Bought a 5:25 1X12

[Cobralust]

Okay guys finally made up my mind & bought a 5:25 1X12. Played the 5:50 also & liked that but the amp will only be used in my bedroom so 25w was enough. Now on to a cab to round out the sound of the V30 speaker. I think I'm looking for some more bass judging by what I hear from the V30. Any recommendations on what I should be looking for 1X12 or 2X12. Don't know too much about Mesa's C90 or should I pick up something like an Avatar cab & choose my own speaker. Could also use a recommendation on wattage for the new speaker. Can the 5:25 even power the C90 speaker at 90w.

 

[Old BF Shred]

As tone is so personally subjective I can only tell you that the C90 will work fine. I have one in my Studio 22 and it's as loud as any one really needs ("wants" is another matter...). It is slightly less sensitive than the V30, however, but will still "peel paint".

 

[soundchaser59]

The power rating of a speaker does not tell you how much power is required to make it work. It tells you how much power you can pump into it continuously before you might start having problems with distortion and mechanical failure.

There is no substitute for an EVM12L. Boogafunk is selling unfinished Thiele cabs on ebay. No other speaker+cab recipe will come close.

 

[Cobralust]

So can I drive this EVM12L 200w speaker so it sounds good with my
Mesa 5:25 25w combo.

 

[Heritage Softail]

Congrats on the new amp. I have played that little beast a few times at GC and it has a great variety of tones.

I have contacted Boogafunk as well. Just trying to figure out exactly what cab config I want. They are very cheap since it is just a guy making cabs, not a major corporation.

Just for a point of reference on amp wattage and enclosures.... GC has a Mesa TA set up into a Mesa 4x12 for demo. It is very very loud and not even dimed. You could probably take your very portable amp to a music store and try out a few enclosures to get a feel for how loud the little beast can get.

 

[J.J]

Okay guys finally made up my mind & bought a 5:25 1X12. Played the 5:50 also & liked that but the amp will only be used in my bedroom so 25w was enough. Now on to a cab to round out the sound of the V30 speaker. I think I'm looking for some more bass judging by what I hear from the V30. Any recommendations on what I should be looking for 1X12 or 2X12. Don't know too much about Mesa's C90 or should I pick up something like an Avatar cab & choose my own speaker. Could also use a recommendation on wattage for the new speaker. Can the 5:25 even power the C90 speaker at 90w.

Congratulations on your purchase. My advice would be to not race out and get a cab, but to live with the amp for a while before you decide what (if anything) you need. The V30 will take some breaking in and may well "come good" for you.

As for wattage, that will depend on how you want the speaker to behave. If you want no cone cry or breakup and the cleasnest possible sound then an EVM12 or similar. If you like overdriven sounds where the speaker is a contributing factor then generally you would look at lower wattage earlier breakup speakers.

I have yet to try mixing speakers such as an EVM and V30, but that could be veryinteresting in itself. Anyone else done something like that ?

 

[soundchaser59]

The EV was by a long mile the best speaker I connected to my amp ever. I have learned that the EV is so brutally honest that it is great to use it as a reference guide for hearing exactly what sound is coming out of your amp.

I would dial in a sound thru the Webers, thought it sounded great. Then switch to the EV and it sounded raspy and fizzy. At first I thought "What's the hype? EV sounds like crap!" I cycled thru a dozen more speakers and realized that the crap in my sound was in my pedals and my amp settings, and the lesser speakers were simply covering up some of the unflattering aspects of my tone, not being as honest. I came back to EV, redialed everything, now its the best sound I've ever had from any rig, period.

I think the most important thing to try and match, if you want to mix and match speakers in one cab, is to match the sensitivity or the efficiency rating. (other than the obvious need to watch ohm values) If that matches, the blends will be fun and inspiring. If one is rated 101 and the other is 97, you'll never hear what tone the 97 is spitting out cuz the 101 will constantly overshadow it. I put an EV in a 2x12 with a Weber Michigan, it sounded eactly like an EV because the EV is so much more efficient and louder than the Weber. If I match a Michigan and a Texas I get great blends, since they are rated almost exactly the same. Same way with a Tonker and a Michigan, the Tonker blasts the Weber at every turn because of its 102db rating.

 

[soundchaser59]

One other thing I am learning about the EVM speakers.....the cab matters! There is a reason why people who use EV's, along with Zack Wylde's roadies, complain about the heavy weight of the EV's. The cabs themselves have to be made for it. Maybe 5 years ago I bought a solid pine and birch plywood 1x12 box made with dovetail joints, beautiful and seemingly solid in every detail. Every speaker I put in that box sounded pretty darn good, Webers, Eminences, Jensens, Celestions.......but when I put the EVM12L in it, the thing just couldn't handle it. If I cranked my amp up loud (a 30 watt amp into a 150 watt 15 pound speaker) with very little boost from the tone knobs, it was loud and on the edge. But give it just a little bit of bass or low mid eq and suddenly quotes from my favorite Star Trek movies passed before my ears...."She'll fly apart at that speed!" and "Well, fly her apart then!" I thought that little box was going to rattle apart and fall to the floor in 6 easy pieces. Obviously that box was never intended to hold the leash of an EVM speaker. Now I am ready to buy a Boogafunk battle tank cab, and I know it will make a ton of difference.

