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[Rasmus Broegaard]

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[Dennis Detweiler]

1503 was used in the early Peavey SP-2 PA speaker cabinets. I never tried them in a steel amp. I have a 1501 flat magnet spider in my old Session 400. Great speaker. I had 3 different years of 1501 speakers at one time and compared them side by side in identical cabinets. All 3 had a different tone, but the spider flat magnet was best. Currently, I have a pair of the 15" Eminence Wheelhouse speakers. They match the flat magnet 1501 in tone.

[Rasmus Broegaard]

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[Richard Sinkler]

As a past diehard JBL fan, my least favorite was the E series. Just not as good as the D or K series.

[Dennis Detweiler]

It's been several years ago that I compared the three different years of 1501 speakers. I don't recall the exact difference in characteristics. I compared them side by side in two identical open back cabinets. At the time, I was surprised that the 1501's didn't sound the same. I kept the flat magnet model and sold the other two. Two years ago, I purchased a pair of Eminence Wheelhouse 200 speakers. They are more efficient (louder) and slightly better sound than the 1501. The frequency graph between the Wheelhouse and 1501 is very similar, but the Wheelhouse has a dip at 500hz, which is good.

[Jerry Overstreet]

There are response curve charts and Thiele/Small parameter information online for Super Structure 1501-4 and 1502 but I haven't been able to find any data for the 1503 for comparison. I would imagine the response curve is quite different due to it's application being for FOH/sound reinforcement v. musical instrument.

There used to be more info on Peavey website, but it seems all of the older stuff has been taken down thus, I have not been able to find any such data for the 1st gen spider web flat mag drivers.

Be aware that used BW speakers may need maintenance due to deteriorated foam plug in the vent having fallen out and into the voice coil.

In your 1503 link, the speaker from NJ shows the condition to which I refer.

[Dennis Detweiler]

Both of the 1503's that I took out of my SP2 cabinets quit working because of the foam that turned into tar.

[Rasmus Broegaard]

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[Dennis Detweiler]

My experience with the foam filter inside the vent is that it eventually melts, turns into tar and locks up the voice coil. I had this happen on two 1503 speakers. I managed to pull the magnet off of one and slightly boogered the coil. The other one was locked on from the tar and destroyed the coil getting it off. Both speakers were beyond repair and Peavey no longer manufactured the baskets.

[Jerry Overstreet]

viewtopic.php?t=213959&highlight=black+ ... aintenance

Here's a topic concerning the foam plug on BWs.

No, I can't see it from the picture you posted.

In many cases the speaker can be salvaged by removing the magnet and cleaning our all the debris and residue from the magnet coil gap and from the voice coil itself as shown in the link above.

In rare cases such as to which Dennis alludes if left too long and in heated conditions the foam will be so gooey and set up that it's impossible to repair. I've only had one speaker that couldn't be saved this way. It was an old 1502 flat mag spider. I think the voice coil was warped and I could never get it stopped from rubbing in the gap.

There are just things to be aware of with Black Widows.

[Rasmus Broegaard]

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[Dennis Detweiler]

My 1503's were in my early 80's SP-2 PA cabinets. They stopped working in those cabinets. I never tried them with steel. However, I replaced the 1503's with 1505's and tried them with steel and liked them.

[Rasmus Broegaard]

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[Rasmus Broegaard]

One more question, Dennis Detweiler, do you by chance know if the Black Widow 1501 Flat Mag sprider print is made with Kevlar impregnated cones ? I see that the super structure models are made with Kevlar.

This is according to peavey "The Kevlar impregnated cone is stiffer than an equivalent weight paper cone, reducing the tendency of the cone to distort the shape of the voice coil, thus avoiding rubs and scrapes. Superior power handling results from the increased stiffness, especially with large cone excursions."


I am guessing that if the 1501 is not made with kevlar, but regular paper, it probably has a very different sound

[Dennis Detweiler]

Mine looks like paper. Maybe why they sound better than the later ones?

[Jeffrey Maxwell]

The original 1501 black widows (spider web decal on flat magnet) cones were Paper cones--no kevlar.
Kevlar came later.

[Roger Crawford]

I use a 1203 in a cabinet when I use a rack system. I REALLY like it. A little heavy, but I’m ok with the weight since nothing else is in the cabinet. I believe the 1201 was for use in sound equipment, not instrument equipment.

[Rasmus Broegaard]

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[Jerry Overstreet]

Kevlar was not in use in the Spider Web era. As I recall it was only the late 80s, early 90s that the started using kevlar in every model except the 1203-4 and the 1501-4 which were still paper cone. These 2 models of ones were paper from the start and continued to be paper as long as they were in production.

I think you can rule out Kevlar being used in any of the 1503 era drivers.

Anyway, kevlar doesn't necessarily kill all the desirable characteristics of the speaker. It's just that the all cellulose untreated cone is the most desirable for musical instrument use.

I still have a couple of recent 1203-8s with Kevlar impreg. cones. Still sound just fine.

[Dan Murphy]

I have a pair that are in Peavey Classic E115 cabs,they are great. 1502-8 with Kevlar.