Harley Benton vs. Mesa Boogie 2x12 Cabinet Comparison

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[@thetonekingofficial]

Hey rockers, for those that skip through the video, if you want to hear my opinion 'after hearing both mic'd up', skip to time-stamp 12:38. Otherwise, enjoy the video! Oh, and for those asking why they are placed where they are ... I did ask the room crew to pull the Harley Benton out of the rack, but they didn't want to, so there it is ...

[@hoboroadie]

It takes a certain set of skills to be a good roadie. Attitude is first. 🤘💪

[@EdBender]

The room crew, who works for thomann, who IS THE OWNER OF harley benton, didn't want to move the 10 pound cab a few inches to better showcase THEIR product against a Mesa?? With staff like that, who needs competitors...

[@TheDogPa]

Where did "Hardly been-done" make those cabinets? Where were those Celestions made? On their website if you zoom in the picture of the cab clearly says 'china'. How many solvents and chemicals ran off into rivers in China, where it is made? Slave workers? At what point do you have some kind of responsibility here TTK? When does greed and narcissism stop being the only concept on youtube?

[@EdBender]

Another terrible scene of slave workers dumping chemicals on rivers. Beware of the strong content: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYDYpomvm6ZsbMk

[@abc-df1vg]

@@TheDogPa I'll bet you 1 "Hardly been-done" cabinet and a Celestion speaker that they were made in the same country as the electronic device you used to make that comment with.

[@jasonschooler4450]

Jesus, how hard is it to put two cabinets side by side? Apples to apples is what viewers are looking for.

[@cresshead]

yeh one cab is under some shelving up against a wall. the other is free of obstacles/reflections and off from a wall..

[@cresshead]

@DMR Guitars hopefully they have learned a little and won't make the same error again

[@tonzokinawa]

I was just about to say the same thing....you're surrounding the harley benton with another wood cabinet! WTF?!

[@tonzokinawa]

Plus....Did they make sure that the speakers are both broken in equally? Is either one a brand new cabinet with speakers that aren't broken in?

[@kevinred1257]

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[@jamesdickson7173]

the Harley Benton is in a wooden shelf there for its double boxed and its up against the wall, not a fair comparison

[@SaintKines]

I have that Harley Benton 2x12. Best cab for the money out there.

[@MikeDoylex4]

Same here

[@heartoftexan]

Me too. Paired it with a Jet City Amplification JCA22H head. Head and cab for $550US. Love it!

[@Terrysoddy]

SaintKines how much are they

[@SaintKines]

@@Terrysoddy it was less than 250 including shipping from Germany to Oregon which took 8 days.

[@traviswhite771]

Did you have any speaker buzz when you first got it? Just got mime today and is so fizzy. Especially in the cleans

[@josephmagdalen9220]

Why don't you line up both cabinets boys, knuckle heads...

[@JohnHartmanMortalDecay]

Haha right? Put that Joss to work..

[@nemtall]

I'm with yah .

[@TheEchelon]

He asked, they didn't want to move the HB...

[@brunogarcia6506]

Well, the HB cab is in an unfortunate place too, especially for someone listening on the room. Its set on a shelving backed further almost against the wall.

[@extendedrangetechmetal1489]

100 % true

[@Masterfighterx]

IIRC closed black should mean that it doesn't matter if it is up against a wall or not. Closed back does mean that you can put it all up against a wall after all (at least that's the case with most speakers)

[@extendedrangetechmetal1489]

@@Masterfighterx it does matter :)

[@kotymccallister5150]

@@extendedrangetechmetal1489 not so much with a closed back. The shelf fucks it though

[@LFC-Star]

they should've been out in the open or on amp stands.. So it's equal.. Seems to me they were advertising / sponsored by Mesa Boogie.. cos no way would Mesa Boogie wanna lose sales..

[@rcpilot2007]

Why is the Harley Benton sitting nestled in that wooden shelving unit and not out in the open like the Mesa Cab? Just kinda shady to me...

[@jamesdickson7173]

exactly, shenanigans … sound software says they are identical

[@Masterfighterx]

Both a closed back, how would it affect what comes out the front?

[@Lollerkid]

@@Masterfighterx Wood resonance? Speaker makes vibration and the wood generaly vibrate on lower frequency if it has ticker and harder wood ;) So basicly its quite important for the lowend ;) For the price i would by a palmer or HB. Mesa is overused by many guitarist in metal because of its "referance sound"

[@tjborekvideo]

A speaker cabinet positioned in the corner of a room (even up against a wall, but not as much) will have an exaggerated bass response. Both speakers should be the same distance from wall, with walls made of identical material, and either both directly on the floor, or both on identical amp stands. Having one cabinet on furniture can impact tone.

