Best 8 Inch Guitar Speaker – Choose With Top Models Review 2024
Trying to receive a perfect guitar sound, musicians try to improve a series of technical issues. Usually, a guitar speaker is one of the last things to be considered when trying to enhance the quality of your sounding.
However, any experienced player, tech expert, or skilled music gear manufacturer will say that guitar speakers are a key element in the overall guitar tone creation during your home training or professional live performances. Thus, looking for the best 8-inch guitar speaker is a serious task that will define your sound quality.
Table could not be displayed.I have worked with various 8-inch guitar amp speakers and found models that provide excellent sound quality at a good price. My personal favorite is 8 inch Jensen Speaker, which creates a powerful and clear tone during the play. It is durable and made specifically for live instrument sound.
However, it might not be the perfect match for everyone, being not a bass speaker and having quite a low wattage. To help you choose your ideal 8” guitar speaker, I have created a speaker buyer guide with the top 5 models, each having its unique features and characteristics.
Best 8 Inch Guitar Speakers
Contents
So, you have started to look for the 8″ guitar speaker that will provide you with a clear tone, tight and even musical response, and high sensitivity. Thus, you should pay attention to each model`s quality, its technical features, and how it corresponds with your demands. Here are the 8 guitar speaker reviews of the top 5 models I have tested myself that are highly durable, create a perfect tone, and feature affordable prices.
1. Jensen P8R8 Speaker: Best 8 Inch Guitar Speaker
No products found.
Specifications:
- Speaker Size: 8 Inch
- Power Rating: 25 W
- Impedance: 8 Ohm
- Overall Weight: 2.65 lbs
- Mounting Holes: 4
Jensen is a famous speaker manufacturer, founded in 1927 in Chicago, Illinois, by co-inventor of the very first loudspeaker Peter Laurits Jensen. The company gained popularity in the 1950s-60s, producing one of the best speakers for bass and guitar amplifiers. Currently, the brand is long out of business, but Jensen speakers are still produced in Italy by SICA Altoparlanti and distributed in the US and worldwide by CE Distribution.
P8R8 model is a compact yet powerful tool in the Jensen series. This speaker produces a solid, clear tone, perfect for its size. The item can perfectly fit your home amp and will be a perfect match for beginners that are starting to look for their perfect sound.
In case you can apply a microphone in front of the speaker, it will be able to produce an exceptionally powerful sound on a record, having bright highs, subdued mids, and pretty loose lows. With the emphasis on the heights, it produces a warm and clear tone, but it is not an option for those looking for bass speakers.
What’s included:
- Speaker
Sound of Jensen P8R8 Speaker:
- Compact and powerful speaker;
- Perfect for studio recording;
- Clear tone, bright heights;
- Alnico magnet;
- Lightweight design.
- Not a bass speaker.
2. Jensen C8R8 Speaker: Powerful 8” Guitar Speaker
No products found.
Specifications:
- Speaker Size: 8 Inch
- Power Rating: 25 W
- Impedance: 8 Ohm
- Overall Weight: 2.2. lbs
- Mounting Holes: 4
As I have mentioned before, Jensen`s loudspeakers brand was one of the most recognized manufacturers in the middle of the 20th century focused on guitar and bass amplifiers. The unique design and high-quality materials implemented in Jensen speakers make them still recognized by experienced musicians.
Combining the quality of Jensen loudspeakers with a super lightweight, compact design, C8R8 is a perfect option for those looking for a clear tone with emphasis on the heights. This model is even lighter than the previous one, but it has the same rated power.
It perfectly responds to the overdrive distortion with a warm tone and zero muddiness in the higher gain settings. Although this is a model from the vintage series, it produces powerful, modern sound and has a really fashionable design. For this price, this is a good offer if you are looking for a combination of compact size and powerful sound.
What’s included:
- Speaker
Sound of Jensen C8R8 Speaker:
- Fashionable retro design;
- Super compact and lightweight;
- Equipped with powerful Ceramic magnet;
- Perfect heights.
- Not as powerful as larger models;
- Not applicable for a bass amp.
3. Eminence Patriot 820H Speaker: Rich Tone 8” Guitar Speaker
No products found.
Specifications:
- Speaker Size: 8 Inch
- Power Rating: 20 W
- Impedance: 4 Ohm
- Overall Weight: 0.94 lbs
- Mounting Holes: 8
Being one of the most famous manufacturers of professional loudspeakers and high-frequency devices, Eminence was founded in 1966 in the US by Bob Gault. He wanted to use his skills and experience to create perfect speakers. The company successfully collaborates with the most recognized engineers and tech specialists; they produce hand-made products that are designed and assembled in the US.
Patriot 820H is a great example of Eminence quality and design: the basket is made of pressed steel and equipped with a super lightweight ceramic magnet. It is not as powerful as its competitors, but it produces a great sound with underlines heights. The speaker has a rich, full-bodied tone that emulates larger cone models, with perfectly defined and smooth heights, accompanied by punchy lows and a great breakup.
What’s included:
- Speaker
Sound of Eminence Patriot 820H Speaker:
- Compact design;
- Rich sound close to the speakers with larger cones;
- 1” voice coil;
- Lightweight ceramic magnet.
- Less powerful compared to similar speaker models.
4. Eminence American Standard Alpha-8A Speaker: Professional 8 Inch Guitar Speaker
No products found.
