How does Avatar's cab compare to a Recto?

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James Lugo

James Lugo

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Has anyone heard an Avatar 4x12 with v30s vs a recto traditional 4x12???
 
I haven't tried their newer vintage or contemporary cabs, but I used to own a traditional cab with greenbacks about 10 years ago or so. My friend had a Marshall cab with greenbacks so we compared cabs. The Marshall blew it out of the water. The Marshall just sounded fuller and had more low end. The Avatar sounded a little hollow compared to the Marshall. Both were broken in as we tried them thru a VHT 50cl cranked out side and then not cranked inside (he lived out in the country). I think the Vintage or Contemporary cab would sound a lot better. I haven't tried an Avatar cab with v30's, but I thought that the tradition cab sounded a little thin compared to a Marshall cab.
 
Thanks. I have a new Avatar with GBs and it sounds good. Not sure how it would compare though. I have one with Creamback 75s but I'm also selling an OS Recto cab and want something more traditional in size for my band and kicking around in the studio. I really love the Mesa Trad 4x12, just wanted to see if I could save some money. My assistant says they are similar, both 12 ply birch or something. Not sure though.
 
Which Avatar cab are talking about? Traditional? Vintage? Contemporary? I have a Vintage 4x12 next to a Marshall style Mojo 4x12 with the same speakers. $ for $ it sounds great, but not as good as the Mojo. The Mojo has more lows and more depth while the Avatar seems a bit more focused. I screw the post to the backing on all my cabs and the Avatar certainly handles the low B as well as the Mojo.
 
Since mesa uses their own flavor of v30 it isnt an easy comparison. Youd never known if the differences are due to construction or due to the speaker differences.
 
The mesa construction with completely sealed interior space and bracing is going to be mechanically superior to the Avatar. Its also twice the price. I would always buy a used Mesa cab over anything else available though.
 
So we have been going nuts here the past 2 days with cabs and speakers. The Recto Cab with v30s against the Avatar Front Loaded with standard v30s, the recto was better. The stock v30s were a bit darker and just didn't pop when recorded. Threw a pair of Mesa V30s I had here in the Avatar Traditional Front Loaded cab, bam! Killer. I actually liked it better then the Mesa cab. A bit more even across the tonal spectrum and a touch fangier. Really great. So the Avatar has 2 mesa v30s and 2 Celestion Greenbacks. The Avatar is an old, ugly as sin cab I got locally on cl cheap. Very happy. Now standing in front of them and playing the Mesa has a bigness that the Avatar doesn't but for my application I actually liked the Avatar better.

So now I have an old Traditional Avatar with an x patter of mesa v30/GB and a newer Vintage style Avatar with all GB and have a Vintage style Avatar coming in with all Creamback 75s. Will report back.
 
I used to play with a guy that had an Avatar cab w/V30's. It wasn't bad, but I much preferred my older Recto cab ('98 Mesa Recto, Traditional/Straight 4X12). I don't care for the oversized cabs as much.

That being said, the Mesa V30's are a proprietary design. You won't get them anywhere else but Mesa. You could always order a quad straight from Mesa, I suppose. I prefer them much, much more to the off-the-shelf V30's made today, and more so than the Marshall variation (Marshall "Vintage") that I had in a later 90's Marshall 1960BV 4X12. Thick mids without the harsh upper registers, very tight low end, etc. the others sounded a little thinner to my ears, but it could be because of the additional upper frequencies I hear.

The Mesa cab can take a beating as well. I bought my cab used (from a basement player) back in 2003, and it's been my workhorse for the last 10 years. It's been in big venues and small smokey bars, moving vans, the trunks of small cars, tossed around to studios, kicked around a show in front of RFK stadium in the dirt, etc. It couldn't possibily have taken more hits than what it has, and 10 years later, it sounds even better than when I first got it, but it has just a few hits on the tolex (no tears) and that's it. It's hard to believe it's been through 10 years of hell and still looks that good and sounds even better. My friend's Marshall cab (that's been to most of the same shows as my Mesa cab) now looks like it was put in a grinder by comparison - ripped grill cloth, shredded tolex, etc.

They sound great, and they hold up even better. That's my $0.02 for the day.
 
NewWorldMan":2ixng5dh said:
I used to play with a guy that had an Avatar cab w/V30's. It wasn't bad, but I much preferred my older Recto cab ('98 Mesa Recto, Traditional/Straight 4X12). I don't care for the oversized cabs as much.

That being said, the Mesa V30's are a proprietary design. You won't get them anywhere else but Mesa. You could always order a quad straight from Mesa, I suppose. I prefer them much, much more to the off-the-shelf V30's made today, and more so than the Marshall variation (Marshall "Vintage") that I had in a later 90's Marshall 1960BV 4X12. Thick mids without the harsh upper registers, very tight low end, etc. the others sounded a little thinner to my ears, but it could be because of the additional upper frequencies I hear.

The Mesa cab can take a beating as well. I bought my cab used (from a basement player) back in 2003, and it's been my workhorse for the last 10 years. It's been in big venues and small smokey bars, moving vans, the trunks of small cars, tossed around to studios, kicked around a show in front of RFK stadium in the dirt, etc. It couldn't possibily have taken more hits than what it has, and 10 years later, it sounds even better than when I first got it, but it has just a few hits on the tolex (no tears) and that's it. It's hard to believe it's been through 10 years of hell and still looks that good and sounds even better. My friend's Marshall cab (that's been to most of the same shows as my Mesa cab) now looks like it was put in a grinder by comparison - ripped grill cloth, shredded tolex, etc.

They sound great, and they hold up even better. That's my $0.02 for the day.
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Agree 100%. The Avatar sounds way better with the Mesa V30s.
 
The only cab that sounds good with a Vin 30 is a Mesa cab. Their cab gives a different life to the tone the Vin 30 than any other cab, all other Vin 30 cabs sound 'meh' to my ears.

If you weren't going to get a Mesa cab w Vin 30s, I'd steer you away from the Vin 30. Sorta sterile in all other cabs.

YMMV

Derek
 
Viesczy":234qydee said:
The only cab that sounds good with a Vin 30 is a Mesa cab. Their cab gives a different life to the tone the Vin 30 than any other cab, all other Vin 30 cabs sound 'meh' to my ears.

If you weren't going to get a Mesa cab w Vin 30s, I'd steer you away from the Vin 30. Sorta sterile in all other cabs.

YMMV

Derek
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Man after this weekend I totally disagree. I'm getting better tracks with the Avatar then either my Trad or OS Recto cabs. Again standing in front of it doesn't produce the same wow factor but the sonic balance of the smaller more unassuming cab really works.
 
I really liked that avatar cabinet. I bet it does sound killer with an X pattern going on. After playing yours I would highly recommend others to check them out as well. I love my splawn cabinets but If i had to go for round 2 I would definitely be more open to avatar cabinets. It held its own against the mesa stiletto every bit of the way minus the difference in speaker voicing.
 
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