Peavey 212 vs EVH 212 vs Mesa Boogie 212 Compact Rectifier Cab, Boss Katana Waza 212 or Mesa 212 Boogie Open Back *_*

[The~Kid]

Looking at either a Peavey 212 black cab with Greenbacks, Peavey 212 tweed cab with Vintage 30 and 75 combo or an EVH 212 with 70th Anniversary G12H30.



Not getting soon but possibly early next year around Feb or March. Which would you go for. Thinking of pairing with my Bad Cat Lynx 50 Head?


I also have a spare V30 so I can use it to mix and match with either cabs too.


I've tried the amp with an EVH cab and it sounded amazing before I bought it and those 70th Anniversary are MIE. The Peaveys are MIC but I've tried a 6505 mini on the Peavey cabs and they sound amazing too.



I kind of want to get the EVH 212 as the amp sounded great with it but figure I may be better off with the Peavey Tweed Cab to go full V30 as I have a spare V30 in 8 ohm or the Peavey Black cab and mix with a Greenback. I could also mix a V30 with the EVH 212 too and pair the 70th Anniversary with a V30.



Another option is a compact Mesa Boogie closed 212 cab with V30s. This is a bit more expensive but I have two G12C/Watchtower/Jimi Hendrix Cab speakers in 16 ohm, and a spare 70th Anniversary MIE in 16 ohm so I could mix and match as the Mesa cab is wired in parallel using two 16 ohm V30s for an 8ohm load. The other cabs use 8ohm speakers wired in series for 16ohm load.




I figure can't go wrong with the Peavey 212 Black as that is a Greenback base and I can always throw in a V30 to spice it up...... Or go for the EVH Cab and mix a V30 in with a 70th Anniversary....... Or go for the Tweed cab and try the 75 and Vintage 30 combo..... Or just go dual V30s with the Mesa and mix and match with the other 16ohm options I have?


Late to the game to is a Katana Boss Waza 212 Cab..... I'm actually using my Boss Artist Mkll Combo as a cab right now and it sounds pretty damn good too. Anyone have experience with the Waza cabs?


Also included a MojoTone 212 unloaded cab.......



What would you go for given tone of said speakers and mix and possible match combos with the spare V30 8ohm or 16ohm G12C and 70th Anniversary G12H30s I have?

 

[The~Kid]

The Peavey ones are nice because they are open or closed back convertible.


It sounds nuts but if I did go with a Peavey cab I'd go with the Tweed to have an offset with the black Lynx head, like a vintage meets modern thing.... Plus I did try one once and was rather impressed with the V30+75 combo


Really considering the Black 212 too but not sure if 50 watt amp with 212 Greenbacks barely handling 50 watts is good enough?

But as said have a spare V30 and I really like a base Greenback foundation in general and I think Friedman uses Greenbacks and V30 in his 412s and that sounds amazing.


The EVH one sounded great and I've actually used it but when it comes to power handling is 60 watts enough again for a 50 watt head. I could always stick a V30 in there. Also the speakers are Made in England in these using 70th Anniversary and it's a very resonant pine/birch cab.



The Mesa is a good option too and then I would be able to stick in a spare G12H30, or G12C as I have two.

 

[Nigel]

If you get the Mesa compact, be prepared to stuff it with dacron/polyfil etc.

 

[heath]

Had the EVH cab for years. Rock solid they sound great. The other benefit is the tilt-back legs. The lynx head is about the same size as the 5150iii 50 watt head. You could possibly find the hardware to mount to the bottom of the lynx so it could fasten to the cab also.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

If it is for the Badcat, get the cab that sounded best as the cab changes the sound as well as the speakers.

 

[The~Kid]

If it is for the Badcat, get the cab that sounded best as the cab changes the sound as well as the speakers.

Honestly this is the best answer......


I've tried the other cabs and they are great but I've never tried it with this amp...... And I'm not saying the amp won't sound great with the other cabs it's just I kind of don't have time to figure it out or guess or take that risk.

That's the cab I played the amp with that I liked to begin with...... Good price, build and speakers..... Why look a gift horse in the mouth


I figure too if I wanted I could rewire it in parallel easy to accommodate some of my 16 ohm speakers.

 

[The~Kid]

@Mike Oxhuge Also put up the Boss Katana Waza 212 as an option as I'm using a Boss Katana Artist Mkll 112 Combo as an extension cab and it actually sounds fucking great too......


And has more than enough power at 100 watts a speaker a 212 should handle the Lynx great and the cab is bigger too..... Kind of surprised with the Waza speaker tbh


But these are all great options.

 

[The~Kid]

The logos on any of the cabs I get is coming off as most are screwed on.


They all have their pros and cons. The Peavey stuff is good and convertible open back/closed back and offers some a good base with Greenbacks or the V30+75 combo, the EVH is pine/Birch ply with MIE 70th Anniversary G12H30s, the Mesa comes loaded with 16ohm V30s wired in parallel and a thick cab, the Boss has 100 watt Waza speakers with the bigger cab build.



Is there any reason one would pick one over the other. I kind of do want to get the Mesa one due to the speaker configuration...... 16ohm V30 speakers in parallel and I can use the spare G12C/Jimi Hendrix speakers or a spare 70th Anniversary I have in 16ohm.


But off the bat the EVH cab is a great value and so are the Peavey ones....... As good as the Waza cab is I think for this I want real Celestions though and I already have the Artist Mkll with a Waza Speaker in it.

