Members SKYNETRP Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by Locky Having AB'ed both of them I can tell you first hand that they are worlds apart. Despite both having V30's they sounds quite different. I found the Mesa alot thicker with a larger and deeper bottom end. The Legacy was much thinner and brighter. Also it should be noted that the V30's in Mesa cabs are different then regular Celestion V30's. OH really? How are the V30's different? I already know the answer, or at least one of them..........there are Chinese made V30's and English made V30,s and the Englicsh ones sound a lot different......is that it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by charliedango I'm thinking older Carvin cabinets. I don't know why. Older = better. They switched from birch to a cheaper grade of plywood the last couple years. Still very decent,though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MattACaster Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by Sordid1 Well i've played both too and didn't think there was a big difference but that is interesting about the Mesa V30's being different. You would think they would call them something else then. There is nothing different about them. Mesa just rates them at 70 watts (sometimes) for some reason. My Recto 2x12 is rated at 140 watts but my Recto 4x12 is 240 watts. Go figure.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockstrongo Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by Sordid1 I have to disagree on this one. First of all the Marshalls come with the gt1275's and the Legacy cabs have the V30's which are identical to the Mesa cabs speakers. If you put a traditional Mesa cab next to a Carvin Legacy cab the differences should be slim to none. I disagree completely. Every Carvin Legacy cab that I've played sounds excessivly bright, farty and brittle. I A/B'd the Mesa 4x12 that I used to have with two of them that belong to a friend of mine, and there was no comparison at all. I like the fact that Carvin makes decent gear at an afforrdable price (I'm not an everything-Carvin-makes-sucks guy), but I hate their cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockstrongo Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by SKYNETRP OH really? How are the V30's different? I already know the answer, or at least one of them..........there are Chinese made V30's and English made V30,s and the Englicsh ones sound a lot different......is that it? The Vintage 30's that go into Mesa cabs are rated 10 watts higher than standard Vintage 30's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by rockstrongo I disagree completely. Every Carvin Legacy cab that I've played sounds excessivly bright, farty and brittle. I A/B'd the Mesa 4x12 that I used to have with two of them that belong to a friend of mine, and there was no comparison at all. I like the fact that Carvin makes decent gear at an afforrdable price (I'm not an everything-Carvin-makes-sucks guy), but I hate their cabinets. Their guitar cabs are their high point these days,IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rockstrongo Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by tlbonehead Their guitar cabs are their high point these days,IMO. You know, it was weird last time that I used them. I played a show with another band that had one, and I had to play through one. I was playing my Marshall through it, and I couldn't get hardly any feel out of it. With my older Mesa and my Bogner, I can shake notes, pick lightly, and in general, make sounds out of the way that I play. I couldn't do that with the Carvin cabs, no matter how much I twiddled the knobs. It was like "that's the sound you're getting and that's it". It felt stiff as a board, the first time that I've ever felt that from my Marshall. Everytime I hit the strings, it was like an icepick in my ears, even with the presence and treble at 0. I dunno. The guy that I played that cab from (he has two) says that his Carvin's sound better than my Bogner.....which is a joke. There's a world of difference there, IMO. But it wouldn't be fair of me to compare a cab like that to the Carvin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mikindan Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 I just picked up a Carvin SC412T a couple months ago $349.99 brand new. It is their lowest priced 4x12, and has Celestion 70/80's. It sounds good to me, just as good as the Marshall 1936 2x12 cab that I had before, except that the Carvin is built with more quality. Metal grill to protect the speakers, the handles and corners are metal too, not plastic. Great quality, Great price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Locky Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by MattACaster There is nothing different about them. Mesa just rates them at 70 watts (sometimes) for some reason. My Recto 2x12 is rated at 140 watts but my Recto 4x12 is 240 watts. Go figure.... They are different. They are modified to handle high power and put out a little more low end. Just ask the Mesa techs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted April 13, 2006 Members Share Posted April 13, 2006 Originally posted by rockstrongo You know, it was weird last time that I used them. I played a show with another band that had one, and I had to play through one. I was playing my Marshall through it, and I couldn't get hardly any feel out of it. With my older Mesa and my Bogner, I can shake notes, pick lightly, and in general, make sounds out of the way that I play. I couldn't do that with the Carvin cabs, no matter how much I twiddled the knobs. It was like "that's the sound you're getting and that's it". It felt stiff as a board, the first time that I've ever felt that from my Marshall. Everytime I hit the strings, it was like an icepick in my ears, even with the presence and treble at 0. I dunno. The guy that I played that cab from (he has two) says that his Carvin's sound better than my Bogner.....which is a joke. There's a world of difference there, IMO. But it wouldn't be fair of me to compare a cab like that to the Carvin. They are fairly shallow so their internal volume is a bit less than the more modern cabs. Therefore,the f3 is going to be a bit higher. So maybe you were just trying to coax frequencies out of them that are below their tuning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 14, 2006 Members Share Posted April 14, 2006 Originally posted by tlbonehead They are fairly shallow so their internal volume is a bit less than the more modern cabs. Therefore,the f3 is going to be a bit higher. So maybe you were just trying to coax frequencies out of them that are below their tuning. I would definitely try some post EQ, and see what happens, because those Carvin Legacy cabs are really nice cabs and a hell of a good price. maybe with post EQ you can make them more to your liking......otherwize, I may buy it from ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 14, 2006 Members