Cab/speaker suggestions for Mesa Mark V

[Deleted member 8761]

This kind of topic is beat to death on a regular basis, but I'l give it a shot anyway. Currently I run my Mesa Boogie Mark V through a Marshall 1960 AV 4x12 cab. The stock speakers have been replaced by celestion G12K-100. I didn't like the V30 in that cab very much (harsh high end), but I must admit that it happend with other amps. The sounds I'm getting now are quite good IMO, but it still makes me wonder if I can improve it. I'm into thrash metal and looking for a tight low end, clarity, definition and no ear piercing highs (really hate that, but who doesn't). The G12K-100 are good speakers for this IMHO. Perhaps I shouldn't change anything (you could also say: if it ain't broke don't fix it), but I do want to know if the Marshall cab itself has a large impact on the sound (positive or negative). Do you have any suggestions in this respect (speakers/cabs)? Are Mesa cabs a better match for the Mark V, or other brands (Bogner, Vader, etc.) because of the build quality?

ps I do realise "better" is pretty subjective. Any opinions are welcome though.

 

[thiswaythatway]

I'm willing to bet the V30's you had were different from what Mesa uses. They DO sound different. I think those G12100 speakers make for good door stops or boat anchors, that's about it. I think you should take your Mark V to a GC and plug it into one of their Mesa cabs and see if you like it.

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I'm willing to bet the V30's you had were different from what Mesa uses. They DO sound different. I think those G12100 speakers make for good door stops or boat anchors, that's about it. I think you should take your Mark V to a GC and plug it into one of their Mesa cabs and see if you like it.

Those V30's were specially made for Marshall, they also have a higher watt rating. If Celestion is just putting a different label on them for brands like Mesa and Marshall I don't know. I did read somewhere that the V30's in the large recto cabs have less mid spike (probably because they are a bit more boomy).

The G12K-100 does have a heavy magnet, so I can imagine the use for boat anchors You think they are that bland eh?

 

[Gsxrbusa]

I always thought the Mark V sounded best thru a Mesa Recto cab with V30's. There is just something about it that works well together. ymmv but I just sold a recto cab to a guy with a mark V and he was blown away with how much better it sounded than his Marshall cab with v30's. You wouldn't think it would make that much difference but it does, IMO.

 

[ACShreds]

Mesa stiletto cab /end thread

 

[Gooseman]

I prefer the C90 myself.

People have always said the C90 is darker. I've never found that to be the case. It just doesn't seem to have the depth and bottom end that the usual V-30s have. This video is one of the best examples of the Mark V with both Celestion's that Mesa offers. I like the C90 best. Especially with my Roadster.

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I prefer the C90 myself.

People have always said the C90 is darker. I've never found that to be the case. It just doesn't seem to have the depth and bottom end that the usual V-30s have. This video is one of the best examples of the Mark V with both Celestion's that Mesa offers. I like the C90 best. Especially with my Roadster.

I have a Mark III combo with the C90 in it. A good speaker for that indeed, but I see it in a lot in open back cabs. I even hooked my Mark V on that speaker to try it out. I didn't like it that much, although it is not a fair comparision; 4x12 closed back against one C90 with open back.

The Stiletto cab is indeed something to check out.

 

[DEWD]

I had a Mesa Stiletto/Traditional (Mesa V30's), Bogners(V30, H30, CL80's in various combos) and Mills (V30) cabs with my Mark V and IMO the EVH 5150III cab sounds best with that amp. I play mostly heavy stuff FWIW.

I bought the cab with the intention of taking out the EVH Greenbacks and putting something else in there but after I played one chord I was sold on the Mark V/EVH cab combo.

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I had a Mesa Stiletto/Traditional (Mesa V30's), Bogners(V30, H30, CL80's in various combos) and Mills (V30) cabs with my Mark V and IMO the EVH 5150III cab sounds best with that amp. I play mostly heavy stuff FWIW.

I bought the cab with the intention of taking out the EVH Greenbacks and putting something else in there but after I played one chord I was sold on the Mark V/EVH cab combo.

That is one surprising combination. Why did you like that EVH cab better, can you describe the sound a bit more in comparision to the others?

 

[Gooseman]

When I had the mark v I ran thru my orange 2x12 , I thought that is pretty good thru that...

Reza: If I had your chops, I reckon I'd be able to make anything sound amazing.

 

[DEWD]

I had a Mesa Stiletto/Traditional (Mesa V30's), Bogners(V30, H30, CL80's in various combos) and Mills (V30) cabs with my Mark V and IMO the EVH 5150III cab sounds best with that amp. I play mostly heavy stuff FWIW.

I bought the cab with the intention of taking out the EVH Greenbacks and putting something else in there but after I played one chord I was sold on the Mark V/EVH cab combo.

That is one surprising combination. Why did you like that EVH cab better, can you describe the sound a bit more in comparision to the others?

