Mesa Mark users (for metal stuff): what cab?

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I have the metal grille Mesa cab 2x12 and 4x12 with EVM-12L's. Both of them with the top half closed off. This gives me the most true sound of the MESA Mark sound. There is more than enough range within the (early)Mark series amps(with the EQ) to tune the sound to my ears as to my liking.
 
I played Mark IIIs exclusively during my 4-year stint of playing 3-4 nighters 50 weeks a year. I went from a pair of Thiele ported EV loaded 1x12s to an angled Mesa 4x12 (Mark style with metal grill) loaded with 90 watt Mesa speakers (mainly for looks). I definitely preferred the sound with the ported Thiele EVs. The 4x12 always sounded a bit dry compared to the Thiele 1x12s which were way ‘thumpier’ for lack of a better term. My last year playing out I bought an OG Bogner straight front with circa early 90s Vintage 30s. That’s the best my Mesa heads ever sounded. I sold both Mark IIIs a while back, but sold one to a close friend. I had the opportunity to borrow that one for a while and played it through a Splawn straight front 4x12 loaded with 65 watt creambacks and it sounded incredible.
 
I have a iic+ currently but I had a rev D recto for a while, too. For both I switch between 2 Bogner 4x12's. One with GB's with the batting pulled out. One stock with British V30's. Depending on what I'm going for 1 or the other always works.
 
I’m right along with a few of the prior mentions: Mesa metal grille 4x12 half back (EVM & C-90’s), Mesa metal grille 2x12 half back (EVM & G12-80), and a StoneAge 2x12 (‘81 G12-65’s). Just can’t run the Coli’s through the StoneAge.
 
Love my Mesa 4x12 slant oversized (V30s) with my 5150 Stealth 50. Can’t imagine it not being just as good with a Mark.
 
"SPEAKERS One 8-ohm and two 4-ohm jacks are provided. The Boogie is not very sensitive to speaker mismatches and will not be damaged by them except that very low ohmage loads will cause the power tubes to wear out faster. A single twelve-inch 8-ohm, speaker should generally be connected to the 8-ohm output on the amp. When using two 8-ohm speakers, connect them both to the 4-ohm outputs provided (because the total load is 4 ohms in that case). 4x12 cabinets may be 4, 8, or 16 ohms; if you are not sure of the impedance of your cabinet, you may need to remove the rear panel to see what ohmage the individual speakers are. Most Marshall 4x12 cabinets are 16 ohms. By wiring all four speakers in parallel, you can reduce the cabinet impedance to 4 ohms (assuming the speakers are 16 ohms each).

From the MK3 manual. There are similar descriptions in the 1 and 2 manuals as well.

https://mesa-boogie.imgix.net/media/User Manuals/Mark III.pdf
 
I am using a metal grill mesa cab with 2 EVMs in the bottom and 2 Mesa Custom 90s in the top. Both sections are currently closed. Actually considering taking the top section off as I like the cleans and low gain sounds better that way. R2 and the lead channel are better with both sections closed, so for metal I would go that way if you get one of the metal grill 412 or 212 cabs.
 
blackba said:
I am using a metal grill mesa cab with 2 EVMs in the bottom and 2 Mesa Custom 90s in the top. Both sections are currently closed. Actually considering taking the top section off as I like the cleans and low gain sounds better that way. R2 and the lead channel are better with both sections closed, so for metal I would go that way if you get one of the metal grill 412 or 212 cabs.
Click to expand...

Ive been thinking about closing off the open side of my 2x12. How do the 90's do in a closed back? Ive heard mixed reviews.
 
blackba said:
I am using a metal grill mesa cab with 2 EVMs in the bottom and 2 Mesa Custom 90s in the top. Both sections are currently closed. Actually considering taking the top section off as I like the cleans and low gain sounds better that way. R2 and the lead channel are better with both sections closed, so for metal I would go that way if you get one of the metal grill 412 or 212 cabs.
Click to expand...
I run mine open back top and closed bottom... brings the laser-heavies with the EVM’s and more ambients thru the C-90’s being open... good balance for cleans and brootz, IMHO.
 
Peavey 412MS with Celestion K85s is great. So is the 8 ohm (rearloaded) Bogner Ubercab.
 
Emg77 said:
Ive been thinking about closing off the open side of my 2x12. How do the 90's do in a closed back? Ive heard mixed reviews.
Click to expand...

More punch with the top closed, but I could see where some would thing they are two dark. Mesa themselves recommends running the MC90s in an opened back or thiele cab. One of the options I am considering it to make a new upper back panel with an oval port or two smaller panels with about a 3inch gap inbetween. the goal would to try to get best of both worlds, but not sure that is possible.
 
I used my old IV with a horizontal recto 212 with the UK V30s, Chinese, and a few other mixes over the years. It’s pretty good but I vastly prefer the Traditional 412. The cab dimensions are more important than the speaker in this case IMO. I really like my Marshall 1960b as well.
 
I use a OS standard Mesa 4x12 with my Mark IV and it sounds huge.
 
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