[@Lollerkid]

@@tjborekvideo I agree with last one. But both are closed back cabs. So placing againts the wall only effect the tone if you blend the mics with an ambient room mic. SM57 or E906 has very focused characteristic and place to pickup sound from. If both are driven hard they can be an ambient mic as well but i think they didn't cranked up the amps that high; to place them further and drive the mic preamps that high as well ;)

[@williamdesilva67]

I disagree. I could hear a huge difference in them.. the mesa has more clarity and harmonic attack. That said for 200 that h.b. is a great buy

[@emiliomargarit1496]

It's not really a great buy if your guitar is a $6,000 custom shop guitar, and your amp is a $4,000 Friedman--then why would you loose all that quality on a cheap as hell cab ???

[@jhonpasquez6145]

Yes! Messa will give you the bottom end you are looking for in metal and much clarity when notes ring out

[@LFC-Star]

@Marvin Henkel yes but with pedals such as EQ & Compressor the HB would sound identical.. So why bother spending the extra on the Mesa?

[@Jbervel]

@Joe Paul I got my HB for 110 used but like new , I sold my Mesa 212 already

[@DoubleD72]

@MH_ How the hell can you hear more compression from 1 cab to the next when it was the same head for both? cabinets DON'T make the compression. lol Your comment was as ignorant as it gets.

[@nizodizo9549]

One is on the floor and the other is in a bookshelf.

[@ronnienose8608]

Interesting. Would've been interesting to swap the cabinet placement in the room to see if the HB sounds much different to when the Boogie cab was closer to you guys. Listening here there is minimal difference and at a 5th of the price of the Mesa cab the HBs are unbelievable value for money.

[@FloridaManRacer]

The only question I really have here is if the Harley Benton was aided or hindered by being encased in the shelf... I'd imagine that would effect the tone... and the volume.

[@scottalexander6016]

It does affect the sound due to resonance coupling

[@scottalexander6016]

Would affect the sound at least in the room, most often not thru the mic tho

[@DrDizzleFrizzle]

Definitely, cabs have more effect on tone than even speakers. The harley benton has good speakers in shitty cabs.

[@redrum427]

@@DrDizzleFrizzle Cab design effects the room sound but when miccing all that matter is the speaker

[@DrDizzleFrizzle]

@@redrum427 not true, there are a few good demos showcasing this fact on KZbin.

[@cbeserra]

I can totally hear the difference through my earbuds. Cabinets are super important for overall frequency response. It sounds like the Mesa has a well tuned cabinet, to my ears.

[@danyavilaoficial]

Chris B _ I doubt they tune the cabinet to justify the price.

[@TheNewBDetailer]

Agreed

[@ryant3600]

i think the reason being is because the HB is surrounded by the shelf its sitting in. They don't sound that much different.. I've heard these HB's in other places and they're incredible for being 800 less w/ the same speakers

[@any-jam4467]

wait this was supposed to be a joke right? did nobody get the joke? like common earbuds?

[@jesseyasaitis9036]

when switching between the two, I noticed there was a distinct difference in the hiss before he started playing. The Harley Benton was quieter than the Mesa.

[@frankbrooks1724]

The Mesa cabinet blows away the HB in a live setting but as a struggling musician starting out i would have killed for the chance to get a 2X12 with V30's for under $300. In all my years of recording I have seen very little difference in cabinets when direct mic'ed if they had the same speaker. I took me many years to be able to afford top of the line gear and I think it's great that companies like HB are putting out good quality gear at such low prices.

[@GearStuffandThings]

Blows away is an excessive take but it’s certainly more defined

[@frankbrooks1724]

@@GearStuffandThings No, live (at band volume) the Mesa blows away the HB but as he says in the video at 12:38 mic'ed up they sound pretty similar.

[@GearStuffandThings]

@@frankbrooks1724 cool 😎

[@mhoff7722]

@@frankbrooks1724 I'd mostly be interested in using a 2x12 live. Have you tried swapping the speakers in the HB to see if it can come closer to competing with the Boogie in a live setting? I have all kinds of extra speakers I can try if I bought an unloaded HB cab. Or should I just drop the $600 on a used Mesa and save myself from going down that rabbit hole...that is the question lol

[@HoldMeForever]

St. Anger scare is better than anything Mesa Boogie makes.

[@Phoebedumplings]

It’s great that the world is switching on to Thomann. I lived in Germany and used them all the time. It’s a fantastic company and their customer service is ridiculously good. Hope they go from strength to strength . They already employ 1500 people from a small provincial music store, a real lesson in how to do business.

[@pedrosilvaproductions]

I work for a german company, would go way faster to germany just to visit Thomann's HQs instead of a business trip

[@Phoebedumplings]

@@pedrosilvaproductions well said ...its a real experience, there are massive rooms just for Orchestral instruments and a piano room to die for , you can sit down at a 100k Bosendorfer if you want to , just dont play chopsticks!! , the distribution depot dwarfs the village where it all started

[@kutnersuicide]

It's important to note that mesa V30's are different than regular V30 production. They are voiced to their specs and still made in UK while the ones in the HB cab are produced in china like the current mass produced V30's. I own both a recto 4x12 cab and a 4x12 HB, and also have an additional Mesa v30 mounted in a 4x12 triple xxx peavey. I can tell you that much. The sturdiness of the cab plays a part off course but the speakers aren't the same. The only other exception to my knowledge are the Marshall V30 which are also made in UK and sound brighter.

