Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

JeffB

JeffB

Let it B
In pairs and combinations of the following

12h 70th Anniversary
12m EVH
G12m "greenback"
12m Creamback
12h Creamback
WGS Green Beret
WGS/Mojotone H30

But in the combo cab alone or in my 2x12 the only thing that sounds great with all my guitars and seems to sound overall best is a friggin V30. It just is eq'ed the best for the green crunch channel (where I live) and the most reactive/dynamic/sensitive to how you pick/fret and volume adjustments at the guitar.

Im not sure what my point is, I think Im just having a hard time accepting it :lol:
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

You've went above and beyond what most people would...at least now you should be able to accept it!
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

If it sounds good, it is good. It's a common configuration for a reason!
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

That's certainly some trial and error Jeff. The main thing is you know what you like and you got there.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

Gee, there must be a reason why nearly every manufacturer of speaker cabinets goes to the V30 by default.
They didn't do it by accident. I even make a point at LA Amp Shows to ask the owners of companies what their favorite speakers are with their amps. It's always the usual suspects....V30/H30 with rock amps, Alnico Blues for jangly Vox types, Jensen and Weber for American cleans.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

I love the Creamback that I bought off you in mine and I also pretty much live in the "Green Zone". I like it because it lets the DSL take pedals very well but it was definitely a toss up between it & the V-30! I must have swapped those speakers back & forth 5-6 times before finally settling down with the Creamback. Like you I tried just about everything under the sun, it seemed like every time I gained a characteristic that was positive it was at the cost of another characteristic or voicing that I liked? For me the Creamback was the most versatile and all around best sounding speaker I tried but I do run it through my V-30 loaded open back 2X12 when I'm running the red CH or a really high gain pedal sometimes. The V-30's have a much tighter bass response under gain to my ears....
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

DSL40C, but it goes through a evh 2x12 the vast majority of the time.

The evhg12m/70th anni combo is also fantastic, and not too dissimilar to straight v30s, but the 12m gets too loaded up and compressed, and over shadowed by the much louder H30.

They all actually sound good, but often they will sound awesome with my Les Pauls and sound bad with my 245, or vice versa. Or even there is contention between how good the 2 les pauls sound with certain combos. The v30 sounds good with all three guitars.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

Ooh, excellent.

Speakers aside, what's your impression/mini-review of the DSL40? Good option for classic Marshall tone at a volume less than a 50W/100W half stack and cheaper than a 18W?
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

Mini review...hmmm..


I think it's the best lower end tube combos they have done since the 1980s. I think it's a better amp than the 900ss, Jtm 30/60, 600s, dsl201/401 and the MA and Haze. Tonally and/or reliability.

That said, it still could use better Iron and there is too much disparity in eq between red and green to make a great 2 channel amp. I think it's best to pick which side you like and run with it like a single channel amp.

Green channel is somewhat like a 2204 in crunch mode, it's a bit more low endy, not as complex. Sounds better at lower volumes than most 22xx. I think it's still it's own animal- more thump than snarl like an 22xx has. The midrange seems to fill a different spectrum, probably to accommodate more modern styles. Clean green is more fender like. It's not like a 1959 at all IMO. Again, very low endy, not as rich/complex.

Red channel, stock, is not much use for me. Though it did sound pretty good with low output singles. With any of my humbucker guitars it's nasal and/or thin and the majority of the gain is unusable. There are some mods that people have done to help remedy it which I may try someday, but for now I feel crunch with a pedal is a better tone option. Ymmv.

It's very loud, not much difference between it and a 50w amp.. But it sounds surprisingly good in 20w mode. Not as good as full power but not too constipated.

The combo cab is a little cheap, it sounds much better through a quality cab.

Tube swaps are mandatory IMO. Mine came with tad EL34b's and marshalls newer Chinese tubes. The TADs are pretty good, but the Marshall 12AX7s leave alot to be desired. Fuzzy and one dimensional.
 
Last edited:
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

I'm surpised you didn't like the Creamback M or the Greenback M with the DSL. I think those get along very well with British-voiced amps.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

Rex_Rocker said:
I'm surpised you didn't like the Creamback M or the Greenback M with the DSL. I think those get along very well with British-voiced amps.
Click to expand...

I do like them...g12m is historically my speaker of choice. But iin a 2x12 Iprefer them in a mix with an H30.As they both make up for the frequencies either is kind of missing to my ears.

In a 4x12, is a different story. There you get lots of extra thump and they don't get overworked with a 40 to 50 watt amp, like two of them do.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

I think I want V30 speakers as well.

I have to do some pretty mad EQ theatrics to get to sound my cab the way I want it,
including an obscene 10 db boost of 6,4k with my Boss GE7 in the loop (!!) to give it that gritty high-end response.

I think I'm trying to mimic the sound of V30s. It's what it is everywhere.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

The C19 mod really helped the Red channel on mine quite a bit. Not so bright and unusable. I can use it with gain up to about noon, as I don't really play anything that heavy. I do love the Crunch channel and use it alot. I bought a couple of pedals to see about just boosting the Crunch channel when I need it, as opposed to switching to Red.

I all swapped out all the tubes. Mine came with a Creamback and it seems good for now. Still getting to know the amp and I don't like the new power tubes I had put in. Too dark. I'll either try the Millard RI or the new GT EL34 II.

Souns like you are jut going to have to resign yourself to the V30's Jeff.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

How does the vintage 30 sound on the red channel Jeff?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

I think the reds pretty good with my Warehouse British Leads, depends were you play it can sound pretty fat with my Les Paul. A Tungsol in the v1 and the rest nos! It rocks!
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

BigOrra said:
How does the vintage 30 sound on the red channel Jeff?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Haven't been down that road, really for more than a few moments. I will try it this weekend just to give it a good run through.

I think if I were still playing vintage style strats, Red channel mode 2 would be where I live. Before my son inherited my KWS strat, I played it several times on red 2 and it was much better suited for my needs/taste.
 
Re: Ive tried a whole bunch of speaks in my DSL..

I own a DSL401. The older version of this amplifier. I used to think I needed a bigger amp until I saw a local dealer actually sells marshall 112 cabinets. I will now expand. But i digress.

the dsl401 sounded alot better to my ears than the dsl40c.

Weird right? like the iphone 5c? C for cheap? China? You decide.

i have a vintage 30 in mine. are they usually chinese? mine says it was made in england.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

JeffB
Speakers for Sale
2
Replies
27
Views
4K
JeffB
JeffB
C
What combo of speakers for 4x12??
Replies
2
Views
913
Gearjoneser
Gearjoneser
Back
Top