Update on Amp

Had a shot at a free speaker...but it was the wrong size.

So now I am deciding between:

Weber, 15", 60oz Ceramic magnet, 175 watt, 8 ohm, 2" bass voice coil, cloth-edged ribbed bass cone, 12lb (5.45kg), 15-1/8" (38.41cm) diameter, 6-3/8" (16.2cm) deep, $125 plus shipping (have an email to them to estimate shipping, would by direct from Weber). Built in Kokomo, Indiana.

Eminence Legend CB158 15" 300W Bass Speaker, 8 ohms, Ferrite magnet, 17.3 lbs., $120 with free shipping (from Musician's Friend)

My two lingering thoughts are...
1) how much would the shipping be from Weber
2) do I go with the 175 W or the 300 W?

The 300 W FEELS safer because it would provide plenty of head room...but that could be ignorance talking. The amp puts out 125W supposedly, but I've also read that it CAN put out 175W to an external cab. So I was hoping for a 200W speaker. But I haven't found one of those yet. What I've read and heard is that you want the speaker to match or exceed the wattage of the amp...but not exceed the wattage of the amp too much, because this also causes problems. My buddy recommended the Weber and that would match the max I've heard about the amp while exceeding slightly what the amp actually SAYS. The 300W is definitely the highest I would feel comfortable going...but it may actually be TOO high. And then there's the fact that I just feel more comfortable ordering from Musician's Friend because I've done it before.

I think the deciding factor is shipping. The shipping weight for a 12 lb speaker is probably around 15 lbs. Using the USPS calculator and assuming 20"x10"x20" package, seems like shipping ought to be about $20 for priority mail...bringing the cost up to $145 total. Not a deal breaker if it is the right speaker to get...but slightly more than the Eminence. Another issue, they build the Weber's to order, so there is a 2 week lead time. That's not really a deal breaker either, I guess.

I wish I knew what the right speaker was.

UPDATE 4/1/2011: After consulting with the electrical engineering half of my repair buddies and us both deciding that we didn't know what the right thing to do was and that we both kinda thought 300W was safest but 175W was probably actually more correct for sound...I ordered the 175W Weber.