Am I reading this right? Mesa content

[squank]

I owned a Mark V and I think it's the best amp Mesa ever made. It's also probably the most versatile amp on the market, based on all the different tones you can get from it. But it doesn't do great modern high gain, and I need an amp to do that, so that's the only reason I sold it at the time. Bought a Powerball II and it was perfect for me.

 

[some dude]

To me the V doesn't sound quite as full in this video. It has less low/low mids or something. I dont know if that could be made closer by messing with the settings or not.

I haven't compared these in person, but I always assumed the V would feel more compressed also.

IMO, it's the JJ ECC83 that come stock in the Mark V. More upper mids, less bottom end and more compression than EHX 12AX7 Mesas used to come with.

I got bored one day and pulled the Russian 2s out of my old 2 ch Recto and stuffed them in my Mark V. I learned a lot that day. Now they're in my Roadster. In hindsight I wish I'd done this years ago.

I think the JJs are one of the reasons the Recto and Mark V seem to have found favour with the rock crowd while the metal guys are bitching about them.

 

[acalaf]

agreed. jj's are awful tubes that make you want to sell your amp. eurotubes must be laughing all the way to the bank after convincing so many people (me included) that such terrible tubes are worthy.

 

[BrentSSL]

I have a MKv with the IIC mode. I think it sucks. Is there a difference between the mode on the MKV and the real IIC amp?

They need a Mk 6 with some modern metal tones.

The difference is very small. You probably would not like the real deal either. The internet has turned the IIC+ into the greatest amp ever. I'ts not that great. There are many modern amps that sound better and are more versatile.
Judge for yourself -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbPgr63aaQ4

The difference is really noticeable. I think the Mark V is a great amp, but I like a real IIC+ just more. No youtube clip is going to show you the difference. Any of the Mark series can cover a lot of sounds. So if you say that modern amps sound better (which is totally a matter of taste) and are more versatile, then I wonder how much time you have spent with these amps.

lol because its not full its a thin sounding amp unless you blanket the cab
To me the V doesn't sound quite as full in this video. It has less low/low mids or something. I dont know if that could be made closer by messing with the settings or not.

I haven't compared these in person, but I always assumed the V would feel more compressed also.

 

[BrentSSL]

How did this get to be a Mark V thread lol

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

Every thread is a Mark V thread.

So what tubes in my MKV should I replace? All the preamp tubes or V1 and V2?

What brand? I have the stock ones in there now.

thanks

 

[anomaly]

I have a MKv with the IIC mode. I think it sucks. Is there a difference between the mode on the MKV and the real IIC amp?

They need a Mk 6 with some modern metal tones.

Go buy a ENGL or 5150 if that is what you want. There are too many modern high gainers on the market as is.

 

[BrentSSL]

Switch to EL34S and run it in stereo with a new power ball

 

[4406cuda]

To me the V doesn't sound quite as full in this video. It has less low/low mids or something. I dont know if that could be made closer by messing with the settings or not.

I haven't compared these in person, but I always assumed the V would feel more compressed also.

IMO, it's the JJ ECC83 that come stock in the Mark V. More upper mids, less bottom end and more compression than EHX 12AX7 Mesas used to come with.

I got bored one day and pulled the Russian 2s out of my old 2 ch Recto and stuffed them in my Mark V. I learned a lot that day. Now they're in my Roadster. In hindsight I wish I'd done this years ago.

I think the JJs are one of the reasons the Recto and Mark V seem to have found favour with the rock crowd while the metal guys are bitching about them.

When I changed the stock tubes in my Mark V to Winged C 6L6's and Tungsol 12AX&, the difference was night and day, for the better!!!

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

I have a MKv with the IIC mode. I think it sucks. Is there a difference between the mode on the MKV and the real IIC amp?

They need a Mk 6 with some modern metal tones.

Go buy a ENGL or 5150 if that is what you want. There are too many modern high gainers on the market as is.

I have a 6505+ never tried a 5150. Don't really like the 6505. Seems very boomy and without the mid punch. I like the MKV, just wish it had a tad more gain on tap like the 6505 and more saturation for lack of better words. I'm just wondering if new preamp tubes would be worthwhile, or if only the elite, snub nosed audio connoisseurs on here would notice a difference.

