Weird, I don't like the VH4 with Vintage 30s

[nightlight]

I have been pairing my Diezel with different cabs to see what I like it with.

Today I was using it through my Orange 2x12 with V30s and I was definitely unimpressed, took everything I liked about that amp and made it thinner and decidedly woofier.

In contrast, when I ran my Savage 120 through the Orange cab, it sounded tight as hell. I was so impressed with the tone, super tight, aggressive and focused. Impossibly smooth.

Found it a little weird I didn't like the Diezel through it though, since I know most recommendations on forums like this one are in favour of the VH4 into a Mesa 4x12 with V30s.

In contrast, I prefer the Diezel through my Emperor 4x12, which has Governors and Tonkers in an X pattern. I know the Governor is supposed to be based off the V30, so I was wondering whether the tight bottom end of the Tonker was influencing my thinking.

The Diezel also sounds better through an EVM12L than the V30 by my reckoning.

What gives? Does anyone pair their VH4 or other Diezel amps with anything other than a V30?

 

[skullfxr]

Some amps are just picky. Splawns don't get along with V30's either.

 

[nightlight]

Some amps are just picky. Splawns don't get along with V30's either.

Yet most of the recommendations I've read on these forums are Mesa Boogie cabinet with V30s for the VH4 :/

EDIT: I realise that not all cabs are equal!

 

[bubucci]

Diezels need a cab with tight and focused bottom end so recto cab won't be my first choice. Oranges are very loose in bass department and have muffled highs. I'm not suprised they work with Engl but not with VH4. Also frontloaded cab will fit Diezels better when You want use their massive bottom end.

 

[nightlight]

This from a Diezel Amp USA rep on the forums.

The V-30's are not a speaker I really like at all. It is a decent speaker when not pushed but when pushed it has the harsh characteristics. Front loaded sounds best with the G12K100 and rear loaded sounds best with the hemp cone.

 

[fusedbrain]

Mesa V30's are not the same speaker as what's in the Orange cab

And I'm not surprised you liked the sound of the 4x12 vs the 2x12 cab either.

Big sounding amp needs a big cab to get the goods

 

[nightlight]

Mesa V30's are not the same speaker as what's in the Orange cab

And I'm not surprised you liked the sound of the 4x12 vs the 2x12 cab either.

Big sounding amp needs a big cab to get the goods

Except the Savage is a brutal amp in its own right. But it doesn't sound as good through the Emperor, I actually preferred it with the 2x12 with V30s.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Mesa V30's are not the same speaker as what's in the Orange cab

Was thinking the same. Very different-sounding cabs. Thicker plywood on the Orange with the thick grill cloth as well as 16-ohm standard V30's vs. 8-ohm Mesa-voiced V30's. I think even if you compare the Orange to other standard Chinese V30 equipped cabinet, the construction makes it sound very non-standard, IMO.

 

[nightlight]

Mesa V30's are not the same speaker as what's in the Orange cab

Was thinking the same. Very different-sounding cabs. Thicker plywood on the Orange with the thick grill cloth as well as 16-ohm standard V30's vs. 8-ohm Mesa-voiced V30's.

I was thinking it couldn't be possible that the Orange uses 16 ohm V30s. The cab is wired up for 16 ohms, which means it would be two 8 ohm speakers.

 

[Metlupass2]

My VH4s sounds amazing through my Diezel 4x12 with V30s and my Bogner Uberkab in stereo.

If you're in Chicago area I've got a Diezel 4x12 with D12V8 Eminence speakers I'll sell cheap.

 

[Rex Rocker]

Mesa V30's are not the same speaker as what's in the Orange cab

Was thinking the same. Very different-sounding cabs. Thicker plywood on the Orange with the thick grill cloth as well as 16-ohm standard V30's vs. 8-ohm Mesa-voiced V30's.

I was thinking it couldn't be possible that the Orange uses 16 ohm V30s. The cab is wired up for 16 ohms, which means it would be two 8 ohm speakers.

My bad.

Still, the construction, thick ply, and the grill cloth as well as the Chinese V30's make it sound very different to a Mesa or even a Diezel cab.

