Best 10 Inch Guitar Speaker – Top 3 Reviews, FAQs, Buyers’ Guide & More

What are the important features to consider while buying guitar speakers?

Upgrading your guitar speakers is a tough task because you need to look for multiple factors and specifications. Following are some important features to consider before you buy a new guitar speaker. 

Speaker Diameter:

There are different types of speaker diameters available with their individual characteristics and specifications. 4”, 6”, 8”, 10”, 12” and 15” inches are the different sizes of speaker diameter. Generally, the guitarists prefer using 12 inch drivers due to the adequate frequency response and break-up characteristics. It is known to be the most commonly used speaker driver. 

The 10” speaker driver also holds considerable importance in the market due to its compact size, high frequency production and noise reduction characteristics. They fit-in the cabinet size really well. 15 inch speakers are known to produce low frequency bands and they deliver clear and deep sound without any distortion. 

Power:

Power is an important term and is used oftenly when you talk about speakers. Power rating basically determines the maximum power of an amplifier that a speaker can adequately handle. The sound output is directly linked to the power rating. For instance, a powerful and strong structure that can handle considerably more power, requires the components to be of greater mass and sturdiness. This linkage prevents the generation of break-up states. 

Speaker Design: 

You need to understand this factor that the tonal quality and speaker’s overall performance depends on the speaker design. Speaker design includes the build material  and design of the internal components. Speaker cones are generally made of heavy paper-like material and other synthetic fibers. The back and forth movement of the speaker cone will determine the point where the break-up of output occurs. Thinner speaker cones generally have a compressed sound production and output break-ups at lower volumes.  

Another important component in the speaker design is the speaker magnet. Heavy magnets tend to affect the bass response on a greater level. Not only the size and weight, but the magnet material also defines its strength. Vintage speakers generally have ceramic magnets. The alnico magnets are known for producing strong magnetic fields that results in production of a compressed sound. Alnico speakers are comparatively heavier. Neodymium magnets are known to be lightweight and have strong magnetic fields. Speakers that have portability features, mostly use neodymium magnets. 

British vs American Tone:

American tone guitar speakers have been quite known and popular. American tone guitar speakers are best for music genres like country, rock ‘n’ roll and surf because of the hard-edged sound. It is known for a sound deliverance which is detailed, clear and noise free. There are many different speakers that produce the American tonal quality. British sound speakers have low power ratings and they produce smooth and satisfying distortion.

Why do I need a 10-Inch guitar speaker?

There are so many different options available when it comes to buying guitar speakers. There are different speaker sizes and each size has distinctive characteristics and specifications. The speaker sizes are mentioned above with detailed descriptions. Out of all the available sizes, the 10 inch guitar speaker is considered to be one of the best and most convenient and versatile among all. 10 inch speakers produce a great tonal quality and sound has comparatively less distortion. Due to the compact size, the inner speaker cones are made of thin material hence they produce more intense vibration. Intense production of vibration leads to a detailed and clear sound deliverance. 10 inch guitar speakers can be a perfect speaker for your practice or jamming sessions since they don’t create a major sound disturbance that will bother your surroundings. 

Does a guitar speaker ohms matter?

Yes, it does matter. It is important for you to make sure that the impedance (ohms) of the guitar speaker is equal to the impedance of the amplifier’s output. Generally, the amplifiers consist of multiple outputs of different impedance level i.e 4,8 or 16 ohms. There can be amplifiers that do not provide multiple outputs so you need to limit the output and buy the speaker accordingly. Many high end brands have amplifiers with multiple outputs. 

Tube Amplifiers:

Although in tube amplifiers, you cannot use multiple impedances because that will lead to the amplifier’s transformer or speaker’s break down. So it is important for you to check the specifications beforehand. Following are some points that you need to keep in mind while using tube amplifiers:

• Do not use different impedances
• Do not turn on the amplifier without connecting the speaker 
• Do not unplug the speaker while the amplifier is on 

Transistorized/Solid-state amplifiers:

The transistorized or solid-state amplifiers can support the multiple usage of impedance levels. If you use different impedance, it will not cause any transformer or speaker breakage. But it will have its effect on the overall power production. 

What factors to look for while buying a 10-Inch guitar speaker?

Following are some important factors to look for while buying a 10 inch guitar speaker:

Impedance: 

As mentioned earlier, impedance is an important factor to check before you buy a guitar speaker. The speaker’s impedance should be equal to the impedance that is indicated on the amplifier’s output. Some amplifiers do have multiple outputs for different impedance levels and some have only one. So you need to check the impedance level and buy the speaker accordingly. 

Durability:

Durability is an important factor since a guitar speaker is not a small investment and you would want it to last you a long duration of time. So you need to check that the hardware and internal speaker components are made of powerful and sturdy material that can resist harsh environments. Fibre and synthetic build materials are one of the best for durability. 

Wattage:

Wattage is the power amount that your speakers can produce. So you need a guitar speaker with considerable high wattage so that it is capable of producing high quality output. 

Built-in Effects:

Built-effects are found in many new and upgraded speakers. It is upto your choice and preference what effects you will be needing for your music. It is better that you go for a guitar speaker that has in-built effects so that you don’t have to buy additional components if you need any of the effects later. 

Speaker Cabinet size: 

This feature is again depending on your personal preference. You need to decide beforehand what cabinet size you want. The cabinet size for a whole 4×4 system will be different and if you need speakers for your practice sessions, then the size would be different. 

What is the difference between Alnico and ceramic magnets?

In earlier times Alnico magnets were available and widely used. In the late 1970s, the manufacturers switched to ceramic magnets due to unavailability of alnico magnets. Even though ceramic magnets were made with exact magnetic energy as alnico magnets to be a good replacement they have some differences. For instance, alnico magnets have stronger ability against flux modulation and they have a better heat stability than ceramic magnets. Another difference is that alnico magnets are more suitable for shielded applications. However, there are a few weak points too. The biggest difference is that alnico magnets are prone to demagnetization. This weak point could also be prevented by providing more power to alnico magnets during manufacturing. The main difference is the price of both magnets in which ceramic magnet is more costly than alnico.