And on the Mark VII day they Boogied ...

[gearJunkie]

This thing is loud AF!

Glorious!

The sweet spot for this amp is SWEET, but as I stated previously, it's almost unmanageably LOUD.

Solution ....

Fryettee Power Station PS-2A inbound.

 

[JiveTurkey]

For me; there are two sweet spots, tonally. More than that obviously; but 2 that REALLY speak to me. Crunch up till it's about to rage is and IV mode is brutal af. Killer amp \m/

 

[gearJunkie]

After reading through @jellodog and @JiveTurkey discuss the Ironman II Mini, I decided to get the 100W Ironman II and do a shootout with the Power Station.

Then I can also tame my 2:90 rig with the PS-2A on one side and the Ironman on the other.

PS-2A can also perform double duty for use with the Helix and AxeFX3 and a real cab.

gearJunkie

 

[la szum]

Looks like we have a contender here to challenge your reign @JiveTurkey .

 

[gearJunkie]

Looks like we have a contender here to challenge your reign @JiveTurkey .

Not a challenger, but a Padawan .

"Rock you I will."

 

[la szum]

Really look forward to you sharing your thoughts/experiences when all the goods arrive.

 

[gearJunkie]

Really look forward to you sharing your thoughts/experiences when all the goods arrive.

Both the PS and the Ironman will arrive on Thursday, so I have a busy weekend ahead.

 

[Whizzinby]

The sweet spot for this amp is SWEET, but as I stated previously, it's almost unmanageably LOUD.

Solution ....

Fryettee Power Station PS-2A inbound.

This is the way. Volume matched, ive found there is no meaningful difference in tone using my PS100 with my Fireball. The Power Station is a great piece of utility kit.

 

[gearJunkie]

Both the PS-2A and the Ironman II are out for delivery.

WooHoo!

 

[nicolasrivera]

What can be better then a Mark VII???

Well, 2.....

Thats me calling friends that just got delivery of 2 MVIIs, the first ones in my country. I was very happy for them!! hopefully I will make the time to visit them and try that beast out!

 

[gearJunkie]

 

[TSJMajesty]

friends that just got delivery of 2 MVIIs,

Why can't I have friends like that?

One plays the cheapest, crappiest acoustics he can find, another is stuck in LP/Marshall land, with the same guitar & amp for the past 35 years, (nothing wrong with that) another is the keyboard player in his band this week; next week he'll fill in for whoever else quits, another has a few nice PRS', but no amps (uses Helix), and the rest are bass players & drummers.

Not a single one appreciates Boogies like I do.

The only other ones that have gear I'd like to play live too far away. One just bought a fantastic PRS 10-Top, but it took me decades to even get him to try a nice guitar. He's still using his line 6 Spider, but is Fractal-curious. But I can't even get him to spring for an FM3! He recently asked me if $850 was a good price for a used AX-8, but he didn't buy it, or the FM3 I suggested.

Oh and I forgot about my alcoholic/crack addict buddy who is THE most talented keyboard player ever, but doesn't own a single piece of gear because all his money goes to his addictions.

 

[gearJunkie]

Ironman II will have to wait until tomorrow

 

[gearJunkie]

Not this one

 

[gearJunkie]

Wow! The Ironman II (I³) works as advertised. I'm liking it @ -11db with -8db when activating the solo footswitch.

This lets me push the master channel volumes to the 12 o'clock position without breaking windows or eardrums.

More testing to come, but I'm going to switch over to the Power Station for first impressions.

Will report back later with my first take on both units.

Rock on, my friends!

 

[gearJunkie]

Fedex man just arrived with this fat ass 12 AWG speaker cable from Seismic Audio to run from the Mark VII to the attenuator.

Plugging the PS-2A in next.

 

[gearJunkie]

Kind of a rough start with the Power Station. SQUEALLLLLLLLLL!

Watched the 2 squeal-related videos produced by Fryette did not inspire confidence.

I guess it doesn't like my setup with the H9 running in 4 cable method for choosing pre or post routing. Fryette's suggestion is to patch an isolation transformer into the front of the amp. Not happy, but at least I already had an Ebtech Hum Eliminator in my guitar tool box. Patched it in and no more squeal.

So now with my expectations thrown out the window, I reluctantly fired everything up and was greeted with SWEET LIQUID WAVES OF SONIC BLISS! This thing sounds amazing (much better than the I³).

More to come after some more playing time.

 

[FuzzyAce]

(((mesa gas intensifies)))

 

[gearJunkie]

Switched back to the Ironman and it sure sounds great as it doesn't suffer from the transformer induced squealing feedback of the PS.

That said, the continuous volume control afforded by reamping in the PS is a definite advantage over the click-click-click fixed attenuation of the Ironman.

Also, since the PS is an active device, the flat/bright/edge & flat/fat/deep mini toggles do a wonderful job of tailoring harmonic complexity. Couple those switches with the presence and depth controls in the power section and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up because it sounds so rich and full.

Miles to go before I sleep.

 

[gearJunkie]

Still putting the Ironman through its paces in early morning LOW volume practicing. Here is where the passive attenuator excels. Adjusted to -18db and although output was 5AM neighbor-friendly volume, fat & crunch channels on the mk7 were thick & chewy, and the mk4 channel dripped with saturation; engaging the eq was also very satisfying at low volume because it works kind of like a loudness control (thank you Fletcher-Munson) .

Going to try the Helix floor in 4 cable method after some morning chores.