I want a Jubilee.. Should I?

[Marshall Freak]

The ones I have had and have, sound different.

 

[Goat]

The ones I have had and have, sound different.

That's interesting. So, could Celestion been using China made cones before changing production sites? Like I said, my Rhoads cabinet was loaded with China 75's, and they didn't sound anything like my UK 75's.

 

[Speeddemon]

I found a picture of my '85 or '86 T75, inside my 1966B cab (paired with a vented G12-65).
Turns out my T75 isn't vented; it's just some dip/halfway drilled hole.

But, if you google Celestion T75, you can find images of vented ones:

Whether the vented ones sound different from the 'serifed font' 80's ones, I can't tell, as I've never compared them, but the serifed font label ones (non-vented) that I have sure sound A LOT different and way better from the later versions.

 

[Goat]

I've been playing Marshall amplifiers since 1978. I've begged, borrowed, and rented more 4x12 Marshall cabinets than I can remember. If there were a difference between the UK vented and UK non-vented 75's, my ear would have recognized it.

 

[Racerxrated]

I've been playing Marshall amplifiers since 1978. I've begged, borrowed, and rented more 4x12 Marshall cabinets than I can remember. If there were a difference between the UK vented and UK non-vented 75's, my ear would have recognized it.

Sorry but there are noticeable differences in the tone between different yrs of T75s. I agree the Chinese versions sound different for the worse, than say a mid 90s 900 cab. But when I compare the 90s cab, with an 87 cab the 87 has better mids. And then, when I bought an 84-85 cab they sounded amazing! Opened it up and there were 4 vented 75s.
You are the only person I’ve ever heard say there are no differences, and you have owned them....

The tone is so different to my ears, I thought they were G12 80s as I hadn’t yet tried those..

 

[Racerxrated]

It's not the webz, I've got several of the older cabinets and my bandmate does too. Compared side by side with a newer cabinet, new and old 75s sound incredibly different. I've had more than a dozen of the older ones, and the older the 75, the better it sounds. The older ones sound more like a g12-65 than they do current g12-75

And one of the best sounding cabs I ever had was an 87 2551AV cabinet. Never should have sold it. those vintage 30s or whatever they are were so much better than current vintage 30s. Smooth. Decent Midrange but not the mid hump like they have now.

Those early (first version) Marshall Vintages were all 8ohm, and are amazingly fat and warm sounding. Way different again than the later 16 ohm versions, whether they were British made or Chinese.
Sometimes found in 86 800 cabs but mostly Jubilee AV/BV cabs.

 

[Goat]

I've been playing Marshall amplifiers since 1978. I've begged, borrowed, and rented more 4x12 Marshall cabinets than I can remember. If there were a difference between the UK vented and UK non-vented 75's, my ear would have recognized it.

Sorry but there are noticeable differences in the tone between different yrs of T75s. I agree the Chinese versions sound different for the worse, than say a mid 90s 900 cab. But when I compare the 90s cab, with an 87 cab the 87 has better mids. And then, when I bought an 84-85 cab they sounded amazing! Opened it up and there were 4 vented 75s.
You are the only person I’ve ever heard say there are no differences, and you have owned them....

The tone is so different to my ears, I thought they were G12 80s as I hadn’t yet tried those..

I disagree. There is no difference in the sound between the UK made vented and UK made non-vented G12T-75 drivers.

 

[Goat]

Those early (first version) Marshall Vintages were all 8ohm, and are amazingly fat and warm sounding. Way different again than the later 16 ohm versions, whether they were British made or Chinese.

My 1987 2554 has the 8 ohm Marshall Vintage in it. It is definitly warmer sounding than what I'm use to hearing from the 16 ohm version. Not that warmer means better... just different.

 

[braintheory]

I have a quad of the 2nd version UK T-75’s (no vent). I’ve not tried the 1st version. The ones I have sound very good, but definitely nothing like any greenbacks I’ve heard. They’re pretty scooped, but I don’t think as much as the current versions. I’ve not done any side by side comparisons, but from what I can tell they seem like a similar flavor to the current T75’s but a lot better; warmer, better feel, no harsh/fizzy treble, and not as hollow sounding, but it sounds to me like the 1st version must be pretty different sounding if it’s anything like a greenback. Would be very interested to try one. I trust Racerxrated that the 1st vented versions are likely quite different sounding than the 2nd version I have

In retrospect, I should’ve done better research for getting a vented version, but these also sound very good and perhaps could better a different flavor also worth having

 

[Racerxrated]

