Why does my diezel cab sound so compressed

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cameron711

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So I have a Mesa oversized 4x12 and a diezel fl 4x12, both with v30s....I run my vh4, Herbert and Paul thru both and every time the Mesa just sounds more open while the diezel cab sounds lower in volume and super compressed and almos a little boomy. Even if I fiddle with the Eq to lower the bass and add more highs it still has that overly compressed sound...it’s one of the newer American made cabs and I bought from music 123...mint condition but I’ve never opened things up to look inside...I guess my question is is that the way the diezel cab should sound and it’s just not my cup of tea or is my cab faulty and I should see if a speaker is blown or something?

Thx!
 
Are they both aged and used equally as much??

If the Diezel cab is new? - meaning fresh V30s - might have an affect on the tone. Secondly, the Mesa's have their own V30 varietal so it's not apples-to-apples at all times when thinking their the same cones.
 
Please check if the speaker are wired corecctly.
 
Cab was “open box” from music123 but i imagine essentially new...but still it seems very much lacking in highs even for a new cab, I have to crank the presence to 3o clock just to get some treble...as for the wiring Peter:

They are all 16 ohm speakers...the left 2 positive speaker terminals connecting to the 2 positive terminals of the jack..2 negatives to the two negatives...and the same goes for the right side to the right jack...so it seems to be wired correctly? Rate at 16ohm mono and 8 stereo...should I check individual speakers and if so, how do i do that?
 
cameron711":1idaz3ab said:
Cab was “open box” from music123 but i imagine essentially new...but still it seems very much lacking in highs even for a new cab, I have to crank the presence to 3o clock just to get some treble...as for the wiring Peter:

They are all 16 ohm speakers...the left 2 positive speaker terminals connecting to the 2 positive terminals of the jack..2 negatives to the two negatives...and the same goes for the right side to the right jack...so it seems to be wired correctly? Rate at 16ohm mono and 8 stereo...should I check individual speakers and if so, how do i do that?
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Have you physically seen the speakers?? As in - pulled them out of the FL mounts and have had a look at them?? Sometimes "open box" means something's been returned - and that can be for a reason. I'm not dissing 123Music but a few cats on RT have purchased cabs from GC that were loaded with aftermarket crappy speakers yet the cab was advertised as "stock". Something to be cognizant of.
 
Make sure all the speakers are working, my Diezel FL V30s was an open box and had an issue where one side was out and I noticed the same thing as I compared it to my Mesa Recto cab. When they're working properly it sounds different but in a good way and a nice alternative tone.
 
So all the speakers are 16ohm v30...when all is connected but load, each speaker has 6.6ohm rating. When testing with voltmeter each one makes that static sound. So I think they are all working...maybe I’m just getting lost in the fact that the Mesa is brighter and dispersed the sound while the diezel is more of a focused attack? But the thing that is still weird is I feel the top end is still very weak...if speakers are newer and need to be broken is it common for the high end to get better when more broken in?
 
Your descriptions seem odd to me.

I’ve got a Mesa Traditional cab. ( not oversized )
All stock with mesa V30’s
Had it for years.

A couple years back picked up a Diezel FL V30 cab too.
This one is made in Germany. Supposed to be the same as the New USA made cabs.
The Diezel cab is hands down brighter than the Mesa.
It sounds more alive and in your face for clean or distorted.
The attack is instant.
The Mesa cab is definitely more “compressed” , darker and slower to respond.
 
If anything the high end is harsher on new speakers until they break in a bit. I have a newer FL 2x12 and it’s the brightest cab I’ve ever played through, even compared to my older FL 4x12. I found myself having to back way off on the presence and treble with my 2x12. 16ohm V30’s have quite a bit more bite/fizz/high end than 8ohm V30’s.

If you measure the ohms from a speaker cable connected to the mono input what does it read? Should be close to 16ohm if wired up correctly.
 
I will check the ohms on the mono input and get back to you! yeah definitely not bright at all when compared to my mesa cab...so to me that seems like something is up with the cab? I'll update you soon!
 
So measuring the mono jack I get 13-14 ohms...which would make sense as I when I check each individual speaker I was getting 6.6ohms...so not sure what the heck is going on...esp if people are reporting that their diezel cab is brighter than their Mesa which is just the opposite of me!?
 
Here’s a pic of my back plate board...all the white wires are going to +terminal of speakers and black wires to negative terminals..anything look awry?
 

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At this point, I think there's no other choice than to test each speaker polarity (they could be wrong from factory, it happpens !) with a 9v battery. Once you are 100% sure they all go in the same direction, you could test each speaker tone individually by disconnecting them from the cab wiring and using quick connect terminal wired speaker cable to your amp. And use your ears. It's a tedious process but there shouldn't be that much difference between the Mesa and Diezel cab.
 
so I was about to do what Jack L said and I pulled the grille off...and man with the grille off it sounded great...am I losing my sh$t!?
 
John from here I think nailed it: I like his term: hearing hangover. I play the Mesa and then go to the diezel cab and I think my ears have gotten so accustomed to the highs coming out of the Mesa that no matter what comes out of the diezel it just sounds not right. At lunch I played straight thru the diezel and it sounded great! I think I’ve learned my lesson: just sit and play and stop plugging in different amps, different cabs etc....of course I’ll still have the habit of acquiring amps, I can’t help it!
 
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