4x12 cabs: Peavey vs. Marshall vs. Mesa

[commandante]

I am thinking of buying a used 4x12 cab. So far Peavey 5150, Marshall 1960A and Mesa/Boogie Recto Closed Back caught my eye. What would you guys think would be a good matching cab for my Mesa/Boogie Mark III head? I mean there is an obvious answer called Mesa, but is it worth the extra cash? (Its retail is 899 dollars, so obviously it has a higher second hand value) And can someone describe the sound of those cabs for me?

 

[commandante]

bump

 

[DIOBOLIC5150]

I'm pretty partial to the 5150 cab. I've owned a couple of them and I think they sound great. They're really fat sounding. I don't really how how to describe it well. It would be a cheaper route than Mesa.

The Marshall cabs are nice, but not as suited for metal as the other 2 cabs mentioned (in my opinion). Unless you want that old southern doom metal sound, then they're great.

I don't even have enough money to be in the same room as Mesa gear. This cab is the obvious choice and most people already know how good they sound. If you have the option, by all means get the Mesa.

Again, it all comes down to what you're using them for and the sound you plan to get out of them.

I personally like the cheap Randall 2x12 x 1x15 cabs. They've got a really fat ass and are fairly inexpensive. I had 2 before I got my warhead cabs, and they actually sound like they would be in the same class.

 

[preludetotorment]

I have the warhead 2x15 and the warhead 4x12 ,i bought them second hand at the guitar center in north attleboro, massachusetts for a good deal. i like them both ,very solid well built cabs. marshalls are alright they arent built like they used to be..same w/the heads,but anything w/vintage 30's in it will sound fine,the bass and "air" quality depending on cab construction. i had a mesa 2x12 recto cab a while back and it definately had that thump quality to it. my randall 4x12 does as well because both are 7 ply birch, the marshalls are 5 ply i believe
well thats my two cents worth
thicker ply birch= tighter low end responce

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

Marshalls are the shit. The haunted use them and boy do they have some thcik rythym sounds.

 

[beatingheartdesign]

I dont know much about the 5150 cabs, but as for the marshall 1960a it just dosnt have that in your face tone I would like to hear. The vintage marshall cabs are sweet and the mesa cabs are just kick ass!

 

[Benny H]

Genz Benz G-Flex... anyone got anything to say of them? I don't know shit but I've heard good things.

 

[kaomao]

Marshall 1960a with g12-T75 speakers really sucks (very fizzy) compared to the Marshall 1960V with V30, this one totally rocks.
Mesa or maybe a chep but very good Carvin Legacy (V30) would be better than Marshall.

Maurizio

 

[commandante]

So you are saying Celestion Vintage 30 speakers are the way to go, eh?

 

[commandante]

I think I will get some of those:
www.avatarspeakers.com

I can customise the look of the cab and put any speaker I want into it. The most important part I will have a quality unused 4x12 just under 500 bucks including shipping. This is a fucking deal if you ask me.

 

[commandante]

Oh and the same company sells new 4x12s loaded with vintage 30s on ebay and they go around 300-350 without shipping. This is fucking unbelievable, I am sold!

 

[kaomao]

So you are saying Celestion Vintage 30 speakers are the way to go, eh?

Of course !!! for metal they're a must!!!! really fat sound!!!!
Engl are great too, the best only after mesa!!!
But you can even try for cabs with Eminence and Jensen (Brunetti, Behringer, Peavey); to me they won't sound so good as Vintage30 speakers.
Right now Celestion has made speakers with a Neodymium magnet structure called Century and Century Vintage, the weight is half the V30 (you know the weight of a cab with v30 is 40.6 Kg) I think that would be fantastic have a cab so light, but I dont know if they sound good.

Maurizio

 

[revolver]

anyone ever tried the mode four cabs? looks like the´re a mesalookalike or something...

 

[commandante]

I don't know it looks to me that Marshall is trying to attract the nu-metal crowd with that amp. I mean who would go for that head if you were to buy a Marshall, ridicilous...

 

[kaomao]

I don't know it looks to me that Marshall is trying to attract the nu-metal crowd with that amp. I mean who would go for that head if you were to buy a Marshall, ridicilous...

Mode four is one of the most horrible amps on this earth!! even my Line6 Spider II Head that I have here at home for practicing is a 1000 times better than that shit!!!
It's really really fizzy without any kind of good lowend!!

Maurizio

 

[Andy Sneap]

Odd, I heard a mode 4 that sounded ok..mmm, anyway, those celestion 30s are my usual choice.

 

[kaomao]

Odd, I heard a mode 4 that sounded ok..mmm, anyway,

this is a sample from marshall site
http://www.marshallamps.com/images/products/mf/audio/extremethrash.MP3
In a live situation it's very muddy it hasn't that great mids to cut trough the mix !!! a friend of mine got it and it sounds always fizzy.

Maurizio

 

[Soundscaper]

Maurizio,

did you check the wiring? I had cabinets out of phase wired coming straight from the plant a few years ago. Changed the wiring and instant ROCK

Could be the reason, that shit is not that bad either...

Cheers,

Soundscaper

 

[Lykanthrope]

I have a mesa cab coupled with a laney head, and the low end on that head is fucking intense. After working at guitar center as a warehouse guy i've seen the marshall and mesa cabs. The mesa cabs are bigger and weigh a shit ton, but hey i think its worth it, because to me the mesa cab is the most reliable thing mesa makes...

RD

 

[kaomao]

Maurizio,

did you check the wiring? I had cabinets out of phase wired coming straight from the plant a few years ago. Changed the wiring and instant ROCK

Soundscaper

He played trough my cab, that one is ok with all the amps I've tryed to play with.
I dont know it's a really fake sound, to me line6 stuff like spider II is cheaper and
sounds better, but I've heard that the mode 4 cab is great, it's big like a recto cab so lot of lowend.

Maurizio