Speaker Cab Questions Marshall

[BrentSSL]

Okay my first question is simple if I have two 16 ohm v30 speakers. Can I just buy a marshall cab with a sixteen ohm g-12T75 speakers take 2 out and put the v30s or do I need to rewire the cab for different ohms?

Second question might be a debate. Why do some 1960 marshall cabs sound awesome. But others sound like trash usually the bad sounding ones just say jcm 1960 lead on the badge. While the good sounding cabs say lead on the badge however from my research the Cabs are identical.

 

[Rick Lee]

To your first question, yes. Just replace and go.

To your second question, lots of variables. Most Marshall cabs have G12T-75s. They're serviceable speakers and I like them. But then it depends if you're talking an A or B cab, particle board, Baltic Birch, if the speakers are broken in, have been upgraded, etc. My personal favorites are Greenbacks. But I have a 2x12 with 75s and it sounds great too.

 

[311boogieman]

Put your Avatar up on a stand and focus on pickups first

 

[Racerxrated]

Okay my first question is simple if I have two 16 ohm v30 speakers. Can I just buy a marshall cab with a sixteen ohm g-12T75 speakers take 2 out and put the v30s or do I need to rewire the cab for different ohms?

Second question might be a debate. Why do some 1960 marshall cabs sound awesome. But others sound like trash usually the bad sounding ones just say jcm 1960 lead on the badge. While the good sounding cabs say lead on the badge however from my research the Cabs are identical.

Yes to the first, the second is mostly due to speakers and how they are wired IMO. The construction has been the same since the 90s to my knowledge, and previously the only difference was what the back panel was made of. I might be wrong but I think that's the case. So, the wiring..the JCM 800 cabs and prior were wired mono and if you take a later stereo cab and just re wire it with a mono jack the tone improves a lot IMO. So, if you like T75s your best bet is to find a JCM 800 cab with them, they are less scooped and wired mono. Or, find a later stereo cab from the 90s or later and re wire. If you want to know the difference in tone between the speakers in Marshall cabs...google is your friend. Tons out there. Just stay away from ANY Marshall cab with G12M70s. Ugh.
T75s evolved from a mid heavy high powered greenback in 84(those have vents on the magnet) to a scooped metal speaker now...but it wasn't dramatic..so late 80s still had mids, early 90s less but some..till now and very scooped.

 

[BrentSSL]

Put your Avatar up on a stand and focus on pickups first

Lol I agree but this has been a plan for a while the night I bought the head I played through a marshall cab and really liked it. I just went with the Avatar cab because it had a little bit more bottom end.

 

[Rex Rocker]

BTW, current Marshall cabs have a plywood back. For the longest time, I think from the 80's all through the early 2010's, they used MDF backs instead.

So in this case, I'd rather have a new(er) 1960A/B rather than the old JCM-branded ones if I were going to change the speakers, personally.

 

[BrentSSL]

It's either the mdf board or different speakers

 

[LP Freak]

I’d like to see how many could actually tell the difference between MDF and plywood in a blind test. I guarantee not many if any.

 

[sytharnia1560]

I’d like to see how many could actually tell the difference between MDF and plywood in a blind test. I guarantee not many if any.

 

[BrentSSL]

I’d like to see how many could actually tell the difference between MDF and plywood in a blind test. I guarantee not many if any.

All I know is some Marshall cabs like the old avt cabs some ax cabs and the jacm 1960 lead cabs sound good some sound awesome and the other cabs usually new ones in guitar center sound terrible.

 

[311boogieman]

New cabs with new speakers sound terrible. OK...not as good at least.

A brand new V30 (any speaker really, but V30s especially and because there are so many of them out there in different forms and cabs) sounds like shit. That's why you always hear about needing to break them in. I bought my Avatar 212 with brand new speakers and my Splawn 212 was new and it just takes time. My Mesa Trad I got used and was glorious. And cheaper. No reason in my book to buy a brand new cabinet unless you have to.

