NAD Mesa Mark VII...

[Deadpan]

Just picked this up.

Initial impressions are mixed but it is VERY early.

@JiveTurkey the reverb on this thing is almost non existent. How was yours?

This thing came with Mesa Red 6L6s. Probably pretty cold. Will measure.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Congrats! IIRC; the reverb was underwhelming. Is the tank plugged in correctly? I seem to remember it seemed like a useless addition to an otherwise killer amp.

 

[Desertdweller]

The reverb on mine doesn’t really do anything either. It’s got to be something on the PCB for the amp too, because I plugged the reverb tank from my VII into my Mark III as a test and i could get a really nice sound from it. But it just is not there at all on the VII.

If you want a sound that will shake walls, channel 3, IIC or IV mode, treble dimed, mids and bass off, gain at noon, presence at 10 o’clock, V shape EQ with the 6600 knob not too high. Absolutely awesome shred sound.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Congrats! I hope you love it!

#MarkLyfe

 

[Deadpan]

The reverb on mine doesn’t really do anything either. It’s got to be something on the PCB for the amp too, because I plugged the reverb tank from my VII into my Mark III as a test and i could get a really nice sound from it. But it just is not there at all on the VII.

If you want a sound that will shake walls, channel 3, IIC or IV mode, treble dimed, mids and bass off, gain at noon, presence at 10 o’clock, V shape EQ with the 6600 knob not too high. Absolutely awesome shred sound.

Will give the setting a shot for sure.

Good to hear it's not just this head. On the clean I can hear the OK, it's never overwhelming. On the gain channels is such a low mix even at max that I was certain something wasn't right. Your findings are interesting.

What color code are the tubes that came in yours?

 

[Deadpan]

Congrats! IIRC; the reverb was underwhelming. Is the tank plugged in correctly? I seem to remember it seemed like a useless addition to an otherwise killer amp.

Thanks!

It's odd, I plan to pull the chasis to bias probe as there is no room with the small shell.

Really liking it after swapping the middle tubes for some GRY rated tubes.

 

[Deadpan]

Congrats! I hope you love it!

#MarkLyfe

Seems there is usually an adjustment period with new amps but I see this one shaping up quickly already.

The modes are actually pretty unique which is great.

 

[Deadpan]

First test, for my setup I had to make some adjustments to the settings. For this test, straight in, I preferred the Mark iv mode:



Changed to the Mark vii mode here, adjusted the settings some and boosted it with a Maxon VOP9:

 

[Whizzinby]

First test, for my setup I had to make some adjustments to the settings. For this test, straight in, I preferred the Mark iv mode:



Changed to the Mark vii mode here, adjusted the settings some and boosted it with a Maxon VOP9:

Sounds killer man

 

[spawnofthesith]

Sounds sick!!! And like it would absolutey murder in a mix!

 

[Deadpan]

Thanks guys!

I was trying to get the 7 mode to pop for some super aggressive almost djenty stuff I like to do but couldn't get it there.

Switched to the 4 mode and there it was!

 

[GreatGreen]

Thanks guys!

I was trying to get the 7 mode to pop for some super aggressive almost djenty stuff I like to do but couldn't get it there.

Switched to the 4 mode and there it was!

I don't own a Mark VII but I keep wondering about the VII mode. Is it a dud mode like the Mark IV's R2 channel (which honestly would be fine, as the IIB, Crunch, IIC+ and IV modes are all completely brilliant and easily worth buying the amp for) or is there some hidden sound in there that would blow the doors off the place?

When I've played that mode, it has seemed like it sits somewhere between a Mark and Recto character. I wonder what kind of pre-EQ'ing you'd have to do to get it as tight as a boosted Recto. Because if you could get there, then you'd also have the graphic EQ to play with after that which could get really nuts.

But from looking at the tube layout and what tube stages serve which channel, you can tell that the VII mode is basically the Crunch mode but with one more gain stage placed in the middle of the circuit.

So I wonder if the VII mode was just the result of Mesa thinking "well we have this extra unused gain stage, what if we just shoved it in the middle of the Crunch circuit and see what happens" without really thinking too much beyond that, and it ultimately turns out to just be a kind of worthless dud channel that doesn't really sound good under any circumstances because although it has a ton of gain, it's just kind of gain for gain's sake that wasn't really tuned to be all that great.

