Big Three speaker comparison

Smashedguitaris⸸

Smashedguitaris⸸

Hack
My favorite speakers of all time, without coincidence, since they are the only 3 I have played. But nonetheless I love all three. I feel like the greenback is very amp dependent. I hated it with quite a few amps. But when it is paired right, it is fucking right. V30 is a great speaker. Everyone knows it. But I get a little annoyed by the fizzy character that is a little bit of a bitch to dial out. K100 is a very uniquely voiced speaker. A huge power rating keeps it from breakup therefore very clear. Still has aggression, though not as much as greenback or v30 as it kind of seems to round off the harsher highs.

Here is a cool comparison video that I found. Very fun
 
Cool video. But, I would disagree with your assessment based on my experiences...the V30 is VERY amp dependent, While the GB sounds good with everything and I'd substitute the G12 65 for your K100; that one also loves every amp I've owned. Maybe more than the GB.
Once I heard a Mesa through a V30 cab I was floored with how good it sounds. But Marshalls not so much, other than a Jubilee.
 
Yeah. I hated the greenback cab with my monomyth. The greenback cab I had mostly was used to compliment a v30 cab, and that was a sweet blend. I have yet to find an amp that didn't like the 30s. I haven't tried the k100s with many amps as I just started using them last year. The greenbacks were the perfect compliment to a silver Jubilee...
 
I think racerxrated has a point about marshall flavored amps. If I still had my greenback cab, I bet it would sound tits with the Warshall. I sold it just a few months too soon...
 
I have a GB loaded 412 that has sounded great with many amps. K100 is still my favorite. Need to grab some V30s and try the 65s sometime.
 
Smashedguitarist said:
My favorite speakers of all time, without coincidence, since they are the only 3 I have played. But nonetheless I love all three. I feel like the greenback is very amp dependent. I hated it with quite a few amps. But when it is paired right, it is fucking right. V30 is a great speaker. Everyone knows it. But I get a little annoyed by the fizzy character that is a little bit of a bitch to dial out. K100 is a very uniquely voiced speaker. A huge power rating keeps it from breakup therefore very clear. Still has aggression, though not as much as greenback or v30 as it kind of seems to round off the harsher highs.

Here is a cool comparison video that I found. Very fun
Click to expand...

Again, most of what we don't like about the V30 is the fact that it isn't original production from the 80's, or a Mesa faithful to the original production method. To my ear, even the early to mid 90's UK production do not sound as good as 2000's production Mesa V30's.
 
Nigel said:
Again, most of what we don't like about the V30 is the fact that it isn't original production from the 80's, or a Mesa faithful to the original production method. To my ear, even the early to mid 90's UK production do not sound as good as 2000's production Mesa V30's.
Click to expand...
This is true. A lot of us just say v30, but they arent all the same for sure
 
V30 is my fav speaker, and I find it to work well with all amps, Fender to Marshall to Mesa.
I recently shot out a V30, G12h30, Greenback, WGS Reaper 30 and Jensen P12q in a 1x12 open back and Marshall SC20c. I recorded them all with a Zoom Q2 HD.
I preferred the V30 in the 1x12 cab, and WGS in the closed back combo, with the V30 a close 2nd. Reaper in the 1x12 was too boomy and bright, where the G12h30 was a bit more tame.
I thought I'd like the G12h30 more than I did. Love it with my DRRI, and usually prefer it in 1x12 cabs, but found the lower mids a bit much in this comparison.
V30 is just a sound I like, I guess.
 
I had an old Recto cab, with that armor plating haha...heavy mofo. I had a Lee Jackson modded 2204 with it. Tried and tried to make It work but even with the mids on 0 it was just too overbearing in the mids. Finally sold it and picked up a 1979 Marshall 1960 cab with 65s.
Perfect match.
 
Racerxrated said:
I had an old Recto cab, with that armor plating haha...heavy mofo. I had a Lee Jackson modded 2204 with it. Tried and tried to make It work but even with the mids on 0 it was just too overbearing in the mids. Finally sold it and picked up a 1979 Marshall 1960 cab with 65s.
Perfect match.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I agree, I think V30’s are obnoxious with Marshalls, and pair much better with lower mid voiced amps. With Marshalls, I’ll take Greenbacks and G12-65’s all day long. Preferably a cab of each, side by side. :rock:
 
Beyond Black said:
Yeah, I agree, I think V30’s are obnoxious with Marshalls, and pair much better with lower mid voiced amps. With Marshalls, I’ll take Greenbacks and G12-65’s all day long. Preferably a cab of each, side by side. :rock:
Click to expand...
I had an early 80’s JCM 800 cab with 65’s for a minute. Lower sensitivity, warm tone and PHAT leads. Would need GB’s or V30’s to punch for a rock band though. Cab of each side by side is right!
 
