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[newholland]

The VII has lower latency than the V.

OH TEH ADDITIVE LATENCY!

 

[Desertdweller]

I thought it might be a good idea to read this thread as well… Then I noticed: 71 pages!!!

Can anyone summarize in just a few sentences what’s preferable about the VII over the V, and/or vice-versa?

It's 2 louder.

Seriously though, after owning several Marks, they're all very similar. To my ear the Mark V90, V25, V35, and JP2C share similar sound and gain structure. The VII is more in-line with the Mark II, III, and IV; Bigger, bolder and a little more raw and untamed. That's my experience, others may disagree but that's what my ears tell me.

The JP2C has an onboard boost and some pull knobs that are very functional. It's a great gigging amp and when I played it live I always had compliments on my tone. I have yet to gig with a VII, but I bet I'd get the same reaction.

Bottom line - they're all good.

 

[JiveTurkey]

V feels more cohesive across the channels/modes to me. They're all awesome in one way or another.

 

[mbenigni]

Sorry. Like I said, 71 pages. Ouch.

 

[mbenigni]

It's 2 louder.

Seriously though, after owning several Marks, they're all very similar. To my ear the Mark V90, V25, V35, and JP2C share similar sound and gain structure. The VII is more in-line with the Mark II, III, and IV; Bigger, bolder and a little more raw and untamed. That's my experience, others may disagree but that's what my ears tell me.

The JP2C has an onboard boost and some pull knobs that are very functional. It's a great gigging amp and when I played it live I always had compliments on my tone. I have yet to gig with a VII, but I bet I'd get the same reaction.

Bottom line - they're all good.

It’s interesting (and challenging) because Mesa’s manuals always suggest that the later Marks (e.g. V, VII) will exactly replicate II, IV, etc. depending on channel and mode selections.

The “untamed” II sound has been my white whale ever since I sold my actual II back in the early 90s, and so far I like the IIc+ mode on the V best. But I’ve also grown to appreciate the more modern, compressed mid focus of the IV voicing. Strange, and a little tragic, that I never learned to get along with my own Mk IV, and let that one go as well.

No doubt I’ll torture myself for a while, and eventually go out looking for a VII to compare.

 

[EOengineer]

If you’re concerned that the Mark VII is the better amp, it’s not really that cut and dry. There are entrenched camps that prefer one or the other.

The V does have some tricks the VII does not, such as switchable tube rectification, and solo functions IIRC.

 

[mbenigni]

The V does have some tricks the VII does not, such as switchable tube rectification, and solo functions IIRC.

Both cool tricks - one for subtle tone hunting, the other for practical gigging concerns in absence of an external boost.

 

[Mongillo19]

My vote is the V. Can be found for lower $$$ (I found one for $1500 not too long ago). That alone makes it vastly superior to me you still get all the Mark goodies you could ever want.

 

[laxu]

My vote is the V. Can be found for lower $$$ (I found one for $1500 not too long ago). That alone makes it vastly superior to me you still get all the Mark goodies you could ever want.

From the other side of the pond...the VII costs 4444 € including Finnish VAT. That's ~$5212 USD.

You can buy Mark V 90s for about 2000-2400 euros (~$2345-2815) on the used market. Heads tend to be more expensive than combos, which is why I got the combo. While still much more expensive than in the US, it's a lot more palatable.

I'd rather just buy two Mark Vs than one VII.

 

[JiveTurkey]

V all day long over the VII.

 

[Desertdweller]

It’s interesting (and challenging) because Mesa’s manuals always suggest that the later Marks (e.g. V, VII) will exactly replicate II, IV, etc. depending on channel and mode selections.

For clarity - might I direct you here: https://thegearforum.com/threads/just-so-we’re-clear-satire.9381/

For when you want IIC tone, but you bought a VII, so you use IV in a V because II was in the Triaxis. We called it "Yellow." Obviously.

 

[CorrosiveMatter]

I thought it might be a good idea to read this thread as well… Then I noticed: 71 pages!!!

Can anyone summarize in just a few sentences what’s preferable about the VII over the V, and/or vice-versa?

2 Things that really matter to me, maybe not to you though.

Price!
You can find used V's for a lot less than VII's if you even see a used VII it will be 95% of new.

Cab Clone.
If you care, the V one isn't great but I think the VII one is much better and maybe you can even upload your own IR to it?

Now I have not played a VII but the V is so good I honestly don't feel like I need to gas for a Mark anymore. I will be selling my JP2C for my new years resolution to only keep what you love.

 

[TubeStack]

For me, it’s the VII over the V, by a wide margin. But I am a mid/lower gain guy, zero high gain and almost zero palm mutes, lol. The IIB alone is enough to tip the scale, for me. I also strongly prefer the VII Crunch and love the midi control and cab emulated DI out.

 

[EOengineer]

For me, it’s the VII over the V, by a wide margin. But I am a mid/lower gain guy, zero high gain and almost zero palm mutes, lol. The IIB alone is enough to tip the scale, for me. I also strongly prefer the VII Crunch and love the midi control and cab emulated DI out.

Have you considered checking out an OG IIB given how much you enjoy that mode in the VII?

 

[TubeStack]

Have you considered checking out an OG IIB given how much you enjoy that mode in the VII?

Yes, I would love to try one! Classic old Mesas are harder to come by though, up here (Canada). Also, I spent so damn much on the VII, I’m all tapped out for other amps, for the time being.

 

[newholland]

classic iib guy reporting on cue.

midgain lower gain guy myself with forays into rock assault with TONS of palm mutes.
iib kinda does all that also with great gorgeous cleans. itll cop a vox or a tweed, or a blackface on fire. or just be a mesa.

 

[Orvillain]

I've never played a real IIC+ or IIB, but every model I've ever played of them, doesn't sound as good to me as the Mark V does.

The Mark V basically became a holy grail amp for me, very very quickly. I can't believe how insanely good it sounds, and how insanely useful the B/M/T is in the position of the circuit it is in.

I have other plans for all my other amps, so I'm keeping them. But.... if I didn't need them for research purposes, I'd sell a few and buy a VII without any hesitation.

The other amp I still really fancy is a Revv Generator MKIII.

 

[mbenigni]

My vote is the V. Can be found for lower $$$ (I found one for $1500 not too long ago). That alone makes it vastly superior to me you still get all the Mark goodies you could ever want.

Somewhat n/a since I paid a bit more, but the fact remains that I could never justify the price of a VII right now. (I can only barely justify the V. Hence the anxiety LOL.}

 

[mbenigni]

2 Things that really matter to me, maybe not to you though.

Price!
You can find used V's for a lot less than VII's if you even see a used VII it will be 95% of new.

Cab Clone.
If you care, the V one isn't great but I think the VII one is much better and maybe you can even upload your own IR to it?

Now I have not played a VII but the V is so good I honestly don't feel like I need to gas for a Mark anymore. I will be selling my JP2C for my new years resolution to only keep what you love.

Thanks for this. Cab clone isn’t something I’m likely to use anyway. Once I start moving in that direction, I find myself in full-blown modeling territory pretty quickly. :)

 

[mbenigni]

For me, it’s the VII over the V, by a wide margin. But I am a mid/lower gain guy, zero high gain and almost zero palm mutes, lol. The IIB alone is enough to tip the scale, for me. I also strongly prefer the VII Crunch and love the midi control and cab emulated DI out.

And on the flip side… MIDI control is always attractive to me. But again, price is always a consideration.