Celestion G12H Creamback (75w 75 Hz) vs. G12M Greenback (25w 75 Hz) vs. G12H Greenback (30w 75 Hz)

[marshallmellowed]

After watching numerous online video comparisons, and reading quite a few reviews, I've just finished comparing these 3 speakers for myself. Of the 3, the G12H Greenback is my favorite, then the G12H Creamback, and lastly, the G12M Greenback, which I've been using for years. While the G12M has good mid focus, it has this high end sizzle that I've never cared for, The Creamback, coming in at 2nd place, is a good sounding speaker, but I find it to be a bit loose in the low end, compared to the G12H Greenback. The G12H Greenback has excellent articulation, the pronounced mid focus of a Greenback, is tight in the lows, slightly more highs than the G12M, but without the high end sizzle of the G12M. Anyway, just my observations, and choice, for anyone that may be interested.

 

[Biff Maloy]

Interesting. I have a Creamback 75 backordered from Sweetwater. I intend to pair it with the Cream 90 Alnico I just bought. 2x12 open back from Guitar Cabinets Direct. They're supposed to pair well together. Even though both of those will be new to me I am confident on them considering I've done similar mixes with the Celestions I have. All this is for my Germino Lead 55LV.

I love the Heritage 55hz. I have those. Has a more low and high end push. Playing around with it was what lead me to the Creamback. I've never owned any creams but wanted the higher power rating for the amp. Cream 90 is as good as been described. Killer speaker.

 

[marshallmellowed]

Interesting. I have a Creamback 75 backordered from Sweetwater. I intend to pair it with the Cream 90 Alnico I just bought. 2x12 open back from Guitar Cabinets Direct. They're supposed to pair well together. Even though both of those will be new to me I am confident on them considering I've done similar mixes with the Celestions I have. All this is for my Germino Lead 55LV.

I love the Heritage 55hz. I have those. Has a more low and high end push. Playing around with it was what lead me to the Creamback. I've never owned any creams but wanted the higher power rating for the amp. Cream 90 is as good as been described. Killer speaker.

For what I need, I like to mix speakers in a 4x12, and for years, I've had 3 Hellatone 60L's in each of my 4x12's (best speakers i've ever heard) and one G12M, just to add some Greenback mids. The cabs sounded very good, but the G12M sizzle was always present. After comparing these new G12H Creamback and G12H Greenback in identical 1x12 cabs, I replaced the G12M in one of the 4x12's with the G12H Creamback, and the G12M in the other 4x12 with the G12H Greenback. They both sound better than with the G12M Greenbacks, but for what I like, the cab with the G12H Greenback is the winner. All subjective, of course.

 

[jeffb]

55HZ fan here.

I've used the 70th Anni H30s and the H75 Creamback (new version) and I like them in a mix with G12Ms, they just are a little too "Sabbath", or "Defenders of the Faith" for me when used by themselves. The lead cone H mags are a really good sound, but not *my* sound. I actually damaged the hearing in my left ear from the Annis and too much volume- extremely piercing.

It took me decades to figure out I was looking for those early 1982 cab speakers- and they don't quite have that high midrange thing that kills my ear like the lead cones do.

 

[marshallmellowed]

55HZ fan here.

I've used the 70th Anni H30s and the H75 Creamback (new version) and I like them in a mix with G12Ms, they just are a little too "Sabbath", or "Defenders of the Faith" for me when used by themselves. The lead cone H mags are a really good sound, but not *my* sound. I actually damaged the hearing in my left ear from the Annis and too much volume- extremely piercing.

It took me decades to figure out I was looking for those early 1982 cab speakers- and they don't quite have that high midrange thing that kills my ear like the lead cones do.

I agree on the Anniversary's, very piercing highs (IMO). I still have one, but haven't used it in years, need to sell it.

 

[Matthews Guitars]

I've never heard of a G12H75 Greenback. Do you mean G12H25 Greenback? Or is there a new model I don't know about?
I've also never heard of a G12M75 Greenback.

The only 75 watt Celestions are the G12H75 Creamback and the G12T75.

 

[jeffb]

I've never heard of a G12H75 Greenback. Do you mean G12H25 Greenback? Or is there a new model I don't know about?
I've also never heard of a G12M75 Greenback.

The only 75 watt Celestions are the G12H75 Creamback and the G12T75.

The Heritage series Greenbacks- G12M20 75hz, G12H30 75hz and G12H30 55hz, and the RI M25 75hz too.. My assumption was the OP means the 75hz lead cones and just typed it out incorrectly (?)

 

[abkeller1]

After watching numerous online video comparisons, and reading quite a few reviews, I've just finished comparing these 3 speakers for myself. Of the 3, the G12H Greenback is my favorite, then the G12H Creamback, and lastly, the G12M Greenback, which I've been using for years. While the G12M has good mid focus, it has this high end sizzle that I've never cared for, The Creamback, coming in at 2nd place, is a good sounding speaker, but I find it to be a bit loose in the low end, compared to the G12H Greenback. The G12H Greenback has excellent articulation, the pronounced mid focus of a Greenback, is tight in the lows, slightly more highs than the G12M, but without the high end sizzle of the G12M. Anyway, just my observations, and choice, for anyone that may be interested.