Part of my point is I have concluded that the Express cab is not intended to handle a weapons grade speaker like an EV or even the Tone Tubby Superboy 10 that I have in mine now. In fact, I understand quite well now why EV's are put into Imperial Star Destroyer cabs and played with seperate head amps. It cant be good for the amp to have one of those EVM's sitting under it whacking the heck outa the same cab the amp is bolted to. You can even hear the vibration translating to tube noises, especially when you hit that note at which your guitar resonates (low G on my Strat, about 100hz). I suppose as long as you stay within the consumer grade specs to which the Express is apparently built by using home and consumer grade speakers like Celestions and Eminence and Jensen, you will not notice these issues so much. Not a slap against any of those items, just saying we have to acknowledge the practical limits of the gear we choose and can afford. You wouldn't put a 454 hemi in a stock VW, crank it up to window rattling rpms, and then expect it to give you years of trouble free service. "Captain, she'll fly apart!"

All that being said, I wish everyone could try a properly outfitted EVM12L or EVM15L with their Mesa amp. Once you get it dialed in you will play and play and play for hours before you realize what time it is. The stakes are a bit higher, but for true tone questers you will find it is worth the extra nickel and there is nothing else like it in Guitar Land!

 

[Cobralust]

Sound I was thinking along the lines of an Avatar cab for the EVM12L. Good enough or should I be looking elsewhere. I have a V30 in my small Mesa Express 25w amp. Looking for something to complement this speaker.

 

[tmac]

Just mentioning that I'm using a 5:25 head together with a 1x12 cabinet with a C90 in it. I like it.

I'm not able to shed any light on a comparison between C90 and other drivers, though. I find that it is fine for both highs and lows. The cabinet is custom made locally, but to about the same dimensions as a Mesa Widebody 1x12. Closed back. I haven't liked smaller 1x12 cabinets.

 

[soundchaser59]

Sound I was thinking along the lines of an Avatar cab for the EVM12L. Good enough or should I be looking elsewhere. I have a V30 in my small Mesa Express 25w amp. Looking for something to complement this speaker.

I dont' know, I've never owned an Avatar, but people say they are solid. You might ask them directly and see if they will give you an honest assessment of their cabs ability to deal with the EV.

I'm ordering one of these tonight! This is the only thing I've seen that is specifically designed for the EV, and judging by the photo, specs, and his replies it seems like this will handle the EV on a leash and get it potty trained as well so it won't fizz on the carpet and fart in the house.... cant argue with that price.

I'm gonna ask him to install the t-nuts and the speaker jacks for me though.

 

[Cobralust]

Ordered one of Scott's Boogafunk extended Thiele cabs last night with the EVM12L 200w Classic. Can't wait to get my hot little hands on it. Probably about 10 days.

 

[soundchaser59]

Ordered one of Scott's Boogafunk extended Thiele cabs last night with the EVM12L 200w Classic. Can't wait to get my hot little hands on it. Probably about 10 days.

Mine just shipped today!

There is another guy on the bay selling EV BX10's, actually a bass speaker, but I am liking the sound of the bass speakers with the bigger freq range specs. I love the TT Supoerboy 10, and the Weber Texas is, me thinks, coloring my tone too much. I get a creamy tone from the Texas, then plug into the EVM12L and all of a sudden the tone is brash and harsh and jangly. Obviously the EV speaker is not crap, rather I am thinking the Weber is just covering up the warts and freckles on my sound, it isn't being brutally honest. If I dial in the same creamy tone using the EV, I am in tone heaven, but then the Weber is too dark and subdued. This Coyote cab is built like a compact tank, and I think it can handle a couple of those EV BX10's, so if that's true then the Superboy and the Texas will be out the door as well.

I am really tired of having to redial everything just because I plug in to a different speaker cab. So I'm tempted to try an approach where I have more consistency from cab to cab, like using all EV's and maybe have one 2x12 cab with Tone Tubbys in it. I hate to say it but I might have to say goodbye to the Webers. Either that or use all Webers in every cab and nothing else, but after hearing an EV I can't stand the thought of not using them.

 

[dogdew]

Congrats on you 5:25!
Lol, how funny that sounds when you say you'll be playing it in your bedroom but you're planning on getting a cab for it. :lol:

 

[Cobralust]

Hey Sound I have a V30 speaker in my Mesa & if I wanted to change it out what would you recommend for a speaker that complements the EVM12L.

 

[soundchaser59]

I dont know that's a tough one.... the best thing to compliment an EV is usually another EV. :mrgreen:

I would suggest trying to match the efficiency rating, like maybe an Eminence Swamp Thang. The EV is loud and bright and edgy, the Swamp Thang is loud and smooth and darker, might be an interesting blend. Those high power Emi's are rated at 102-103db, the EV's might be around 101-102 as well? Otherwise I'm afraid the EV's will just drown out the other speaker and you'll never really know what the blend sounds like.