What I really like about the MKV is the small form factor of the head. Plus I've always had good luck with Mesa shit. I'm a bit of a fan boy. I've had some of their earlier stuff back in the day. Triaxis, Recto recording preamp, 20/20, 2:90. Never had a problem.

 

[borninwinter]

Meh, I bought a basically new one from GC for $950....sold it a few months later for about the same price. The only Mesa that really commands a high price on the used market is the IIC+.

This^^^^. Nothing more to say.

Well, we'll see on Friday I guess.

You can always catch a stray deal on GC used stuff if you watch every day and move quick because sometimes they have people working that don't exactly know what they're doing. But, they don't have one listed for that price now. And there are about 20 sold listings on ebay for Roadsters where you can see the selling price right now. The only one that went for less than $1k was a combo for local pickup only. The rest are between 1200-1600. Anyone can find a deal if you put in enough effort, but that's the going rate.

Did notice that the listing in the original post says needs new tubes, so that might bring it down a little.

Went for $1061 shipped. Couple hundred off for new tubes, plus a little off for ending the auction on a Friday night. Sell it with good tubes and end on Sunday and you get $1200 easy.

 

[some dude]

To me the V doesn't sound quite as full in this video. It has less low/low mids or something. I dont know if that could be made closer by messing with the settings or not.

I haven't compared these in person, but I always assumed the V would feel more compressed also.

IMO, it's the JJ ECC83 that come stock in the Mark V. More upper mids, less bottom end and more compression than EHX 12AX7 Mesas used to come with.

I got bored one day and pulled the Russian 2s out of my old 2 ch Recto and stuffed them in my Mark V. I learned a lot that day. Now they're in my Roadster. In hindsight I wish I'd done this years ago.

I think the JJs are one of the reasons the Recto and Mark V seem to have found favour with the rock crowd while the metal guys are bitching about them.

When I changed the stock tubes in my Mark V to Winged C 6L6's and Tungsol 12AX&, the difference was night and day, for the better!!!

I experimented with Tung Sol, EHX and JJ preamp tubes. Running mostly EHX (with a couple Tung Sol because I didn't have enough EHX tubes) the amp took on that scooped, sort of industrial high gain sound. Significant improvement to the clarity and the rhythm sound became more of what I'll call 'classic Mesa' with the big ass chugging sound, but I missed the upper mids on lead. In the end I wound up using EHX in V1-3 so that the crunch channel really pushed the low mids on rhythm and put JJs in V4-6 so that channel 3 would have more upper mids on lead. V7 (PI) sounded best with EHX in it, but I'd like to try a Sovtek LPS in that spot.

I wasn't really impressed with the Tung Sol in any position, but it wasn't necessarily bad either, I just prefer the sound of the EHX. My word of warning is that while the EHX made improvements for me as a hard rock verging on metal guy I think some of the classic rock guys might prefer the JJs.

The change with the Roadster was even more shocking to me. With all JJs in the preamp my settings were fairly extreme (for me).... on Vintage the treble was 3/4 up, mids around 8:00, bass around 1:00, presence off... and although the sound was usable I was never really super stoked by it and was constantly fiddling with the settings. Once I dropped EHX in the preamp I turned all the knobs to 12:00 and it sounded great. Tweaked a few things (presence to 10:30, modern channel bass to 10:00) and haven't touched the EQ since.

I always hated JJs in other amps, but Mesas are capable of such extreme settings that JJ don't necessarily produce the "blanket over the cab" effect. Now that I've experimented a bit more I still (generally) dislike JJs, but I can see how some people might like them - particularly those that don't want a colder, more aggressive sounding high gain.

 

[andross182]

Looks like the amp went for 6 bucks over 1k.

 

[Guitarnobody]

When I had the Mark V:25, I changed out V1 to an Ei and the amp sounded 1000% better. Interestingly enough, I popped the JJ into a Dual Recto and it sounded great.

 

[Shask]

Sigh.... You guys are reminding me that I probably need to retube my Triple Recto.

 

[Stumplegriltskin]

What tubes do you cats suggest for a MKV? I use channel 3 pretty much. Do I just need 3 12AX7's and if so, which ones do you recommend. I like gain, lots of it.

 

[Deanmachine]

Tungsram nos.