[@1thess523]

Yes the British V30's are brighter kinda brittle vs the Chinese which are warmer. I've seen a bunch of comparisons, i have two line 6 V30 cabs that I got for $120 & $200 and my son and I afe more than happy with them, we also just took them of their castor and now they sound even beefier 👍. I play through a Blackstar HT 60 and an 04 Korean Epiphone Les Paul Standard with Gibson pick ups, my son plays through a Hughes and Kettner Tubemeister 18 with a G&L Asat with MFD pick ups.

[@guitarexpert2245]

Your spot on.

[@martincarrasco4991]

I also own an oversized V30 Recto cab and this exact HB 2x12. Coincidentally, I also play a Peavey XXX through them both. I cant say that there is a ton of difference in tone, but I will agree that the HB 212 does sound slightly warmer. I always figured it was due to volume output. And yes, the V30s in the HB cab are made in China, as opposed to the V30s in my recto cab (British made), but I have inspected them side by side and can see zero differences in build quality. Overall, the HB cabinet is very well worth the price. My only complaint would be that the tolex is nowhere near as tough as tolex on other cabinets. It really does get banged up quite easily.

[@J_Braz_]

I've heard the 16 ohm speaker sound different than the 8 ohm version. My Harley has two 16 ohms in stereo and 2x8 ohm in mono, I think

[@kutnersuicide]

@@J_Braz_ Yes I got that same info from this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioHInGmLn7Cml80 People seem to like 8 ohm better.

[@JamesAllenJr]

The sonic location of each cab is completely different... one is enclosed by a bookshelf and even partially blocked by the other one, one is out in the open. I wonder how they would sound in reversed positions now.

[@Rickeyhoof]

Mesa has a great video showing how the cabinets are made of marine grade plywood. Which is thicker and more dense. That’s the projection of sound difference imo. Speaker are made on the same machine with same material and sonically the same

[@DMSProduktions]

Could be THE difference, the only better thing is SOLID timber!

[@dubster82]

The Mesa speakers are modified V30's I believe. I don't even think they're labelled V30. Marshall cabs have UK made V30's too and again I believe the Marshall spec is different again to a 'standard' V30. I have a Mesa, a Marshall and the Harley Benton cab and they all sound different and they all sound great, just in different ways. Often it's things that can be dialed in and out anyway. I often prefer my HB cab too.

[@Rickeyhoof]

@@dubster82 I own both mesa 4x12 and a HB 112, I swopped the hb speaker into the mesa and sounds exactly like the labeled celestion V30 in the mesa

[@dubster82]

@@Rickeyhoof you replaced one speaker in your 4x12 and you couldn't hear a difference?

[@Rickeyhoof]

dubster82 nope, the HB is a great value speaker wise for replacing 1 if it blows.

[@garyz0611]

You should of had them lined up next to each other to get an more accurate representation

[@thetonekingofficial]

The room crew didn't want to take it out of the rack ... trust me, I asked :-)

[@garyz0611]

@@thetonekingofficial You would figure they would have done that so their cabinet would have a even shot against the Mesa

[@DMSProduktions]

@@garyz0611 Yeah, you'd think!

[@BoltRM]

As a worker, I would have said, "hey I'm here & getting paid" 👍

[@kimseniorb]

Micd up there won’t be any difference, it just sounds darker and fizzier

[@MetalHeadHippie]

I heard little difference if any. For 800 bucks ill go for the HB Cab. Thanks Louis. Joss was ripping it as always. The kid can play fosho. TY Joss.

[@proteus2103]

I agree. I thought the Mesa sounded better, but I mean, I'd rather have five 2x12 cabs that are ever so slightly worse sounding for the same price.....

[@g.koch.]

@@proteus2103 exact and you can replace them easily, it something happend to the Mesa or dent it on tour I would be upset for the money 💁‍♂️

[@rawknbearbell7032]

I own the 1×12 Harley Benton cab with a Vintage 30 and it's great ... it's a little boomy, maybe due to the open back and rather deep cabinet, but manageable. Great value! Sat in customs for over a month but worth the wait!

[@malcolmhardwick4258]

RawknBear Bell yeah I was gonna buy a new speaker for my amp but the 1×12 can was cheaper and sounds great ☺

[@toddflowers8052]

Thanks TK ! Now I'm gassing for a HB 2X12 Cab ,you sir are an enabler ! LOL ! ;-) Rock on buddy !

[@thetonekingofficial]

LOL. This group therapy thing isn't working out so good, is it. haha

[@toddflowers8052]

@@thetonekingofficial LOL ! Nope !

