Mesa V30s

[Laura]

I have a Kress 4x12 with 2 V30's that came out of a Mesa cab and 2 older G12T75's and it sounds great. I had my 2nd Kress 4x12 loaded with 2 newer V30's and 2 Hellatone G12H30's and I found it to be harsh. I always wondered if the Mesa V30's were different somehow because they definitely sounded better to my ears...

 

[Holy-diver]

I knew they sounded different. There is definitely a difference.

 

[JakeAC5253]

This is the first that I am actually hearing on paper that they are different from standard V30's (even if they are just different picks from a standardized manufacturing procedure). I always hear people complain about how harsh V30's are and how bad they sound and I had no idea what they were talking about to be honest. I've got my Mesa cab here and 'harsh' and 'bad' are not words that I would use to describe it at all lol. It is very full sounding and if anything it could use a small boost in the highs. Maybe those people should have tried a Mesa cab

 

[thegame]

Maybe I am reading into it, but it sounds like Celestion is 'sorting' production vintage 30's for them. They send ones that fall within a certain range to mesa and the rest to everyone else.

Its quite easy to sort when the Mesa V30s are still made in the U.K., and the rest in China.

 

[Holy-diver]

And they're 70w

 

[Digital Jams]

Mesa v30s are indeed voiced differently.

Yes they are different

 

[irondeth21]

Makes me wonder if more companies order to a certain frequency response. I have a diezel with v30's that are well worn in, I've never found it to be harsh or overly bright.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

It has been rumored that the Hellatones are from the same lot that the Mesa speakers come from. But I can't say for sure.

 

[~Abstract~]

I heard that Avatar's Hellatones "60L" is the Mesa version of the V30...

 

[~Abstract~]

damnit.


lol

 

[RIFF]

When I talked with J Marshall at Mesa several years ago while I had a low level endorsement with them, he said Mesa is contracted with Celestion to give them V30s that fall into a certain frequency response. They are made the same, they just test and pass a certain frequency response requirement to get shipped to Mesa.

Whats weird is that they still call something that's no longer truely a "V30" by the same name. Obviously something had to change (cone angle or weight, ribs, dope, spider, magnet, glue)..

why not just call it something else!

Mesa just specifies a certain frequency response. They are still V30 by design and build, but two speakers that come off the assembly line side by side will have different responses when tested. Mesa just wants the ones that meet their specs.

And they're 70w

My understanding is some speakers are rated, more at their breakup than their burnout point, however it seems unlikely that Mesa would toe the line on that..
And then there's this..

I knew they sounded different. There is definitely a difference.

If they were so close in build it seems the difference would be almost undetectable..


Im definitely not arguing with anyone, its actually just a small mystery that Id love to hear the exact details about..

AND like i said B4, ive heard that the mode4 & MILLS V30s are unique. In fact a guy in HCAF posted up clips, a back & forth of a mills & marshall that ignited a flamewar. The MILLS V30 was so MUCH louder than the standard V30 at the same settings, that it was deemed an unfair comparison..

Oh well, IMHO, take it for what its worth... it is what it is..

 

[mattTHERIPPERsanchez]

Maybe I am reading into it, but it sounds like Celestion is 'sorting' production vintage 30's for them. They send ones that fall within a certain range to mesa and the rest to everyone else.

Its quite easy to sort when the Mesa V30s are still made in the U.K., and the rest in China.

so if the Mesa V30s are manufactured in the UK, does that mean Orange uses them too?

 

[glassjaw7]

So are Egnater's CL80 speakers different, or is it like the Mesa situation and they just get certain ones that fall within a specified frequency range sent to them?

 

[NewWorldMan]

It's also a difference in how they're constructed.

 

[lolzgreg]

I heard that Avatar's Hellatones "60L" is the Mesa version of the V30...

Avatar's Hellatone 60L is the same speaker used in the Marshall Mode Four cabinet, and has a slightly lower bass response. It is not the same speaker used in the Mesa Rectifier 4x12.

 

[JamesPeters]

so if the Mesa V30s are manufactured in the UK, does that mean Orange uses them too?

Yes.

The UK Vintage 30s sound more "fat" in the midrange, smoother (and arguably a bit less articulate) in the treble with a bit less upper mid "poke" compared to the Chinese Vintage 30s. I like both versions but there's definitely a noticeable difference in the ones used in Mesa and Orange cabs (confirmed with testing both types in various cabs with various listeners). The speakers look different too; you'll notice the metal on the magnet structure of the UK V30s looks fairly smooth while the metal used on the magnet structure of the Chinese V30s looks more like pot metal. So it's not just a difference in the stickers applied to the speakers which indicate (or imply) their place of manufacture.

 

[BlinkTwice]

I recently A/B'd a V30 taken from a Mesa cab and one I bought a few years ago from a local shop. Both were used extensively, and well broken in. The Mesa one sounded MUCH better, with much better deffinition and a very nice sizzle. I sold the "regular" one the next day. Now I have a big problem: where do I find another one that sounds as good ?

http://mesa.stores.yahoo.net/12ingusp.html

Thanks for the link. I'm gasing for some speakers right now and I may give these a try.

 

[dass101]

so if the Mesa V30s are manufactured in the UK, does that mean Orange uses them too?

Yes.

The UK Vintage 30s sound more "fat" in the midrange, smoother (and arguably a bit less articulate) in the treble with a bit less upper mid "poke" compared to the Chinese Vintage 30s. I like both versions but there's definitely a noticeable difference in the ones used in Mesa and Orange cabs (confirmed with testing both types in various cabs with various listeners). The speakers look different too; you'll notice the metal on the magnet structure of the UK V30s looks fairly smooth while the metal used on the magnet structure of the Chinese V30s looks more like pot metal. So it's not just a difference in the stickers applied to the speakers which indicate (or imply) their place of manufacture.

Dear James,
Funny thing is that I looked very closely to see if there is any difference in the appearance of the two speakers. I didn't notice any at all... Same metal frame, no "Made in UK" or anything of the like, exactly the same, except the Mesa one was 16 ohms and the regular one was 8 ohms.
The Mesa had a smoother more extended frequency response, while the regular one was a bit honkier, with less sizzle and with somehow "congested" and muddier mids.

 

[Les Zombie]

I've been playing v30's for years and but mostly the Mesa version. I didn't know they sounded different, I always see people saying how harsh the regular v30 sounds and I couldn't hear it, I guess it's because I mostly play the Mesa ones. I thought they was all the same.
My uberkab has the regular v30 but it's mixed with 75's and I can't hear just the v30.
I wanna hear a regular v30 cab now so I can compare them to the Mesa.

All the things about v30 most people hate I don't seem to hear and now I'm curious.

 

[~Abstract~]

I heard that Avatar's Hellatones "60L" is the Mesa version of the V30...

Avatar's Hellatone 60L is the same speaker used in the Marshall Mode Four cabinet, and has a slightly lower bass response. It is not the same speaker used in the Mesa Rectifier 4x12.

Marshall Mode 4 uses K100's...

right?


edit:

Looks like they use both...thanks Greg

MF280 Specifications
Speakers: 12" Celestion Vintage 30MF x 4
Power handling (RMS 280W
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Dimensions (mm 760 x 910 x 380
Weight (Kg 42.5

MF400 Specifications
Speakers: 12" Celestion G12-K100 x 4
Power handling (RMS 400W
Impedance: 8 Ohms
Dimensions (mm 760 x 910 x 380
Weight (Kg 41.5