These video's are gold, thanks so much for doing the work and going the extra mile in the name of tone. We live in the era of misinformation and making a statement with proof to back it up is a refreshing pace to see on the internet. Much love.
Holy hell, these videos are just amazing. I can only imagine the amount of time and money that it takes, but it is hugely appreciated. I'm certain that as word gets out, these will become valuable resources for tons of people. Thank yoooou!
I love that you often use a 2000 16ohm MIE V30 as one of your baselines because that is the exact speaker I chose for my Silver Jubilee combo and it sounds identical to your example. It really helps me compare! Your work is very appreciated, thank you!
Hello John and thanks for the videos! I wanted to mention that Hughes and Kettner also have Vintage 30's with 444 cones. My 2006 H&K cab has thd V30's with 444 cones, they sound very good...
I second nerdfest appreciated! Same goes for the sheer amount of research! (Also maybe it really is time for a new cab...) Looking forward to all you have planned! Cheers!
The V30MF dust cap also appears to be slightly wider than the other V30's, in addition to being flatter, and the speaker is rated for 70W instead of 60W. Could you confirm if it has a larger voice coil?
I wouldn't pay a huge attention to the rating. The Marshall G12 Vintage is rated for 70w too and I believe Mesa Boogie used to rate their V30 4x12s at 280w too. Supposedly Celestion are a bit conservative when rating their speakers. I wouldn't be surprised if the speakers rated for 60 or 70w actually had the same power handling capabilities but I'm just guessing. I can't really confirm if the voice coil is any different as it'S not accessible. At least I don't know how to get at it without destroying the speaker.
Great video and thanks for the work for our community. I believe that it is a safe bet that there is a 'General' Vintage30 sound. And also, that there is a noticeable difference between all of them. However, in my case with my main rig, I use a multi amp setup driving different models of Celestion speakers. And I always incorporate one of my Vintage30 loaded cabinets. And my rig is RIPPING LOUD. And at that volume I believe that the differences between them becomes moot. But to each his own, have fun with it. Subjective? You bet, play hard! My preference is the Mesa Vintage30's as [they] are somewhat darker. Cheers!
Glad I bought 2 of the TAD V30 last year 😬, paired them with 2 Fane F70 (I believe they sit between a h75 creamback and a v30) in X pattern inside a peavey valveking birch cab, changed the grid for a salt pepper one... Best 4x12 cab I've heard in person, so glad.
MORE IS MORE. Enjoying it... I wonder, about 8 and 16 ohm (and 5.3 ohm) speakers, if all that differs is just the amount of wirings around the voice coil. Could it be that simple? Do you know?
Excellent work, i have a few V30 UK and China, also a few G12K-85 from a Peavey cab but the weird one is a Celestion Relic 30 UK made (no video or review found) its kinda mix between V30 and K100, you should take a look...
There's one more oddball Vintage 30 derivative called the G12-60S. Currently they are sold by a seller from Spain called Retroamplis and they cost just $85. They were once sold by Mojotone too.
So, I was finally able to find some info on these. They have the product no. T5321, flatish dust caps and silver baskets. Seems very likely to me that they are relabled Marshall Vintage 30MFs
Not that you need more suggestions for ones to look at, but I believe the Mojotone "British" series of speakers here in the US are made by Celestion to Mojotone's specs. They have a BV-30V model that seems like it's a ringer for V30. I've had their G12H30 version and it was very good compared to a mid-2000's China made Celestion equivalent. Awesome series!
Great videos dude, as a fellow Irishmen who likes metal, V30s and Sea Shepherd tees I'm fully onboard! I have a dave mustaine 1960adm cab with the G12-V30, to me they sound different from the others i have in my Mesa, intriguing to see all the variances
Oh cool! Happy to have you here, bud! Hold on to that cab! They are getting harder to find every day! Since filming this, I've been able to get a quad of the Dave Mustaine V30s too! I have yet to A/B them to the TADs but I still strongly believe they are the same speaker with different labels... and they sound great!
Ah, interesting. My DM speakers are from 2009, they seem quite bright, but in a good way. I have 2001 V30s in my Mesa cab, they are dark compared to usual, which fits with what Nolly was saying about that year.
I really like the 1777 16ohm V30. But then again I am a fan of the G12K-85 speakers. I know many say the G12K-100's are the same as the 85's but to me they are different. In the mids. I would love to get some 1777 V30's 16ohms.
