New Speaker Day! Celestion V Type

[bubs_42]

Creamback VS CV65 Please find my review on the Celestion 65 Creamback if you haven't already.  

I have been using a Greenback in a small 1x12, along with a G12H30 in another 1x12 with my Carmen Ghia. That combination is a knockout combination of Punch and Clarity like no other. The search for a Greenback that compares to the one that I have was an expensive wormhole that just confirmed that this one is unicorn and that I should just quit while i'm down a few  hundred bucks. Well then, that wouldn't be me now would it.  

I swapped out the G12H30 for the V Type and after letting things warm up I strapped on a Telecaster and let it rip. To my surprise it was perfection right out of the box, so much so that I quickly swapped cables to the Greenback to see how close it was. Its funny what the ears and the mind will trick you into thinking, because it didn't sound exactly like that speaker, what it sounded like was the last thing that I heard. The combination of the Greenback and the G12H30 together, with a touch less percussion. I'm going to guess that that is because of the smaller magnet than the G12H30 has. For me that is ok, because the projection and the clarity benefits out weighed the weight of a 10lbs speaker. 

It is the perfect place between a Greenback and a Creamback. IMHO when you jack up the wattage of a Greenback you can handle more power, but it is still a really mid focused speaker with less speaker sag and character. So you end up with a less lively speaker that leans to being dark, but the V Type lands directly in the middle. 50 Watts, the wider spectrum of a G12H30 with more midrange like a Greenback.

I don't see this speaker going anywhere anytime soon, I liked it from first strum. You won't get lost in the mix, it has enough cut to get through, you have enough power that you won't have to worry about it not being enough, and your not going to break your back putting it in a combo amp or in a 2x12. I'm confident enough it this speaker to recommend it to anyone that loves either the Greenback and needs a little more headroom and wider frequency, and to anyone that has a G12H30 that wants to lighten the load and needs a little more mids to fill out their tone. 

(Disclamer: EVERYONE NEEDS A GHIA)

[bubs_42]

Since this thread blew up and everyone knew it was going to happen. 🙄 Celestion VT JR’s are incoming from Sweetwater. Let’s see how the 10s sound. 

[santellavision]

On 3/15/2021 at 10:39 AM, bubs_42 said:

(Disclamer: EVERYONE NEEDS A GHIA)

I bought my Ghia waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1996 when Dr.Z only advertised in the back of guitar player magazine. He sold them for $399. direct! He's come a long way baby.

[Travis]

1 hour ago, santellavision said:

I bought my Ghia waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1996 when Dr.Z only advertised in the back of guitar player magazine. He sold them for $399. direct! He's come a long way baby.

I’ll give you $400 for it....  😜

[bubs_42]

2 hours ago, santellavision said:

I bought my Ghia waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1996 when Dr.Z only advertised in the back of guitar player magazine. He sold them for $399. direct! He's come a long way baby.

Do you still have It? 

[bubs_42]

My Z28 is out on loan, and I couldn’t fit the SRZ in the shot. 

[Dutchman]

1 hour ago, bubs_42 said:

My Z28 is out on loan an I couldn’t fit the SRZ in the shot. 

It looks like your wall is sleeping.....

I love my creamback 65, it just keeps getting/sounding better with use. Number 1 cab for me now!!

[Travis]

2 hours ago, bubs_42 said:

My Z28 is out on loan an I couldn’t fit the SRZ in the shot. 

[Disturber]

On 4/22/2021 at 1:52 AM, bubs_42 said:

My Z28 is out on loan, and I couldn’t fit the SRZ in the shot. 

No beer stains? No cigarette burn marks in the tolex? No gaffa tape on the pedals? ☠️

[bubs_42]

5 hours ago, Disturber said:

No beer stains? No cigarette burn marks in the tolex? No gaffa tape on the pedals? ☠️

Just another hack guitar player with a day job. 

[bubs_42]

Ok, here is my mini review. We must remember that 10's are not 12's so comparing them to each other is no apples to apples. Generally speaking 2 10's equal 1 12, and I have two cabinet that are the exact same specs. One 2x10 and one 1x12, so I loaded the V-Type into the 1x12 to compare. 

Using the Carmen Ghia as my baseline, which is British based, low wattage that straddles the Marshall/Vox Line. The 12" V-Type sounds like a G12H30 and a Greenback had a baby. The thing that the Greenback lacks as a single speaker is single note depth, mushy bottom end when pushed or overdriven. But nothing else sounds like a Greenback and they sound great with a Ghia, but used as single they are limited to what you can do. Mixed with a G12H30 you get a mix of the 30's tighter bottom end, clarity and string separation along with a sparkle on the top end. It is a wonder mix and very almost Hi Fi. 

The 12" V-type has bigger bottom end, clearer top end, but still gives up the goods like a Greenback. Then on top of that if, if you want to used a bigger amp with a fuller sound, it still has enough presence to not be too dark, or compress and get lost in a mix. The Bass is not going to make you disappear battling it out in the low registers and you will stay seperated from other Celestions  such as a V30, Creamback, 1265. 

So how does the VT JR's compare to the V-Type? The V-Type is brilliant sounding speaker, so when you turn it into a 10 generally you will loose little top, and little bottom and you will gain some Midrange. Sometimes this is where you loose the character of what you loved about the original or 12" version of a speaker. With the VT's I think the 12 is pushing the edges of both the bottom end and the top end, so when you go to the 10's you will find that the lows are quicker, and retains brilliants of the top end, the midrange is cutting, but won't make a small cabinet sound like a cardboard box. Open Back/Closed Back, I specifically had my cabs spec to a Dr. Z "Shorty" but in pine and a convertible back. The V-Types either 12 or 10 work great both ways, but my personal taste is the 12 Open and the 10's sound tighter and project more efficiently closed. 

I don't think that you will be disappointed if you like the 12" version of the V-Type Speaker, but keep in mind that 10's never sound exactly like 12's. It is hard to find a speaker with character that is flexible enough to work with a multitude of amps, wattages, all while retaining its signature sound and not masking the sound of Amp. I really think between the actual weight of the speaker and the ability to work with multiple amp designed well is why you are seeing these pop up and being used by multiple amp manufactures. 

Bonus: Compared to the same cab loaded with Red Fangs, the VTJR's are less efficient, with more presence and bite. They just are just more lively and work better at lower volume levels. The Red Fangs just need to be pushed and when your turned down a lot of what you like about those speakers disappear. BTW the Shorty Clone made of pine and loaded with the VTJR's can be picked up using your thumb and first finger.

[bubs_42]

The Short: They sound great, I think they are best used in pairs, but if you have a small 1x10 combo that sounds bland or dark this will really wake that combo up. 50 watts, but not really clean, high headroom. Think louder, more efficient Greenback with a modern feel.