The high end sizzle is what cuts through a band mix. That's what you want in a band. If your just playing at home then it doesn't matter. There's a reason why the G12M is the second most popular speaker EVER by Celestion.

 

[marshallmellowed]

The high end sizzle is what cuts through a band mix. That's what you want in a band. If your just playing at home then it doesn't matter. There's a reason why the G12M is the second most popular speaker EVER by Celestion.

All subjective, of course. Yes, "High end" is what cuts through, like the highs of a V30. I prefer the "High end" of my Hellatone 60L's over the G12M, which I find more fizzy in the high end. G12M's are known more for their mid's not their high's. Again, all subjective, if you prefer the the highs of a G12M, great.

 

[C-Grin]

After watching numerous online video comparisons, and reading quite a few reviews, I've just finished comparing these 3 speakers for myself. Of the 3, the G12H Greenback is my favorite, then the G12H Creamback, and lastly, the G12M Greenback, which I've been using for years. While the G12M has good mid focus, it has this high end sizzle that I've never cared for, The Creamback, coming in at 2nd place, is a good sounding speaker, but I find it to be a bit loose in the low end, compared to the G12H Greenback. The G12H Greenback has excellent articulation, the pronounced mid focus of a Greenback, is tight in the lows, slightly more highs than the G12M, but without the high end sizzle of the G12M. Anyway, just my observations, and choice, for anyone that may be interested.

What style do you play? Around here it's almost a silly question, if you don't play chuga chuga weedly weedly you are outside the norm. As I am.

 

[marshallmellowed]

What style do you play? Around here it's almost a silly question, if you don't play chuga chuga weedly weedly you are outside the norm. As I am.

Classic rock, which description seems to keep evolving, ha ha. Bad Co. Free, Foreigner, REO, REM, INXS, Sabbath, Priest, Van Halen, Head East, Dokken... you get the idea.

 

[abkeller1]

What style do you play? Around here it's almost a silly question, if you don't play chuga chuga weedly weedly you are outside the norm. As I am.

What's chuga chuga? Sound like a train?

 

[C-Grin]

What's chuga chuga? Sound like a train?

 

[Dogs of Doom]

All subjective, of course. Yes, "High end" is what cuts through, like the highs of a V30. I prefer the "High end" of my Hellatone 60L's over the G12M, which I find more fizzy in the high end. G12M's are known more for their mid's not their high's. Again, all subjective, if you prefer the the highs of a G12M, great.

I had some G12M 25w (MiC) speakers & I never liked the way they sounded in the room. I ended up selling them, but, when I listen back to some of the recordings I made w/ them, they actually recorded really well.

They are liked because they mic well, moreso than sound good from the speaker, in the room, IMO, anyway...

 

[abkeller1]

Yes, this is what I tought of.

 

[Derrick111]

The high end sizzle is what cuts through a band mix. That's what you want in a band. If your just playing at home then it doesn't matter. There's a reason why the G12M is the second most popular speaker EVER by Celestion.

This is a very smart point. I along with everyone else didn't care for the 75w Celestions popular in the 80s and 90s. Until... I realized that they are great with a cranked JCM800! The secret is "cranked", but the 75s made after the early 90s may not sound as good regardless of volume fed to them (I don't have any so I don't know). Original greenbacks on the other hand sound great at any volume, the reissues are not the same but great speakers even so. The point is that you have to establish what you are judging a speaker as "great" by in terms of volume. For bedroom, house noodling, it can be completely different than a cranked situation. Recording as noted can also change this opinion. So it's smart to be aware of the circumstances in which you are judging a speaker and to judge them by how you will be using them. If they don't sound good to you, it may sound fabulous in someone else's hands because they are using them differently. The reverse is also true. It's also smart to receive opinion from others with the understanding of two they are judging (EX: cranked, low volume, recording, doom metal, country, funk, etc.). Reading posts and watching videos can be full of red herring if you don't see this. I found speakers that work great for ME when I realized this!

 

[woodsrock]

Interesting. I have a Creamback 75 backordered from Sweetwater. I intend to pair it with the Cream 90 Alnico I just bought. 2x12 open back from Guitar Cabinets Direct. They're supposed to pair well together. Even though both of those will be new to me I am confident on them considering I've done similar mixes with the Celestions I have. All this is for my Germino Lead 55LV.

I love the Heritage 55hz. I have those. Has a more low and high end push. Playing around with it was what lead me to the Creamback. I've never owned any creams but wanted the higher power rating for the amp. Cream 90 is as good as been described. Killer speaker.

 

[woodsrock]

My rep at Sweetwater Robert Koch, did not recommend that I do something of the same pairing you are doing, Two different wattages will give you a mushy sound compared to using two of the same wattage. So I went with two 75-watt Creambacks. Just an Idea,

 

[proxy]

XC will eat them all alive LOL