NAD: Mesa Mark V:90 1x12 combo

[laxu]

Build Your Own Mark with modes of your liking would be No matter what Mk I look at; all the modes I like end up on a single channel it seems. So option overload, schmoverload; I end up using it as a single channel amp

It's cool to have all those options, but also a lot of knobs turning to get useful things out of them.

Modelers are honestly much more suited to handle the Mark concept. They just suck because managing the knobs and graphic EQ is a pain in the ass on all of them.

 

[Orvillain]

I'm really happy with fat/crunch/mark iv

I actually didn't anticipate loving the mark iv mode as much as I do, but it really is killer. Crunch is great too, and with the gain at a high value, you can get high-gain tones very easily, and they're characterful and different enough from the mark iv mode that both can really work.

Basically... I wish it was a 4 channel amp, coz having:
fat
tweed or edge
crunch
mark iv

That would be sick. I don't really need extreme. I like it, but it doesn't bring anything to the table that mark iv doesn't, for my needs. I don't like the mark I mode and would happily lose it.

I don't really find the amp difficult to dial in to be honest. It is quite easy.

1. Set the typical V shape on the GEQ. 750 just below the line if you want it more schooped. just above the line if you want a bit more mids in there. Never go above the other sliders. Then set the channels up to cut bass a lot, semi-boost the mids, and boost treble.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Crunch mode IS awesome. Lots of ground covered with it \m/ Extreme mode for wouldn't get used because, well; the name

 

[la szum]

Might give that a try. Atm I use Crunch with gain on max and then roll back my guitar volume.

Sounds like you are making decent progress. I am super biased in believing this amp
to combine the best tones, options, and versatility with any amp ever made. There is
so much in that box---whether it is in the form of an headshell or a combo.

Have you explored the Rectifier Options? That's an whole other realm when it comes
to feel/headroom/tone---especially on Ch. 1 and 2.

 

[la szum]

If the Mark I mode didn't have so much bass that I feel like I need an extra 25% down from zero, I could make it work. It is a weird mode and I feel like they could have swapped places of Mk1 and Extreme modes.

That's the OG Mark sound, though. It was designed to get the maximum fatness and depth
for Carlos Santana and his SG (a notoriously bright guitar!) when only playing single
note lines on the unwound strings. I mean, has Carlos ever played a chord in his life.

 

[la szum]

1. Set the typical V shape on the GEQ. 750 just below the line if you want it more schooped. just above the line if you want a bit more mids in there. Never go above the other sliders. Then set the channels up to cut bass a lot, semi-boost the mids, and boost treble.

Just because.

I know those are Mark IIs, but still. I crack up every time someone suggests
you can only Mark by V'ing the V as deep as you can.


I am somewhere in between the extremes of Petrucci and Anastasio. There is
so much territory there to explore---that it seems no one hardly ever occupies.
I bet you'd argue, and with good reason.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Just because.

I know those are Mark IIs, but still. I crack up every time someone suggests
you can only Mark by V'ing the V as deep as you can.


I am somewhere in between the extremes of Petrucci and Anastasio. There is
so much territory there to explore---that it seems no one hardly ever occupies.
I bet you'd argue, and with good reason.

For a split second I was like WOAH la szum as a Langeduoc ?????

then I realized what the picture was

 

[la szum]

That picture is making my ears bleed! And I love Mids.

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

Modelers are honestly much more suited to handle the Mark concept. They just suck because managing the knobs and graphic EQ is a pain in the ass on all of them.

Profile/capture the f****rs preamp from the send…and stick it into its return
I do that with 2 channel amps with 6 knobs…equal results, easier life, …and more or less transferable to other amps returns.

 

[laxu]

That's the OG Mark sound, though. It was designed to get the maximum fatness and depth
for Carlos Santana and his SG (a notoriously bright guitar!) when only playing single
note lines on the unwound strings. I mean, has Carlos ever played a chord in his life.

Even for that it's just too much. Thick mode seems like it would only work with single coils.

 

[laxu]

The combo speaker is starting to grow on me. You absolutely should not push the 2200 and 6600 Hz sliders on it, instead you might want to turn those down. Bass can be pushed much further on sliders and knobs. Treble/presence needs to be kept in check, which is why having an overdrive on ch2 can be useful.

Tried the tweed mode a lot more now, you can get some good tones from that one too but it really, really needs presence to be turned very low and treble managed or else it's ice pick city.

I think the combo works much better as a blues/rock amp instead of trying to get metal tones out of it. You can do that, but it's never going to have the juice of a proper closed cab.

I hadn't thought about it, but all my cabs are closed back, my BluGuitars are both even ported with beam blockers so they are a lot more palatable that way. I'm curious if installing a beam blocker on the Mesa would do nice things.

I also tried the Extreme mode more. That is just a really fun sound, but I just don't get what's "extreme" about it. It has less gain than IIC/IV modes, it's just a very loud and girthy sound. It's a cool pseudo-Rectifier sound. I wish this mode was on ch2 instead of Mk1.