[@jeffreyeagen4896]

Actually they make two different cabinets, one with the vintage 30s and one with regular celestion 12 inch speakers

[@IgnoresTrolls]

I don't think the cheaper one uses celestion speakers at all.

[@jeffreyeagen4896]

@@IgnoresTrolls you're right, website just says 2x12" speakers on the cheaper one, doesn't say what brand they are

[@rjmcmooseknuckle]

@@jeffreyeagen4896 You guys are most likely not looking at the vintage model , that one has celestion speakers. www.thomann.de/intl/ca/harley_benton_g212_vintage.htm ;)

[@Generatingmoments]

Mesa use a slightly different variation of vintage 30s than the ones that are in mass production.

[@petruccirocks02]

Appetite For Metal UK versus the China made V30’s. I think that and the wood used is what’s making the biggest difference in this video.

[@wataboutya9310]

No friggin way is it 800 Euro difference. A buddy of mine just paid $1,400 for a little 15W Mesa amp head. A total rip off in my mind.

[@Generatingmoments]

@@wataboutya9310 There's something special in Mesa heads. I think the Rectifier is the best sounding tube amp ever. But I don't understand why the cabs are nothing special, just overpriced.

[@wataboutya9310]

@@Generatingmoments The speakers in the Mesa cabs are made in England while the Harley Benton ones are made in China. Manufacturing is much cheaper in China for many reasons. None of them good in my mind.

[@dustrider9306]

@@Generatingmoments It may be the best sounding amp that you know. Sound and taste are subjective. But trust me, there are amps out there that will blow your mind. The early rectifiers were based off of the Soldano SLO btw ;) And the cabinet does make a huge difference! So does the speaker.

[@carlferry8992]

The Harley Benton 2 12's sound great! I'm going for them!

[@susancorgi]

You guys are the only ppl on youtube to compare cabinets with lead demonstration also. Because others don’t at all they just play heavy low chords..

[@edgeofeternity101]

The Mesa had a more "solid" thump while still sounding "musical". The HB sounded more distorted and missing the "musical" quality. At least that is what I was hearing running thru my tv and a fairly good sound bar.

[@rockandrollmd541]

It is better to use room mics to get the contribution of the cab. The Mesa Boogie sounded a little tighter though. You could probably get the same tight tone with the Harley Benton by dampening the strings behind the nut and bridge of the guitar with foam or those fret wrap things.

[@ryant3600]

or pull the HB out of that shelf/cabinet and put it out on the open floor

[@Papa_O.A.M]

Awesome video, and great content! Love the both of you and I believe this is the first time that I've seen just the two of you in a video together. It turned out to be a great video plus a video that I've wanted to see because I've been thinking of getting an HB 2x12 with Vintage 30's, already have a port citt OS2x12 and a Peavy 2x12. Keep up the great work Tone King!

[@goingbananas]

The Mesa Boogie Is better but for me it’s like comparing a Skoda with a Lamborghini.

[@proteus2103]

Yes, it's like comparing a ferrari or ducati or something.

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

More like a Mercedes SL and a Yugo.

[@kindisc]

my skoda has been delivering me to my destinations, daily, for over 20 years. you can't do that with a lambo.

[@BoltRM]

Made with almost the same parts, but different countries.

[@MICKEYISLOWD]

@@BoltRM Yup! Every cab sounds different. The question is does the Benton sound good in its difference? It doesn't have to sound like the Mesa as a Marshall doesn't sound like a Mesa but they sound awesome anyways.

[@SaintKines]

I dont know about the Mesa but the cabinet placement matters a lot with the HB. There's a really big difference between standing directly level with the speakers and standing off to the side or above them.

[@dubster82]

This is true will all cabs. I've been sitting in front of my 4x12 loving my tone. I get up, walk across the room and am instantly disappointed with what I hear. That's why mic placement is so important.

[@SaintKines]

@@dubster82 that's what I figured. I just never noticed it as much with my open back little combo amps. I've played through a bunch of cabs but the HB 2x12 is the first closed back I've owned and got to play for more than a day.

[@dubster82]

@@SaintKines AHH, I'm the opposite. I basically only play through closed back cabs. I do have a 1x15 but I haven't played it in years but I do keep meaning to try it out again and I'd love to try an open 2x12.

[@timmyd759]

I'd get a used Boogie for $400. It's still twice the price but we have all spent so much on gear chasing "that tone". To each their own. That's just what I would do.

[@elireut5770]

Its pretty clear that the main difference will be heard in the room. If you wanna record only go for a cheaper cab. If you wanna enjoy brutality and clarity and most importantly head room while playing (also in small/medium venues where your cab will be heard) go for Mesa or Similar.

[@danielguitar5150]

Should I get the Harley benton celestion V30 cab in horizontal or vertical format???