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne yes the GK12 - 100's are fantastic. They have a slight bright mid hump than the 85's. I have 8 85's made in 1985 and four made in 86. I pair two 85's from 85 with two 99 V30's in one cab that sounds fantastic. They really compliment each other.
Those bad cats have this hollow vibe that reminds me of vintage greenbacks/alnicos compared to their modern counterparts, given the amps they went in this makes sense as an aim to get as slightly more vintage feel. I wonder if the real difference is mainly just the doping which can have a huge effect on tone. I liked that 1777 cone sound in some frequencies it was more pleasing to my ear, that said I've never liked any of the bass cones tbh on other models so maybe I like something about the 1777 cones. I still think to my ears the v30MF's are my favourite sounding metal speakers but so hard to find in australia so I have only heard them in shootouts and IRs and those differences may just be tolerances and not by design.
Yes! I agree! The Bad Cat were really the only OEM V30 that I could really make out to have a distinct sound. They behave a little like 16 Ohm V30s despite being 8 Ohm. I presume it's due to the lack of doping. Thinking of it, I could try to remove the doping off of a regular V30 and test how that affects the tone. I also quite liked the 1777 cone ones. The Vintage 30 MFs are hard to find here too. I've only seen them for sale outside of an MF280 cab once in 5 years. You may find it easier to find G12-60S Special Editions. I am 99% sure Celestion relabled their surplus V30 MFs as that and sold them to a bunch of retailers.
On another note the Badcat site calls their celestion oems in their new cabs 'custom celestion v30 speakers' and quote them as 60w which is different to the old specs of their bad cat oem that didn't call itself a v30 s so I wonder if these are the same as the one you have here and either they've changed the marketing or just gone back to the old v30 oems.
@@JimijaymesProductions That's interesting. Are they using V30 types again? Last I heard they switched to a different OEM speaker which I belive was based of a G12 30H or something like that. Maybe they went back to using their OEM V30.
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne I only have their website specs to go on (haven't actually seen the new line) which went from saying 'proprietary celestion' on the old players and hand wired to 'custom celestion v30'. I don't think you can buy the speaker direct anymore either (the link is there on google but through the site normally it isn't).
John Browne was a great American hero! The greatest, many say. I tend to agree. Do you know anything at all about the Marshall G12 Heritage speakers that came in the JCM 600 and JTM60 combos? I think they've been paired with the Marshall v30s in a lot of their higher end cabs? Some JVM cabs had them I think. I have a pair and I'm debating replacing one of the greenbacks in my 5153 212, but it's pretty hard to find any reliable info about what other speakers it might compare to.
I think you didn't test one variation. which I happen to have :) I've got a weird 1985 vintage 30 in my Studio 15 amp. It's got a went on the back, just like g12 65. I think it is one of the very first made. I love your v30 videos!
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne I think the writing says "T3896," there's also "JT5" marking. The speaker is 8 ohm and is labeled Marshall Vintage by Celestion. The amp is from 1985.
I've found that in some stores they sell celestion g12-60s and the specs are pretty much the same as the v30 and they are also cheaper, what about those? There's no info on them...
I'm not sure about those. Somebody recently brought them up. They could be some relabled other V30s like the Dave Mustaine V30s but I don't know for sure. I haven't seen one myself.
I did some research and was able to find out the use the product code T5321, pretty flat dust caps and silver baskets. I am very confident that they are relabled Marshall Vintage 30MF speakers!
Hey cool, I have one of those black frame V30s in 16 ohm. I got it a few years ago for pretty cheap but it doesn't have the little label with model number, etc, so I've always been curious about what it is exactly. The seller just said it was early 90s, pulled from an ampeg cab. I don't know if it came stock in that cab or if that's just what he had it in. It definitely sounds different than any other V30 I have. More high end detail and yet smoother, pretty much like in this video. I really like it, especially mixed with a regular V30.
That's the unicorn for me! I haven't even seen one for sale in Europe in over five years! Yes, these seem to be from the early 90s and I have read of a few accounts where they came from Ampeg cabs and sometimes Hiwatts. Being from the early 90s, it would not yet have a label. If you look closely, you might be able to spot a stamp on the side of the magnet or possibly the frame. It will most likely say T4297. Congrats on that score!
