Celesiton V30 in Mark IV combo?

[aliebert]

So I used to have a Mesa Mark IV combo that I loved dearly, and would play through a recto 2x12 cab with Celestion Vintage 30s. Unfortunately I had to sell it and have been scouring every music store in my area to replace it (no luck so far, likely going to have to go the eBay route...)

I Don't really gig anymore but I much preferred the sound of the 2x12 V30 cab to the stock speaker in the combo, I am likely to have any problems if I get another Mark IV combo and replace the speaker with a V30? (I ask because the V30 speaker is rated at 60 watts while the amplifier is 85, not sure how that works.)

So I'd love to have just a combo sized mark IV with the v30, but if this is going to kill the speaker, what would you guys recommend instead? Could I use the standard black shadow in the combo and a 1x12 extension cab with a v30 at the same time?

Thanks for your help!

 

[aliebert]

...sorry, and one more maybe naive question after reading around here a bit more, if putting a v30 into the combo does indeed risk damage to the amp, would not using the 'full power' setting but instead tweed reduce or eliminate that risk?

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Using lower power rating would definitely help, as it bumps down the wattage of the amp.

I much preferred my Mark IV with V30s when I had it.

If you don't push your amp to crazy levels, you should be just fine. V30s are tough speakers.

 

[JOEY B.]

The difference that you heard was more than likely an open back vs. closed back cabinet issue. Get a short head and a 1x12 thiele if you want portability and a closed back cabinet sound.

 

[phyrexia]

I am not particularly fond of a V30 in an open back cab for high gain tones.

 

[aliebert]

thanks for the input guys, appreciate it! It sounds like I'd be best off with a head and a 1x12 closed back v30 cab instead of a combo. (this is an interesting thread though, still open to anyone else's opinions!)

 

[aliebert]

well guys, my 1x12 rectifier cab with v30 arrived today and it sounds INCREDIBLE (to my ears anyway.)

C90 alone = mediocre sound
C90 + v30 = awful
V30 alone = everything i've ever wanted

Inidentally, if anyone wants to trade their Mark Series head shell for my Mark IV combo body shell in the San Francisco area, let me know