[@BoltRM]

Comparison here is really good kzbin.info/www/bejne/m6XHaaynj7V1nck

[@heartoftexan]

I have the vertical. The horizontal has the speakers side by side and in the vertical they are diagonal to each other with more cab space. The more cab space adds to the resonance. There is a Phil McKnight video comparing the two.

[@martinboucher6225]

The fact that the Harley B is in a shelf (as in a box) and near the wall influences the sound too

[@sohft]

martin boucher yeah, to them. But to us, straight into the mic, I doubt it.

[@martinboucher6225]

Josh M Yes you are right, for us no difference

[@wulfbak]

Mesa by far. I own that exact cabinet and it’s great. But I’d really like to try the Harley Benton. From what I understand it’s a cheap MDF cab that happens to have way over its league speakers. If I had an empty 5150 cab or something I would order one of those in a heartbeat just for the speakers.

[@acdover]

I realize this is 3 years ago, but had to comment. According to their data sheet, it's made of plywood. 2 × 12" guitar cabinet, closed back 16 mm plywood housing Equipped with Celestion Vintage 30

[@Chaseracing]

Your closing comments are GOLD. (post listening feedback 12:40)

[@swcone]

Im thinking the Boogie might have UK made Celestion's Vs Chinese made in the Harley Benton but they do sound the same mic'd up. If that is the case it doesn't bode well for paying more for UK made speakers.

[@dale8809]

I have orange closed back 2*12s, a Marshall closed back 2*12 (1936) and that Mesa rectifier 2*12. They all have V30s but the Mesa is such a tight compressed puchy cab. There are some variations to the V30s that Mesa use that make the sound so much different. Also a smaller cab may make it tighter sounding. not sure but they are awesome. And I own the MKII triamp....holy crap it's nice. Peace

[@LarsBauer74]

to me the Mesa cab sounds a tad better. but most importantly: Joss is a sick player! wow!

[@jamesreaves5534]

the difference that I'm hearing is so negligible that I'd never know it if you hadn't pointed out to me and I wasn't specifically the listing for it. The Mesa cabinet had a little more depth or a little more ooph, but as I said I would have never noticed it if you hadn't said that listen for and I wasn't trying to hear it and I doubt anybody else would especially in a live band where everything is loud you'd never know the difference and no I can't see it being worth maybe $100 more at the most $50 more and more like it. You're only paying for the name tag. That and the plywood. I'm sure the Mesa cabinet is probably quality seven layer Baltic Birch with real tolex quality vinyl top heavy-duty hardware because they're known for being extremely durable Andy Harley Benton cabinet is probably MDF with cheap vinyl and cheap hardware but as far as the difference in sound I'm saying there's a $50 difference now I know that Mesa cabinet is better made but think about it you can get 4 Harley Benton cabinets for the same price as one Mesa cabinet. Even if the Mesa cabinets are much more durable they aren't going to outlast 4 Harley Benton cabinets. I just can't see spending the money unless you are ultra-wealthy or maybe a professional musician on the road like the rolling Stones are some big time band that is on tour 250 days out of the Year where they're loading these cabinets are unloading them in there taking an extreme amount of abuse. The average person in a small band can go all over town an out-of-town too with Harley Benton cabinet and it might sustain more damage outside and not look as good because the vinyl is not as durable and all that but they're going to save so much money that they can just go buy another one if it gets damaged that bad or they can buy plywood cabinet and load the speakers into it at a later date when the Harley Benton cabinet is beat all to hell and coming apart. For most people that are just playing in at home or in a small band that's just traveling around locally this isn't even going to be a factor so yeah I definitely would not spend that much money it's just a waste of dollars you can buy so much more with that money. God Bless 🙏😇 Y'all Jimmy in NC....

[@DMSProduktions]

Check Thomann site, but I think HB box is plywood as well, but I think only 5-ply not 7 for MB! $800 better? NAH!

[@LFC-Star]

@@DMSProduktions they should've put the cabs out of sight and done a A v B test. I think their decision was coloured because they're obviously lovers of Mesa Boogie and couldn't have a cheaper cab sounding just as good.

[@darthslater6077]

All these pros on here, haha I would bet good money if they were blindfolded they wouldn't be able to tell. It isntthat nuch difference to make spending the extra money the way to go.

[@Knightmare-gz9ls]

Mesa had a more focused tone in my audio. Was a little darker. The Benton had a slightly shrill treble sound to me. The price for the Benton is remarkable. The mesa is expensive and agree 800$ difference is to much. Wish the mesa was around 6 to 700$ price point but didn't stop me from buying my mark 5 35 and 2x12 recto cab.

[@CraigDeubler]

IMO, to my old tired ears I prefer the HB 😯 The Mesa sounds a little woofy.

[@krziga1]

HB is in the wooden rack against the wall, MB is in the middle of the room.

[@scottalexander6016]

Makes a difference, even with both being closed cabs

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

Thanks for doing this. The comparison that Fricker did revealed a HUGE difference withe the recorded trax. Your video revealed that at least they both recorded very similar. Love your channel!!!