Nigel said:
I had an early 80’s JCM 800 cab with 65’s for a minute. Lower sensitivity, warm tone and PHAT leads. Would need GB’s or V30’s to punch for a rock band though. Cab of each side by side is right!
Click to expand...
I have my Triple F hooked up to a Traditional slant, and my G12 65 cab at the same time....believe it or not the 65 cab out-punches and cuts even better than the V30 cab. 65s are great at low/medium volumes but at high volume? You'd be hard pressed to find a better sounding/punchy cab when the amp is cooking.
 
Nigel said:
I had an early 80’s JCM 800 cab with 65’s for a minute. Lower sensitivity, warm tone and PHAT leads. Would need GB’s or V30’s to punch for a rock band though. Cab of each side by side is right!
Click to expand...
I also had them in an X pattern in a cab and it killed. All the bite and crunch of the Greenbacks, and the 65’s added some creaminess and lows. Definitely worth trying out.
 
Last edited:
Racerxrated said:
I have my Triple F hooked up to a Traditional slant, and my G12 65 cab at the same time....believe it or not the 65 cab out-punches and cuts even better than the V30 cab. 65s are great at low/medium volumes but at high volume? You'd be hard pressed to find a better sounding/punchy cab when the amp is cooking.
Click to expand...
Yeah, their darker nature really lends to them sounding great at low/mid volumes, but they do really wake up and go next level when pushed hard. They’re my favorite speaker.
 
I’ve not tried the old 65’s, but I’ve had ‘80’s vented 75’s (I’ve been told they’re similar?). Those were very nice speakers, but didn’t keep them. For me the celestions with the best tone are the 20 watt Greenbacks (hoping to be able to eventually get pre-rola versions) and ‘60’s Alnico Blues. I much prefer the 20 vs 25. To me they’re a lot tighter, more articulate, more aggressive, biting, not as nasally like the 25’s. The only thing I prefer with the 25 over 20 is just the slightly beefier sound. I’ve got a pre-rola 25 GB, but haven’t used it in anything since getting my heritage 20 GB’s. Mix them with orange frame JBL D120F’s on bottom (punchiest speakers I’ve tried) and you have imo one of the best high gain tones out there (especially with Marshall’s). The ‘60’s Blues (not the new ones, which are imo meh) are the most 3D speakers I’ve heard, kinda like the Klon of speakers (and thankfully not as insanely priced), but not really for the heavier styles. Alnico Gold’s are also killer and don’t get enough attention on here. They completely break the stereotype of Alnico’s sounding smooth or less aggressive and mix great with V30’s and vented T75’s. The other current Celestion Alnico’s I don’t like much
 
What would Mesa have been using in a 4x12 from around 1995-6?
Had one of those with a DC5 and it killed.
 
braintheory said:
I’ve not tried the old 65’s, but I’ve had ‘80’s vented 75’s (I’ve been told they’re similar?). Those were very nice speakers, but didn’t keep them. For me the celestions with the best tone are the 20 watt Greenbacks (hoping to be able to eventually get pre-rola versions) and ‘60’s Alnico Blues. I much prefer the 20 vs 25. To me they’re a lot tighter, more articulate, more aggressive, biting, not as nasally like the 25’s. The only thing I prefer with the 25 over 20 is just the slightly beefier sound. I’ve got a pre-rola 25 GB, but haven’t used it in anything since getting my heritage 20 GB’s. Mix them with orange frame JBL D120F’s on bottom (punchiest speakers I’ve tried) and you have imo one of the best high gain tones out there (especially with Marshall’s). The ‘60’s Blues (not the new ones, which are imo meh) are the most 3D speakers I’ve heard, kinda like the Klon of speakers (and thankfully not as insanely priced), but not really for the heavier styles. Alnico Gold’s are also killer and don’t get enough attention on here. They completely break the stereotype of Alnico’s sounding smooth or less aggressive and mix great with V30’s and vented T75’s. The other current Celestion Alnico’s I don’t like much
Click to expand...
I have a 1983 1960B with the vented 75s and they are similar; a bit brighter than the 65s but when really pushed the 75s don't 'bloom' like the 65s do...65s get this killer thing going that is hard to describe. When I run them with my 72 Trem, with the 72 cab at volume the 65s really sound like bigger versions of the Greenback with more muscle..the 75s have some of that too but not as much as the 65s.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top