 

[Racerxrated]

New cabs with new speakers sound terrible. OK...not as good at least.

A brand new V30 (any speaker really, but V30s especially and because there are so many of them out there in different forms and cabs) sounds like shit. That's why you always hear about needing to break them in. I bought my Avatar 212 with brand new speakers and my Splawn 212 was new and it just takes time. My Mesa Trad I got used and was glorious. And cheaper. No reason in my book to buy a brand new cabinet unless you have to.

I agree with new speakers, and used cabs are plentiful and hard to move so deals are out there. But, I think the difference between your Mesa and Avatar with V30s is more about the cab itself. I've had used British V30s out of a Fender Tonemaster cab(cab was ok sounding but harsh highs) and put them into an Avatar cab(even harsher sounding), had used Marshall AV/BV cabs from the 90s, better but harsh top end...when I bought a Mesa Traditional cab that was eye opening..the difference was night and day. No harsh highs...I went V30 cab crazy and bought a Rivera V30(same tone as the Mesa) and a Bogner(warmer but awesome). I'm convinced that the Cab makes the speaker since my previous experiences with used V30(British made) were way different and harsher than the Mesa, Rivera and Bogner. And, the Rivera and Bogner came with Chinese V30s to boot.

 

[311boogieman]

Can't disagree with that.

I will say I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the Avatar 212 cab I had. Not Splawn quality but also better than expected. I also didn't have V30s in it because I had read everywhere that Splawn's don't pair well with them. So after talking to Dave at Avatar we landed on the G12H30 and Classic Lead 80. Pretty cool combo and offered some miking variance.

The Splawn 212 has Small Blocks - which are basically higher wattage Greenbacks and fits the Splawn to a T. That said, I have it sitting up on a big frame so its hitting me in the chest. But the Quick Rod doesn't sound as good into the Mesa cab so there must be some truth to that tone issue. Point being - the amp used makes a difference as well.

But yeah, the Mesa Trad is an amazing cab and a bit overkill for my mancave but I don't gig so I don't have to worry about lugging it around. People who come over who are not in this 'gear world' don't understand my 'back-line' lol. I tell them these cabinets are not really about producing volume they are about producing the best tone.

Bottom line, if your 212 is not giving you what you want right now - get it up higher so you can hear the frequencies better. A buddy always said, you're not playing for your knee caps you're playing for your ears.

 

[Racerxrated]

Can't disagree with that.

I will say I was presently surprised with the quality of the Avatar 212 cab I had. Not Splawn quality but also better than expected. I also didn't have V30s in it because I had read everywhere that Splawn's don't pair well with them. So after talking to Dave at Avatar we landed on the G12H30 and Classic Lead 80. Pretty cool combo and offered some miking variance.

The Splawn 212 has Small Blocks - which are basically higher wattage Greenbacks and fits the Splawn to a T. That said, I have it sitting up on a big frame so its hitting me in the chest. But the Quick Rod doesn't sound as good into the Mesa cab so there must be some truth to that tone issue. Point being - the amp used makes a difference as well.

But yeah, the Mesa Trad is an amazing cab and a bit overkill for my mancave but I don't gig so I don't have to worry about lugging it around. People who come over who are not in this 'gear world' don't understand by 'back-line' lol. I tell them these cabinets are not really about producing volume they are about producing the best tone.

Bottom line, if your 212 is not giving you what you want right now - get it up higher so you can hear the frequencies better. A buddy always said, you're not playing for your knee caps you're playing for your ears.

My wife at the time was like "Don't you already have 4 speaker cabinets?" Lol. I also had a Strategy 400 that loves to be hooked up to multiple cabs....but it was surprising how great those cabs made V30s sound...I'd imagine a Diezel V30 cab would also sound killer.

 

[311boogieman]

I almost got a Diezel 4x12 and then learned I needed the front loaded one and then I saw the price tag. Even for a used one. The rear loaded ones were 'made in _____' or didn't have the right speakers or something like that. Hate to give the wrong info on the interwebz so maybe someone else can clear that up. Rear loaded Diezel cabs are NOT where its at right? Wrong?

