IIC++ Reissue vs JP2C?

[GJgo]

I run a Coli owner's group, currently a guy in Chicago has a purple stripe III++ Coli for sale. FWIW... Also the IIB Colis are one of the loudest amps ever created.

Back to the thread though, the thing about the JP is that tone aside, until you get the channel volumes up over 1:30 or so they don't move any air compared to the OGs so the feels are a bit flat. If you can crank them they do wake up well into earplug volume. I always thought the lack of a MV on the JP was a real miss for this reason.

 

[anomaly]

Well, there are a long list of amps that sound heavier & sit better in a mix than a Mark. Unfortunatley I love the feels of a good Mark, despite knowing most Peaveys will track & sit live better..

What stripe was yours? Most blues are ear death (though I did have one good one, a 1999, so that doesn't really count....)

Mine was a red stripe DRG from 1987. I still loved the amp when I had it but those certain things kinda bothered me. My Mark IV worked a lot better in the band and for recording. Too bad I didn't have it when I tracked that demo.

 

[IronSean]

What an awesome amp! Shame they stopped offering adjustable drive after IV.

You're like the third person I heard say that. I think it's the opposite: it's Volume 1/Gain that they deleted, and the Lead Drive is the only control left exposed. On the V and VII the Volume/Gain control is fixed at 7.75 or so.

I've found a lot of guys like to stay on the 2nd channel for clips when comparing the IIC+ (I guess it's closer circuit wise to the IIC+) but I've always found the 3rd channel just sounds "better" for that type of thing.

Neither should be more accurate circuit wise than the other, they're both the exact same circuit. The difference is that the Volume 1(Gain on Mark IV) control is fixed internally to something like 7 (or 8 with the JP-2C gain pulled) on ch2 and 8 (or 9 with gain pulled) on ch3. That's approximate because pots have tolerances and the values are actually probably fractional instead of whole numbers.

So on the V and VII you have one value for Volume, on the JP-2C you have 3 values, and on the II/III/IV you have a whole pot for Volume/Gain.

The gain knobs on the newer amps is the Lead Drive knob on the older ones.

 

[Jakem]

You're like the third person I heard say that. I think it's the opposite: it's Volume 1/Gain that they deleted, and the Lead Drive is the only control left exposed. On the V and VII the Volume/Gain control is fixed at 7.75 or so.


Neither should be more accurate circuit wise than the other, they're both the exact same circuit. The difference is that the Volume 1(Gain on Mark IV) control is fixed internally to something like 7 (or 8 with the JP-2C gain pulled) on ch2 and 8 (or 9 with gain pulled) on ch3. That's approximate because pots have tolerances and the values are actually probably fractional instead of whole numbers.

So on the V and VII you have one value for Volume, on the JP-2C you have 3 values, and on the II/III/IV you have a whole pot for Volume/Gain.

The gain knobs on the newer amps is the Lead Drive knob on the older ones.

Was my memory so off?

 

[angelspade]

Decide for yourself!





In the studio you can really make them all sound pretty much the same, and you'd have a hard time making any analog setup sound as good as a good digital model these days. In the room however, the C+ RI is the first one that IMO cops anything near the feel of the OGs.

While there are definitely things I like about the JP, IMO it's a 2 trick pony (very clean & very high gain) where most other Marks can do a wide variety of tones.

Personally Shred was so noisy I never used it.

I found these vids very helpful...thank you!

 

[NinjaRaf]

I have not played a IIC+ so I can't make any judgements on those and how these amps compare to those.

I agree that I found the JP to be boxy. Then when I got the VII and played them next to each other, it wasn't even close. Which was a bummer because the features on the JP are nearly perfect. I really wish they would've kept the 2 EQs and Shred mode for the VII. The VII is absolutely amazing, and if you want the history of Mark series amps in one box with a shit ton of modern features, this is THE way to go. What an overwhelmingly amazing amp.

The IVs are amazing amps. Probably still my favorites, but it's been over 6 years since I've had those amps. The V25 is a great little saturated monster. The 35, too. Very similar but maybe a little more of that EL84 squish.

I have limited experience with the III, and I thought it was cool but didn't really offer much that the others offer in a better way.

Currently I own a V. It's my second one. I hated the first one. So harsh and loose while not having a very big or punchy low end. It got dropped in shipping, and I think something must've been wrong with it because my current V sounds nothing like that one did. This amp sounds great, and has Extreme mode, which is unique from all other Marks. The IV mode gets close enough to what I remember from my IVs when I want that sound, but mostly I've been living on the Extreme mode and cranking the gain almost to the max haha. Its been sounding and feeling great, and both bands have been saying they prefer it over my typical EVH 100S. IDK if I feel the same way about it, maybe they're closer to equal for me. Both great amps.

Anyway, the IV is still probably my favorite Mark, but I would need to compare it directly. The VII is absolutely amazing. If you just want classic Mark sounds in a modern package, that is 100% the way to go. It gives you everything and sounds great doing it. Plus the built in direct features are extremely useful on stage and in the studio. Extreme on the V is not what I would consider a classic Mark sound, but it's unique and sounds great, so I'll be sticking with this one for a while.

 

[angelspade]

I have not played a IIC+ so I can't make any judgements on those and how these amps compare to those.

I agree that I found the JP to be boxy. Then when I got the VII and played them next to each other, it wasn't even close. Which was a bummer because the features on the JP are nearly perfect. I really wish they would've kept the 2 EQs and Shred mode for the VII. The VII is absolutely amazing, and if you want the history of Mark series amps in one box with a shit ton of modern features, this is THE way to go. What an overwhelmingly amazing amp.

The IVs are amazing amps. Probably still my favorites, but it's been over 6 years since I've had those amps. The V25 is a great little saturated monster. The 35, too. Very similar but maybe a little more of that EL84 squish.

I have limited experience with the III, and I thought it was cool but didn't really offer much that the others offer in a better way.

Currently I own a V. It's my second one. I hated the first one. So harsh and loose while not having a very big or punchy low end. It got dropped in shipping, and I think something must've been wrong with it because my current V sounds nothing like that one did. This amp sounds great, and has Extreme mode, which is unique from all other Marks. The IV mode gets close enough to what I remember from my IVs when I want that sound, but mostly I've been living on the Extreme mode and cranking the gain almost to the max haha. Its been sounding and feeling great, and both bands have been saying they prefer it over my typical EVH 100S. IDK if I feel the same way about it, maybe they're closer to equal for me. Both great amps.

Anyway, the IV is still probably my favorite Mark, but I would need to compare it directly. The VII is absolutely amazing. If you just want classic Mark sounds in a modern package, that is 100% the way to go. It gives you everything and sounds great doing it. Plus the built in direct features are extremely useful on stage and in the studio. Extreme on the V is not what I would consider a classic Mark sound, but it's unique and sounds great, so I'll be sticking with this one for a while.

Gain...It's amazing how much opinions vary on the JP2C. It's almost like a VH4...greatest thing ever or blah. Interesting.