Im prob gonna sell the Marshall DSL20 head/MX212AR vertical cab

[Pine Apple Slim]

It looks looks cool but the speakers kinda suck, and it's really too much cab for any gig I might play.
I only got the rig because Id never played Marshalls and wanted the experience.
So I have an Orange 1x12" cab in black on the way to try with the head to hopefully get more use out of it.
If I really like the result I'll keep the head and sell the cab.
If I still aint feeling it I'm just gonna unload the whole rig.
I have a Micro Dark and an original Micro Terror with a cleaner preamp tube in it, and I'm confident both will sound great with the new cab.

 

[jrockbridge]

The Celestion Seventy 80 speakers are widely hated by many players. I have a variety of speaker cabs including a cab with Seventy 80’s. I use that cab for amp modeling gear. I like it for that purpose. Most of my tube amps sound like crap through it, save one. With one tube amp head, I really like the cab. The combination is a good match. They are the opposite of a vintage voiced speaker. I view them as niche speakers that are only going to make a player happy under specific circumstances.

By contrast, I’ve got a 212 loaded with V30’s that sounds good with all my amps. I guess that’s why they’re now used in so many cabs these days. They’re much darker than the Seventy 80’s, so there’s none of that high end fizz. The V30’s sound a bit muffled with modeling sims.

I’m very fond of Celestion Alnico Blue speakers, but they’re probably not a good match for Marshall. I have a 112 open back loaded with a Blue and it sounds great with Fender or Vox type of amps.

If I had a Marshall, I think I’d want a cab with Celestion Greenbacks, Creambacks or even V30’s. Some players swear by Marshall into Seventy 80 speakers for certain types of music, including some old school metal. Go figure.

 

[Pine Apple Slim]

The Celestion Seventy 80 speakers are widely hated by many players. I have a variety of speaker cabs including a cab with Seventy 80’s. I use that cab for amp modeling gear. I like it for that purpose. Most of my tube amps sound like crap through it, save one. With one tube amp head, I really like the cab. The combination is a good match. They are the opposite of a vintage voiced speaker. I view them as niche speakers that are only going to make a player happy under specific circumstances.

By contrast, I’ve got a 212 loaded with V30’s that sounds good with all my amps. I guess that’s why they’re now used in so many cabs these days. They’re much darker than the Seventy 80’s, so there’s none of that high end fizz. The V30’s sound a bit muffled with modeling sims.

I’m very fond of Celestion Alnico Blue speakers, but they’re probably not a good match for Marshall. I have a 112 open back loaded with a Blue and it sounds great with Fender or Vox type of amps.

If I had a Marshall, I think I’d want a cab with Celestion Greenbacks, Creambacks or even V30’s. Some players swear by Marshall into Seventy 80 speakers for certain types of music, including some old school metal. Go figure.

I tried breaking in the Seventy 80s with a looper for about 8 hrs but it didn't help much.
I've thought long and hard about putting 2 Greenbacks or Greenback/V30 in it. But Idk if it's the speakers, or I just don't jive with the Marshall sound, plus in the end decided for any potential gig I might do the 2x12" is overkill. Also I'm sure either of the little Micros will sound the same thru the PPC112 as they do into the little Orange 1x8" except more bigger and better.


.

 

[jrockbridge]

I tried breaking in the Seventy 80s with a looper for about 8 hrs but it didn't help much.
I've thought long and hard about putting 2 Greenbacks or Greenback/V30 in it. But Idk if it's the speakers, or I just don't jive with the Marshall sound, plus in the end decided for any potential gig I might do the 2x12" is overkill. Also I'm sure either of the little Micros will sound the same thru the PPC112 as they do into the little Orange 1x8" except more bigger and better.


.

I have a small, closed back 112 cab made by Blackheart that I acquired with a matching 5 watt head. I bought both at a killer price during a sale many years past. I love the amp, but I never liked the speaker in the cab. I replaced the 12” speaker with a Celestion G1280, Classic Lead, 80 watt. That’s the cab I carry out of the house.

 

[Pine Apple Slim]

I decided to try the ultimate portable board. Amazingly this works fabulously with the Crush 35rt's clean channel. The Rat at a lower gain OD setting is surprisingly touch sensitive, cleans up with with the volume knob, and sounds surprisingly good. It kinda works for everything dirt wise, and between the amp's tone stack, the filter control, and the guitar tone knob there's tons of eq on tap.
Havn't tried yet but Im pretty confident it will do the same on the Marshalls clean ch, the Carr, or any amp I own really. Running on batteries, just have to hook up 2 little patch cables and Im ready to go. Pretty much covers everything I need for an informal jam session. Funny how you go thru giant boards and tons of pedals only to arrive back at the basics.

 

[Pine Apple Slim]

The Orange PPC112 came late yesterday. Spent all this morning tidying up the place and getting the 2x12 cab stashed away.
Then spent the rest of the day trying to get a decent sound out of the DSL20 head and new cab.
Have to say I struggled.
Stuggled to get the clean channel working with my drives. Then when I would finaly get something I kinda liked dialed in and switched guitars/pups'.......it was back to the drawing board all over again. I found myself going straight in and using the channel switching function.
More consistent.... but still not crazy about it. Just seems like it's missing something. Warmth? Idk, it just lacks something despite the big sound coming out of the cab.
At this point I'm still kinda disappointed. Im prob just too used to big fat American 6L6 cleans. Of all the drive pedals the DOD250 and Rat seem to work best. But when I tried to get some warmer OD tones with the ODR-1 it was just... meh. Esp. when A/B'd with the Rambler.
l haven't tried a Fuzz Face yet. My only Strat is an Affinity Squier, hopefully It won't come to that.
I still haven't tried the Micro Terrors with the new cab, but I have em pulled out and sitting ready. Something about the Orange Brit sound I like. They have a nice sparkly treble but not as thin, zingy, and ear piercing as the Marshall seems to be. The Marshall is either too much sizzle or muffled and bassy, can't seem to find the sweet spot. I'm sure it would be better in a live mix but at home by myself I'm having a hard time.
It's looking like I just not a Marshall guy. But I'm gonna give it a month and see if I can grow into it.
If not, both the head and the 2x12 cab are movin' on.