[@Gworan]

I just love the reaction to the Mesa cab price...

[@BudgetRC_Channel]

Having the Harley Benton against the wall will boost the lows significantly compared to the Mesa sitting out in the open. Put them in the same spot in the room and they'll likely sound identical.

[@JohnHartmanMortalDecay]

In all fairness the Harley Benton cabinet was sitting inside of a bookshelf. So essentially it's a cabinet sitting inside a cabinet. With that being said you're factoring in different Woods and compression with the weight of the other stuff sitting on the bookshelf. Versus La Mesa out in the open freely breathing. I wasn't there but I will definitely say the tonewood is in the cabinet

[@JohnHartmanMortalDecay]

Joss is a beast, and deff a cool KZbinr. Glad yall teamd up. #Jersey

[@franciscoaguilar6644]

HEAR UP!!! There are important FACTS that the Tone King should have addressed for this cab test, which could explain the differences between both cabs: 1) Mesa 2x12: Speakers are rear mounted and are loaded with Celestion V30 Made in the UK, actually custom made for Mesa 2) Harley Benton: Speakers are front mounted and are loaded with Celestion V30 International (Made in China). With that said, the differences are mainly due to differences of speakers, type of mounting and in less degree, the cab itself. Mesa's V30 speakers are the HOLY GRAIL! They sound amazing and the cheapest way to get a Pro Tone is to buy them from the Mesa Shop and load them in a cheaper cab such as Marshall in a rear-mount fashion!!!

[@dreaminglifepodcast]

I would have placed both cabinets side by side and added a stereo pair of room mics. You both could have been facing both cabs equally instead of in two different placements relative to where you were listening.

[@lookinggood6624]

Boogie has the better sound but the Benton sounds pretty great, too. Cabinet positioning inside a room makes a big difference. I'd say HB is a whole lot of tones for a wee sum of cash and has my vote for best value gear of the year!

[@RockGuitarVibes]

All who say that the cabs sound equal should check their monitors, headphones or ears!

[@dubster82]

At the end the TK says upon listening to the mic'd up sounds, he thought they sounded the same.

[@RockGuitarVibes]

​@@dubster82 OK, should have mentioned that my comment regards to other user comments.

[@antoniomonteiro1203]

I have a cabinet with a V30 I bought and a Mesa Boogie with a V30. I have made a switch with relays and a load to make comparisons (all the rest equal) and here is the conclusion: The way you play a note may produce a bigger difference than the speakers themselves. Using a pre-recorded and reamped guitar track you can notice a difference when you switch. The Boogie V30 has a bit more top end but a bit less high mids. Anyway, you can make them very similar by adjusting the Treble/Presence. As I haven't tried a lot of MBs and regular market V30s I can't tell if these characteristics are only for these two speakers or MB gets a special specification speakers from Celestion.

[@danyavilaoficial]

Unless you are a collector, have a lot of money or are uninformed, nowadays we don’t “need” ( and that’s the word NEED ) to buy expensive to sound expensive. Technology even out the distance between cheap and expensive and the line that separate them is quite thin. Here 30 years experience non stop in the studio and live.

[@egioch]

Fun fact, only 2 weeks after the events in this video SpectreSoundStudios' Glenn Fricker and Phil McKnight of Know Your Gear were doing basically the same thing in this very studio. Coincidence?

[@brandonharris9160]

Endorsements possibly

[@duffdunlap6705]

With the speaker in the corner of the room you are going to get much different room effects the where the Mesa is placed

[@utubehound69]

Folks gripe about how heavy Cabs are or Combos, well the Great ones are High Grade Non Void Birch 15 ply wood, Or a solid wood on old Combo's. Cheap Cabs & Combos are made of press board, cheap plywood or plastic will not sound as good as well made cabinet. Put 2 = 4X12's in just a frame & see how they sound like crap if not in a well made Wooden Cab the Cab & Speaker is the voice & the voice box for the guitar / bass guitar. Would a grand Piano sound the same made with press board or a Violin made of plastic sound like ones made w/Nice Wood? The Wood of your Cab is TONE WOOD your Electric gtr is NOT TONE WOOD. You will hear the difference in Tone via your amp's cab & speaker's before you will ever hear from any electric guitar.

[@claypoole702]

The differences are not as extreme of you are paying on a budget. The Mesa had a slight clarity boost, but that might be the wood characteristics, but I don't know. I'd get the Harley Benton's and maybe play around and see if I can release a slightly muffled beast....

[@mr.jerrygarcia3281]

So many variables, but I listened without seeing which cab was playing. You did say which one you were playing through, but I was involved doing something else and heard the guitar more than speech. I like the Mesa because I heard more midrange and less high end fizz and richer lead tone. The money is a issue for sure and the $200 cab is definitely great sounding for the price and perfect for someone who have a limited amount of income. I am a Boogie owner, but I have many other brands too.