 

[fearhk213]

I used to gig a VH4 with a rear-loaded Diezel cab with V30's. The cab had the standard celestion V30. It sounded great to me. I also played a buddy's VH4 through a Mesa OS 4x12. I only got to play that combo once, but I remember digging it and getting everything I remember liking about the VH4. My initial thought is it's probably just that particular cab that doesn't jive with the VH4 for your tastes.

I recently grabbed an old Crate Blue Voodoo V30 for a good price so I could yank the speakers for another cab. Not to digress, but that Crate was much nicer sounding than I expected. Anyway, the V30's obviously still had that V30 character in both cabs, but there was a noticeable difference in tone & response. In one cab the response was stiffer and the tone a bit more toothy and in the other cab there was more bloom in the response and more warmth to the tone. Cab construction makes a huge difference.

 

[Racerxrated]

Some amps are just picky. Splawns don't get along with V30's either.

Yet most of the recommendations I've read on these forums are Mesa Boogie cabinet with V30s for the VH4 :/

EDIT: I realise that not all cabs are equal!

I don't think you realize how HUGE the cab construction/etc is when comparing cabs, even with the same speaker they can be completely different in EVERY way.

I didn't care for V30s at all with most amps...until I tried a Mesa, Bogner, Rivera. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The Cab construction made ALL the difference.
I know they are spendy but don't judge that amp until you try a REAL Diezel cab with V30s. You HAVE to match your amp with the right cab to get the real deal tone that the builder wants you to experience.

 

[RaceU4her]

I recently grabbed an old Crate Blue Voodoo V30 for a good price so I could yank the speakers for another cab. Not to digress, but that Crate was much nicer sounding than I expected.

my bv cab with v30s is awesome, if it didnt say crate on it people would love them.

 

[Racerxrated]

Mesa V30's are not the same speaker as what's in the Orange cab

Was thinking the same. Very different-sounding cabs. Thicker plywood on the Orange with the thick grill cloth as well as 16-ohm standard V30's vs. 8-ohm Mesa-voiced V30's.

I was thinking it couldn't be possible that the Orange uses 16 ohm V30s. The cab is wired up for 16 ohms, which means it would be two 8 ohm speakers.

My bad.

Still, the construction, thick ply, and the grill cloth as well as the Chinese V30's make it sound very different to a Mesa or even a Diezel cab.

Here's a wrench to throw in...when I compared a Mesa Standard, Bogner V30 and Rivera V30 they all sounded killer. The Bogner a little warmer, but still great. The Rivera and Mesa sounded near identical.
Wait, the Mesa has English V30s? The Rivera and Bogner have Chinese? How could this be?
Common opinion would have you believe that there should be a huge difference but there wasn't. They all sounded better by a long shot than the all English V30 tone master cab I had.
A great constructed cab has more to do with great tone than most realize. I heard it for myself. Buy a quality cab, get quality tone. Period. Doesn't matter WHERE the V30 is made.

 

[gibson08]

Mesa V30's are not the same speaker as what's in the Orange cab

Was thinking the same. Very different-sounding cabs. Thicker plywood on the Orange with the thick grill cloth as well as 16-ohm standard V30's vs. 8-ohm Mesa-voiced V30's.

I was thinking it couldn't be possible that the Orange uses 16 ohm V30s. The cab is wired up for 16 ohms, which means it would be two 8 ohm speakers.

That depends on if its series or parallel, pretty sure the Orange is 2 16 ohm in parallel.

 

[RedB4Black]

This from a Diezel Amp USA rep on the forums.

The V-30's are not a speaker I really like at all. It is a decent speaker when not pushed but when pushed it has the harsh characteristics. Front loaded sounds best with the G12K100 and rear loaded sounds best with the hemp cone.

He was a short-lived distributor shilling the latest and greatest $1800 German made cabs.

Personally, I found a blend of V30’s & GK100s to sound the best.

 

[skullfxr]

Some amps are just picky. Splawns don't get along with V30's either.

