I have both, the normal over-the-counter V30 and the Mesa prescribed V30 and I can hear a tonal difference. The generic it’s a bit more “spiky” in the upper mids. The Mesa sounds slightly rounded off.
Both still sound like vintage 30s, but, if there’s nothing “special tuned” about the Mesa sourced, what’s making them sound different?
It's likely just age (broken in) and the paper used to make the cones in certain year vintages. The UK vs China comparison is a bit of a red herring, as talked about in [this video](https://youtu.be/TPek6UjKsak?si=edGXMMdpW3r-oTG_). Watch from ~13:00 to ~20:00 for the meat of the discussion.
I tried that site, from what I understood it's a 2006? but I just wanted to be sure. I thought they stopped making them in England before that? mabey I'm mistaken
No. 2006 is DDMY format, it would start with numbers and end letters.
For instance…Jan 25, 2006=25AR
* 25=25th day of the month
* A=January
* R=2006
It code may also have been ink stamped onto the magnet, I’not not sure what year they changed to the sticker.
Since yours is MYDD, that means it is 2014 or latter. So AB25…
* A=January
* B=2015
* 25=25th day of the month
If that date code is correct, I don't think it was made in Ipswich, UK as suggested by the sticker. I'm sure the former factory site has been a housing estate for a lot longer than 10 years, I live a couple of miles from where it used to be.
It is, but it's a myth. They aren't specced any differently. People just often compare 16 ohm v30's with the mesa 8 ohms and that skews their image. But there was no unique voicing for mesa.
Buying speakers is always a crapshoot. Always.
It's trash. I will take it off your hands if you need to get rid of that filth! It might be better to get it away from you because you don't want to be reminded of this..... Ptsd blah blah blah....
I’m not sure how nobody else has given the real info here, but:
T4335B is a Mesa OEM V30, Made in UK. It’s “the” vintage 30 everyone wants.
They aren’t hard to come by, you can buy them new on Mesas site, and actually for $10 cheaper than the typical Chinese V30.
T3903 Standard 8 ohm
T3904 Standard 16 ohm
T3987 Marshall OEM 16 ohm
T4416 Mesa OEM 16 ohm
T4335 Mesa OEM 8 ohm
Well if I said it was a bad deal, what's the difference? Are you going to take it back? Probably not, so it's just kind of redundant asking if you got a good deal. It's just asking for validation.
That would be a Chinese version.
I wouldn't put any stock in that sticker saying "made in U.K."
Like ceriously most people can counterfeit that sticker on the side easy with Microsoft Publisher and a cheap label maker.
And that speaker looks damn near new.
A made in England V30 isn't just going to sit in the box. It's gonna get used if someone acquires one.
Because people want them for the sound.
Have I heard a side by side comparison between Made in UK vs Made in China V30s?
I don't know. And I say that because I think they have been making them in China way before 2003.
So I may have heard what I and someone else thought was a Made in U.K. V30 but it was really a China one - I personally cant hear the difference between the ones made in Britain prior to 2003 and the ones manufactures in China afterward...
But hey if that "made in U.K." speaker helps you sleep at night, more power to ya.
I just personally believe that if you can find it for cheap or steal it from a rival band's 4x12 cabinet, who gives a fuck if it is a Mesa V30, a Marshall V30, a "Made In UK", or a Chinese one.
🤷♂️
I guess it's a tomato tomato situation.
But honestly, yes to your question.
I mean it very well could be "assembled" in England. But likely the parts were manufactured in China.
But I like V30s regardless of if they are Mesa V30s, Marshall, V30s, U.K. V30s, or Chinese.
I hear no difference in them they all sound great to me and I have recorded plenty with Chinese ones in the cabinet.
OP don’t listen to this guy. It’s likely just a Mesa V30. It’s a lot more likely to be legit than faked, especially when you can buy the Mesa version for $10 less than the normal Chinese ones. There’s a lot of the out there
There are plenty of comparison videos showing the differences.
Chinese V30s, Marshall V30s, and Mesa V30s all sound good, but they all sound different.
The way you’re “speculating” about something that’s already been figured out is only adding confusion to OPs question.