[@EdBender]

Even Warren buffet has a 'limited amount of income'. You must be really rich. I think you meant a 'low amount of income', or even someone, like me, who could well afford a mesa, but, being a hobbyist, thinks the extra money is better spent elsewhere, like other guitars.

[@mr.jerrygarcia3281]

EdBender Mr. Bender, You must be a teacher or a person who did better than most in school, but I am not. I could have put it differently, but it appears that you understood what I was trying to say. I am not a rich person and more of a hobbyist these days. You are more than welcome to spend your coin on what you want to and budget it too. I will not be or need to buy any more gear the rest of what time I have left to be alive. It is definitely each to their own.

[@EdBender]

@@mr.jerrygarcia3281 I was being sarcastic and poking fun at you. Indeed to each their own. I just found it funny to hear "limited amount of income". I probably will buy a little bit more gear before I go, but not much. Have a nice week and enjoy whatever gear you want to own. And btw, I am indeed a teacher.

[@TONEWARSgearshow]

Ok, I just ordered one. I have to find out for myself lol

[@senspartech3533]

I got the HB cab recently, and I am damn impressed. I expected a terrible cab with two good speakers.. But I was wrong. The cab itself, while not perfect, is actually pretty nice. Its a helluva product. Harley Benton knocked it out of the park. The price is nuts!

[@prometheusfallen]

"Science experiment" 😂😂😂 You have one cab crammed in the back of the room behind y'all, and one is out front with no obstructions whatsoever. That's hardly scientific.

[@shredgd5]

The Mesa cab is almost in front of that condenser room mic (which is always on to pick their voices), that's why you hear more treble with the Mesa cab. Apart from that, they sound exactly the same.

[@cyanidejunkie]

I have an old Roland 4-5” mini cab I can get to sound similar.... the key to choosing a good 2/12 is stage/practice volume. I own the Mesa Engineering 2/12 and an EVH 2/12 cab... two best cabs on the market. IMO of course. Choose wisely, and be well friends.

[@Swampster70]

Mesa cabs typically sound more 'forward' and in your face than most cabs, even Marshalls. Even the little Mark 5:25 through a Mesa Recto 2x12 or 4x12 is damned loud.

[@hbomb495]

Cool vid TTK, glad to hear about the playback verdict. The only variable perhaps would be if they were both out in the open and you had playback from a room mic perspective blended with the close mics. From where I sit I’d go the Harley Benton which is certainly more than usable.

[@HearGear]

This is a great video, i think the wood has alot to do with what you hear in the room, the Harley Benton is made out of the cheapest wood on the market, maybe Basswood or something like that, and the Mesa is maybe Birch. How ever, after listening to this from the playback it still is a slight difference but nothing that you cant fix in the recording software, but, i would not like the Harley Benton in a live situation because of the same reason you guys could hear in the same room... Big thanks to The Tone King for this video.. Cheers...

[@markymac6079]

Hi tone king.liked the video. Joss playing amazing as always. But, as others said, you should have swapped cab positions, then tested again. Cheers mate

[@mytube24able1]

I agree with the comments below, for a true comparison they need to be side-by-side or on top of each other. The boogie sounds tighter, more focused and maybe that’s because it’s out in the open, while the Harley is not.

[@doughhole]

when spealkers are broke in the sound more crisp i wonder if the mesa had been used a bit and if the harley was brand new...

[@mikemikemike701]

Great vid, but the Mesa sounds better

[@proteus2103]

Sheeit, I'm 360p early

[@mayatmaot]

The harley benton sounds good. I am really surprised.

[@proteus2103]

I know right?

[@daveolsen338]

Really needed to have them in the same position in the room. Same distance from you, sideand back walls, etc. Acoustics change things dramatically.

[@thomastucker5686]

In the room doesn't count in this case because the speaker cabinets would have to be in the same location to consider a conclusion. Where the cabinet is in the room will make a huge difference when all the other variables are almost identical, speakers being the most obvious. In what situation will the cab choice in this instance matter? Studio, obviously not, live, probably not. The cab seems to only make a difference or the greatest difference in the unusable bass frequencies. The stuff mix engineers trim off to make room for the instruments we need bass from, like piano, bass guitar and bass drums.

[@roncarter2188]

I don't know how much difference it will make but I would think that the Harley Benton is using Celestine speakers that are made in China and the Mesa could be using celestion speakers that are the UK made ones, that would be interesting to know if that is the case in these two cabs.

[@hybrydsanity5857]

I think the Harley sounds cleaner , the mesa sounds a little beefier both good , probably very nice together , but if your on tighter budget it should be no issues with getting the haley benton .it's not a little cheaper it's significantly less $

[@derekmerrell3658]

I bought a Harley Benton cab and when I received it ,it was damaged. I couldn't get my money fully refund and now I have to take it to get fixed. The quality of the cab was poor but for a couple hundred dollars all I'm really was asking for was a working cab in one piece. I'm glad most of you have had a better experience than I have.

