Mesa/Celestion Black Shadow MC90 = 90 watt Classic Lead 80?

[napalmdeath]

Anybody have any insight on the MC90?

 

[GuitarGoat]

This is all what I've read online, not firsthand experience, so take it as that. From what I've heard they're an old version of the CL-80 that Mesa liked so had them keep making those for them under the new name. They're similar to the current CL-80 but not the same. I'm actually getting some more in a couple of days...I really like them! I think I liked my Thiele cabinet better with the C-90 than the EVM actually...

 

[napalmdeath]

This is all what I've read online, not firsthand experience, so take it as that. From what I've heard they're an old version of the CL-80 that Mesa liked so had them keep making those for them under the new name. They're similar to the current CL-80 but not the same. I'm actually getting some more in a couple of days...I really like them! I think I liked my Thiele cabinet better with the C-90 than the EVM actually...

I run 2 Thiele 1x12's with my JVM and they sound MASSIVE. Better than any 2x12 cab I ever owned.

 

[GuitarGoat]

This is all what I've read online, not firsthand experience, so take it as that. From what I've heard they're an old version of the CL-80 that Mesa liked so had them keep making those for them under the new name. They're similar to the current CL-80 but not the same. I'm actually getting some more in a couple of days...I really like them! I think I liked my Thiele cabinet better with the C-90 than the EVM actually...

I run 2 Thiele 1x12's with my JVM and they sound MASSIVE. Better than any 2x12 cab I ever owned.

C-90s or EVMs?

 

[blackba]

Of the 2 I prefer the cl80, to the mc90. That's not the prevailing opinion though. To my ears the CL80 is more balanced than the mc90, it's a bit more stiff and clearer. The mc90 is a warmer sounding speaker in the mids, it can be a bit undefined, which is why I slightly prefer the cl80.

Both work best in a closed back cab in my experience.

 

[thegame]

Both the MC90 and CL80 can sound 'pretty good' until you've heard an original G12-80, from which they're both derived. The oldies have all the superior definition of the former two (compared to most lower wattage Celestions) but instead of the somewhat sterile and characterless mids of the MC90/CL80, the old 80's have a super aggressive, crunchy midrange thats very British sounding.

 

[glassjaw7]

Both the MC90 and CL80 can sound 'pretty good' until you've heard an original G12-80, from which they're both derived. The oldies have all the superior definition of the former two (compared to most lower wattage Celestions) but instead of the somewhat sterile and characterless mids of the MC90/CL80, the old 80's have a super aggressive, crunchy midrange thats very British sounding.

That's what Psychodave said once too...

Duesentreib had a cool CL80, C90 comparison video up at one point.

 

[Gainfreak]

Not to add any more confusion to what has already been said but I have said this many times before in many different posts throughout the years but I'll share it again FWIW.

My 4 mc90 speakers clearly say g12-h80- on them and not cl80.
I've also always read on the net that the MC90 was a modified CL80 but mine came from the factory with g12h-80 stickers.
I may even have a mutant quad, which is why they sound so good but who knows lol

My speakers have an amazing midrange character to them that I really dig but I also highly recommend that they are front loaded instead of rear loaded (just my preferance/opinion)

My mc90's are definitely on the Dark side which I like. I'm not a fan of bright ice pick

My speakers are very warm, have plenty of bass ,tons of killler sounding mids.

The weird thing is that mine sound very much like thegames description of the g12h-80, so again, maybe I got a rogue pair

 

[racerevlon]

I have a quad of Celestion G12H-80's -- they have a unique character, hard to describe, but I used a pair in a 2x12 with a Splawn Quick Rod and it sounded ravenous in 1st gear/OD2.

 

[napalmdeath]

sterile and characterless mids of the MC90/CL80, the old 80's have a super aggressive, crunchy midrange thats very British sounding.

I've read many accounts of the MC90 from users/ownwers, and having them in my 2 Thiele cabinets, sterile & characterless are not terms that I would use, nor has anyone else. I really dig them, personally.

 

[napalmdeath]

My speakers are very warm, have plenty of bass ,tons of killler sounding mids.

This is what I find with mine. Described to a tee.. My JVM is tight, and focused. Of course, the OCD as a boost helps to tighten it, but I believe the speakers only enhance that.

 

[EdMan57]

The MC-90's have the voice coil vent,like that on the older G12-80.My guess is that the MC-90 is derived from the G12-80,and not so much from the Classic Lead 80.Btw,my '85 Dean Markley CD-30 has a newer MC-90 in it that sounds better [to my ears] than the Classic Lead 80 that was in there prior.The only other speaker that I really liked in the CD-30 was the Celestion G12K-100.


Ed

 

[ericsabbath]

it's a vented classic lead, maybe with different cone treatment (like mesa v30's)
also, they're made in uk (silver tinted basket), classic leads are made in china (bronze tinted basket)

 

[some dude]

The MC90 descended from the G12-80.

The CL80 also descended from the G12-80.

They share a common tonal ancestor but are different speakers.

 

[thegame]

sterile and characterless mids of the MC90/CL80, the old 80's have a super aggressive, crunchy midrange thats very British sounding.

I've read many accounts of the MC90 from users/ownwers, and having them in my 2 Thiele cabinets, sterile & characterless are not terms that I would use, nor has anyone else. I really dig them, personally.

Investigate some other forums. I've found in 15 years of surfing forums, opinions are pretty mixed on these speakers with a 50/50 consensus of people either digging their relative neutrality or not jiving with the exact descriptors I mentioned before.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

Slight variation of CL80. I really like the C90 myself. I have one in a 3/4 back 1x12 Mesa cab and use it with a Mesa/Boogie DC-5 widebody combo

 

[thegame]

The MC90 descended from the G12-80.

The CL80 also descended from the G12-80.

They share a common tonal ancestor but are different speakers.

MC90/CL80 : 1777 75 hz cone.
Some old G12-80s have these cones. Even these I feel are better than the two modern offshoots, but perhaps not overwhelmingly so.

However there is an G12-80 w/444 55 hz cone and at that point is a very different speaker. That one smokes all the others and the several folks I've had A/B sessions with all concurred immediately. They pop up for sale occasionally on eBay and Craigslist for decent prices.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Both the MC90 and CL80 can sound 'pretty good' until you've heard an original G12-80, from which they're both derived. The oldies have all the superior definition of the former two (compared to most lower wattage Celestions) but instead of the somewhat sterile and characterless mids of the MC90/CL80, the old 80's have a super aggressive, crunchy midrange thats very British sounding.

I've owned old 80's CL80's and newer MC90's. I don't think the old one's are superior at all, just different. Also, chances are the CL80's that have a certain something that you like is because they've been played on for over 20 years.

 

[thegame]

Both the MC90 and CL80 can sound 'pretty good' until you've heard an original G12-80, from which they're both derived. The oldies have all the superior definition of the former two (compared to most lower wattage Celestions) but instead of the somewhat sterile and characterless mids of the MC90/CL80, the old 80's have a super aggressive, crunchy midrange thats very British sounding.

I've owned old 80's CL80's and newer MC90's. I don't think the old one's are superior at all, just different. Also, chances are the CL80's that have a certain something that you like is because they've been played on for over 20 years.

I'm talking about Rola G12-80s with silver or paper labels indicating that from '79-'83 . If you're refering to an old CL80, it'll be labelled 'Classic Lead' and in the words of a former Celestion R & D specialist, is a continuation of that series and not an intentionally identical reissue of a Rola era speaker.

 

[thiswaythatway]

I meant to say G12-80. I had an old JCM800 4x12 with them, killer cab. But I really like the MC90's as well, big sound with lots of bass and mids.