Getting tired of V30's...

[Shalafi]

Ever since I got my Friedman Dirty Shirley combo earlier this year (Celestion Creamback G12M) I have started to slowly dislike the sound of the rest of my cabs loaded with V30's, specially my Bogner 4x12. I have plugged all of my other amps through the open back single speaker of the DS combo and they all sound amazing and so different than plugged in to a V30 loaded cab! the difference in sound is extreme to my ears.

The creamback is well..."creamier" full and rounded, yet tight and woody. I'm contemplating on either selling my 4x12 Bogner cab in favor or a Helios 2x12 cab which I think comes loaded with a V30/Creamback or just try and replace the V30's for Creambacks, probably the cheapest route and less hassle than trying to sell the 4x12.

Ive also been doing some research about combining the V30s and Creambacks and most people seem to agree that its a great mix, any input?

Thanks!

 

[Miles]

You never know. One amp through V30s is nasal while it's smooth and full in the G12M. One amp is too flat and dull in the G12M and the V30 gives it the right attitude. I've always been astounded as to how little emphasis is often given to the right speakers - efficiency rating AND voicing. You've hit the nail on the head here though. The V30 probably sucks for that amp.

You might unload it. That 2x12 isn't a big difference in tonal footprint, but it is an easier haul. Also, you mentioned the DS combo being open back. Don't underestimate the role that is playing. I play a 2x12 open back cab for that very reason. Closed back cabs are MUCH more directional and focused where open back cabs have an airiness and fill the room with what's coming off the back of the cone. They sacrifice some low end thump, but that's not something I usually strive to have in my sound. The speaker cab also does more talking. So, you might also be liking that open back airy natural ambience you're getting as well. That tends to shave off some of that upper nasal mid spike that you're hating.

Good luck!

 

[Echoplexi]

Yea I typically have not been a v30 fan (although it's almost always great in a live band mix) but it's perfect for my current main amp (Naylor). I'm mixing mine with H75 creambacks though and love the combo of the two.

 

[Shalafi]

Yea I typically have not been a v30 fan (although it's almost always great in a live band mix) but it's perfect for my current main amp (Naylor). I'm mixing mine with H75 creambacks though and love the combo of the two.

Thanks for the reply Echo, are the H a higher watt version of the standard creambacks? And are you mixing them on a 4x12 or 2x12 cab?

 

[Shalafi]

You never know. One amp through V30s is nasal while it's smooth and full in the G12M. One amp is too flat and dull in the G12M and the V30 gives it the right attitude. I've always been astounded as to how little emphasis is often given to the right speakers - efficiency rating AND voicing. You've hit the nail on the head here though. The V30 probably sucks for that amp.

You might unload it. That 2x12 isn't a big difference in tonal footprint, but it is an easier haul. Also, you mentioned the DS combo being open back. Don't underestimate the role that is playing. I play a 2x12 open back cab for that very reason. Closed back cabs are MUCH more directional and focused where open back cabs have an airiness and fill the room with what's coming off the back of the cone. They sacrifice some low end thump, but that's not something I usually strive to have in my sound. The speaker cab also does more talking. So, you might also be liking that open back airy natural ambience you're getting as well. That tends to shave off some of that upper nasal mid spike that you're hating.

Good luck!

Interesting point and thanks for your comment. I forgot to mention the open back of the 1x12 which as you mentioned can also be part of what I'm hearing. For ***** and giggles I plugged in the Shirley to the 4x12 and the sound just wasn't there compared to the 1x12 cream back enclosure.

I don't hate the V30 sound, all of the cabs I have owned in the past have always been equipped with them (Mesa, Orange, Bad Cat) perhaps my ears got adjusted and after so many years of hearing the same thing and now hearing the difference voice of the creamback it just turned my whole world around. Could be just psychological, lol who knows?

 

[honeyiscool]

The Neo Creamback is a great speaker, too, tonally somewhere between an M and an H Creamback but at less than half the weight of a V30.

 

[ledzep618]

I really like a G12K100 with a V30. Really extends the lows and smooths out the highs but you still get some of the upper mid bark from the V30. It's a perfect combo for any sort of modern rock tone.

 

[Echoplexi]

Thanks for the reply Echo, are the H a higher watt version of the standard creambacks? And are you mixing them on a 4x12 or 2x12 cab?

They are 75 watts vs 65 on the medium creamback. I think they match perfectly with v30s because they are exactly the same sensitivity (100db) and they fill in the highs and lows where the v30s have the mids. Both heavy magnet speakers too

 

[Shalafi]

They are 75 watts vs 65 on the medium creamback. I think they match perfectly with v30s because they are exactly the same sensitivity (100db) and they fill in the highs and lows where the v30s have the mids

Thanks again Echo. I did a quick search on youtube of a comparison between the M & H creambacks and to my ears the H sounds a little bit closer to the V30, nicer but a little grittier which is what I hear on the V30s. The M creamback sounds smoother with a lighter top end. I think I'm just going crazy...