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne It's funny because when I bought it, I didn't realize it was anything special or rare. I just wanted a V30, it was cheap and I thought it was cool it was made in the UK and from the early 90s which I assumed made it better, or at least well broken in. I will check it for a stamp.
I found the stamp but it's a little hard to read and there is a scratch over a couple numbers but I think it is: D (or 0?) 4MA1(or I?)4297714. The scratch is on the 771 part but I'm pretty sure that's what it is. The cone is 444.
I have two 16ohm v30 black frames (1 has a wrong 8ohm label) in VHT -91 or -92 cabinet with 2xGreenbacks. Sadly there is a bad cone rub on the other v30 (8 ohm mislabeled). But really good video!
Thanks man! Shame about the coil rub on one speaker. I hate when that happens. I once received a beautiful black frame V30 from te early 90s with horrific coil rub.
These video's are gold, thanks so much for doing the work and going the extra mile in the name of tone. We live in the era of misinformation and making a statement with proof to back it up is a refreshing pace to see on the internet. Much love.
Thank you very much! These kind of comments are very gratifying to me
*my body is ready*
Oh another Vintage 30 video for us speaker freaks!!! thanks!!😍
Excellent work as always Mien Borther
Holy hell, these videos are just amazing. I can only imagine the amount of time and money that it takes, but it is hugely appreciated. I'm certain that as word gets out, these will become valuable resources for tons of people. Thank yoooou!
Thank you Jeff! I'm a bit of a lunatic, I guess but it makes me happy if my obessive behavior helps others
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne Haha, it's the best kind of lunacy, and is definitely helpful. :D
Very cool comparison. Very insightful! Also very cool Sea Shepherd Shirt :-)
Thanks, man
Thank you so much for this! Was waiting for this since the first video!
I love that you often use a 2000 16ohm MIE V30 as one of your baselines because that is the exact speaker I chose for my Silver Jubilee combo and it sounds identical to your example. It really helps me compare!
Your work is very appreciated, thank you!
Again a nice video. Many thanks for that video (and for all the others).
Nerdfest appreciated! Again huge amount of work here, nice one!
Thanks, man!
21:58 This pre-release V30 with Marshall product code sounds good.
Hello John and thanks for the videos! I wanted to mention that Hughes and Kettner also have Vintage 30's with 444 cones. My 2006 H&K cab has thd V30's with 444 cones, they sound very good...
I second nerdfest appreciated! Same goes for the sheer amount of research!
(Also maybe it really is time for a new cab...)
Looking forward to all you have planned!
Cheers!
Great stuff man! Thanks for doing this
Great work, John! Cheers from Texas 🤘
Awesome! Thanks for commenting
The V30MF dust cap also appears to be slightly wider than the other V30's, in addition to being flatter, and the speaker is rated for 70W instead of 60W. Could you confirm if it has a larger voice coil?
I wouldn't pay a huge attention to the rating. The Marshall G12 Vintage is rated for 70w too and I believe Mesa Boogie used to rate their V30 4x12s at 280w too. Supposedly Celestion are a bit conservative when rating their speakers. I wouldn't be surprised if the speakers rated for 60 or 70w actually had the same power handling capabilities but I'm just guessing.
I can't really confirm if the voice coil is any different as it'S not accessible. At least I don't know how to get at it without destroying the speaker.
Appreciate these videos so much!
Great video and thanks for the work for our community. I believe that it is a safe bet that there is a 'General' Vintage30 sound. And also, that there is a noticeable difference between all of them. However, in my case with my main rig, I use a multi amp setup driving different models of Celestion speakers. And I always incorporate one of my Vintage30 loaded cabinets. And my rig is RIPPING LOUD. And at that volume I believe that the differences between them becomes moot. But to each his own, have fun with it. Subjective? You bet, play hard! My preference is the Mesa Vintage30's as [they] are somewhat darker. Cheers!
Glad I bought 2 of the TAD V30 last year 😬, paired them with 2 Fane F70 (I believe they sit between a h75 creamback and a v30) in X pattern inside a peavey valveking birch cab, changed the grid for a salt pepper one... Best 4x12 cab I've heard in person, so glad.
I also have Fane F70 paired with old v30 in a 4x12. It's a fantastic mix!