I have a quad of the 2nd version UK T-75’s (no vent). I’ve not tried the 1st version. The ones I have sound very good, but definitely nothing like any greenbacks I’ve heard. They’re pretty scooped, but I don’t think as much as the current versions. I’ve not done any side by side comparisons, but from what I can tell they seem like a similar flavor to the current T75’s but a lot better; warmer, better feel, no harsh/fizzy treble, and not as hollow sounding, but it sounds to me like the 1st version must be pretty different sounding if it’s anything like a greenback. Would be very interested to try one. I trust Racerxrated that the 1st vented versions are likely quite different sounding than the 2nd version I have

In retrospect, I should’ve done better research for getting a vented version, but these also sound very good and perhaps could better a different flavor also worth having

I did have an 87 800 straight cab that sounded great; they had the white stickers on the back of the magnets like the vented versions. More mids than the JCM 900 versions for sure. GOAT very well may have played a cab with the vented versions that didn't sound like the ones I had. Who knows. I have found the vented versions as early as 1984 in a 1982 A cab...with the input jack on the bottom.

 

[Goat]

I have a quad of the 2nd version UK T-75’s (no vent). I’ve not tried the 1st version. The ones I have sound very good, but definitely nothing like any greenbacks I’ve heard. They’re pretty scooped, but I don’t think as much as the current versions. I’ve not done any side by side comparisons, but from what I can tell they seem like a similar flavor to the current T75’s but a lot better; warmer, better feel, no harsh/fizzy treble, and not as hollow sounding, but it sounds to me like the 1st version must be pretty different sounding if it’s anything like a greenback. Would be very interested to try one. I trust Racerxrated that the 1st vented versions are likely quite different sounding than the 2nd version I have

In retrospect, I should’ve done better research for getting a vented version, but these also sound very good and perhaps could better a different flavor also worth having

I did have an 87 800 straight cab that sounded great; they had the white stickers on the back of the magnets like the vented versions. More mids than the JCM 900 versions for sure. GOAT very well may have played a cab with the vented versions that didn't sound like the ones I had. Who knows. I have found the vented versions as early as 1984 in a 1982 A cab...with the input jack on the bottom.

If two speakers are built using the same frame, same magnet, same coil, same tube, same dust cover, and the same cone... it's the same speaker. Maybe some UK 75's used differing cone media, I don't know? If they do, it will be the first I've ever heard of it.

I was wondering about the 8 Ohm Marshall Vintage speaker? I assumed I was going to have to swap the speaker out of my 2554, but I didn't have to. I've owned 16 Ohm MV drivers in the past, and I was not impressed. When I first plugged into the 2554, I was blown-away! My 2554 is a Canada version, so I can't dial it to a 16 Ohm setting; for use with my 16 Ohm 4x12 cabinet. Oh, I can... but I'd rather have a matching impedance. I think I may try to track-down a 4 x set of 8 Ohm MV for my '87 cabinet. That being said, why would the 8 Ohm MV driver sound so different? There's only one logical answer that I can think of... The 8 Ohm MV is fitted with a different cone, or a different cone media. What else could it be?

 

[SpiderWars]

I think it's a different VC Goat.

I see your point about same parts - should sound the same. But my experience agrees with Marshall Freak and racaerxrated. I don't have an explanation for it except that maybe the parts changed over the years...even parts from the same mfr and part number. Like maybe the material used for the pulp used for the cone got tweeked or something. I'm reaching for an explanation of what my ears tell me.

 

[tonesfoyobones]

A few months ago I visited a guy who had some Marshall amps and cabs for sale. He had some mid to late 80's Marshall JCM800 A and B cabs as well as some early 90's A and B cabs. I plugged into the cleanest one and it was an early 90's with 12T75's. Immediately I was reminded of what I didn't like about 75's that I have tried. After trying a few more I was convinced I wasn't leaving with a cab. For gits and shiggles I plugged into a '87 straight cab and was blown away! It was warmer and less harsh as the previous cabs. I was convinced that it had 65's in it because it was so different than the other Marshall cabs even though it had the 300 watt badge on the back. he said that all the speakers where original to each cab. Thinking he was mistaking about this particular cab I bought it. After getting it home I pulled the back in the hopes that I hit a home run in getting a cab with the elusive 65's but much to my surprise it was loaded with white labeled 12T-75's! I was shocked because there was no way in my mind that there was 75's in it. It just sounded so much better than all the other 75 loaded cabs. All of which had the black label as we see today. I'm assuming from reading this post that mine are the 2nd version. I'm not exactly sure what is different about the versions but I do know that the set I have remind me of 65's in every way. I have never been much of a fan for 75's for what I like to play but the set I have has greatly changed my opinion, at least for the older ones!