Either way I'd love to get more time with one to find out for sure. The channel might have some potential but I haven't personally found it yet is all I'm saying.

 

[Desertdweller]

The only way I’ve been happy with a sound in VII mode is with a boost in front and I treat it like a rectifier. It’s close and it would do in a pinch, but it doesn’t have the magic of a recto. Every time I think I’ve got a good sound out of VII mode, I switch over to channel 3 and either IV or IIC mode just absolutely kill it immediately. They are so much better sounding it’s not even funny. I have found a niche for VII mode as a lead mode with a boost in front and the EQ on. This allows me to use Channel 3 for rhythm and Channel 2 for lead, and that works fine for me.

 

[gearJunkie]

I've been using Mark VII mode as my mid-gain crunch rhythm sound for the past 6 months. Fat clean on channel 1, Mk VII on 2, and Mk IV on channel 3. I have the GEQ activated on 1 and 3, and an Hx Stomp XL in the loop

 

[Deadpan]

I don't own a Mark VII but I keep wondering about the VII mode. Is it a dud mode like the Mark IV's R2 channel (which honestly would be fine, as the IIB, Crunch, IIC+ and IV modes are all completely brilliant and easily worth buying the amp for) or is there some hidden sound in there that would blow the doors off the place?

When I've played that mode, it has seemed like it sits somewhere between a Mark and Recto character. I wonder what kind of pre-EQ'ing you'd have to do to get it as tight as a boosted Recto. Because if you could get there, then you'd also have the graphic EQ to play with after that which could get really nuts.

But from looking at the tube layout and what tube stages serve which channel, you can tell that the VII mode is basically the Crunch mode but with one more gain stage placed in the middle of the circuit.

So I wonder if the VII mode was just the result of Mesa thinking "well we have this extra unused gain stage, what if we just shoved it in the middle of the Crunch circuit and see what happens" without really thinking too much beyond that, and it ultimately turns out to just be a kind of worthless dud channel that doesn't really sound good under any circumstances because although it has a ton of gain, it's just kind of gain for gain's sake that wasn't really tuned to be all that great.

Either way I'd love to get more time with one to find out for sure. The channel might have some potential but I haven't personally found it yet is all I'm saying.

For heavier stuff I find I need to keep the gain low on the VII mode, like around 3 or 9 o'clock then push the gain with the treble and mid dials.

Here is a heavy clip boosted with a VOP9. The clips have no EQ added either pre or post.

 

[Deadpan]

Some lighter slightly driven tones from the IIB mode:

 

[spawnofthesith]

I’m usually just super clean or straight brootz but IIB mode is extremely appealing to me, sounds amazing in every clip

 

[Deadpan]

I’m usually just super clean or straight brootz but IIB mode is extremely appealing to me, sounds amazing in every clip

It is amazing! My roots are thrash but I like to dabble in all styles.

Love when an amp makes me play things I wouldn't expect.

The IIB mode is for humbuckers what the Cali Tweed is for single coils.

 

[GreatGreen]

Some lighter slightly driven tones from the IIB mode:

I love the Mark VII's IIB mode. It came out of left field and it's something you'd never expect to find in a Mark amp (I used to own a IIB and this sound wasn't in that amp), but it's so, so good.

I think it's one of, if not the best modern and clear "broken up cleans" tones you can get out of a production amp.

 

[Deadpan]

The reverb on mine doesn’t really do anything either. It’s got to be something on the PCB for the amp too, because I plugged the reverb tank from my VII into my Mark III as a test and i could get a really nice sound from it. But it just is not there at all on the VII.

If you want a sound that will shake walls, channel 3, IIC or IV mode, treble dimed, mids and bass off, gain at noon, presence at 10 o’clock, V shape EQ with the 6600 knob not too high. Absolutely awesome shred sound.

I don't see how this could be the cause of low reverb for you but I pulled the tank from mine today and there was a piece of shielding tape that had come loose and was sticking to the springs!

Reseated the tape and the reverb is strong now.