I’m in love with all the WGS speaker line. Honestly haven’t found one that I really didn’t like. However, speaker love is almost as bad as my passion for tube rolling and can drive me nuts.
I’ve heard many people who love the AC30 thing always looking for the “chime” or the typical Alnico love. So I always hear, “GO Blues” or “GO Greenbacks”. The thing is, I’m not looking for chime. I’m looking for that in your face RAWK that would complement my other guitarist with his AD30HTC combo. Looking for bawls and punch without that ear piercing highs that swallows the room.
Now, I was thinking that a Reaper 55hz / Green Beret would work well or ET65 / Reaper 55Hz. I want killer bottom but also a killer breakup with OD. Seems like the AC30 doesn't hit the sweet spot until the MV is at 70% but that overwealms the other guitarist AD30HTC. Any experience with a Reaper 55hz / Green Beret or ET65 / Reaper 55Hz in a AC30 combo?
To give you an idea of my playing style….think Baroness meets The Bronx meets The Sword. Whatcha yah think? Ideas?
Personally, I prefer the Reaper over the 55Hz version EVERY time. A ET65/Reaper combo would give an AC-30 what I personally would want ... but that would mean making it quite a bit warmer.
For what you are talking about, I would think the Reaper/Green Beret combo would be very good ... the Reaper's overall warmth with the urgent throaty snarl of the GB.
I love my AC30hw head with a pair of reapers in a closed back cabinet. The transition from creamy, deep, albeit slightly unsettled, cleans to 10-gague distortion by pick attack alone is incredible through the Reapers. (the right tubes help, of course).
I also have an ac15c2 with greenbacks (celestion, sorry wgs, they were stock) which is flinty and gritty as all hell. Love it too. Yes the Reapers are a bit more poised and 'warm' than my Invaders or the gbs, head to head or mixed -and i've tried a bunch of combinations, even a v30 at some point :( -but Reapers really let that ripping vox overdrive through, that controlled choas unique to the ac30, like no other pairing I've tried. my two cents, anyway. (the Reapers were recommended to me, btw by someone at wgs when I told them I wanted the speakers that best let the AC30 qualities shine. They were right on for that particular request, yours might be different) good luck!
Awesome, thanks Vaughn! Compared to the Greenback, does the Retro30 have more mids or less? I like the high end articulation and tight low end and at 75 vs 25 watts, I expect more headroom.