C90 vs V30

[frankencat]

Which do you like better and why?

 

[enigma]

They both serve a purpose. V30's for vintage and quicker break, and c90s for tigher, more modern sound - at least for me. I like how the RKII cabs have a mix of the two.

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

I'd like to hear some opinions/experiences on this topic as well. I've never really been a V30 fan (HATED them with Marshalls) although the Triple thru Recto cabs can sound pretty good with them. I've been toying with the idea of reloading my cabs with either all-C90's, C90 one cab and EVM12's in the other, or a mix like the old Mark-series cabs. FWIW this would be for an old-school metal/prog/modern(ish) rock style, using a 3-ch Triple, a Mark4, or both. Not trying to cop anyone else's tone in particular. Suggestions?

 

[cliff hetfield]

i love my hellatone 60, which are broken in vintage 30s.
sounds great for hi gain/modern sounds. warm well balanced, and no icepick highs or harsh mids like some people hear the vintage 30s.
i use 2 of them (hellatone 60s) with my mesA f-50 head.
ive yet to try the c 90s. i will though. and i may buy 2 for my other 2x12 cab one day.

 

[siggy14]

He is 100% on, V30's will have a higher end probaly for a good year, but once they break in, they sound great! Nice and warm, great mid's, great lows and smooth highs but not rounded like the greenbacks.

Overall I like the V30's better then the C90's, honestly my order of speaker depends on music I am playing, but mostly i like the V30 that is well broken in, and then a Celestion 75 watter then the greenbacks. I do not really care for the c90's that much.

i love my hellatone 60, which are broken in vintage 30s.
sounds great for hi gain/modern sounds. warm well balanced, and no icepick highs or harsh mids like some people hear the vintage 30s.
i use 2 of them (hellatone 60s) with my mesA f-50 head.
ive yet to try the c 90s. i will though. and i may buy 2 for my other 2x12 cab one day.

 

[dennq45]

I mix 'em up. In my 4 X 12 I have 2 vintage 30's on the bottom and 2 Greenies on the top wired in an "X" pattern. Sounds great to me.

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

... I do not really care for the c90's that much...

What is it about them you dont like?

Not trying to hijack frankencat's thread, just that we haven't had a good speaker discussion here in the modern-amp section in quite a while.

 

[frankencat]

By all means, please discuss....

FWIW, I have both a V30 loaded cab and my combo with the C90. I like them both for what they do but I think the C90 is the right speaker for the combo.

 

[siggy14]

Just not really my thing, I dont like the voicing, i dont hate it, just not what i would choose.

... I do not really care for the c90's that much...

What is it about them you dont like?

Not trying to hijack frankencat's thread, just that we haven't had a good speaker discussion here in the modern-amp section in quite a while.

 

[eaeolian]

I prefer the darker tone of the C90s - even broken-in V30s are just too harsh in the upper mids for me, whereas the C90s are smooth all the way across the board, and handle fast attack without really breaking up.

Having said that, my cab actually has G12K-85s in it, but they sound very, very close to the C90s, and I've used both C90s and V30s extensively.

 

[user 1198]

I like the C90's for clean sounds and the V30's for dirty sounds, but if I could only pick one of those speakers I would go for the C90's as they are much smoother sounding.

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

Sounds like I need to look into some C90's then. Been beating the hell out of my 30's for quite a while (4 yrs on one cab, 3 on the other so I know they are about as broken in as they're gonna get) and they still have that "V30 thing" in the upper mids that I find annoying and impossible to EQ out.

Have any of you tried the EVM12L (or clones like the DeltaPro12A or Weber Michigan) with a Recto? They absolutely kill with a Mark IV or a Triaxis/2:90 rig, but I've never tried them with a Triple (or DR/RK/Roadster).

 

[Scorch]

I've got both the C90 and V30 in a RoadKing cab. I can listen to either or both. I like the C90 better for more versatility - the V30 has too much upper mid push for my taste. But together, they sound really great. They compliment each other very well.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Off Topic:

.
Have any of you tried the EVM12L (or clones like the DeltaPro12A or Weber Michigan) with a Recto? They absolutely kill with a Mark IV or a Triaxis/2:90 rig, but I've never tried them with a Triple (or DR/RK/Roadster).

I recently bought a used Mesa vertical 2x12 Recto Cab (older M/B logo) with a pair of V30's. I pitched the "potato chip crunchy" V30's, for a used EVM12L in the top...and an Eminence "Swamp Thang" in the bottom. The results are hellacious palm mutes, and EVM12L vocal power. My amp is a .50 Caliber +.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Anyone can correct me on this, but I have been on many a web-search ( :roll: ), and the general concencus is that the V30 is the crispiest...the Classic Lead 80 is more sedate...and the Mesa C90 is even "darker", built by Celestion, and based off the Classic Lead 80...but with Mesa prescribed specs like a ventilated voice coil cap to allow 90 Watts of power dissipation.

 

[eaeolian]

Have any of you tried the EVM12L (or clones like the DeltaPro12A or Weber Michigan) with a Recto? They absolutely kill with a Mark IV or a Triaxis/2:90 rig, but I've never tried them with a Triple (or DR/RK/Roadster).

I've used a "halfback" 4x12 with the EVM12Ls on the bottom and Celestion G12H-100s on the top with my Triple, and it sounded very nice - especially on the low B of the 7 string...

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Even in Eb tuning with reasonable bass and gain settings, it seems to me like the V30's just cant handle it, aside from the upper-mid issue already discussed.

I've decided to order four C90's for now, and if they work out I'll follow up with either 4 more or (more likely) a quad of EVM's. Will post a review when they are nicely broken in.

 

[siggy14]

Wierd you say that, because that is what they are known for, handing the bass well.

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Even in Eb tuning with reasonable bass and gain settings, it seems to me like the V30's just cant handle it, aside from the upper-mid issue already discussed.

I've decided to order four C90's for now, and if they work out I'll follow up with either 4 more or (more likely) a quad of EVM's. Will post a review when they are nicely broken in.

 

[NoGlassNoClass]

...handing the bass well...

Maybe I just dont like speaker breakup, I dunno. The 30's have more than enough bass, especially in the O/S recto cabs...they just seem to get "squishy" or "soft" at high volumes. Tried silicon-diode (yuk) and using a clean boost (better but still not quite there). Not trying to run over my bassist, just looking to stay punchy/percussive at stage volume.

 

[siggy14]

well if you are using the oversized cab it will be a smooshier bottem, the traditional is tighter.

The c90's have a tight bottem end, but personaly, and I know some people that disagree with me, but anyway i think the c90's dont have as much bottem end.

...handing the bass well...

Maybe I just dont like speaker breakup, I dunno. The 30's have more than enough bass, especially in the O/S recto cabs...they just seem to get "squishy" or "soft" at high volumes. Tried silicon-diode (yuk) and using a clean boost (better but still not quite there). Not trying to run over my bassist, just looking to stay punchy/percussive at stage volume.