MT15 Cabinet; 1x12? Speaker choice?

[JJJ]

I have 2 4x12s 2 2x12s and had a 1x12. I tried different speakers in the 1x12 and found it to be only useful playing by myself at home.

For me even a 2x12 is a big compromise. I had a gig this weekend and brought my new Mesa 2x12 which is a beast of a cab. I regretted not bringing my 4x12 for its fuller tone. I know I am the exception here but I really feel strongly about it. The 412 takes up the same room in my suv and floor space at the gig. Maybe if it were used vertically it would take up less floor space but then I would loose low end...

4x12s look cooler

 

[TroyBaer]

Just because we're talking about it... this is a clip I just tracked with the "old" version PRS SE 2x12 and the MT15. That cab has a midrange that matches the MT15 perfectly, can be bold, but also has enough top bite to keep it from being honky. And I'm sure with a little looking they can be had for dirt cheap.

Surprisingly, not all that much. I was considering picking up a second one for a while, but they rarely pop up on Reverb or eBay (maybe ~3-4 a year) and usually go for the ~$350-400 that they cost new. I have seen a couple come through the used inventory of the Columbus and Cincy GCs, but those have usually been beat to crap.

 

[watelessness]

I have the vertical 2x12s and an open-back 1x12. I also tried closed-back 1x12s and found that i liked the MT15 cabinet best with that amp

 

[andy474x]

Surprisingly, not all that much. I was considering picking up a second one for a while, but they rarely pop up on Reverb or eBay (maybe ~3-4 a year) and usually go for the ~$350-400 that they cost new. I have seen a couple come through the used inventory of the Columbus and Cincy GCs, but those have usually been beat to crap.

Huh, they must have become more popular while I wasn’t looking!

They are a darn nice cab. Different flavor speakers, but if you find an amp you like with them, very cool. It’s like the high end of a G12H, mids of a Brit V30, lows... not sure on that one, but tight and not excessive.

 

[TroyBaer]

Different flavor speakers, but if you find an amp you like with them, very cool. It’s like the high end of a G12H, mids of a Brit V30, lows... not sure on that one, but tight and not excessive.

A couple years ago I asked Eminence what is the most similar of their production speakers to the ones in SE 2x12s, and their response was something to the effect of "the 16-ohm Governor, only not really". It's a pretty unique speaker, and one that sounds really good with more modern amps like the Archon line and the MT15.

 

[Brennen]

I have tried 4 speakers with this amp in a 2x12 in varying combinations (all Celestions). Full disclosure I am not a V30 fan, and play metal in drop G#. Here is my ranking for these if its any help:
1. Redback
2. Creamback H75
3. Classic Lead 80
4. Vintage 30
Currently in the 2x12 the Redback and Creamback are paired and compliment each other nicely. This amp can hit a 2x12 with no problem at all.

 

[Chris_RB]

Hi, Im new here, so a big Hello to you all
I own a PRS MT15 since this Year and im very happy with it. In the last days i was doing some research about fitting Speakers, because i own a 4x12 Cab (V30) which sounds good with alot of Oomph going on with the MT15, but i feel its a bit too muddy. Also i have a 1x12 H&K cab with a G12K100 (sounds too thin) and a Palmer 1x12 with V30 (sounds ok but somehow i feel its too muddy too). Now im looking for a 2x12 cab and am looking for the right Speakers. What makes me curious about the fitting MT15 cab is, im reading everywhere, that it is loaded with a Celestion V30, but theres one Review at Guitarworld (cant post the Link here, cause this is my first post in this forum) that saysabout the cab: "[...] It features a single Celestion G12T-75 16-ohm 12-inch speaker mounted in an oversized birch plywood cabinet that delivers tight, enhanced bass response and rich, resonant treble." Could it be that the fitting cab is NOT V30 but a G12T-75 instead? Has somebody here opened one of the PRS cabs?

@ Brennen: Im also interested in the Redback/Creamback Mix, did you try it with a Standard Tuning or Dropped D Guitar? Im mostly playing Metal/Heavy Rock in Standard or Dropped D Tuning and am looking for a tight and huge Sound, that has no problem to cut through the mix in a band with two guitars and it should have some warmth in it for leads (i dont like too sharp highs). I also thought about the classic V30/H75 Mix, but im not sure..

 

[gush]

I had a prs 1x12 cab with v30 and I couldn't unplug from it fast enough. I put an alnico cream in it and still couldn't bond with it.

I got rid of that cab.