[@charlesrocks]

That Boogie sounds way superior

[@kevinfeatherstone6062]

I wanted the Orange 2x12, but ended up getting the Harley Benton... it can't be beat for the price. I'll probably get a second one this year. Thank Joss for playing a really nice Ibanez!

[@Stefan-]

Miced up they sounded almost the same, i think that a lot of the difference that you heard in the room was the placement of the cabs, the Mesa was free standning and more in front of you while the Harley Benton was behind and also placed inside a bookshelf against a wall. I think that may have restricted quite a bit of the sound of the whole cabinet. I have the Harley Benton myself since many years, it didnt even have the Celestion equipped sign in those days, it just said Vintage on the back plate on the V30 version.

[@Derek-rv3ee]

Revolutionary idea, put them beside each other....

[@noncomplacent]

It's funny that most commenters must be listening through their phones. Through proper monitor speakers, there is a pretty big difference. The HB sounds muffled and weak whereas the Mesa just growls. Very clean and articulate on Mesa's end, not so much for the HB. Also heard a lot of crackling through the HB.... All things considered, it's probably a pretty good deal for the money but if money is no object, I'm going with the Mesa every time. Just my opinion.

[@TobinDack]

Great Video!!! Harley Benton is sure making the scene!

[@brianfromoregon2244]

That Harley Benton is sweet

[@PhilMoseleyMusic]

200 to 1000!! That's quite a jump! The Mesa could very well be built slightly better but you really are just paying for the name there. At least everything proabably after 300 is for the name and middlemen invloved in big named brands. Great video guys!

[@BoltRM]

Yeah I was thinking the Mesa was about $100-150 better soundwise. 🤔

[@thanovee5999]

FYI, Mesa's V30 speakers are not exactly the same as regular celestion V30 speakers, the Mesa's are voiced slightly different.

[@mickenilsson]

Hi there... I don't know why you left the HB on the bookshelf... Off course it's gonna sound different in-housed there...you should've put it on the floor beside the Boogie

[@thinkingjack]

The boogie sounds heavier, more bassy. The Benton sounds more high midrange and less bassy but still crunchy

[@ZagrasNixillis]

MESA usually has their V30s voiced differently than regular V30s.

[@kongandbasses8732]

I didn't hear any difference listening to the cabs on KZbin. I know the HarleyBenton cab pretty well as my son plays one and three of the guitarists l play with use them with different amps (two horizontal, one vertical cab with Peavey 5150, Bugera G5 Infinium, AxeFX with Mesa 50/50). All those cats have a great sound, there are no complains. The sound difference may come from several variables like volume of the cabs (did you measure them? Have they the same size?), rear or front loaded speakers and - believe it or not - the grill cloth. There are other variables that interfere with the sound like distance of the cab to the wall, rear and front. So I don't think that the difference you have heard is worth five times the price. Therefore l really recommend the Harley Benton Vintage cab, but if you want to have a Mesa cab and you have the money, go for it.

[@DMSProduktions]

Yes, 'tone' cloth is VERY important! ;o)

[@thetonekingofficial]

cloth absolutely makes a huge difference in tone, especially the year it was woven. Same for the tolex ... vintage tolex will sound smoother than modern tolex. LOL

[@DMSProduktions]

@@thetonekingofficial Of course, and cloth woven from virgin Greek goddesses (IF you can find ANY) from organically grown goat hair is some of the BEST ever made!

[@jeramibanks3276]

If it sounds the same miked up, but different in the room. Then it is amp placement.

[@sizematters5142]

I bought a JOYO 20 watt tube head new for 115 bucks, and wow is it ever loud... I love my new JOYO amp.

[@frankglad2989]

I went to Sweetwater gear fest and Randall Smith's seminar. When Celestion announced moving production to China, Mesa threatened to drop them. Celestion kept USA production of some product specifically for Mesa.

[@frankglad2989]

Sorry, UK NOT USA.

[@johnl.donofrio2441]

I know the Harley Benton has two 16 ohm speakers in parallel. If the Mesa boogie has 2 4 ohm speakers in series it would make a difference.

[@DMSProduktions]

It shouldn't!

[@gkol69]

Hearing with Edirol (Roland) monitors I can hear a difference: Mesa has a little more "presence" and a little more clarity. When Joss plays distorted chords you can hear every note separated with the Mesa, while with the H/B the notes mush up. But, the difference is not worth 5x price. If it was double the price it would make more sense.

[@williamjenkins260]

Some people who have bought the Mesa are feeling a bit jaded ,Honestly the Harley Benton sounds pretty good!!!!

[@sohft]

you don’t feel bad about making iconic purchases when you have the money to do so.

[@toddegoldberg]

I would suppose the mesa would have higher quality/different wiring, components, and better quality control. Those would be the big differences. I would pop the inputs out and have a look inside and compare the 2. Would that make a big difference soundwise? The parts?