Speaker swap possibilities, slightly brighter than V30 (with Rocker 30)

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I know this topic has been discussed ad nauseam on here, but I'd still welcome some specific recommendations...

I use an Orange Rocker 30 head through an Orange open-back 2x12 with the stock V30s.  The other guitarist in the band used to use a Fender amp that was ridiculously bright, so between that and my fairly middy tone through the V30s we had a nice balance.  But we've got a new guitarist and now we're a bit on top of each other.  After experimenting with settings it seems to work best if I now have a brighter, less middy sound, which is fighting against the V30s in my cab a bit.

Had a gig last night where the cab was provided, and was a Marshall 4x12 of some sort.  It was way brighter sounding than my own cab (if anything slightly TOO bright for my taste) and was much easier to get the top end I was after.  I'm assuming it was G12T-75 speakers.

Now, I don't think I want to change both the speakers in my cab for T-75s - I've used them before in borrowed cabs and not really liked them.  But something with a slightly clearer top end seems to work with the current band lineup.

I don't really want to lose efficiency if possible, and my cab sometimes gets used as a shared backline so even though my amp is only 30W it would be nice to keep power handling fairly high so I don't have to worry about somebody killing it with their 100W beast.

So, one V30 and one T-75?  Or two of something else more open sounding?  Obviously if I can get away with just changing one speaker it's a bonus, but I'm not completely against doing both if it sounds good.

I'm tempted to find a T-75 and just see what it's like with that and one of the V30s, but any hints would be appreciated...
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Comments

  • EmielEmiel Frets: 212
    Try some Greenbacks... both the G12M25 (bit softer, more middy) or the G12H30 (more bass and top end) will make a nice match with your Orange. 
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    edited April 2019
    Creamback G12H-75, either with the V30 or with a Creamback G12M-65.

    The two Creambacks is an absolutely brilliant combination, perfectly balanced, sounds better than two of either, and handles 130W. It sounds very like a Greenback and G12H-30, but slightly darker and tighter.

    If you want a less 'vintage' sound and more 'modern rock', a Classic Lead 80 with the V30.

    The 75 does mix very well with the V30 too, but it's slightly less efficient and better for detuned hard rock.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Thanks - "detuned hard rock" isn't really me, so perhaps I'll not get a T-75 then.
    Greenbacks are a bit puny power-handling wise aren't they?  OK for my R30 but I'd be afraid of somebody frying them if it was a shared cab gig.
    Going by those suggestions, I'll try swapping one of the V30s for an H-75 and see how I like it.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959

    Greenbacks are a bit puny power-handling wise aren't they?  OK for my R30 but I'd be afraid of somebody frying them if it was a shared cab gig.
    Yes...

    If it matters, the guitarist in my band uses an R30 head through a Marshall 2061 angled cab with the Creamback pair - it sounds fantastic. We play sort of garage/punk/rock, mostly normal tuning or occasionally drop D. He's also got an old 2045 cab with a Greenback and G12H-30, but he tries not to take that out too much because of the low power rating. The 2061 cab is slightly darker and chunkier than the 2045, although I'm not totally sure if that's more to do with the speakers or the cab - they're very similar, anyway.

    If you replace one of the V30s with a G12H-75 you can always do the other one later if it's still too middy.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • ICBM said:


    If you replace one of the V30s with a G12H-75 you can always do the other one later if it's still too middy.
    That's what I'm thinking - if I can get away with just changing one of them then I'll leave it at that.  Our stuff is a mixture of punk/goth/r&r/pub-rock type of thing, perhaps straying into 70s Black Sabbath sort of heavy, rather than modern chuggy heavy rock, so sounds like it's quite similar style to your band.

    I'll go on a search for an H-75
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  • BeexterBeexter Frets: 597
    I ran my Rocker 30 head through an Eminence Wizard which worked really well.
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  • steven70steven70 Frets: 1262
    edited July 2020
    Hello, I have 2 x Creamback G12H-75s 16 ohms in a 2x12 and am looking to swap one or both for something less bright and more middy. They are couple years old, not gigged in anger. There is probably some cosmetic damage to the back where I have bolted them in etc and my soldering is bad.
    (Can get some pics weekend as I'm away with work at mo)

    Let me know if you want to arrange some swap, we'd have to work out logistics and would be after the weekend before I get a chance to remove them.

    Just mentioning likes...

    Cheers

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71959
    I have a bad feeling that the speakers in an Orange 2x12” are 8-ohm, wired in series to give a 16-ohm cab.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • Yes, thanks for the offer @steven70 but I would indeed need an 8 ohm one as @ICBM suggests.  Otherwise I'd have taken you up on that.
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  • steven70steven70 Frets: 1262
    Ah, no probs at all, just an idea - hope you find something you like.
    Cheers!

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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413

    Another option is the Celestion Heritage G12 65.  Much better frequency response than the V30 without the top end spikiness of the G12T 75 (I have owned all three of those speakers).

    I've not personally tried a Creamback, but they do have a good reputation.

    There are non-Celestion options.  WGS make some very good speakers and they are often quite sensibly priced.  I've not personally tried their Celestion flavoured ones, but the WGS speaker I have in my Princeton is very good.

    For speakers, there are some Youtube shootouts that aren't bad.  I know Youtube audio isn't great, but most of those shootouts have a V30 in them, and also some other speakers that I've used in real life.  The differences you hear in the Youtube audio tend to reflect what you hear in real life.  If you can find some of those shootouts and use the V30 as a reference then you can get some idea of how the others are likely to sound.

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  • ragingbenragingben Frets: 106
    I run a Rocker 30 head through a Zilla Fatboy that has a V30 and a CL80, sounds really thick. I don't have much experience with different speakers to be honest though, other cabs I've used have all been just V30s. The cabs wired so that it has two inputs - if the left is used on its own both speakers are connected at 8ohm, if just the right the CL80 is used on its own at 16ohm, if the left is used with a patch cable in the right then just the V30 is used at 16ohm. I like both speakers with the Rocker 30 on their own, probably the V30 more especially as the volume goes up, but the mix sounds great. 
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  • drwiddlydrwiddly Frets: 911
    I have a couple of 8 ohm CL80's that are not being used. PM me if you want one and we can work something out.
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  • Thanks @drwiddly - I'll listen to some comparison recordings and see what I think.  @ICBM 's comments make the creamback sound more likely for my tastes, but I'll have a think.
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  • Well I got myself a Creamback H75.  Quick test at home last night (loud as I dared for 30 seconds or so) and it sounds promising.  Got a gig tonight with the other band using my kit, so I'll be able to hear what it sounds like out front as well as from on stage.
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  • It works really well - made quite a noticeable difference to the top end without being nasty.  Thanks to all for the suggestions :)
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