Problem Solved! "honk City"

[GuitarIV]

So I recently got my ENGL Savage 60 back from repair. After playing it for a few days now I realize how scooped it sounds compared to my other amps. As soon as I AB it with my 2203, my DSL 100 and my Laney IRT Studio I can hear a honky and nasal midrange that muddies things up.

Now my setup is mid heavy. I have a Les Paul with a SD JB/Jazz combo, two Jackson RR models with the EMG 81/60 and 57/66. Going into a SD-1 and my cabinet has Celestion G12-65s on the top and UK made V30s in the bottom.

I was thinking about yanking out the V30s and putting the cabinet back to the stock configuration of 4 G12-65 speakers. Any other suggestions? I have a MXR 10 band lying around, I am a bit of a noob when it comes to EQ, any frequencies recommended that I should pull? Or should I look for a more scooped speaker like the G12T-75?

 

[Kelia]

So I recently got my ENGL Savage 60 back from repair. After playing it for a few days now I realize how scooped it sounds compared to my other amps. As soon as I AB it with my 2203, my DSL 100 and my Laney IRT Studio I can hear a honky and nasal midrange that muddies things up.

Now my setup is mid heavy. I have a Les Paul with a SD JB/Jazz combo, two Jackson RR models with the EMG 81/60 and 57/66. Going into a SD-1 and my cabinet has Celestion G12-65s on the top and UK made V30s in the bottom.

I was thinking about yanking out the V30s and putting the cabinet back to the stock configuration of 4 G12-65 speakers. Any other suggestions? I have a MXR 10 band lying around, I am a bit of a noob when it comes to EQ, any frequencies recommended that I should pull? Or should I look for a more scooped speaker like the G12T-75?

Love a honky woody quality on a speaker but not nasaly !!

 

[JeffMcLeod]

Love a honky woody quality on a speaker but not nasaly !!

What about woofy? Do you like 'em woofy?

 

[GuitarIV]

Well I see no one has an opinion. I guess I'll reinstall the G12-65 quad combo and see if it helps

 

[GuitarIV]

Ok, so I got spontaneous today and decided to try to solve the problem.

First I got some pedals out and connected my MXR 10 Band EQ to see if I can alter the sound to my liking. Putting it in front of my SD-1 and pulling back on low and low mid frequencies helped. I still wasn't completely satisfied as I wanted to know if it's the cab itself or the speaker combo.

So I took the cabinet, laid it on the side and started playing. All I could hear were the V30s in the bottom. The 100 db vs the 97 of the G12-65s make a huge difference. For that exact reason I installed the V30s in the bottom row.

I went ahead, ripped the V30s out, took the other pair of G12-65s I had safely stored in my closet and reinstalled them.

Fired up the 2203, stepped on the SD-1. Muuuuch better. Gone is the muddy low mid and the honk, I have tight and full bottom end, aggressive midrange and present but not unpleasant highs. Who would have thought.


So in conclusion: I tried speaker mixing and this particular pair didn't work for me. Whatever happened there, the V30s and the G12-65s seem to interact in the mids in a weird way making the sound muddy, honky and nasal. Also I can push the Master on the 2203 a bit more now considering that I have a 3db lower efficiency. Will have to try it with my Savage, my Laney IRT Studio and my DSL 100 the next days when I have the time but with the 800 it's a match made in heaven. The 65s are staying until they crap out. I will keep the V30s stored in my closet for now. I might get an empty Zilla 212 sooner or later so these will come in handy.

Cheers!

 

[Kelia]

What about woofy? Do you like 'em woofy?

Haha !!!...........I will go with wooly but not woofy !!!

That was good !!

 

[JeffMcLeod]

Haha !!!...........I will go with wooly but not woofy !!!

That was good !!

Well, then you have to go with Booly too, to make it Wooly Booly.

*ok, that was stupid *

 

[dptone5]

I don't like V30's with my Marshalls. I use GB's and 75's. I really like the mid-scoop of the 75's with my Marshalls. Mixing these two works well as they are both 97 dB. V30's are too upper mid to my liking.

Glad you like the 65's my friend. If you ever get a chance to try 75's and GB's, it is a really good combination.

 

[mixn4him]

Those are some nice old '65s not much is gonna sound better than those and your Marshall..Glad you got it sorted.

 

[BowerR64]

There is a youtube video where Johan Segborn talks about how the speakers in an A cabinet interact with each other differently then a B cabinet. The way the top speakers are at an angle they interact in a weird way as they bounce off the back panel. The backs of the cones bounce into the cones in the bottom speakers. I like V30s in the bottom of a B cabinet.

 

[GuitarIV]

I don't like V30's with my Marshalls. I use GB's and 75's. I really like the mid-scoop of the 75's with my Marshalls. Mixing these two works well as they are both 97 dB. V30's are too upper mid to my liking.

Glad you like the 65's my friend. If you ever get a chance to try 75's and GB's, it is a really good combination.

I would love to try some Greenbacks one day. I hear so much about them being "the Marshall sound". One thing I learned for sure from my little speaker mixing experiment is that I won't mix different sensitivity ratings anymore.

There is a youtube video where Johan Segborn talks about how the speakers in an A cabinet interact with each other differently then a B cabinet. The way the top speakers are at an angle they interact in a weird way as they bounce off the back panel. The backs of the cones bounce into the cones in the bottom speakers. I like V30s in the bottom of a B cabinet.

I saw that video. I am on the lookout for a B cab. Not only because I'm sure it would be tighter for heavier stuff but also because I want a fullstack and because I'd have an excuse to install the V30s I have lying around now haha

 

[spacerocker]

I really like the mid-scoop of the 75's with my Marshalls. V30's are too upper mid to my liking.

That sumarises nicely what is wrong with G12T75's, and what is so great about V30's!

I would love to try some Greenbacks one day. I hear so much about them being "the Marshall sound". One thing I learned for sure from my little speaker mixing experiment is that I won't mix different sensitivity ratings anymore.

Greenbacks are like well run-in V30s, with some of the rough edges knocked off!

Yes, mixing different sensitivities doesn't really work (unless both are mic'ed up!) I found that out mixing V30s and G12T75's - all you could hear were the V30s. I prefer the cab loaded with all V30s...

 

[BowerR64]

The older 75s have more mids then the newer reissue.

 

[rick16v]

I love broken in g12-t75.