They're both really good; kind of a mix of a Mark flavor with a bit of Recto. I had the DC-5 for years, and would go for that. The dedicated EQ per channel is definitely nice to have.
I've had an Express 5:50+ as well. It's nice amp, but the DC-5 is more aggressive and definitely more raw, in a good way.
I still feel it was a fantastic amp; just not the right fit for me. I couldn't get it to sit well with my Tele on anything but clean or mid-gain, which bummed me out. Sounded killer with H-H though.Yeah I felt burn mode was probably the weakest point on the amp (I also chalked up the open back cab to this as well) but I still made it work for plenty of gigs
I don't have any business buying another amp right now but I'm feeling tempted
I agree. Even the DC-5 benefited from something pushing it to tighten up a bit.They are iterations of the same topology, no? Wasn't the DC-5 derived from the .50Cal+? 50 Caliber, Dual Caliber??
I had a .50Cal+ and it was a cool amp. Overdrive was a little mushy and creamy for a Mesa, though. Wasn't really a
tighter/modern feeling amp like Mesa has become known for. Mostly.
That definitely rings a bell, for sure. I miss mine. Wouldn't mind getting a 50w head again. I had the combo, which was a bit much for weight.
I don't miss the .50Cal+ one bit, if that says anything.
Not a sound or feel I would want, but we all have different needs.
reverb.com
reverb.com
Yeah very different indeed. The DC-3 really suffered from the problems often associated with an EL84 power section, but more so than the newer amps do.
