Recently got back into a Boogie! (Mark IVA Content)

Hey everybody, long-time lurker, first-time poster here. This board is fantastic!

Anyway, I bought a Mark IVA compact combo with the EVM12L in it recently. So far I'm really digging it. Lot's of tonal options in this amp. I play mostly heavy/thrash rhythm stuff, and doodle around with some leads here and there. I'm really digging the clean channel too. I like a nice wet clean with a smidgen of chorus, reverb, and delay/echo and this combo sounds great with all of em.

This is my first experience with the EVM12L. It sounds pretty big considering the open-back combo. I am lean toward getting a closed-back cab at some point for the tightness, punch, and depth. I'm not really interested in chasing studio tones or anything like that (it's impossible). What do you all think I should start out with looking for a cab? The IV is really very mid-heavy. I like the punch in the mids, but it does (IMO) have a tendency to sound rather one dimensional. The one think I think they could have added (as if there aren't enough knobs/switches :lol: ) is a DEEP switch. On my Mark III Blue Stripe I had, I recall that switch adding depth (DUH) with out adding fat, round bass that would muddy up the sound.

Thankfully the tone I'm getting out of it is one I really do like. Just looking to improve on it. Make it bigger and "wider"-sounding while retaining the attack and clarity. Palm-muting is my best friend 8)

You will get all your desired bottom end with a 4x12 closed cab.

tony777 said:

You will get all your desired bottom end with a 4x12 closed cab.

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Which speakers would you recommend?

I've got a theile cabinet that sits under my mark IV, and it does the thump trick really well. Also, putting the mark IV up against a wall can make a huge difference, or at least as close as you can get it.

(P.S. greetings from Nashville!)

I would try the 1x12 EVM-12L thiele cabinet below your combo cab. Even if you had to buy a Celestion loaded one and do a speaker swap between the combo and thiele. It will be worth it.

Agree, the EV works best into a theile , no great tone into a combo bedroom level, the C90 is perfect at bedroom level !

the EV weakness, its a 200w speaker, it shine loaded live in closed cab

You can add me to the Thiele cab fan list, placed underneath a combo and impedance messed-about-with via an Aracom.

I don't exactly agree about EVs losing a lot of their "muchness" in an open-back; most all my 12Ls and 12Ss are in open-back combos or cabs, and they sound just fine for my purposes.


OTOH, I've just bought two Road-Ready 4x12 EV-loaded cabs …… so if you can hear a roaring noise in the distance, wherever you are, it's probably me.

JDH85 said:

tony777 said:

You will get all your desired bottom end with a 4x12 closed cab.

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Which speakers would you recommend?

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I love the oversize mesa cab with vintage 30. If you are hunting for a live cab and not studio recordings, it will deliver. VIntage 30's have a mid boost and cuts through the mix so you will be heard. When I bought my 4x12 cab I brought my amp to the store along with my own guitar, and played through the 2x12, 4x12 traditional and the 4x12 standard (oversize). The oversize cab has the biggest bottom end of them all. And to me sounds tighter. But it is very heavy. I use that all the time for recording as well. I do have a thiele cab with EVM12 speakers. There is no way that bottom end can compare to the oversize 4x12, but for recordings you only mic up one speaker so there is barely a difference as long as you have the same speakers.
However, when you play live, the sound engineer will most likely dial out that big bottom end, because it will interfere with the bass player and the sound will be boomy and muddy.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I suppose it's time to start demoing cabs and speakers!

Wyzard said:

You can add me to the Thiele cab fan list, placed underneath a combo and impedance messed-about-with via an Aracom.

I don't exactly agree about EVs losing a lot of their "muchness" in an open-back; most all my 12Ls and 12Ss are in open-back combos or cabs, and they sound just fine for my purposes.


OTOH, I've just bought two Road-Ready 4x12 EV-loaded cabs …… so if you can hear a roaring noise in the distance, wherever you are, it's probably me.

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i said the EV is a 200W rms speaker , to shine it need vitamines , as all powerfull speaker aswell , thiele cab is kind of bassreflex equation for PA or Hifi applications, so its not closed!

C90 is a old G12H80 Rola design stronger to fill mesa needs ! it shine at lower level , its physics not quality !

the Ev was PA designed in mind first, so is eager to get a larger stectrum, C90 or V30 was designed for guitar in mind!