I just keep coming back to V30's

[Leonard Neemoil]

Greenbacks are the voice of a beautiful woman as she whispers unthinkable things to you. V30s are your Aunt Beatrice screaming through her voice box after her boyfriend smoked her last cigarette.

Did you know that Timo V has been cloned?

 

[december]

I've never understood the V30 hate. Never heard the "spikey mids" etc.

There's a pronounced mid boost around 400-500Hz. Between the upper end of the boxy frequencies and the lower end of the airy/mouthy frequencies. I hear it in both my V30's, every demo I've heard of V30's, and every IR of a V30 I've used.
I don't like them by themselves but my V30 2x12 works well in a mix with another 2x12 with MC-90's (or G12K-100's, G12T-75's, or other mid-scooped speakers).
I like the mid-scooped chuggy high gain sound, but the V30's give it the mids necessary to cut thru a mix.

 

[SonVolt]

Greenbacks are the voice of a beautiful woman as she whispers unthinkable things to you. V30s are your Aunt Beatrice screaming through her voice box after her boyfriend smoked her last cigarette.

Aunt Beatrice got a thicc’er bottom tho. And sometimes she gets her head stuck in a washer.

 

[Lily_Taeko74]

if we're talking about the UK made Vintage 30s then yeah they sound great, many people are talking about harshness because of A. the cheyna made ones, B they play at bedroom volume and C it depends on what amp you're running it into.

But there are a few speakers that have dethroned the V30s for me, namely one Weber Gray Wolf with it's tighter and fuller lows and it's very focused, kinda has some Classic Lead DNA in there . Pairs well with the G12-65 or G12-75T.

Eminence Guvnors have a similar singing upper-mid punch but not as spikey and the lows are well rounded not as tight as I want them to be.

But there is one speaker that can do what the V30 does and then some more and that's the Weber Direwolf. It has a knockout mid-range punch like no other speaker and the lows are present enough and chunky to hold it's place. That speaker alone solved the Mesa ElectraDyne's booming lows and gave it a more singing tone with a wider presence in the mids. Also the Mesa Mark V got a chunkier tone with more meat in chords and single notes with the Direwolf. As for my Marshall JCM900 and 2000? Cuts even better, not that the V30s weren't but the Direwolf does it better and with a solid foundation too

 

[C-Grin]

I've never understood the V30 hate. Never heard the "spikey mids" etc.

In my own experience if you have a very mid focused amp specificly on the upper mid frequencies and use pickups that are mid focused the V30 might be the wrong choice. But with my Budda and my East it just fits right. My 2x12 with pulsonic green backs is pretty magical but has too much smear in the notes and not enough sepreration for all the time playing (to me). I have piles of speakers and tried many many over the years and they are just what I come back too. But I dont play play chug chug more weedly weedly.

 

[C-Grin]

if we're talking about the UK made Vintage 30s then yeah they sound great, many people are talking about harshness because of A. the cheyna made ones, B they play at bedroom volume and C it depends on what amp you're running it into.

But there are a few speakers that have dethroned the V30s for me, namely one Weber Gray Wolf with it's tighter and fuller lows and it's very focused, kinda has some Classic Lead DNA in their . Pairs well with the G12-65 or G12-75T.

Eminence Guvnors have a similar singing upper-mid punch but not as spikey and the lows are well rounded not as tight as I want them to be.

But there is one speaker that can do what the V30 does and then some more and that's the Weber Direwolf. It has a knockout mid-range punch like no other speaker and the lows are present enough and chunky to hold it's place. That speaker alone solved the Mesa ElectraDyne's booming lows and gave it a more singing tone with a wider presence in the mids. Also the Mesa Mark V got a chunkier tone with more meat in chords and single notes with the Direwolf. As for my Marshall JCM900 and 2000? Cuts even better, not that the V30s weren't but the Direwolf does it better and with a solid foundation too

I agree with the bedroom volume point, you have to turn them up a bit to get the goods. That being said I still struggle to find a better speaker for me even at lower volume but I don't have to be that quiet ever. I do slightly prefer my older UK in the open back cab to the MIC in the closed back cab. But when I play them together they are pretty awesome too.

 

[NickKUK]

Greenbacks are the voice of a beautiful woman as she whispers unthinkable things to you. V30s are your Aunt Beatrice screaming through her voice box after her boyfriend smoked her last cigarette.

And Creambacks are the model than sits in the window wearing nothing but a cowboy hat, people watching the fuss and commotion...

