Speaker recommendations

[grego7]

Haven't posted here in a long while, but I figure this is the place to go for Mesa Boogie knowledge.

I have a Mark V head and an Express 5:25 plus. Both sound great through my stock vertical recto 2x12 and I have an Avatar diagonal 2x12 with a C Rex and Hellatone (G12H30).

I have a little 1x12 cab that I'd like to take out for little jams and stuff. Can anyone recommend the best single speaker that would sound good with either head? Playing rock mostly, LP and HB-equipped strat.

Thanks for any input!

 

[ryjan]

Mesa uses C90's for a good reason. They sound really good for many different styles and handle a lot of power.
I also dig the Eminence EV12L knock-off. I think it's the Delta 12 something or other.
There's always the good old V30 that really kicks in a small cab too.
Lots of choices.

 

[elvis]

Greenback

 

[bandit2013]

for a 1x12 to be used with the Mark V I would consider something with a RMS power rating of 100W or more. I do like the MC90 but I have it mounted in a Carvin V3MC since it sounds best with a lower power amp than the Mark V. My experience with the MC90 in a Mark IV combo was not a good one in relation to voice coil damage. Since the Mark V has more refined control on the output the MC90 should do okay. My preference is EV12L *black Label) as I have this speaker in a 412 cab as well as a converted Mark V head to combo along with a deep 1x12 extension cab. The Black Label EV is the closest speaker to the Mesa EVM12L black shadow which is my all time favorite speaker. I would probably consider the Eminence version. If you use a V30 in a 1x12 extension cab you will be limited to the 45W mode in the Mark V as it does not take much to overpower the speaker and it will not hold up for long using the 90W mode. Also the V30 sounds better in a sealed cabinet than open back. The EV on the other hand does not matter if open or sealed. One speaker I did use for a short while was a WGS Blackhawk HP100. It is an ALNICO driver, sounds similar to using an EV and V30 at the same time but yet has an interesting character when pushed. I would probably use a Jensen Blackbird ALNICO which has a higher power capacity. I was overly impressed with the Blackhawk but my Mark IV toasted the coil (amp was supposed to be rated at 85W but for some reason it was pushing 100W as I found out that only a 200W rated speaker FANE Studio 12L was the only single speaker that would hold up in that combo amp, the EV was too big to fit and posed an issue with the preamp tubes when it came time to replace them).

My recommendations would be for the EV12L either classic or black label. The MC90 should be okay too. Both will serve well with either amp you have. Both speakers have similar sensitivity (just because the EV is rated at 200W classic or 300W BL it will work fine with a 25W amp and you do not need to push the speaker to make it sound good, It all depends on the character of the amp. The EV is a perfect match with the Mark V at any power setting. If you are looking for volume to compensate with other instruments like an acoustic drum set go with the EV. However, the MC90 does a great job at lower volume settings so if you want tonal accuracy at bedroom level the MC90 would be a better choice. In most cases, I would avoid a neo driver as they can be harsh in the treble and are more suited for the low frequencies. I am sure there are other alternative choices of speakers available. I can only relate to what I have used or am using currently.

 

[grego7]

Thanks for the recommendations, I really appreciate them!

 

[grego7]

Looks like I'm going with an Eminence Delta Pro 12A. Found a few for $75-90. There's an EVM 12L Black Shadow on reverb.com right now for $215 shipped, though...

 

[ryjan]

Looks like I'm going with an Eminence Delta Pro 12A. Found a few for $75-90. There's an EVM 12L Black Shadow on reverb.com right now for $215 shipped, though...

Good choice. That speaker is a beast.

 

[RussB]

Greenback

That would last about 5 minutes in the MKV

 

[elvis]

Whoops :shock:

Thought it was a V:25.

 

[J.J]

Since a Greenback is a little low on power wise, how about a Creamback. They come in 65 and I think 75 watt versions.

I have a few of the 65 watts and love them.

 

[screamingdaisy]

I've used MC90s, V30s and G12M-25s in my 1x12s.

The MC90 isn't my favourite speaker at home but when I use it with a full band it sounds great.

I prefer Vintage 30s. At this point I'm so used to them that most other speakers sound off.

I use the G12M when I need to keep the volume low since it drops the volume a few dB lower than the V30s. I put the amp in 45w mode with the variac on and I don't crank it. It's been a few years and zero issues. If I need to crank it I add a second 1x12 for safety sake.

