# Talk me out of/into buying a Marshall MF280



## DrakkarTyrannis (Oct 9, 2010)

So I've been wanting some Hellatone 60L speakers for some time..and I've also been wanting a new cab. I was thinking of just getting a Mesa and calling it a day, but there's a MF280 cab at GC for like 400 bucks. I like the JSX/V30 combination but I'm not sure if I wanna spring for it...suggestions? Ideas? Slowgrinding in a dark bathro....I mean uh..advice?


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## Rook (Oct 9, 2010)

I'd plum for the Mesa tbh... The Mode Four cabs are really nasty sounding in my opinion, they just don't have any character or richness to me...

Veering away from my opinion, as far as cabs go, Marshall are very very good indeed, the Celestions will serves you well and I think those particular speakers (GK100s? Just off the top of my head) have loooooads of headroom, and can be made to sound very very tight.

What's the amp?


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Oct 9, 2010)

Fun111 said:


> I'd plum for the Mesa tbh... The Mode Four cabs are really nasty sounding in my opinion, they just don't have any character or richness to me...
> 
> Veering away from my opinion, as far as cabs go, Marshall are very very good indeed, the Celestions will serves you well and I think those particular speakers (GK100s? Just off the top of my head) have loooooads of headroom, and can be made to sound very very tight.
> 
> What's the amp?


This is the MF280..the MF400 has the K100 speakers..which I hated btw..the 280 has Hellatone 60Ls which is a darker smoother more low end having take on the V30.

I have a JSX btw


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## MrMcSick (Oct 9, 2010)

$400 sounds kinda pricey but I've heard great things about them.


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## ShadyDavey (Oct 9, 2010)

For that price, with those speakers if you have $400 on the hip then spring for it. Never could stand that V30 "designed to sound worn in when brand new" tone myself...


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## TemjinStrife (Oct 9, 2010)

ShadyDavey said:


> For that price, with those speakers if you have $400 on the hip then spring for it. Never could stand that V30 "designed to sound worn in when brand new" tone myself...



Um, the Hellatone 60s are basically V30s that have been broken in somewhat 

The Hellatone 30s are broken-in G12H30s.


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## Rook (Oct 9, 2010)

Sorry, I'm talking all kinds of shit in here the last couple of days - exhausted!

In that case, shoot for a boogie. I was using (didn't own) a JSX through a boogie cab for a while, it sounded incredible.
Marshall cabs don't do V30s (or similar) too well, they lack depth and tend to fire out a slightly odd upper mid which is great for marshalls, but not really for other stuff.

Mesa cabs are going for nothing in this country at the moment, I don't know about the USA. Mesa cabs have some of the only british made celestions on the market too.


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## budda (Oct 9, 2010)

test out the cab, homeslice.

Also, since when did marshall MF's use Hellatone speakers? I thought that those came out after the MF's were discontinued..?


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Oct 10, 2010)

budda said:


> test out the cab, homeslice.
> 
> Also, since when did marshall MF's use Hellatone speakers? I thought that those came out after the MF's were discontinued..?



Can't remember the story exactly but I do know the Hellatones are what's in the MF280..it could be "celestion" in the marshall and Avatar just slaps the Hellatone label on them though


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## Leuchty (Oct 10, 2010)

ShadyDavey said:


> For that price, with those speakers if you have $400 on the hip then spring for it.


 

I agree with this.


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## ShadyDavey (Oct 10, 2010)

TemjinStrife said:


> Um, the Hellatone 60s are basically V30s that have been broken in somewhat
> 
> The Hellatone 30s are broken-in G12H30s.



Yes they are indeed - but I prefer that "worn in" tone to a V30's "starting" tone.....it's almost as if you wear in an speaker that's designed to sound worn in to start with and something great happens which is better than the "worn in" tone it was designed to have initially.

My lord, I'm making no sense 

Like - Worn in Classic 60 watt V30's
Dislike - New Classic 60 watt V30's


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## Hollowman (Oct 10, 2010)

Drakkar, I'm not gonna try to talk you out of this, if you have the money have them ship it to the closest GC then try it out that way you know it's what your looking for. and if you like it then get it.


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## CrushingAnvil (Oct 10, 2010)

I'm pretty sure the MF400 is the better of the two cabs - Heaps of headroom with those.


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## Krankguitarist (Oct 10, 2010)

Very well-built cab. I've got a MF400, and it's almost on par with a boogie IMO. Maybe not quite a solid, but a great-sounding cab. Truth told, my Mf400 is a bit less beam-y and directional than my old boogie cab was.

Something to note about these is that they don't use MDF on the back panel, as a lot of Marshall cabs do. However, I got mine for $280 or so off of craigslist in excellent condition...400 sounds a little bit on the high side of worthwhile.


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## warlock7strEMG (Oct 10, 2010)

do it!!! the speakers themselves are worth almost $500 of you buy them new in most cases. the Mode Four cabs are nice. i dont normally like Marshall cabs, but the MF cabs are the exception. they are nice and big so they have a darker tone and bigger sounding similar to the Mesa Standard(oversized) cabs. and those V30MF's(aka Hellatone 60L's) are very nice sounding. like V30's but with smoother mids and more low end. i would try to talk em down a lil though. i was gonna buy one from GC for that was goin for $300. of course that particular one was a lil beat up....but hey its worth a try if you can get it for less. but even at $400 its a still a great price


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## DrakkarTyrannis (Oct 10, 2010)

So I just came home with it. I'll be doing a thread on it, as well as some amps I tried out while there too.


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