Renewed appreciation for V30s.

[Lake Placid Blues]

Back when I was gigging often I bought a used Silver Jubilee 4x12 bottom for out door and large venue gigs. It had the G12T75s and I hated them. (I now don't mind them mixed with another speaker and/or in 2x12s.) So I bought a set of V30s and gigged them for a few years.

After awhile I got to thinking the V30s in the 4x12 were too loud and too in your face and I eventually ended up with 25 watt Green Backs in the 4x12. I put the V30s in 1x12 and 2x12 cabs I built for small gigs. The Jubilee heads sound great through the 4x12 so it's usually plugged into the 4x12, and other amps get run through one of the V30 loaded cabs by default.

Recently I was noticing just how good the V30 cabs sound. I did some experimenting and really like how these old V30s are sounding now. Not just for cleans and high gain but with plexis and other mid gain amps and high and low volumes. They are just so smooth with 3d depth, and with nice detail in the sound scape.

I take back any bad mouthing of V30s I have done in the past. Good speakers- aged.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

V30 is a great speaker. It's all about context!

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

The only "real" complaint I have herd about those speakers is that they tend to have a Shrill/Mid spike that can be bothersome in a recording session. This seems to have entered into Internet Folklore as it being a speaker with a Mid Spike that ruins it for any type of use at all.
Speakers are always the same story...some players like them, and some don't.
All that matters is how they sound to you..... peoples likes and dislikes certainly change (not to mention our ability to see, hear and taste) over the years as well.
best

 

[synzzzer]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

I have a set of WGS "Veteran" 30's in a 2X12 cab. I found it works really great with my Laney GH100 Head. I have a Genz Benz El Diablo, and if I adjust the EQ a bit, I can dig them. But I prefer the Celestion 75 watt speakers with it. I know a lot of times its just finding a good match.

And lately I have found that how loud you play can really change all the variables. I never thought of the V 30 speakers as balanced, but once I start getting some volume on them, they start to balance out. I never in a million years thought they would do that.

 

[esandes]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

i love the celestion vintage that's used in the marshall cabs. it's a different flavor of the vintage 30. apparently there are 3 or 4 versions of the "vintage" speaker.

i find it to be perfectly neutral, clear, crisp, tight bottom. there's no mid spike at all. i've used the g12t-75 and greenback for years before i started using the vintage. it's the best one by far, followed by the greenback. the greenback gets flubby with the bottom end on high volumes though.

now give this post your first like for pete's sake.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

now give this post your first like for pete's sake.

LOL . How do I do that? Its not that I don't like people's posts and what not but I don't know how. Is it a face book thing?

Anyway, I also have a Marshall version of the Vintage 30. It's a bit more open sounding and a bit more creamy is how I would describe it. It has a nice sparkle in an open back cab, more like an alnico. I have a set of the Mesa version of the Vintage 30. It is darker and smoother than the Marshall version or the standard version. It is the standard version that has the spike according to the guy at VHT.

the greenback gets flubby with the bottom end on high volumes though.

Yeah the GB must be used in closed back cab to minimize this.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

It's all about the amp they pair up with. I hate them and love them, depending. But I still prefer the g12M/H speakers in nearly every circumstance.

 

[hydro]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

I have a Mesa V30 based 4x12. I did not like it with my Express 5:50 but it sounds good paired with my dual recto and absolutely kicks ass with my Jubilee. I probably didn't give it enough time to break in, but also, so much depends on the amp it's paired with.

 

[JOEBACCA]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

LOL . How do I do that? Its not that I don't like people's posts and what not but I don't know how. Is it a face book thing?


Look for the Thumbs Up icon in the bottom left below any forum members avatar. Click the icon to "like" a post. You're welcome

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

One question I like asking boutique amp company owners is what their favorite speakers are, just to get an idea of their own personal taste in speakers.

Vintage 30's and H30's are almost always mentioned as favorites. I tend to agree. Both of those speakers make an amp sound great, and they mix well too.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

V30s are great speakers, and I love the ones I own. But OP, you mentioned that you don't like G12T-75s. I believe those speakers are misunderstood.

I used to hate the 75s, myself, but one time I was playing through a 5150 that was plugged into a Marshall 4x12 with 75s in it. And for some reason I used my ears to dial in the tone stack instead of my eyes (what I always used to do). When I had it dialed in, I had the mids way up with the treble and presence turned quite a ways down, and it sounded great. From then on, I had an appreciation for G12T-75s. A guy just needs to pair them with an amp with gobs of mids, and go easy on the top end.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

V30s are great speakers, and I love the ones I own. But OP, you mentioned that you don't like G12T-75s. I believe those speakers are misunderstood.

I used to hate the 75s, myself, but one time I was playing through a 5150 that was plugged into a Marshall 4x12 with 75s in it. And for some reason I used my ears to dial in the tone stack instead of my eyes (what I always used to do). When I had it dialed in, I had the mids way up with the treble and presence turned quite a ways down, and it sounded great. From then on, I had an appreciation for G12T-75s. A guy just needs to pair them with an amp with gobs of mids, and go easy on the top end.

One of my least favorite speakers.
But.....I think you hit the nail on the head.....and is why they tend to pair so well with the V30.
As always, it will depend on the amp, guitar and players ears.

 

[esandes]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

Anyway, I also have a Marshall version of the Vintage 30. It's a bit more open sounding and a bit more creamy is how I would describe it. It has a nice sparkle in an open back cab, more like an alnico. I have a set of the Mesa version of the Vintage 30. It is darker and smoother than the Marshall version or the standard version. It is the standard version that has the spike according to the guy at VHT.

exactly. celestion's H magnet (used in the vintage line) is their attempt to copy the alnico magnet sound using a ceramic magnet.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

G12T-75s mixed with Vintage 30's = WIN WIN WIN!!!

 

[jeremy]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

One question I like asking boutique amp company owners is what their favorite speakers are, just to get an idea of their own personal taste in speakers.

Vintage 30's and H30's are almost always mentioned as favorites. I tend to agree. Both of those speakers make an amp sound great, and they mix well too.

i really like that mix. you get a big full loud tone thats more complex than either by itself.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

i really like that mix. you get a big full loud tone thats more complex than either by itself.

Funny you should say that.....
I am an "Eminence Guy". Their Wizard/Governor combo is very similar to the Celestion H30/V30 combo. But I rarely pick either the Wizard or Governor when I need just a single 12 inch speaker.
But the 2 together are unbeatable for all kinds of music.
Ehhhhhh.....most players can get by with anything.....if they have to.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

i actually like the h30 by itself. ive been using one in my tweed deluxe and got a h30-55 to put in my deluxe reverb

 

[guitar74]

Re: Renewed appreciation for V30s.

I had an older H&K cab loaded with V30s and loved it. Wish I still had that cab. Worked for clean, semi overdriven and high gain equally well. Never had a complaint about that speaker.