 

[Joesatch]

v30's have a mid hump which can be fatiguing on the ears. i like greenbacks, actually have both cabs but usually use the greenbacks

 

[Lily_Taeko74]

I agree with the bedroom volume point, you have to turn them up a bit to get the goods. That being said I still struggle to find a better speaker for me even at lower volume but I don't have to be that quiet ever. I do slightly prefer my older UK in the open back cab to the MIC in the closed back cab. But when I play them together they are pretty awesome too.

are you looking for low wattage V30 style speakers? Weber's Gray Wolf can made in 25 watts at 8 ohm for those who love low wattage vintage combos

 

[C-Grin]

are you looking for low wattage V30 style speakers? Weber's Gray Wolf can made in 25 watts at 8 ohm for those who love low wattage vintage combos

Thanks for the input, but …..To be honest I’m a little Leary of Webber speakers. I have a 50 watt blue dog and it is not suited for what I want. I have had other Webbers before, I have a 12A125 and it works for my 5E3 clone. But It says the Grey wolf is the cousin to the blue dog so I am just a bit hesitant.

 

[Deftone]

I'm glad people like V30's because I can't get rid of them fast enough. I'll take a good T-75 over a V30 any day. IMHO CB's for the win, GB's are right behind them.

 

[Karl Brake]

I've come back around to Greenback Reissues recently. I have a love/hate relationship with the Vintage 30. I will use them for a while then get sick of the scratchy upper mids. The Greenback seems to fill out the lower mids that's missing from the Vintage 30. It took me years to warm up to the Greenbacks honestly because they sound so far apart from the original.
I try to make the V30 work because it's so readily available. As a travelling musician sometimes you have to rent gear and hope for the best. I always try and make sure I can get a good sound with whatever I have to work with. I've been working on getting a good mic'd up sound from the G12T-75 but that's a tough one. I can get certain amps like the JMP-1 to sound killer through them but others they just sound distant no matter what.
I have never really looked at the Vintage 30 as any different from the Marshall 70W of the MF30 or 280 or whatever they call it. I have all three and I don't hear a big difference, if any, between them. Maybe the MF version is smoother but I have never done a true A/B test. I don't think I ever will since it would not likely be a life changing experience. I took some pictures of the differences a while back. I should try to dig them out.
I'm not saying they're not different, but then again, these guys can't even get two Vintage 30's from the same year to sound identical so it seems there isn't even a fair reference point.
I just wired a 1960B yesterday with some Marshall Vintage 70W and Vintage 30's in an X pattern and I was really happy with the result.
I snoozed on the Creamback H75's and I think it's time I give those a try. That and some Scumbacks.
Cheers

I really like the combo of greenbacks and v30s in a 4x12. Greens on top and v30s on bottom. They fill in each other's sound curve.

 

[Purgasound]

I tried the X pattern thing. It does sound good in many instances. For me I'll dial in the amp a little different for each speaker so I ended up just going back with four of the same speakers in each cab. I actually just picked up some more V30's, Greenbacks, and some Marshall Vintage speakers for a good price.
I still can't hear a discernable difference between the Marshall Vintage speakers and the Vintage 30. Maybe there is, but I don't think it's drastic.

 

[Freddword]

A guitar player: Who doesn't own a... a 4X12?

And, which V30 version is best - forget arguing which T-type codes:

(a) Chinesium 70w V30
(b) Mesa-Boogie "Black Shadow" 90w aka G12-80 aka UKV30
(c) 1993-96 "Marshall" MF280 70w spec
(d) Original UK-issue "Vintage 30" 60w 1986-1997

A drag-about cab is one you won't have to watch like a hawk, about somebody spilling a drink, gashing the grille, or rolling out the exit. That's why ANY V30 T-code with ANY G12T-75 works for me. It's about frequency reproduction and - I never believed any of those Celestion issued enginering sensitivity graphs published after 1995. They all sound low-response under 92dB compared to my older ones, so one pair for the highs (75) one pair handles bass response (V30.)

Personally speaking on behalf of the reproduction differential between choicest speakers and their individual mechanical response - between finding "The Cone Of All Cones" - and something you can actually drag in and out of the crappiest bars and clubs in the nation without fear of replace-ability through loss I chose
(1) a 4X12 cabinet because "THAT" is how you hear yourself over the cymbals and,
(2) to accept no single 12" cone is a do-all, be-all
(3) therefore what I came to like was a pair of 75's with a pair of V30's in the same cab.
(4) I like the backboard dampened with a nice folded cotton terry towel, doubled over and stapled in around the edges, a small slit in the middle for the brace-bar because phase cancellation of the cone reverse phase tone.
(5) I like a single-course of pink R19 fiberglass stapled around the 14" portion (the sides) because, phase and plastics vibration cancellation
(6) I like the 75's because they have the 1777 lead cones like the Greenbacks but got the bigger brighter voice coil, are cheap, and easily reacquired if lost or broken.
(7) I like the v30 for it's 444 bass cone, similar to my Blackback G12H30's they are modeled from; handle more power than the original Mueller H30's, are cheap, and easily reacquired if lost or broken.