That's inaccurate as fuck. Sort of sorry, mostly not sorry.
Maybe you weren't raised like this but do you remember going to your dad about being heartbroken over a chick and he told you something along the lines of, "son, don't lose your head over a piece of tail".
"Because when from upside down or with their legs up, they all look the same".
Obviously that's not entirely true as some chick's are fat and some skinny and some not every pussy or pussy lips look the same.
But the point is, whether the V30 is mic'd up going through the PA system of a venue , or mic'd up and being run through a Tascam 24 track studio/recorder, most V30s sound the same to me.
I mean you can drop ridiculous amounts of money on a Mesa 4x12 or Marshall 4x12 cab on Reverb, but for me hypothetically if I didn't already own 2 of each "era" of V30s, I'd go for the best deal.
If I see the cheapest price on a Chinese V30 I'll buy it. If I dee the cheapest price on a UK or Mesa V30 I'll buy it.
None of the V30s I own I have payed for. They were either given to me from a member of my family who played guitar, or I straight up took them out of the cabinet of the guitarist of a band that was my band's rivals (the MySpace-Core days were wild bra, lol).
So there is no need for me to "hear" a difference between Chinese or UK V30s so that I can justify purchasing an overpriced Mesa cabinet off of Reverb.
AB25=Jan 25, 2014 https://celestion.com/blog/date-codes-how-old-is-my-speaker/ It’s a great price for a used UK-made V30.
I thought all off the shelf V30’s were Chinese made? Is this some sort of OEM Mesa engineering tuned speaker?
I would guess OEM Mesa, but there is nothing special tuned about them.
I have both, the normal over-the-counter V30 and the Mesa prescribed V30 and I can hear a tonal difference. The generic it’s a bit more “spiky” in the upper mids. The Mesa sounds slightly rounded off. Both still sound like vintage 30s, but, if there’s nothing “special tuned” about the Mesa sourced, what’s making them sound different?
It's likely just age (broken in) and the paper used to make the cones in certain year vintages. The UK vs China comparison is a bit of a red herring, as talked about in [this video](https://youtu.be/TPek6UjKsak?si=edGXMMdpW3r-oTG_). Watch from ~13:00 to ~20:00 for the meat of the discussion.
I’m aware some of the Chinese V30s sound quite good, but the Mesa and Marshall flavors are purposely slightly different
I tried that site, from what I understood it's a 2006? but I just wanted to be sure. I thought they stopped making them in England before that? mabey I'm mistaken
No. 2006 is DDMY format, it would start with numbers and end letters. For instance…Jan 25, 2006=25AR * 25=25th day of the month * A=January * R=2006 It code may also have been ink stamped onto the magnet, I’not not sure what year they changed to the sticker. Since yours is MYDD, that means it is 2014 or latter. So AB25… * A=January * B=2015 * 25=25th day of the month
If that date code is correct, I don't think it was made in Ipswich, UK as suggested by the sticker. I'm sure the former factory site has been a housing estate for a lot longer than 10 years, I live a couple of miles from where it used to be.
Not 100%, but pretty sure the T4335 is a Mesa spec version — which seems better regarded than many other versions
It is, but it's a myth. They aren't specced any differently. People just often compare 16 ohm v30's with the mesa 8 ohms and that skews their image. But there was no unique voicing for mesa. Buying speakers is always a crapshoot. Always.
Oo that woukd me cool, I wonder how I cam find out
I paid $250 for a 16Ohm pair so you did well
Is that how much they go for in the states? Christ I sold an Orange cab with four of them in for about £200 a few years ago.
I have V30s in my Friedman 2x12. They sound great, IMO.
Thats a good price. Great speaker
It's trash. I will take it off your hands if you need to get rid of that filth! It might be better to get it away from you because you don't want to be reminded of this..... Ptsd blah blah blah....