 

[laxu]

Crunch mode IS awesome. Lots of ground covered with it \m/ Extreme mode for wouldn't get used because, well; the name

You'll probably burn me at the stake...but the BluGuitar Amp 1 Mercury Edition Vintage and Classic channels are better. They have way more gain on tap (Mesa ch2 max gain is like BluGuitar Vintage on 7/10), they have that Marshall sizzle, they are more responsive to picking dynamics too.

If anything the Mesa has made me appreciate the BluGuitar even more, especially how easy it is to use in comparison. The dedicated EQs on the Mesa channels are nice tho.

 

[JiveTurkey]

You'll probably burn me at the stake...but the BluGuitar Amp 1 Mercury Edition Vintage and Classic channels are better. They have way more gain on tap (Mesa ch2 max gain is like BluGuitar Vintage on 7/10), they have that Marshall sizzle, they are more responsive to picking dynamics too.

If anything the Mesa has made me appreciate the BluGuitar even more, especially how easy it is to use in comparison. The dedicated EQs on the Mesa channels are nice tho.

We like what we like! You do have to give things time, but there's also the thing where if something isn't working for you; no reason to stew on it forever.

Looking at @Mikael Dez new Mk V 35 day makes me wish there was a 100 watt version with the limited modes. But then I'd want to handpick the modes and blahblahblah right back to the start

 

[laxu]

Have you explored the Rectifier Options? That's an whole other realm when it comes
to feel/headroom/tone---especially on Ch. 1 and 2.

Yeah I've settled on these as my baseline:

• Ch1: Fat, 45W tube rectifier
• Ch2: Crunch, 45W diode rectifier
• Ch3: MKIV, 90W. Still undecided on triode vs pentode, I like both.

I also like the Variac power mode quite a bit. It does something nice to ch2 especially.

Dear lord this amp is loud though, even at 10W. I don't think it sounds particularly great at low volumes, but get it open just a bit and it's very nice.

I need to try it through the PS-100 next time, I just didn't have a spare speaker cable to use with it. Or it's packed somewhere, together with my stash of tubes...

 

[newholland]

Just because.

I know those are Mark IIs, but still. I crack up every time someone suggests
you can only Mark by V'ing the V as deep as you can.


I am somewhere in between the extremes of Petrucci and Anastasio. There is
so much territory there to explore---that it seems no one hardly ever occupies.
I bet you'd argue, and with good reason.

im a pusher of mids on my iib! i have no eq on mine, but the amp sounds waaaay better to me with mids on the rotaries past 6-7 and the presence way up, ESPeCIALLY if you're using your guitar volume for cleans.. but at that point youre essentially making it sound like its birthright blackface with a boost.

 

[laxu]

We like what we like! You do have to give things time, but there's also the thing where if something isn't working for you; no reason to stew on it forever.

Absolutely. It is nice to have a well respected tube amp as a reference tho, even as a "is this non-tube thing as good as I think it is" check.

Looking at @Mikael Dez new Mk V 35 day makes me wish there was a 100 watt version with the limited modes. But then I'd want to handpick the modes and blahblahblah right back to the start

I think the JP2C might be the best iteration if you just want the Mark sounds, rather than "almost every possible sound is in there" tweakability of the Mark V.

I'd gladly trade the V's 2nd channel for another 3rd channel. That channel is fine, but it's not epic like ch3.

 

[newholland]

Yeah I've settled on these as my baseline:

• Ch1: Fat, 45W tube rectifier
• Ch2: Crunch, 45W diode rectifier
• Ch3: MKIV, 90W. Still undecided on triode vs pentode, I like both.

I also like the Variac power mode quite a bit. It does something nice to ch2 especially.

Dear lord this amp is loud though, even at 10W. I don't think it sounds particularly great at low volumes, but get it open just a bit and it's very nice.

I need to try it through the PS-100 next time, I just didn't have a spare speaker cable to use with it. Or it's packed somewhere, together with my stash of tubes...

hee hee... throw an eq in the loop or use a passive attenuator in there . THATS the minor pain in the ass. but if you shave off some dbs on the pre, you can get uour power amp to the happy place. last coupla days ive been reveling in a great sounding amp rather than a crippled great sounding amp that never reaches a functional operating point

 

[Orvillain]

Just because.

I know those are Mark IIs, but still. I crack up every time someone suggests
you can only Mark by V'ing the V as deep as you can.


I am somewhere in between the extremes of Petrucci and Anastasio. There is
so much territory there to explore---that it seems no one hardly ever occupies.
I bet you'd argue, and with good reason.

ew

 

[Will Onyx]

Dear lord this amp is loud though, even at 10W. I don't think it sounds particularly great at low volumes, but get it open just a bit and it's very nice.

Have you tried using the loop volume on the back to knock down the output?

 

[la szum]

Side tangent, but don't discredit using a boost with crunch mode on channel 2, may or may not yield the "sizzle" you're missing

On my first Mark V years ago I had epic results using a BB preamp (the custom version with the midboost knob)

That's so hilarious. I pretty much hated the BB because of the Mids.

That Custom Shop version, though, is pretty rad, as I recall.