 

[firmani99]

I've used MC90s, V30s and G12M-25s in my 1x12s.

The MC90 isn't my favourite speaker at home but when I use it with a full band it sounds great.

I prefer Vintage 30s. At this point I'm so used to them that most other speakers sound off.

I use the G12M when I need to keep the volume low since it drops the volume a few dB lower than the V30s. I put the amp in 45w mode with the variac on and I don't crank it. It's been a few years and zero issues. If I need to crank it I add a second 1x12 for safety sake.

I agree, I am so used to v30's that everything else does sound like it's missing something. That being said though, I added 2 Delta Pro 12A's to my Rectifier 4x12 and the combination is amazing!! I have never heard the Delta Pro with out the V30 in the mix but I would like to. They are certainly a beast of a speaker.

 

[YellowJacket]

WGS ET90 is a great speaker. Generally, WGS speakers are very well built, built in the USA, and are affordable. Definitely worth looking into.

 

[thunda1216]

Eminence V12

 

[bandit2013]

There is an affordable old style EV clone: WGS12L. I was watching a comparative video on youtube and now have some interest in this if I ever need to change one of my EV's. One thing to consider, the 90W rating of the Mark V. Not many speakers out there that would provide a good tone range at that power level. In most cases, the speaker Watt rating should be at least twice the amp power rating. Depending on brand, some rate with peak power, program power, RMS power, etc. If it is listed with an RMS power value would be better for matching to the V since that is an RMS power value. Peak power of the Mark V is about 128W but there is a catch, power ratings are generally listed at a specific frequency, so the maximum peak power of the Mark V may be higher at lower frequencies. What usually causes speaker failure is overheating of the voice coil. If you are planning on pushing the speaker hard you will need something rated at 200W. The Fane Studio 12L will hold up quite well as a single speaker and you will loose your hearing before the speaker gives out. Not the best tonal range for the Mark V though as there is a mid scooped tone to it but it definitely worked well with the Mark IV I had sold recently. EV can be driven very hard too and will appear much louder than other speakers (Fane had higher SPL at the same volume levels as the EV). What caught my eye was the frequency response chart of the WGS12L, it is not flat like the EV or Fane. I may actually consider getting a WGS12L for my converted Mark V head to combo since it would be a slight change from the EV black label speakers I am using.

 

[peterdenny]

Having recently gone through the search for alternative speakers I actually came across a great Celestion Buyers Guide hosted by Sweetwater that breaks down a ton of these and was actually a pretty cool read even when not shopping. Take a look at this it may help you narrow down your search etc. If nothing else it was **** cool.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/manufacturer/Celestion/buyingguide/

 

[elvis]

Thanks for posting the link to the guide.

My problem with guides like this is that so many speakers essentially get compared to a Greenback. What I'd like to know is how they differ, not how they are the same. In addition, they might want to describe the tone in terms of dynamics rather than frequency response. For example, my experience with the H75 Creamback is that it breaks up nice and loose all over the mids, adding lots of complexity. To my ears, the Greenback breaks up, giving the mid-harmonic richness of the brown sound, but stays tight, while the creamback has a bit more looseness and low focus, maybe more low-mid harmonics vs. high mids for the Greenback.

I think someone who works at Celestion ought to be able to put something together better than I can. Unless, of course, they really don't want you to know that their 9 flavors of "greenback" made for different power levels all have their own sound. They might even tell us what they were shooting for, given that all the high-power greenbacks are all pretty similar. Why did they make each model?

For me, I've had to just buy a bunch on EB and CL and try them out. Just couldn't get anything from the descriptions.

 

[peterdenny]

But you see that is the issue. Its subjective. A guide is just that a guide. For someone who has never had a chance to compare speakers you have to start somewhere. Most people cannot go out and buy every cab out there and even if they could how many speaker options are you really going to get? And then add to the mixture that every speaker sounds different with every different amp AND guitar AND pickup combo. I guide is a starting point to winnow it down. Past that your mileage may vary.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Agreed.

So much of what is musical can't really be appreciated until you play it yourself and get a feel for the subtleties. Written words can at best be a vague guideline of what to expect, and even most sound clips only offer a rough idea of what a speaker might actually sound like when you play through it.