 

[Speeddemon]

@tonesfoyobones, those are the same as my T75's and indeed they sound like a slightly beefier G12-65, with a pinch less mids and more highs, but a far cry from the scooped, harsh, shrill mess that became the later white/black label T75.

By the way, with all the back and forth about vented vs. non-vented, have any of you compared T model numbers?
The non-vented and vented ones are T3760, with 1777 cones.

Note that according to this site:
https://www.bygonetones.com/celestion-s ... -list.html

there were "old label" T75's with a 1777 (AKA 'lead) cone as well as with a 444 cone.
This one is a T3947, with a 444 cone:

(Img source: http://www.marshallforum.com/threads/ce ... urs.68080/ )

Typically known as 'bass' cones.

EDIT: I've had both cone versions of the G12-K85 in 16 Ohm, and the 444 cones are the non-ribbed ones and they sounded waaaaay too smooth for guitar. There has been speculation that these were developed for keyboard amps, but I know that old Sessionette guitar amps had them too, as well as old Peavey 4x12 cabs.
If the difference in sound with the T75 is as big as with the K85, I would walk away fast from 444 coned versions. It took me a lot of speaker flipping to finding out why certain of my K85's sounded so much better than others. I have versions from the 80's and 90's; 1 is in a horizontal 2x12 paired with a V30; that cab is basically the Mayor of Punch Town; population: Thump.
Two others are in my Engl Pro 4x12, paired with the V30's.

 

[Racerxrated]

A few months ago I visited a guy who had some Marshall amps and cabs for sale. He had some mid to late 80's Marshall JCM800 A and B cabs as well as some early 90's A and B cabs. I plugged into the cleanest one and it was an early 90's with 12T75's. Immediately I was reminded of what I didn't like about 75's that I have tried. After trying a few more I was convinced I wasn't leaving with a cab. For gits and shiggles I plugged into a '87 straight cab and was blown away! It was warmer and less harsh as the previous cabs. I was convinced that it had 65's in it because it was so different than the other Marshall cabs even though it had the 300 watt badge on the back. he said that all the speakers where original to each cab. Thinking he was mistaking about this particular cab I bought it. After getting it home I pulled the back in the hopes that I hit a home run in getting a cab with the elusive 65's but much to my surprise it was loaded with white labeled 12T-75's! I was shocked because there was no way in my mind that there was 75's in it. It just sounded so much better than all the other 75 loaded cabs. All of which had the black label as we see today. I'm assuming from reading this post that mine are the 2nd version. I'm not exactly sure what is different about the versions but I do know that the set I have remind me of 65's in every way. I have never been much of a fan for 75's for what I like to play but the set I have has greatly changed my opinion, at least for the older ones!

From my experience those are the second version 75s, only visual difference being the vents on the 84-86 versions. Those are nice; the vented versions are even closer to a 65. I’ve had at least 1 G12 65 cab in house over the last 8 yrs; my last vented 75 cab I would A/B with my 65 cab and the only difference was the 75 were a touch brighter than the 65.

 

[SpiderWars]

Pic of my '84 1960A. Cab is labeled 260W. You can see part of a 1777 code on bottom one.

 

[Goat]

So, the difference between vented and non-vented UK 75 may simply be, that some are fitted with a 444 (55Hz) bass cone, others with a 1777 (75 Hz) lead cone. Makes sense to me.

 

[tonesfoyobones]

Mine are 1777's

 

[harddriver]

They have a great taper on the MV, best of any production Marshall. The 2555x will also let you use any 4 or 2 different pairs of octal tubes, with outside (top of chassis) bias points. I ran 2 6550s with 2 6L6s for a while, then 4 KT88s. KT 90s went in next, and if you like the big tone of KT88s you'll love 4 KT 90s. Like the biggest baddest KT88 tone on the planet with EL34 mids. I say go for it.

The Silver Jubilee is the only Marshall amp I have not played, that I have a desire to try out. I think I would like them!!!!!!!!! Are the clipping LED's always on in the circuit??

 

[Speeddemon]

So, the difference between vented and non-vented UK 75 may simply be, that some are fitted with a 444 (55Hz) bass cone, others with a 1777 (75 Hz) lead cone. Makes sense to me.

Yep, and if some folks claim they sound a lot warmer, to the point of maybe too warm, those would most likely be the 444 cones.

I found one review (I think it was on Marshall forum) that someone liked their 444 cone T75, so maybe the difference isn't as bad as with the K85's I had. I couldn't sell those quickly enough and I did warn the buyer by the way. It was the kind of smooth that may appeal to some semi-hollowbody jazz-type players, or maybe someone that wants to run a really fizzy, bright amp through it, but for general stuff, it was too much IMO.
But as I said, maybe the difference with the T75's isn't as big.