MORE IS MORE. Enjoying it... I wonder, about 8 and 16 ohm (and 5.3 ohm) speakers, if all that differs is just the amount of wirings around the voice coil. Could it be that simple? Do you know?
you are a true hero
Well done. Thank you! 🤘🏻😎🤘🏻
Excellent work, i have a few V30 UK and China, also a few G12K-85 from a Peavey cab but the weird one is a Celestion Relic 30 UK made (no video or review found) its kinda mix between V30 and K100, you should take a look...
El que has fet és immens!!
Moltes gràcies.
There's one more oddball Vintage 30 derivative called the G12-60S. Currently they are sold by a seller from Spain called Retroamplis and they cost just $85. They were once sold by Mojotone too.
So, I was finally able to find some info on these. They have the product no. T5321, flatish dust caps and silver baskets.
Seems very likely to me that they are relabled Marshall Vintage 30MFs
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne That's good news.
1960ADM speaker looks exactly like Marshall V30 speakers. Sounds also the same to me.
Not that you need more suggestions for ones to look at, but I believe the Mojotone "British" series of speakers here in the US are made by Celestion to Mojotone's specs. They have a BV-30V model that seems like it's a ringer for V30. I've had their G12H30 version and it was very good compared to a mid-2000's China made Celestion equivalent. Awesome series!
I love suggestions! Keep them coming please!
The BV30 is on my radar along with a few other non-Celestion V30s
I've got two of those oddball Marshall code V30s. Out of a mosfet lead 100.
Oh awesome! That's great to know!
Great videos dude, as a fellow Irishmen who likes metal, V30s and Sea Shepherd tees I'm fully onboard! I have a dave mustaine 1960adm cab with the G12-V30, to me they sound different from the others i have in my Mesa, intriguing to see all the variances
Oh cool! Happy to have you here, bud!
Hold on to that cab! They are getting harder to find every day! Since filming this, I've been able to get a quad of the Dave Mustaine V30s too! I have yet to A/B them to the TADs but I still strongly believe they are the same speaker with different labels... and they sound great!
Ah, interesting. My DM speakers are from 2009, they seem quite bright, but in a good way. I have 2001 V30s in my Mesa cab, they are dark compared to usual, which fits with what Nolly was saying about that year.
Yep. Mine are 2009s too.
the tube amp doctor vesion is very good you got the inflames and arch enemy tone i think they had a bit a greenback mix
Vielen Dank für die Aufklärung.
Wie wäre es mit einem Pulsonic Greenback VS. Rola Greenback Video?😊
I really like the 1777 16ohm V30. But then again I am a fan of the G12K-85 speakers. I know many say the G12K-100's are the same as the 85's but to me they are different. In the mids. I would love to get some 1777 V30's 16ohms.
I've seen them two or three times in the last few years, so they are still out there.
I haven't had K85s but I love K100s
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne yes the GK12 - 100's are fantastic. They have a slight bright mid hump than the 85's. I have 8 85's made in 1985 and four made in 86. I pair two 85's from 85 with two 99 V30's in one cab that sounds fantastic. They really compliment each other.
Those bad cats have this hollow vibe that reminds me of vintage greenbacks/alnicos compared to their modern counterparts, given the amps they went in this makes sense as an aim to get as slightly more vintage feel. I wonder if the real difference is mainly just the doping which can have a huge effect on tone. I liked that 1777 cone sound in some frequencies it was more pleasing to my ear, that said I've never liked any of the bass cones tbh on other models so maybe I like something about the 1777 cones. I still think to my ears the v30MF's are my favourite sounding metal speakers but so hard to find in australia so I have only heard them in shootouts and IRs and those differences may just be tolerances and not by design.
Yes! I agree! The Bad Cat were really the only OEM V30 that I could really make out to have a distinct sound. They behave a little like 16 Ohm V30s despite being 8 Ohm. I presume it's due to the lack of doping. Thinking of it, I could try to remove the doping off of a regular V30 and test how that affects the tone.
I also quite liked the 1777 cone ones.
The Vintage 30 MFs are hard to find here too. I've only seen them for sale outside of an MF280 cab once in 5 years.
You may find it easier to find G12-60S Special Editions. I am 99% sure Celestion relabled their surplus V30 MFs as that and sold them to a bunch of retailers.