Safe to say, I believe it was you fine folks on here that steered me to the Mesa Traditional Slant. Found one at GC for $450. Not a great price but not a bad one either considering their price new.



Oh, and while we are at it. I DO believe that cabinet construction matters but I can't tell you how many folks I've run into, musicians mind you, who feel the opposite. A box is a box they say. Cray Cray.

 

[Racerxrated]

I almost got a Diezel 4x12 and then learned I needed to front loaded one and then I saw the price tag. Even for a used one. The rear loaded ones were 'made in _____' or something like that or didn't have the right speakers or something like that. Hate to give the wrong info on the interwebz so maybe someone else can clear that. Rear loaded Diezel cabs are NOT where its at right? Wrong?

Safe to say, I believe it was you fine folks on here that steered me to the Mesa Traditional Slant. Found one at GC for $450. Not a great price but not a bad one either considering their price new.



Oh, and while we are at it. I DO believe that cabinet construction matters but I can't tell you how many folks I've run into, musicians mind you, who feel the opposite. A box is a box they say. Cray Cray.

Yeah I don't know how anyone could argue after hearing a bunch over the years, and the huge differences with the same speakers..even considering age/break in.
Speaking of Diezel, there's a front loaded 4x12 with the K100s on Mpls Craigslist for 400...lowered to 375..

https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/ ... 69778.html

 

[BrentSSL]

I almost got a Diezel 4x12 and then learned I needed the front loaded one and then I saw the price tag. Even for a used one. The rear loaded ones were 'made in _____' or didn't have the right speakers or something like that. Hate to give the wrong info on the interwebz so maybe someone else can clear that. Rear loaded Diezel cabs are NOT where its at right? Wrong?

Safe to say, I believe it was you fine folks on here that steered me to the Mesa Traditional Slant. Found one at GC for $450. Not a great price but not a bad one either considering their price new.



Oh, and while we are at it. I DO believe that cabinet construction matters but I can't tell you how many folks I've run into, musicians mind you, who feel the opposite. A box is a box they say. Cray Cray.

That's how I feel a box is a box but who knows

 

[Scumback Speakers]

That's how I feel a box is a box but who knows

I have to disagree. In my experience, better wood, better joints, and solid hardware with no loose screws, etc are paramount to making speakers/cabs sound better.

Awhile back, Dave Friedman got a cab made of 5 ply Philippine mahogany plywood. He never thought Scumback M75's could sound bad, until he got that cab supplied by a cab maker (can't remember who, sorry). But after four were installed in that cab, he knew that was wrong.

The cabs make a big difference, a box is not just a box.

 

[Hamer95USA]

That's how I feel a box is a box but who knows

I have to disagree. In my experience, better wood, better joints, and solid hardware with no loose screws, etc are paramount to making speakers/cabs sound better.

Awhile back, Dave Friedman got a cab made of 5 ply Philippine mahogany plywood. He never thought Scumback M75's could sound bad, until he got that cab supplied by a cab maker (can't remember who, sorry). But after four were installed in that cab, he knew that was wrong.

The cabs make a big difference, a box is not just a box.

Words of truth!

 

[Hamer95USA]

Okay my first question is simple if I have two 16 ohm v30 speakers. Can I just buy a marshall cab with a sixteen ohm g-12T75 speakers take 2 out and put the v30s or do I need to rewire the cab for different ohms?

Second question might be a debate. Why do some 1960 marshall cabs sound awesome. But others sound like trash usually the bad sounding ones just say jcm 1960 lead on the badge. While the good sounding cabs say lead on the badge however from my research the Cabs are identical.

1990's Marshall JCM 900 4x12 cab with Celestion G12T-75 and Vintage 30 speakers in an X configuration wired at 16 ohms or 8 ohms per side in stereo. Good construction, materials, and speakers are what makes a speaker sound good.

Guitar George