I cannot get tones from a 2X12 using one of each, a 75 and a 30. The magic happens when the cones push and resonate in unison. I do have 2X12's but a 1960a or b cab always fit the backseat of any car I've had.

The difference is the 4X12 is lighter because the 2X12's all have handles - my 4X12's have WHEELS. Rule (8) never argue with Freddword.

 

[december]

(b) Mesa-Boogie "Black Shadow" 90w aka G12-80 aka UKV30

The Celestion Black Shadow is the MC-90. It's very different from the V30 and they compliment each other well. The G12K-100 and G12T-75 also compliment the V30 well.
I like the MC-90 best, but mixing in the V30 in recordings gives it the mids needed to cut thru.

There are other versions of the Black Shadow made by EV.

 

[Lily_Taeko74]

Thanks for the input, but …..To be honest I’m a little Leary of Webber speakers. I have a 50 watt blue dog and it is not suited for what I want. I have had other Webbers before, I have a 12A125 and it works for my 5E3 clone. But It says the Grey wolf is the cousin to the blue dog so I am just a bit hesitant.

maybe the Direwolf might be the ticket, provided you play loud or live or rehearse with a full band

 

[Lily_Taeko74]

The Celestion Black Shadow is the MC-90. It's very different from the V30 and they compliment each other well. The G12K-100 and G12T-75 also compliment the V30 well.
I like the MC-90 best, but mixing in the V30 in recordings gives it the mids needed to cut thru.
View attachment 154744
There are other versions of the Black Shadow made by EV.

the MC90 is almost the complete opposite the V30 is. I consider the Black Shadow, Classic Lead, Modern Lead and G12-75T very different beasts than the V30. There are people who consider the MC90 and the CL to be nearly identical but not when I A/B'd them in my Engl. Similar wattage and output but the Classic Lead hands down was tighter in the lows with glassy highs, while the Black Shadow wasn't tight and the midrange almost reminds me of G12-75T territory, same with the Modern Lead. I feel like if Mesa went with 212 combos with a Black Shadow and maybe the G12-65 or V30 it'd be a very sweet sounding combo

 

[december]

the MC90 is almost the complete opposite the V30 is. I consider the Black Shadow, Classic Lead, Modern Lead and G12-75T very different beasts than the V30. There are people who consider the MC90 and the CL to be nearly identical but not when I A/B'd them in my Engl. Similar wattage and output but the Classic Lead hands down was tighter in the lows with glassy highs, while the Black Shadow wasn't tight and the midrange almost reminds me of G12-75T territory, same with the Modern Lead. I feel like if Mesa went with 212 combos with a Black Shadow and maybe the G12-65 or V30 it'd be a very sweet sounding combo

That's what I'm saying. MC-90, G12K-100, and G12T-75 are all different, but are all still polar opposites of a V30. That's why they compliment each other well. MC-90 + V30 is great. G12K-100 + V30 is great. But MC-90 + G12K-100 is not good. MC-90, G12K, & G12T are all fairly mid-scooped, while the V30 has a mid boost. I prefer the sound of the MC-90 coming out of the amp to my ears, but mixing in a V30 really helps in a mix by adding in the mids needed to cut thru.

 

[Deftone]

I have this Mesa Single Rec 50w half stack. The Halfback 4x12 came with 8ohm V30's. Always sounded muddy to me.


So I got a quad of 75w Creambacks and it totally brightened it up. Still has the low end but now it has very crisp highs and no more mud. It sounds amazing. Strange because with my Marshalls the V30's always sounded too bright. Not necessarily bad but too bright to my ears.

 

[Lily_Taeko74]

That's what I'm saying. MC-90, G12K-100, and G12T-75 are all different, but are all still polar opposites of a V30. That's why they compliment each other well. MC-90 + V30 is great. G12K-100 + V30 is great. But MC-90 + G12K-100 is not good. MC-90, G12K, & G12T are all fairly mid-scooped, while the V30 has a mid boost. I prefer the sound of the MC-90 coming out of the amp to my ears, but mixing in a V30 really helps in a mix by adding in the mids needed to cut thru.

also depends on what amp too. My Mesa ElectraDyne was too bassy and the Weber Direwolf or V30 solved that issue by relieving the lows and shoring up some mids and highs. Any speaker like the MC90 was too muddy and dull to make the amp sound any usable at all. Meanwhile my Marshall JCM900 was too mid heavy and I needed something in the lows and highs to thicken single notes and bottom heavy chords and the Classic Lead, Eminence Wizard and the Weber Silver Wolf brough some thunk and chunk back in