I don't know if it's the cab so much or just the speakers. It seems like a very solid cab but I'm guessing any cab would sound great with these speakers. They just sound much more articulate, smooth and sweet compared to the V30's IMO. I like V30's but they just don't have the articulation on the low end or the sweet mids I like. They seem kind of shrill in comparison is the best way I can describe it.

The Bogner, Mills and Mesa are all top notch cabs so I think it's just the speakers in the EVH that make the difference for me. For a street price of $150/ea they are biz IMO.

 

[Deleted member 8761]

I looked into the Celestion website and they have this to say about the EVH speaker:

"The Heritage Series G12M faithfully reproduces the sonic qualities of the original ’60s version Greenback used to make EVH tone from day one. With the addition of a black rear can featuring the EVH logo and his unmistakable red, white and black stripes, the G12EVH was born. Unmistakable look, but more importantly unmistakable tone."

It looks like they relabelled a Greenback and nothing more

I had a Mesa Stiletto/Traditional (Mesa V30's), Bogners(V30, H30, CL80's in various combos) and Mills (V30) cabs with my Mark V and IMO the EVH 5150III cab sounds best with that amp. I play mostly heavy stuff FWIW.

I bought the cab with the intention of taking out the EVH Greenbacks and putting something else in there but after I played one chord I was sold on the Mark V/EVH cab combo.

That is one surprising combination. Why did you like that EVH cab better, can you describe the sound a bit more in comparision to the others?

I don't know if it's the cab so much or just the speakers. It seems like a very solid cab but I'm guessing any cab would sound great with these speakers. They just sound much more articulate, smooth and sweet compared to the V30's IMO. I like V30's but they just don't have the articulation on the low end or the sweet mids I like. They seem kind of shrill in comparison is the best way I can describe it.

The Bogner, Mills and Mesa are all top notch cabs so I think it's just the speakers in the EVH that make the difference for me. For a street price of $150/ea they are biz IMO.

 

[DEWD]

That's exactly what they are except they are cheaper than the g12m. Give them a try with the Mark V.

 

[richedie]

C90s are too high wattage and neutral for me. I go V30s, WGS Invaders or any Greenback variation, plus the WGS ET65 alone or mixed with the WGS Vet30.

 

[The Hoff]

Definitely give the V30s another go. The thing is-you need to spend some time with them in order to break them in. V30s do indeed sound relatively harsh when they are new. However, after you spend some time with them-it doesn't get much better than a nicely broken in V30.

 

[some dude]

I don't know if it's the cab so much or just the speakers. It seems like a very solid cab but I'm guessing any cab would sound great with these speakers. They just sound much more articulate, smooth and sweet compared to the V30's IMO. I like V30's but they just don't have the articulation on the low end or the sweet mids I like. They seem kind of shrill in comparison is the best way I can describe it.

I have a Mark V and a cab with G12M-25s. I agree with this description.

The trade off is percussiveness. The V30 has a far more percussive sounding rhythm response.

Anyway, I've actually tested regular V30s vs Mesa V30s in the same cab and they do sound quite different (Mesa V30s are darker with a little less upper mids and a little more lower mids, which translates into there being less of an upper mid spike). I've never compared them to the Marshall V30s but I've read that the Marshall's are the brightest of them all. Good for Marshall amps, not so good for Mesas.

 

[Tone Zone]

I recently sold my MKV, but while I had it I was most happy playing it through my 2x12 Port City Wave cab (regular) w/V30's. For me, it sounded much better than the 2x12 recto cab I had beforehand.

 

[philb]

Yeah, as the others already said, I find the c90 to be too even sounding. I love the stiletto cab with V30 the best.

 

[_actual time_]

I'm willing to bet the V30's you had were different from what Mesa uses. They DO sound different.

Those V30's were specially made for Marshall, they also have a higher watt rating

danyeo is right--the V30s that Mesa gets are a proprietary, different model from the off-the-shelf ones. and the Marshall ones are a third proprietary different model still. (some dude on thegearpage did a whole comparison, using the model # codes on the white sticker on the side of the magnet. the model #s are different. and he found that they sound different--the Mesa ones sounded the darkest and the Marshall ones the brightest.)

so yeah, i can see how that Marshall cab would not be a good match for the V.

i've run my Mark V through a Bogner OS 2x12 with stock off-the-shelf V30s (nice, but aggressive in the upper mids) and a Mesa vertical 2x12 with C90s (too dark, and woofy in the low end). my fav cab for it is a Bogner OS 2x12 with Hellatone 60Ls, a very different flavor of V30 that has a different voice coil, giving less upper-mid spike and more & tighter lows.

i play mid-gain and high-gain stuff, and that cab gives nice crunch and great high-gain punch. the Hellatone 60Ls are hard to find--they are also a Marshall proprietary model, used in their Mode Four cabs. but they sound awesome for me.

 

[D-Rock]

Mesa stiletto cab /end thread

Yup yup! Uh huh!