 

[giorikas81]

Mesa used to make a cab with EV's and V30's.

Actually the EV are not THAT much weapon of destruction speakers. They do have extended range (to 7 khz) and are tight AND honest as you describe. You are right the cabinet does affect the way a speaker performs. It should be tuned for that. The reason thieles do get along with EV speakers is because they are tuned to reproduce (with the aid of the speaker) the sub 80hz frequency with a cut of -6 db instead of -12 db with traditional speakers.

That is why I think one should avoid them in 5:25...EL84's are not renowned for low bass capabilities and whatever you feed to the speaker it will reproduce. But experimentation is the only proof.

The weight of the cabs is also a by-prodcut of the actual speaker weight. It is 7 kgrs wheras a V30 is 3.7. So in a 112 cab it is almost like you have a 2x12 cab weight (another speaker in it!).

Still mark combos used to ship with EV's and heavy transformers so heavy duty construction was needed-------> almost 37 kgrs for a 112 combo.

That said many praised the V30/c90 combination in the new thiele and f-30 open-back EL84 combo. If the OP doesn't like the EV he could experiment with that.

V30's are something of an industry standard...I could not imagine my tone without them and they pair up great with SM57's!!! Enough said...

 

[edward]

One other thing I am learning about the EVM speakers.....the cab matters! There is a reason why people who use EV's, along with Zack Wylde's roadies, complain about the heavy weight of the EV's. The cabs themselves have to be made for it. Maybe 5 years ago I bought a solid pine and birch plywood 1x12 box made with dovetail joints, beautiful and seemingly solid in every detail. Every speaker I put in that box sounded pretty darn good, Webers, Eminences, Jensens, Celestions.......but when I put the EVM12L in it, the thing just couldn't handle it. If I cranked my amp up loud (a 30 watt amp into a 150 watt 15 pound speaker) with very little boost from the tone knobs, it was loud and on the edge. But give it just a little bit of bass or low mid eq and suddenly quotes from my favorite Star Trek movies passed before my ears...."She'll fly apart at that speed!" and "Well, fly her apart then!" I thought that little box was going to rattle apart and fall to the floor in 6 easy pieces. Obviously that box was never intended to hold the leash of an EVM speaker. Now I am ready to buy a Boogafunk battle tank cab, and I know it will make a ton of difference.

Part of my point is I have concluded that the Express cab is not intended to handle a weapons grade speaker like an EV or even the Tone Tubby Superboy 10 that I have in mine now. In fact, I understand quite well now why EV's are put into Imperial Star Destroyer cabs and played with seperate head amps. It cant be good for the amp to have one of those EVM's sitting under it whacking the heck outa the same cab the amp is bolted to. You can even hear the vibration translating to tube noises, especially when you hit that note at which your guitar resonates (low G on my Strat, about 100hz). I suppose as long as you stay within the consumer grade specs to which the Express is apparently built by using home and consumer grade speakers like Celestions and Eminence and Jensen, you will not notice these issues so much. Not a slap against any of those items, just saying we have to acknowledge the practical limits of the gear we choose and can afford. You wouldn't put a 454 hemi in a stock VW, crank it up to window rattling rpms, and then expect it to give you years of trouble free service. "Captain, she'll fly apart!"

All that being said, I wish everyone could try a properly outfitted EVM12L or EVM15L with their Mesa amp. Once you get it dialed in you will play and play and play for hours before you realize what time it is. The stakes are a bit higher, but for true tone questers you will find it is worth the extra nickel and there is nothing else like it in Guitar Land!

You crack me up, man! In a good way, of course!!

May I offer an amen to the EVM12L, but also must agree cabinet is everything. Thiele cabs (from which Boogafunks are based) are the stuff ...just incredible bottom, clean clear top, and defined mids ...never harsh, boomy, or otherwise unpleasing. I cannot recommend an EVL-loaded thiele highly enough as a supplemental speaker (not a replacement, but as compliment to your combo). That said, I'd easily go for the Mesa 90 over the V30 ...just more versatile and pleasing to this man's ear. Subjective, to be sure, but give it a whirl: easy to find and always come up used ...pick one up and load it into your combo. That may solve your issues right there.

Edward

 

[J.J]

edward

That said, I'd easily go for the Mesa 90 over the V30 ...just more versatile and pleasing to this man's ear. Subjective, to be sure, but give it a whirl: easy to find and always come up used ...pick one up and load it into your combo. That may solve your issues right there.

Edward

Your sugestion is exactly what I am trying to do, just waiting for a C90 to turn up.

 

[soundchaser59]

Your sugestion is exactly what I am trying to do, just waiting for a C90 to turn up.

I agree, a Black Shadow C90 is a much better choice than a regular V30. And definitely worth the wait.