Fane A60 Ascension Series...My New Favourite AlNiCo Speaker??

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Today, I've got a really wonderful loudspeaker for you...the Fane Ascension Series A60. I've been wanting to check this one out for ages - and I've spent the last few weeks breaking it in so that it's sounding at its dynamic best for you today. (The tones I've been getting out of it have been unbelievably good!)

It's 60 Watts of AlNiCo goodness - and to me, sounds so perfectly balanced....it really chimes but is never harsh; it's thick but the low end doesn't get overbearing; and the midrange really lets the characters of different amps come through. It 'feels' so lovely to play too with a smooth & exciting compression - and lets good old fashioned tube amps perform at their best.

Whilst I was breaking it in, I learned that whilst it still sounds lovely at low volumes, the A60 loves to have a good amount of wattage thrown at it. So today, I'm not going to use my pedalboard (uncomfortably 'cold turkey' for me!!) Instead, I'm going to put it in four different non-master-volume amps and just crank them up...all the overdrive you'll hear is good old fashioned power tube & output transformer breakup.

What do you think? One of the most balanced, pleasing, articulate speakers ever made? Or do you prefer a ceramic? Comment below!

Guitars used:
Fender Strat w/ Fralin Real '54s
Gronlund Redeemer R16 Junior w/ TV Jones "Ful-Fidelity" Ray Butts Filter'Tron
Gibson Les Paul Custom w/ Monty's PAFs
Gibson ES-330 '61 VOS Reissue w/ OX4 P90s
Fender Telecaster w/Monty's '53 bridge & Bare Knuckle Flat '50 neck
Gibson SG w/ OX4 Low-Wind A4 PAF Humbuckers
Gibson Les Paul Standard (stock)

Amps are a Hughes & Kettner Puretone (40W Plexi-style); Dr Z Z-Wreck (30W AC30-style); Dr Z DB4 (36W darker 60's Marshall-style); and a Cornell Romany Plus (10W Tweed Champ-style). Amps recorded using an Aston Spirit Condenser, '70s Sennheiser MD441 Dynamic and sE R1 Ribbon mics, with a Schoeps CMC6 room mic.

[stephenwilson]

Lovely review Joe — I hope you can find time to do some comparisons of the Fane with the different Celestions. Thanks!

[moustachio]

P90’s and Tele’s sound so great. The A60 really brings out the character of the pickups.

[jjmeyerwtf]

Your knowing glances at the camera are hilarious.
This speaker just made the top of my list for a stereo aluminum-nickle-cobalt extension cabinet project.
Thanks JP!

[ILuvJazzNJava]

Just found this video - I've been looking for a well-balanced alnico that will pair well with many different amps. This looks like the ticket!

[NoOne-snsi]

I have a couple of Fane AXA12s and I finally put them in a cab... Fane makes some great sounding speakers!

[kirabarsmith]

I was writing that I thought the Tele and Dr. Z combination were exceptional as you said it yourself, sounds so rich and clear. Awesome demo, Joe, I appreciate your attention to detail when making comparison videos. Cheers!

[bluesful]

Also props to those OX4 low wind A4s in the SG. I've got a A4 OX4 set in my Les Paul and they are brilliant.

[garygallagher]

Hi Joe - I really like the professionalism and thoroughness you put into your speaker comparisons. I'm a bit of an Alnico nut myself. I'm trying to put together a 4x12 set up for the ultimate Alnico buzz. I love the sweetness and chime but also the clang. However, no one speaker will give you all that. I've currently set up with a 2x12 containing a JBLD120F and a (unfortunately reconed) Altec 417b. Currently unused is an Alnico Gold in a 1x12 and a further 1x12 which is unoccupied. To get the recipe right for running all 4 together I'm having a hard time filling that last 1x12. I mostly like sparkly fender cleans and tweedy overdrive tones (I know these are 2 very different things - I switch between 2 preamps). This is why I haven't gone for a Blue as I feel it would choke the Fender cleans. Do you think the Fane would let me have my tonal cake and eat it?

[youssefkasim]

Like that new angle of filming, I think the lighting is better that way.

[soundknight]

The LB4 & LP sounded amazing, almost a Lynrd Skynrd sound.

[TheFly]

Sounds great!! How would you compare it to Celestions Gold or Cream?

[sarahhey]

Hi Joe. The Fane sounds great! Could you describe a bit how you balanced the 4 mics into phase - delay compensation vst? Cheers

[paulcowart]

Definitely sounds good Joe I can see why they are your new favorite But I guess they don't come in different wattages or sizes ??

[harrywallington]

Loved the playing, Joe.

But if I'm honest, when it comes to speakers, overwhelmingly the thing that matters is singing lead tone.

So as Celestion does, you have the series of audio clips comparing the speakers in this mode.

Maybe it's a wrong assumption, but I would hope that if the lead sound is there - generally all the other characteristics you mentioned would be there as well?

[WillfulThinker]

Really enjoying your A/B comparison videos! Will the sound of the 8-ohm version differ much from the 16-ohm version of the A60? Does it depend on the amp? Mine can take 8 or 16.

[TheMrCull]

Hey! Thanks for the video! Do you think it’s a bad idea to have a 60w speaker for a 60w amp head! Thanks!!!

[bluesful]

Some really nice tones there. The Tele into the Cornell was my favourite. That combo was superb. BTW - how do you manage to crank the amps in that room?

[stratocastermaster]

Leave it in the Hughes and ketter, like it's made for it.

[billgaber]

Joe, I'm grateful that you made this video. My mates & I have been debating 12" speakers lately. It's difficult to find one that does it it all: articulate, willing to take distortion, thumpy lows only when desired, etc. This sounds like a contender for overall greatness. I'd love to hear this in infinite baffles, acoustic suspensions, Thiele labyrinths, 2x12, 4x12, etc. I presume that all your amps have open backs. Did you find this high power handling speaker to be quiet? The 10-watt amp seemed to drive it well but how does the volume compare to the stock speaker? Thanks, and have a great day!

[viperspd]

Thanks for the video, mine just arrived. i'm a bit curious how to solder the wire to the lugs. there are two open holes on each terminal. did you push your wire though both holes and solder each hole for each terminal? or did you just solder through one hole for each terminal? thanks!