 

[GilmourD]

I kinda feel like the V30 has become vanilla. There's nothing wrong with vanilla and it's actually a pretty darn good flavor, but it's EVERYWHERE, so people have gotten sick of it. People want a variety of flavors.

BTW, Shalafi... You're not the same Shalafi at HardForum.com, are you?

 

[Shalafi]

I kinda feel like the V30 has become vanilla. There's nothing wrong with vanilla and it's actually a pretty darn good flavor, but it's EVERYWHERE, so people have gotten sick of it. People want a variety of flavors.

BTW, Shalafi... You're not the same Shalafi at HardForum.com, are you?

Very true. Hearing that Creamback in person just sorta woke me up from that V30 monotonous tone trance I had been all of these years. Again, not trying to trash the speaker because its tried and true but I feel that the creambacks just sound nicer to what and how I play perhaps. And no, not a member of that forum, different Shalafi I guess, haha.

 

[BoogieManSC]

The V30 & Creambacks (65 or 75) ARE a great combo...but in 3 separate 2x12 cabs (two Bogner OS & a Stagecraft) I found myself pulling out the V30's and going straight Creambacks for the amps I was running with them: Friedman Runt 50, Bogner Shiva EL34 Reverb & a Bogner Helios 100....just a fan of the tight low end & woodiness like you mention. I'm in a classic rock cover band so for me, the Creambacks (or Greenback variation) suit my ears no matter how many times I've tried V30's......V30's did sound great in a wide variety of Mesas I've owned over the years though.

 

[flimz]

This type of V30 thread always makes my brain churn haha. My main amp is an XTC 20th with EL34s. I run it thru a Bogner 4x12 with V30s. Of course it sounds amazing, but I have 2 Creamback M 65's sitting on the shelf. I want to mix them in with the V30s, because everyone says its a great combo. And there ARE things I find fatiguing about the V30s. Im just always hesitant to mess with what is already awesome.

 

[Miles]

I kinda feel like the V30 has become vanilla. There's nothing wrong with vanilla and it's actually a pretty darn good flavor, but it's EVERYWHERE, so people have gotten sick of it. People want a variety of flavors.

BTW, Shalafi... You're not the same Shalafi at HardForum.com, are you?

Haha. Good point. I think the V30 is used a lot because it's a high wattage high efficiency speaker that's meant to be the modern version of a Greenback. (Though they sound VERY different). So, they're used in a lot of manufactured amps and cabs since they can handle a lot of amps on the market. They do become a bit overused and the voicing becomes a "one size fits all" kind of sound which gets old.

 

[Miles]

Interesting point and thanks for your comment. I forgot to mention the open back of the 1x12 which as you mentioned can also be part of what I'm hearing. For ***** and giggles I plugged in the Shirley to the 4x12 and the sound just wasn't there compared to the 1x12 cream back enclosure.

I don't hate the V30 sound, all of the cabs I have owned in the past have always been equipped with them (Mesa, Orange, Bad Cat) perhaps my ears got adjusted and after so many years of hearing the same thing and now hearing the difference voice of the creamback it just turned my whole world around. Could be just psychological, lol who knows?

Well, I love and hate the V30. I had an old modified silverface bandmaster and I had a Tonemaster cab that had V30s. Just for fun, I pulled out all 4 V30s since it had this upper HONK that I hated when I'd use a Big Muff or Rat box. So, I bought 2 Eminence Red Fangs and put them in an X pattern. I left the other 2 X slots empty creating a detuned cabinet. You get that open back sound coming out the front. I'll be damned if that thing didn't sound like an 8x12 on stage. Holy Hell!

I then had a Sovtek Mig 60 head that I thought would sound balls through that and it sucked...hard. The feedback and cry out of those speakers sounded like 2 horses being raped. I then tried my Dual Terror through that cab and it sounded flat. My 212 loaded with V30s cannot be beat for my Orange. Funny, huh?

 

[LPMojoGL]

I'll always have a v30 to put a mic on.

 

[lemonpaul59]

Ever since I got my Friedman Dirty Shirley combo earlier this year (Celestion Creamback G12M) I have started to slowly dislike the sound of the rest of my cabs loaded with V30's, specially my Bogner 4x12. I have plugged all of my other amps through the open back single speaker of the DS combo and they all sound amazing and so different than plugged in to a V30 loaded cab! the difference in sound is extreme to my ears.

The creamback is well..."creamier" full and rounded, yet tight and woody. I'm contemplating on either selling my 4x12 Bogner cab in favor or a Helios 2x12 cab which I think comes loaded with a V30/Creamback or just try and replace the V30's for Creambacks, probably the cheapest route and less hassle than trying to sell the 4x12.

Ive also been doing some research about combining the V30s and Creambacks and most people seem to agree that its a great mix, any input?

Thanks!

Have you tried the NEO Creambacks? I like them, but they tend to need some break-in time. 4 pounds!

They do very well with D-Style amps. I might put a few into some Boogies I have too.