Try the amp with the speaker that it comes with...and listen with an open mind, before worrying about changing speakers.
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