Speakers with Alnico Magnets vs. Speakers with Ceramic Magnets

Please note: This essay is not intended as a "slam" or "put down" against any other speaker models or manufacturers. It is simply my opinion on a subject that is often presented to me.

Contrary to comments that I have read in magazines, on the internet and otherwise, I believe alnico does not sound better than ceramic or vice-versa. The common generalization is that alnico compresses smoother thus producing a better sounding speaker with a more musical overdrive quality. I disagree.

While alnico is known to compress differently than ceramic, I believe the type of magnet material is only one of many specifications that determine compression characteristics, and the OVERALL tone of a speaker. A speaker's tone is the sum of many component choices such as: gap size, cone weight and stiffness, voice coil size, spider stiffness, edge treatment (or lack of), dust cap size and material, frame stiffness, magnet size and power, and many other details. Different combinations of specifications can produce radically varied results - I've prototyped ceramic speakers that compress so smoothly you could barely hear the pick hit the strings, and I've heard alnico speakers that are painfully harsh and brittle. In both cases, not very musical or useable speakers.

History offers examples of highly regarded ceramic speakers. Witness the many fine sounding 60's era Fender and many other amps that came stock with Jensen ceramic speakers, and the many highly sought late 60's/early 70's Marshall amps that came stock with ceramic Celestion G12 "Greenbacks" which many consider to be the industry standard for "overdrive type" vintage speakers.

My point is good sounding speakers are the result of good overall design not just the type of magnet used, and should be judged with this in mind.

Ceramic does have one advantage, it costs less than alnico. We use ceramic in our speakers because it offers high performance and helps keep the retail price down.

Sincerely,

Joe Naylor
Reverend Musical Instruments