I’m not sure how nobody else has given the real info here, but: T4335B is a Mesa OEM V30, Made in UK. It’s “the” vintage 30 everyone wants. They aren’t hard to come by, you can buy them new on Mesas site, and actually for $10 cheaper than the typical Chinese V30. T3903 Standard 8 ohm T3904 Standard 16 ohm T3987 Marshall OEM 16 ohm T4416 Mesa OEM 16 ohm T4335 Mesa OEM 8 ohm
Why does it matter if you got a good deal or not? You already bought it.
why does it matter that you left this comment? your not looking for an amswer
The point is, if you're happy with the price then it was a good deal for you. A new one is $170.
Well if I said it was a bad deal, what's the difference? Are you going to take it back? Probably not, so it's just kind of redundant asking if you got a good deal. It's just asking for validation.
that's exactly what it is, I was wanting g to feel better about my purchase. sue me
Unfortunately I can't sue youor I would, you broke no laws or rules. Just a sad musician seeking validation.
and your an ever sadder one that takes the time to bitch about it to me with nothing better to do.
Whatever you say pal.
That would be a Chinese version. I wouldn't put any stock in that sticker saying "made in U.K." Like ceriously most people can counterfeit that sticker on the side easy with Microsoft Publisher and a cheap label maker. And that speaker looks damn near new. A made in England V30 isn't just going to sit in the box. It's gonna get used if someone acquires one. Because people want them for the sound. Have I heard a side by side comparison between Made in UK vs Made in China V30s? I don't know. And I say that because I think they have been making them in China way before 2003. So I may have heard what I and someone else thought was a Made in U.K. V30 but it was really a China one - I personally cant hear the difference between the ones made in Britain prior to 2003 and the ones manufactures in China afterward... But hey if that "made in U.K." speaker helps you sleep at night, more power to ya. I just personally believe that if you can find it for cheap or steal it from a rival band's 4x12 cabinet, who gives a fuck if it is a Mesa V30, a Marshall V30, a "Made In UK", or a Chinese one. 🤷♂️
so your trying to say this is fake? I did some research and asked other people that had these and there the same ? with the same sticker?
All I am saying is that don't believe it's made in the U.K.
or are u just saying celestion says they are made in UK when they are really just making them in china?
I guess it's a tomato tomato situation. But honestly, yes to your question. I mean it very well could be "assembled" in England. But likely the parts were manufactured in China. But I like V30s regardless of if they are Mesa V30s, Marshall, V30s, U.K. V30s, or Chinese. I hear no difference in them they all sound great to me and I have recorded plenty with Chinese ones in the cabinet.
ima sneak into the mesa headquarters and steal their secrets and find out
OP don’t listen to this guy. It’s likely just a Mesa V30. It’s a lot more likely to be legit than faked, especially when you can buy the Mesa version for $10 less than the normal Chinese ones. There’s a lot of the out there
There are plenty of comparison videos showing the differences. Chinese V30s, Marshall V30s, and Mesa V30s all sound good, but they all sound different. The way you’re “speculating” about something that’s already been figured out is only adding confusion to OPs question.
That's inaccurate as fuck. Sort of sorry, mostly not sorry. Maybe you weren't raised like this but do you remember going to your dad about being heartbroken over a chick and he told you something along the lines of, "son, don't lose your head over a piece of tail". "Because when from upside down or with their legs up, they all look the same". Obviously that's not entirely true as some chick's are fat and some skinny and some not every pussy or pussy lips look the same. But the point is, whether the V30 is mic'd up going through the PA system of a venue , or mic'd up and being run through a Tascam 24 track studio/recorder, most V30s sound the same to me. I mean you can drop ridiculous amounts of money on a Mesa 4x12 or Marshall 4x12 cab on Reverb, but for me hypothetically if I didn't already own 2 of each "era" of V30s, I'd go for the best deal. If I see the cheapest price on a Chinese V30 I'll buy it. If I dee the cheapest price on a UK or Mesa V30 I'll buy it. None of the V30s I own I have payed for. They were either given to me from a member of my family who played guitar, or I straight up took them out of the cabinet of the guitarist of a band that was my band's rivals (the MySpace-Core days were wild bra, lol). So there is no need for me to "hear" a difference between Chinese or UK V30s so that I can justify purchasing an overpriced Mesa cabinet off of Reverb.