Share Posted April 14, 2006 Originally posted by tlbonehead Older = better. They switched from birch to a cheaper grade of plywood the last couple years. Still very decent,though. The Legacy are still Birch, but they may be the only ones now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 14, 2006 Members Share Posted April 14, 2006 Originally posted by rockstrongo The Vintage 30's that go into Mesa cabs are rated 10 watts higher than standard Vintage 30's. Yeah, but they are still the same as the Carvins or Marshalls as far as their actual wattage, I have looked at the specs on all of them and called Celestian.........Mesa just rated them a little higher, because they can handle the wattage, and more, so it is safe to do that. HOWEVER.........I was told by Celestian that the Chinese V30's from their Asian plant are definitely different sounding than the English ones for some reason that they won't tell me so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members myka316 Posted April 14, 2006 Author Members Share Posted April 14, 2006 Well I went and picked it up. Carvin C412 Straight Cab: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MattACaster Posted April 14, 2006 Members Share Posted April 14, 2006 Originally posted by SKYNETRP Yeah, but they are still the same as the Carvins or Marshalls as far as their actual wattage, I have looked at the specs on all of them and called Celestian.........Mesa just rated them a little higher, because they can handle the wattage, and more, so it is safe to do that. This is what I've heard. Mesa just took it upon themselves to rate the speakers higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 14, 2006 Members Share Posted April 14, 2006 Originally posted by MattACaster This is what I've heard. Mesa just took it upon themselves to rate the speakers higher. It's just a sales ploy, and I don't think it is illeagl as long as the speakers can actually handle the wattage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sordid1 Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by rockstrongo I disagree completely. Every Carvin Legacy cab that I've played sounds excessivly bright, farty and brittle. I A/B'd the Mesa 4x12 that I used to have with two of them that belong to a friend of mine, and there was no comparison at all. I like the fact that Carvin makes decent gear at an afforrdable price (I'm not an everything-Carvin-makes-sucks guy), but I hate their cabinets. I guess we all hear things a bit differently and while I think the Mesa cabs are top notch I honestly can't tell much difference with the Carvin cab with the same speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by Sordid1 I guess we all hear things a bit differently and while I think the Mesa cabs are top notch I honestly can't tell much difference with the Carvin cab with the same speakers. For good reason too. Now, if you were to A/B the cabs, I am sure you can hear a little difference, but not enough to make that price unfavorable for a Carvin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sordid1 Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by SKYNETRP For good reason too. Now, if you were to A/B the cabs, I am sure you can hear a little difference, but not enough to make that price unfavorable for a Carvin. well my ex-guitarist hasn't come to pick his Legacy cab yet and I think I have a guy coming to audition for the band that has a Mesa cab so I hopefully will get to a them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by Sordid1 well my ex-guitarist hasn't come to pick his Legacy cab yet and I think I have a guy coming to audition for the band that has a Mesa cab so I hopefully will get to a them. Kewl, let us know what you find. And please be unbiased. I really AM interested in what you find. I am going to buy like 4 of those cabs soon, and I would like to know what you find first. But you have to be fair. Also if there IS a difference, will you try an independant GEQ before AND after the head on the Carvin and tell us if you can match the Mesa that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sordid1 Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by SKYNETRP Kewl, let us know what you find. And please be unbiased. I really AM interested in what you find. I am going to buy like 4 of those cabs soon, and I would like to know what you find first. But you have to be fair. Also if there IS a difference, will you try an independant GEQ before AND after the head on the Carvin and tell us if you can match the Mesa that way? Well I don't own either cab so I won't have a problem being unbiased (if I get to do this he may come get his cab first). If I do get to I have an MXR eq laying around that I can try out as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by Sordid1 Well I don't own either cab so I won't have a problem being unbiased (if I get to do this he may come get his cab first). If I do get to I have an MXR eq laying around that I can try out as well. Great! I will be looking forward to what you find out if you get to do this............good luck. I am not saying that the other guy who already did an A/B on them is not telling the truth, but it just sounded to me like there was far too much difference in the cabs when he described it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sordid1 Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by SKYNETRP Great! I will be looking forward to what you find out if you get to do this............good luck. I am not saying that the other guy who already did an A/B on them is not telling the truth, but it just sounded to me like there was far too much difference in the cabs when he described it. well my aing so far was about a month apart from each other but we took his head to the shop and put a Mesa 4x12 thru it's paces and then he bought the carvin and the difference didn't seem like much. Of course a few weeks had passed and that can change your minds memory quite a bit on sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SKYNETRP Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 Originally posted by Sordid1 well my aing so far was about a month apart from each other but we took his head to the shop and put a Mesa 4x12 thru it's paces and then he bought the carvin and the difference didn't seem like much. Of course a few weeks had passed and that can change your minds memory quite a bit on sounds. Oh, absolutely. I want to hear from someone who has both cabs hooked up with an A/B switcher, so you can change cabs during a note or a chord. That will be the real test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members danhops Posted April 15, 2006 Members Share Posted April 15, 2006 I dont know about the Legacy cabs, but I dont like the MTS cabs with the Carvin Speakers. Dont kow if its the cab or the speakers, but I hated the way that cab sounded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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