I recently bought a used 2x12 cab with eminence drivers. It sounded decent but I bought some Chinese greenbacks real cheap and put them in it. It still sounded ok but tonight I went running back to mommy.

4x12 is where it's at.

 

[Brennen]

Hi, Im new here, so a big Hello to you all
I own a PRS MT15 since this Year and im very happy with it. In the last days i was doing some research about fitting Speakers, because i own a 4x12 Cab (V30) which sounds good with alot of Oomph going on with the MT15, but i feel its a bit too muddy. Also i have a 1x12 H&K cab with a G12K100 (sounds too thin) and a Palmer 1x12 with V30 (sounds ok but somehow i feel its too muddy too). Now im looking for a 2x12 cab and am looking for the right Speakers. What makes me curious about the fitting MT15 cab is, im reading everywhere, that it is loaded with a Celestion V30, but theres one Review at Guitarworld (cant post the Link here, cause this is my first post in this forum) that saysabout the cab: "[...] It features a single Celestion G12T-75 16-ohm 12-inch speaker mounted in an oversized birch plywood cabinet that delivers tight, enhanced bass response and rich, resonant treble." Could it be that the fitting cab is NOT V30 but a G12T-75 instead? Has somebody here opened one of the PRS cabs?

@ Brennen: Im also interested in the Redback/Creamback Mix, did you try it with a Standard Tuning or Dropped D Guitar? Im mostly playing Metal/Heavy Rock in Standard or Dropped D Tuning and am looking for a tight and huge Sound, that has no problem to cut through the mix in a band with two guitars and it should have some warmth in it for leads (i dont like too sharp highs). I also thought about the classic V30/H75 Mix, but im not sure..

If you dont like sharp highs the Redback is very relaxed in that department with tight bass. The Cream Back is sharper in the highs with a looser low end (although its not "Loose"). The Cream has more presence and mids, I feel like the Redback is almost a support speaker if you will, although I think its amazing, especially for lower registers.

V30: People love this speaker, personally not a fan. That being said, it is a superb speaker for standing out in the mix. I have not played with this speaker combo in a live situation so I can say that I love combo but cant say how it works in a mix. I did not like my lead tone with the V30, almost scratchy. But when I was a gigging musician I had the GT-75's and V30s in an x pattern and like the V30's more than the GT75's. For a 1x12 I would go with the CL80 Personally, which was my favorite stand alone speaker of the 4.

These speakers all sound good for any tuning, I use a Mesa EQ to get rid of some of the low mid flub in G#, but if your looking for a "Big Tight" sound the Red and Cream worth a shot.

BTW my cab is a cheap closed back Seismic 2x12 I sealed and insulated, so I cant imagine what the speakers would sound like in a good cab lol.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I sealed and insulated

Tell me about your insulation.

 

[Brennen]

I found this thin batting with a waxy material on both sides and covered the inside of the cabinet after sealing with silicone and expanding foaming the metal handle recesses. The rear access panel is also weather stripped in super tight as well as the baffle for the front mounted speakers. I over insulated at first and it completely killed the tone. So what remains is batting over the entire back and top of the cabinet as well as some placed over the handles on the inside.

I think too much insulation kills the cabinets resonance, but its definitely debatable whether or not insulation is even actually functional. The research I did online seemed more like a matter of clashing opinions so I just went for it.

I can say that for $189 online with free shipping and a little extra work its not a bad sounding cab at all (didn't come with speakers)

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Tell me about your insulation.

Are you impersonating Dr Freud?!

 

[Ascension]

Have owned a MT 15 since May and have been playing out with it. Had several cab speaker combos paired with it so far. My favorite so far is my open back Blackstar 1/12 Cab loaded with a WGS Retro 30. It's the overall combo of the 3 the slightly over sized Blackstar open back 1/12 with the Retro just works well with the voicing of this amp. Like it MUCH better than the PRS stock cab with the Vin 30 any other smaller cab speaker combos I have tried with this amp as well as most 4/12's.

 

[Ascension]

Thanks for your thoughts on this... what you said was something I thought may be the result with the G12T’s, but they’re so often disliked that I have been hesitant to go that way.

Like the G12T 75 with the MT 15. You do have to run a little mid in it but the voicing is really nice with the MT 15 if you dial it in right.
the G12T 75 gets a bad rap IMO and it's the speaker you hear the most on the iconic hair band recordings of the late 80's and 90's. It's a solid speaker and has a great deal of versatility. My favorite speaker overall is still the WGS Retro 30 with these amps but the G12T 75 is a speaker I do run in a closed back 1/12 with this amp when I need a more versatile less outright metal oriented tone.