Yet most of the recommendations I've read on these forums are Mesa Boogie cabinet with V30s for the VH4 :/

EDIT: I realise that not all cabs are equal!

I don't think you realize how HUGE the cab construction/etc is when comparing cabs, even with the same speaker they can be completely different in EVERY way.

I didn't care for V30s at all with most amps...until I tried a Mesa, Bogner, Rivera. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The Cab construction made ALL the difference.
I know they are spendy but don't judge that amp until you try a REAL Diezel cab with V30s. You HAVE to match your amp with the right cab to get the real deal tone that the builder wants you to experience.

I do understand your perspective, but I don't necessarily think that the cab that is from the same brand is the answer. If that were the case wouldn't Diezel make more cabs for the specific amp. Herbert, vh4, and fokker would each fit in a different cab? Right.

But in general I do agree to a point. I find that even if it is a matching cab, there may be a better option. But I agree with your consensus in general.

An example that is overdone to hell and back ia the 5150 and recto cab. It works way better than a Peavey cab.

I may be beating the horse dead, but I think you get what I am trying to say.

 

[Racerxrated]

Some amps are just picky. Splawns don't get along with V30's either.

Yet most of the recommendations I've read on these forums are Mesa Boogie cabinet with V30s for the VH4 :/

EDIT: I realise that not all cabs are equal!

I don't think you realize how HUGE the cab construction/etc is when comparing cabs, even with the same speaker they can be completely different in EVERY way.

I didn't care for V30s at all with most amps...until I tried a Mesa, Bogner, Rivera. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. The Cab construction made ALL the difference.
I know they are spendy but don't judge that amp until you try a REAL Diezel cab with V30s. You HAVE to match your amp with the right cab to get the real deal tone that the builder wants you to experience.

I do understand your perspective, but I don't necessarily think that the cab that is from the same brand is the answer. If that were the case wouldn't Diezel make more cabs for the specific amp. Herbert, vh4, and fokker would each fit in a different cab? Right.

But in general I do agree to a point. I find that even if it is a matching cab, there may be a better option. But I agree with your consensus in general.

An example that is overdone to hell and back ia the 5150 and recto cab. It works way better than a Peavey cab.

I may be beating the horse dead, but I think you get what I am trying to say.

You'd get the best results IMO with the matching cab; that said, any of the 'accepted' great V30 cabs I mentioned would give a great impression too. I can't stress enough how I was so-so on V30s until I tried that comparison with the Mesa/Bogner/Rivera. Those speakers sound AMAZING through any of those cabs, and I've played a V30 Diezel cab with a Mesa MK IV that also killed.
I've owned some 'recommended' V30 cabs that sound good but fall way short of the ones I mentioned. There's a 'depth' to those quality cabs that the cheapos don't have.
I'm tellin ya, if you are so/so or don't like V30s, try them sometime through a known killer cab and then judge.
You may change your mind.

 

[splatter]

I have been pairing my Diezel with different cabs to see what I like it with.

Today I was using it through my Orange 2x12 with V30s and I was definitely unimpressed, took everything I liked about that amp and made it thinner and decidedly woofier.

In contrast, when I ran my Savage 120 through the Orange cab, it sounded tight as hell. I was so impressed with the tone, super tight, aggressive and focused. Impossibly smooth.

Found it a little weird I didn't like the Diezel through it though, since I know most recommendations on forums like this one are in favour of the VH4 into a Mesa 4x12 with V30s.

In contrast, I prefer the Diezel through my Emperor 4x12, which has Governors and Tonkers in an X pattern. I know the Governor is supposed to be based off the V30, so I was wondering whether the tight bottom end of the Tonker was influencing my thinking.

The Diezel also sounds better through an EVM12L than the V30 by my reckoning.

What gives? Does anyone pair their VH4 or other Diezel amps with anything other than a V30?

I play my VH4 through a marshall 4x12 with G12h-75 creambacks . Its a tad on the dark side but It kills.
None of my other heads even come close to sounding dark through that cab so I'm thinking the VH4 is voiced that way and that being said I wouldn't pair it with V-30's . However Peter obviously thinks differently.But he also likes kt77's which I hate