 

[napalmdeath]

Forgot Avatar. I'd take their Vintage 1×12 with speakers of choice over most of these choices.

 

[napalmdeath]

If it is for the Badcat, get the cab that sounded best as the cab changes the sound as well as the speakers.

That would lead me to Mesa. The Badcat seems to prefer V30's. I wouldn't bother with the other garbage on the list. Why get a shit cab with a "boutique" head?

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

@Mike Oxhuge Also put up the Boss Katana Waza 212 as an option as I'm using a Boss Katana Artist Mkll 112 Combo as an extension cab and it actually sounds fucking great too......


And has more than enough power at 100 watts a speaker a 212 should handle the Lynx great and the cab is bigger too..... Kind of surprised with the Waza speaker tbh


But these are all great options.

Sorry I am not experienced with any of these particular cabs, I was just saying when I like a particular cab I try with one of my amps I go with it and stop worrying about what others might sound like. If it works it works. Never tried any Badcat amp either but they seem to be pretty great and I really like the features and clips of the one you bought.

 

[Mike Oxhuge]

I can tell you that the old Mesa Mark vertical 2x12 is the best I've ever tried and they are available new again but spendy.

 

[The~Kid]

That would lead me to Mesa. The Badcat seems to prefer V30's. I wouldn't bother with the other garbage on the list. Why get a shit cab with a "boutique" head?

I wouldn't call the EVH or Peavey cabs shit cabs..... They are ply construction and have some pretty good speakers. The Peavey one is also a bit bigger than the Mesa and are open/closed back convertible. A pine/birch cab that the EVH comes in are usually great quality too.


But I mean Mesa cabs are a lot of Mesas bread and butter for sure and legendary cabs. And it comes wired in parallel with 16ohm V30s..... And the thicker cab..... Should bring a tighter base with the compact design too. I can mix and match the Jimi Hendrix/G12C speakers and a spare 70th Anniversary in 16 ohm I have too.



Yeah I mean the Mesa one cost more but it may be well worth but again have tried this amp with the EVH cabs and they sounded great.


Also going to put up the Mesa 212 Boogie open back as an option...... Its also bigger than the compact version and cost less, can anyone give the skinny on the BlackShadows vs V30s. I always figured BlackShadows were simply higher powered V30s but don't know

​

 

[napalmdeath]

I wouldn't call the EVH or Peavey cabs shit cabs..... They are ply construction and have some pretty good speakers. The Peavey one is also a bit bigger than the Mesa and are open/closed back convertible. A pine/birch cab that the EVH comes in are usually great quality too.


But I mean Mesa cabs are a lot of Mesas bread and butter for sure and legendary cabs. And it comes wired in parallel with 16ohm V30s..... And the thicker cab..... Should bring a tighter base with the compact design too. I can mix and match the Jimi Hendrix/G12C speakers and a spare 70th Anniversary in 16 ohm I have too.



Yeah I mean the Mesa one cost more but it may be well worth but again have tried this amp with the EVH cabs and they sounded great.


Also going to put up the Mesa 212 Boogie open back as an option...... Its also bigger than the compact version and cost less, can anyone give the skinny on the BlackShadows vs V30s. I always figured BlackShadows were simply higher powered V30s but don't know

​

The EVH 4x12 sounds great, but I thought the 2x12 sounded small/thin. The Peavey is Chinese, nowhere near the quality of the Mesa. Look into Avatar.

What's wrong with the Bad Cat 2x12?

 

[The~Kid]

The EVH 4x12 sounds great, but I thought the 2x12 sounded small/thin. The Peavey is Chinese, nowhere near the quality of the Mesa. Look into Avatar.

What's wrong with the Bad Cat 2x12?

Yeah I mean there is that too......


I guess I kind of wanted to save with the Peavey or EVH cab and well I don't think they are so bad. I know the Peavey is Chinese but the ones I played sounded pretty damn good and was surprised money aside they sounded pretty quality.


But considering a Mesa with V30s right may as well get the Bad Cat Lynx Cab.


I kind of wouldnt be let down with the Peaveys tbh as the ones I played sounded great with a mini 6505.


The amps already a big expense and as good as good as the Bad Cat cabs may be for playing at home don't justify the additional expense at that point. The Mesa 212 Compact is as much as Id be willing to spend.


Hell honestly may not even go 212 and go 112.


I thought I would need a 212 to move sufficient air but the Katana Artist Mkll Combo with the Waza speaker is providing more than enough air, movement etc etc for my needs and it's only a 112 configuration.


I may very well just get a Mesa 112 Openback/Closed back with a BlackShadow or a V30 tbh thinking about it now but yeah or a Badcat 112 Cab with their undoped V30 or a regular V30...... Maybe just get the 112 Bad Cat cab for my needs in that case tbh

 

[PiggySmallz]

In addition to speakers you should be factoring in dimensions for the sound you want and style of music you play.

Cant really go wrong with V30s. I felt the Lynx sounded a lot better through a good set of V30s than my redback/h75 set up

 

[EyesOfTheSouth!]

I’ve owned a ton of 2x12’s including most mentioned in this thread. The closest I’ve come to a 4x12 tone and response in 2x12 format is a Zilla Fatboy. Huge, clear, and no boxyness.

I also have a Splawn, Orange PPC, and Bogner Helios. The EVH cab was really thin and boxy (as someone mentioned) even with a speaker swap.

 

[The~Kid]

Anyone try the Orange 212 Open Back cabs with V30s?