Mark V25 Appreciation

[Achilles]

I think I need to start using Mesa amps more.

While we're on the subject, what a beast of a little amp. Destined to be considered a all-time classic imo.

Top 8 All Time - made this list.

 

[norminal]

Been GAS’ing for one of those since it was released. Bucket list for sure.

 

[vino_buono]

I have it, and fully agree.

 

[murphy brown]

I am just an armature player, would you suggest this amp for use with accordion?

 

[JiveTurkey]

El84s=instant disqualification

 

[Achilles]

I am just an armature player, would you suggest this amp for use with accordion?

Yes. Didn't you check out the Mesa Boogie Artists page?

 

[dbagchee]

I do love this amp. Yes it’s EL84, but it still sounds so good and the convenience of its size and weight to tone ratio cannot be matched.

It’s the HX Stomp of Mesas.

 

[JiveTurkey]

For me, despite it having 47 bazillion modes and channels; I play the Mark for ONE sound. (Home in my jam room because I don't do that in public anymore ) Face ripping brutality and you're not getting that out of el84s

 

[dbagchee]

The right cabs can help - the mini recto cab + thiele combination gives it more low end grunt and keeps me happy at home volumes. It doesn’t hold together quite as well at stage volumes with a loud drummer - you end up with little to no headroom.

 

[paisleywookiee]

El84s=instant disqualification

 

[metropolis_4]

I’d love to find one to try.

I actually love el84’s and hate 6l6’s so the tubes are a bonus for me. An el84 driven Mark sounds like it would be an improvement in a Mark for me.

But it’s too bad you lose one channel to get it. And the combos are such a small cab I’m betting they’re super boxy

 

[dbagchee]

Yeah I think the head is the way to go with Mark V:25. The 35 has a 1x12 option and likely better if you want a combo. My Rectoverb 25 1x12 combo has a ton of low end, it’s a beastly little thing.

 

[FuzzyAce]

EL84's only become a thing when you push an amp into power tube distortion, which isn't as big a deal as it used to be. Speaker cab matters too.
I do like the features of the V:25, and it doesn't help watching Andy Timmons demo one.
I'm gonna have a Mesa before it's all said and done, I just know it.

 

[la szum]

I don't know man. It's a bit underfueled, in my experience.... and when one sets you back nearly $2k new,
I am beating down doors to get one of the plethora of sub $2k used Mark V90s.

 

[metropolis_4]

It definitely depends on what tones you’re looking for out of it.

Yeah, if you’re looking for face ripping brutality el84s aren’t gonna be the tubes for you.

But they’re going to add some nice qualities to lower gain tones where you want to get the power section breaking up a bit.

My one complaint about Marks is that they’re a little too stiff and polite for anything below face melting gain and el84s and more power amp distortion seem like they would help with that

 

[FuzzyAce]

Personally, I would have gone with 6V6's but that's just me. But I see why they chose EL84's, probably space and layout limitations.

 

[la szum]

10 Watt Tweed Mode with Tube Rectifiers ain't happening on a V:25.... or a MrakVII, for that matter.

There is one Mark-series Mesa amp where that can happen, though. I wonder which one.

 

[hemmelight]

I had one for years and kinda hated it.
It was too fussy to dial in and I knew all the tricks. Just wouldn’t do what I wanted.

I realise now after finding the sound I wanted using the Mark IIC+ model in the Axe-Fx what the problem was: the input drive on the MkV25 is fixed at 7 (iirc) according to the manual. Which is fine if all I wanted to do was play Metallica

What a dumb decision by Mesa. Completely killed the gain channels for me and I had no idea why until I played with something that had the full set of controls as designed originally and it was a lightbulb moment. Probably would have kept that amp if it was closer to the IIC+ in control layout / only two modes. The whole time I just needed Input Drive between 5-6.5 and the whole thing opens up. Grrr

 

[metropolis_4]

Personally, I would have gone with 6V6's but that's just me. But I see why they chose EL84's, probably space and layout limitations.

Yeah, that seems like a better match to me too.

I used to run 6V6’s in my MkIV and they were great

I had one for years and kinda hated it.
It was too fussy to dial in and I knew all the tricks. Just wouldn’t do what I wanted.

I realise now after finding the sound I wanted using the Mark IIC+ model in the Axe-Fx what the problem was: the input drive on the MkV25 is fixed at 7 (iirc) according to the manual. Which is fine if all I wanted to do was play Metallica

What a dumb decision by Mesa. Completely killed the gain channels for me and I had no idea why until I played with something that had the full set of controls as designed originally and it was a lightbulb moment. Probably would have kept that amp if it was closer to the IIC+ in control layout / only two modes. The whole time I just needed Input Drive between 5-6.5 and the whole thing opens up. Grrr

Ugh, I didn’t know that. What a stupid design decision.

Well, scratch that one off the list for me

 

[paisleywookiee]

What Mesa needs to do is skip the FOUR EL84 bullshit with the midgrade version of the VII, and do a two channel, two 6L6 VII:50 amp. I swear to god, if they do another four EL84 amp that's actually more expensive to retube than a 50w amp, I'm gonna shit a cinderblock, and upload it here.