5 different (Mesa) amps in the mix!

[GJgo]

Hey guys, I had this bright idea for a comparo so I did it. At different band practices I set up everything the same except the head so I could see how they sounded different out front. I have my favorites but everyone hears what they want to. What do you think?

https://youtu.be/gvy4BroOqMM

Mark Five 35
Mark IIC+ SR
Dual Recto MW
Triple Recto 2ch
Mark IIB+ Coli

Planning on doing a similar thing for cabs later.

 

[Markedman]

Mark IIB for me and mine.

 

[SpiderWars]

Cool test. I was surprised which I liked most. If you do it again, try to set your vocal mic out of the line between amp and recorder. I can hear a big difference when you step in between cab and recorder.

Now slave the C+ into the coli FTW!

 

[danielraible]

II-B for clar-i-ty!

 

[Exo-metal]

IIB is a very flat power section so that makes sense.

 

[skoora]

The MK V cut the best. I couldn’t imagine boosting red modern on a recto. Boosting Orange vintage is more my flavor. I feel in general it sounds like you dial in more saturation than you need for what you were playing but could sound completely different in the room. There’s this underlying noise or fizz that is always under the main riff. Cool demo though. Thanks for doing it.

 

[cardinal]

Cool vid! I like the Dual Recto most followed by the C+ SR, but all sounded great

 

[Snave]

IIB+ sounds the fullest. I'd be curious to hear the Recto in the mix, set to vintage mode instead of modern.

 

[GJgo]

Cool test. I was surprised which I liked most. If you do it again, try to set your vocal mic out of the line between amp and recorder. I can hear a big difference when you step in between cab and recorder.

Now slave the C+ into the coli FTW!

Yeah with the MultiWatt that was a mistake to step in front. Lesson learned. Plenty of time where I'm to the side, though.

 

[GJgo]

The MK V cut the best. I couldn’t imagine boosting red modern on a recto. Boosting Orange vintage is more my flavor. I feel in general it sounds like you dial in more saturation than you need for what you were playing but could sound completely different in the room. There’s this underlying noise or fizz that is always under the main riff. Cool demo though. Thanks for doing it.

Interesting. The Five 35 is fully throttled out BTW. That's all it's got.

When I'm playing alone I can adjust my pick attack to keep the Rectos plenty tight. In the band mix however, if I don't boost them it gets muddy. So, on either channel when I boost I roll the gain back to about 10:00- JUST enough to bring it up over the hump. Any more & it gets over-compressed.

The Multi-Watt orange modern boosted is perhaps my favorite band mix tone. Here's a couple examples-
https://youtu.be/e8gpaun1a6I?t=897
https://youtu.be/9G1CtWVzHJU

And here's orange modern boosted with the guitar's volume rolled back.
https://youtu.be/e8gpaun1a6I?t=302

 

[Racerxrated]

Coli for me. Although, both Rectos cut the best to my ears. I'd put the Triple a close second. The V had a high end I didn't like. The C+ needs to be a bit brighter IMO to equal where the others seem to be EQd for best comparison.

They all sounded nice though! Can't go wrong with any of those choices! Nice Jammin too.

 

[GJgo]

The C+ & Coli both have the presence on 7!

Racer- note the relative "boxiness" between the SR, and the KRG w/ the traditional V.

 

[Racerxrated]

The C+ & Coli both have the presence on 7!

Racer- note the relative "boxiness" between the SR, and the KRG w/ the traditional V.

Yep, although my Coli's presence is on 10. Lol. But I like bright.

You still need to slave that C+ to the Coli!

 

[Exo-metal]

...or just get a C+ Coliseum like Racerxrated??

 

[Racerxrated]

...or just get a C+ Coliseum like Racerxrated??

Well, it IS a religious experience!

 

[milkchickenbomb]

no surprise I liked the coli the best

But it was a big surprise that I liked the V next. It cut better than the rest but wasn’t fizzy like the dual recto.

Really disliked the SR. So nasally.

but there are a lot of variables here. I’m sure it sounded much different in the room.

 

[Spaceboy]

IIC+, followed the Five:35. The Triple Rec sounded pretty bad IMO. Surprised to see so much Coli love in this comparison, was far less present than the C+ and V.

 

[Exo-metal]

You high?

 

[cardinal]

I thought the coli seemed muffled or blanketed or something fwiw.

 

[GJgo]

In hind sight the Coli could have used a little more presence. I find that what sounds right for presence in the room, is not enough in a recording. So, listen for the things that you can't just EQ out.

I tried for the C+ Coli but it didn't work out. Racer knows.. I will definitely slave it up for recording, but probably not for practice / gigs..

In the room- I like the Triple the best. In the video that's not the case at all. Interesting.

I'm pretty done with the Mark V. Just like the JP & the other modern amps- they are AMAZING amps- when you don't have more amazing vintage ones to compare them to. I need that organic, 3D nature of the vintage amps that the modern ones simply can't recreate.