Eminence CV-75 - 75W 8ohm

I recently got a Blackstar HT-40, and while it had almost everything I wanted, I felt that it just needed something more than what it had stock. Since I love the Cannibis Rex that I put in my Blues Jr several years ago, I decided to try out an Eminence speaker with this as well. The CV75 looked like the best option for what I wanted (British voicing, capable of handling the amp's 40 watt rating in a 112 format, efficiency, etc.), even compared to some more expensive alternatives I looked at. Anyways, now that it's in the amp, it does exactly what I want it to do - it preserves the versatility of all the amps sounds while adding just enough of the character I felt was missing. No muffled or ice-picky highs, the lows feel strong but not overbearing, and the mids fit just like they should for a British sound. Once I get it broken in, I'll bet it will get even better. Very glad I chose this model!

ballsy driver.. worth the money.

I installed two of these in a 2x12 slant cab that I constructed to Mesa specs. This is my go to cabinet from now on. I have 2 other cabinets with Celestion V30s and I prefer the voicing of the CV-75s. Better definition in the low end and the brightness is rolled off just enough on the high end. Quite satisfied with the performance considering the price range.

Keeping it simple, this speaker does everything well with no surprises. Tight lows (great for single cabs), warm midrange, and just when you thought it couldn't do it, the highs are nicely placed in the mix. So, if you're looking for something focused in a particular area, like super sparkly highs, these are not that and more ... get the job done in every category. If you have a bass heavy cab, these seem to take out the uncontrolled low resonance without losing bass response. If you want to play a bit of high gain metal, these handle that as well. You can't say that about alnico speakers which tend to really vibrate your single cab on high gain. Best described as tight, tough, and get the job done, and very reasonably priced. I've tried a Warehouse Veteran 30 in my single cab. Nice but non descript, those are better in a two speaker cab, which I use ... and/or paired with a Warehouse ET-65. As far as Eminence, I've tried the cheaper Legends which don't take to drop tuning at all, and the Eric Johnson EJ-1250 which can get flabby on high gain. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy two CV-75s for my two speaker cab. The reason is, price, they can do the boutique sparkle thing quite well, and I can still chug some high gain if I feel like it. So much cheaper than Chinese made Vintage 30s which can sound gravely with some tubes like Mesa Boogies. The CV-75s don't do any specifics, but you get a well rounded speaker for a great price. I'm not sure how they'd sound in a 4 speaker cab. I can't say. I imagine a true and focused tone with the durability of an Eminence. To sum up, smooth, with no surprises. Not sending chills up your spine, but no gnarly grit which is common in Chinese Celestion knock offs so bad for recording. Cool for impressive live thrills. Bad for recording. Tried to keep it simple, but I'm a sound guy.

These are being touted as being "like the more sought-after Vintage 30 speakers that used to be made in the 80s", and in some ways they are. Overall it sounds a lot like a Vintage 30, less "clangy" on the top end than the typical retail Chinese version but also a bit more articulate than the typical (made for Mesa) UK version. And, the lower notes sound a bit more focused/"tough". It's not quite as "open" sounding as a Chinese V30, but still plenty expressive. It sounds relatively smooth at lower volumes, and also holds up solidly at higher volumes. It's a bit easier to dial in amps for various EQ settings with this than V30s, even if it doesn't respond quite the same as a V30. It's a nice alternative to V30 if you're looking for something a bit "less clangy" and bit "more modern" in that kind of sound.