Specifications:
- Speaker Size: 8 Inch
- Power Rating: 125 W
- Impedance: 8 Ohm
- Overall Weight: 4.25 lbs
- Mounting Holes: 8
Eminence has a broad range of professional speakers that can provide you with the perfect quality of sound and serve you for years. As I have said, this is a US-based brand that designs and manufactures its products manually. The combination of well-thought design, high quality of manufacturing, and durability of its products makes Eminence a popular choice for many professional musicians.
If you are looking for a pro-level audio mid-range app – this 8-inch guitar speaker cabinet model is perfectly sealed and will give you a high quality of sound. It is also recommended as a mid-bass application for a vented enclosure.
This powerful speaker can handle up to 250 Watts and demonstrates impressive frequencies from 58 Hz to 5 kHz. It has a Stamped Steel chassis that is much affordable compared to aluminum frames but can give you the best sound quality. It is equipped with a larger ferrite magnet and has a great voice coil diameter – 1.5”.
What’s included:
- Speaker
- Perfect for professional audio;
- The most powerful speaker on the list;
- Affordable price;
- Stamped steel chassis;
- Can be used as a mid-bass app.
- Heavy speaker model.
5. Jensen MOD8-20 Speaker: 8 Inch Guitar Speaker with British Sound
No products found.
Specifications:
- Speaker Size: 8 Inch
- Power Rating: 20 W
- Impedance: 4/8 Ohm
- Overall Weight: 1.65 lbs
- Mounting Holes: 4
Jensen Mods is a series of Jensen speakers for musical instruments developed specifically for creating contemporary music feel with a touch of old British sound. These speakers are designed for pro-level precisional amplifiers that require high-quality sound reproducing without ruining the amplifiers’ signatures. Jensen Mods perfectly combines old British style with a modern sound.
MOD8-20 guitar speaker has a 20W power rating and can cope with up to 40W musical power. It is equipped with a high-quality ferrite magnet and has a pressed steel basket, which makes the speaker more lightweight, effective, and less expensive.
What’s included:
- Speaker
Sound of Jensen MOD8-20 Speaker:
- Compact design;
- Super lightweight;
- Adds old British tone to the sound;
- Doesn’t change the amp’s signature.
- Could be more powerful.
Tips for Choosing the Best 8 Inch Guitar Speaker
After reviewing a series of decent guitar speakers, you have to define your personal requirements and match their features with what you expect from a speaker. And even if you have found your perfect match, proper speaker treatment is extremely important to support its effective and stable functioning.
What to Look for in the Right 8 Inch Guitar Speaker?
To find the perfect guitar speaker that will serve you for years, it is important to take into account all main characteristics that can tell you about the quality of each model, its durability, power, etc. To help you choose the speaker you need, I have collected the most important characteristics you have to review.
Price
First of all, you have to define the budget for your new guitar speaker that will impact the brands you will look for, the power of the speaker, materials it is made of, its sensitivity, musical power, etc. The price of the usual 8-inch replacement speakers does not exceed $100, and the more money you are ready to spend, the more powerful the app you will be able to purchase.
Sound
The quality of your guitar speaker will seriously impact the sound you will receive. Thus, it is essential to choose a model that can produce bright heights, aggressive mids, and strong lows. In case you are looking for an app with specifically underlined heights or lows, you can choose cheaper models that are focused on this particular sound feature.
Purpose
If you are looking for a quality studio sound, plan to train at home, or record your play, you have to define these purposes before choosing the guitar player. Most of the models are perfect for your daily training, but in case you are looking for a pro-level studio app, look for more powerful speakers with larger magnets, sensitivity, and sound quality.
Tone
Looking for the best 8-inch guitar speaker, pay attention to the tone it produces. It is important to receive a clear, warm tone that is smooth and perfectly reflecting your play. A high-quality tone is especially important if you want to make recordings or use the speaker for live performances. In case you want to use the mics for studio and live performances, it is important to choose the one with a good tone that will keep the original sound and minimize any interferences.
The material of the speaker’s magnet
The majority of magnets are made of Ferrite (Ceramic), Alnico, and Neodymium. Alnico is perfectly producing the classic tones, but such speakers are more expensive. Ferrite or ceramic magnet is a decent cheaper alternative to Alnico; these magnets can create a wide range of tones and are much more versatile. The newest type of magnets are Neodymium-made ones: their price lies somewhere between Alnico and Ceramic, they are 50% more lightweight, producing the same power and tone quality.
How to care for the guitar speaker?
To prolong the life of your speaker, don’t forget to regularly clean the amp with a dry rag and a can with compressed air. Do not spray the speaker or the controls of the amp. You can also apply some mild solvent and gently clean all the dirt with a rag or a microfiber. Don’t forget to turn off the amp and always make sure the voltage is stable to protect your speaker from burning.
What Is Your Best 8 Inch Guitar Speaker?
In this best 8-inch guitar speaker shootout review, I have shared the top 5 guitar speaker models that produce a clear tone, are powerful and compact, perfectly fitting your house training, studio play, recordings, or even public performances.
To choose your perfect guitar speaker, you have to define what you expect from this app and look for the technical features that will help you in your work. My personal favorite is Jensen P8R8 because this speaker combines a significant musical power, clear and warm tone at a great price. And what do you seek in a perfect guitar speaker? Which one have you chosen? Share your thoughts in the comments.
