Mixing different guitar speakers might seem like a wild idea at first—but done right, it can completely transform your tone. It’s one of the most common questions we get, and for good reason. Combining speakers with contrasting characteristics opens the door to richer textures, wider frequency coverage, and truly personalized sound.
 
Whether you're chasing iconic tones or just want to breathe new life into your rig, here's how to approach speaker mixing with clarity—and without falling for the usual myths.

Match Sensitivity, Not Power

The first thing to pay attention to is sensitivity, or SPL rating. You want both speakers to be within about 2 decibels of each other in output, so neither one dominates the overall sound.
 
Once that's set, forget about wattage. Power ratings are simply thermal limits—they don't tell you how a speaker will sound or break up. In fact, mixing high-wattage and low-wattage speakers can be a great way to cover a wider tonal range. Bigger voice coils usually mean tighter lows and smoother highs, while smaller coils tend to add top-end sparkle and presence.

Breakup Depends on Design

Another common misconception is that lower-wattage speakers always break up earlier. Not necessarily. Breakup behavior is mostly determined by the speaker's design—things like cone stiffness and how the coil interacts with the magnet. If you want some grit without losing clarity, try pairing a speaker that breaks up early with one that stays clean. You’ll get punch and crunch without the mush.

Build from What You Love

Here’s a practical way to approach it: start with a speaker you already like. Then ask, “What’s missing?” More brightness? Tighter low end? Smoother mids? Whatever it is, choose a second speaker that adds that quality.
 
We’re big fans of JBL D120s and K120s, and we’ve had amazing results combining them with Celestion Greenbacks and Creambacks. Some of the best tones we’ve ever dialed in came from these combinations.
 
For example, while we’re big fans of JBL D120s and K120s here, we’ve also combined them with Celestion Greenbacks and Creambacks—and gotten some of the best tones on the planet. That idea came from a former roadie who told us he once saw Duane Allman using D120Fs in the top cabs and what he believed were Celestions in the bottom. And let’s be honest—we all know how great Duane sounded!