On another note the Badcat site calls their celestion oems in their new cabs 'custom celestion v30 speakers' and quote them as 60w which is different to the old specs of their bad cat oem that didn't call itself a v30 s so I wonder if these are the same as the one you have here and either they've changed the marketing or just gone back to the old v30 oems.
@@JimijaymesProductions That's interesting. Are they using V30 types again? Last I heard they switched to a different OEM speaker which I belive was based of a G12 30H or something like that. Maybe they went back to using their OEM V30.
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne I only have their website specs to go on (haven't actually seen the new line) which went from saying 'proprietary celestion' on the old players and hand wired to 'custom celestion v30'. I don't think you can buy the speaker direct anymore either (the link is there on google but through the site normally it isn't).
John Browne was a great American hero! The greatest, many say. I tend to agree.
Do you know anything at all about the Marshall G12 Heritage speakers that came in the JCM 600 and JTM60 combos? I think they've been paired with the Marshall v30s in a lot of their higher end cabs? Some JVM cabs had them I think.
I have a pair and I'm debating replacing one of the greenbacks in my 5153 212, but it's pretty hard to find any reliable info about what other speakers it might compare to.
Hey man! Thanks for leaving a comment. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about the G12 Heritages
I think you didn't test one variation. which I happen to have :) I've got a weird 1985 vintage 30 in my Studio 15 amp. It's got a went on the back, just like g12 65. I think it is one of the very first made. I love your v30 videos!
Oooh! Exciting. Do you happen to know the model no.?
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne I think the writing says "T3896," there's also "JT5" marking. The speaker is 8 ohm and is labeled Marshall Vintage by Celestion. The amp is from 1985.
I have a mode four cab with the V30s in it and they sound tighter and brighter than the ones in my Mesa Recto OS cab.
I've found that in some stores they sell celestion g12-60s and the specs are pretty much the same as the v30 and they are also cheaper, what about those? There's no info on them...
I'm not sure about those. Somebody recently brought them up. They could be some relabled other V30s like the Dave Mustaine V30s but I don't know for sure. I haven't seen one myself.
I did some research and was able to find out the use the product code T5321, pretty flat dust caps and silver baskets. I am very confident that they are relabled Marshall Vintage 30MF speakers!
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne interesting 🤔, where do those sit in the "v30 spectrum"? Are they any good?
I like mine. They are featured in this video at 16:16.
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne oh I forgot, thank u
Hey cool, I have one of those black frame V30s in 16 ohm. I got it a few years ago for pretty cheap but it doesn't have the little label with model number, etc, so I've always been curious about what it is exactly. The seller just said it was early 90s, pulled from an ampeg cab. I don't know if it came stock in that cab or if that's just what he had it in. It definitely sounds different than any other V30 I have. More high end detail and yet smoother, pretty much like in this video. I really like it, especially mixed with a regular V30.
That's the unicorn for me! I haven't even seen one for sale in Europe in over five years!
Yes, these seem to be from the early 90s and I have read of a few accounts where they came from Ampeg cabs and sometimes Hiwatts. Being from the early 90s, it would not yet have a label. If you look closely, you might be able to spot a stamp on the side of the magnet or possibly the frame. It will most likely say T4297.
Congrats on that score!
@@TheOtherJohnBrowne It's funny because when I bought it, I didn't realize it was anything special or rare. I just wanted a V30, it was cheap and I thought it was cool it was made in the UK and from the early 90s which I assumed made it better, or at least well broken in. I will check it for a stamp.
I found the stamp but it's a little hard to read and there is a scratch over a couple numbers but I think it is: D (or 0?) 4MA1(or I?)4297714. The scratch is on the 771 part but I'm pretty sure that's what it is. The cone is 444.
It's probably a T so 04MA (December 4th 1991) T4297 (speaker product code for 16 Ohm black frame) and then some QC numbers. Congrats
I have two 16ohm v30 black frames (1 has a wrong 8ohm label) in VHT -91 or -92 cabinet with 2xGreenbacks. Sadly there is a bad cone rub on the other v30 (8 ohm mislabeled). But really good video!
Thanks man! Shame about the coil rub on one speaker. I hate when that happens. I once received a beautiful black frame V30 from te early 90s with horrific coil rub.
feb of '86? nice. same.... lol
10:55