diezel VH4 vs boogie mark 5

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karol86

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Hey folks,

I do not mean to start any flame-causing topics because I know that this is pure subjective and this is mostly a diezel related topics, so everyone will be leaning towards this brand, but I really need an advice. Best if someone played both and which he/she preferred.

Here, where I live we do not have much chances to try amps cause most of the shops carry only the cheapest stuff, so the only option is to listen to clips, vids and TALK to people about their feelings or if you're adventurous, drive with a pile of money over some serios distance.

I am in a stage that I'd like to buy a new amp, but I am not sure what to go with. Let me just quickly explain what I am searching for:

-I play a 7 string guitar in B, not just pure metal, but lets say a crossover with funky rhytms and crushing riffs at the same time
-I want the new amp not to get too flubby, I want it to cut/sit in the mix, not sounding too hifi or too compressed-
but on the opposite with certain rawness and crunch, tight (but not overprocessed like engls for instance) in the lows and with some good chord definition- being universal, I want it to stick good with drums and bass you know..
.. it needs to be at least 3 channels as i do cleans as well as crunches and higher gain rhytm stuff a lot..

the sound should be raw and chunky but not overly too agressive..
(that's why i did not keep the old 5150, it just sounded metal any way I used it and even though I loved it for certain styles, I felt it was too much gain on tap for our band and sound)

-i want pristine cleans that do not distort too much, which work great with FX and a solid crunch which has enough juice to be in the almost higher gain ballpark

So far I am considering these, please note that both of these are in the same price range (the MK5 is expensive in the EU..so is the VH4, here where I live they are monewise almost equal)

OPTION 1 (which was the first option to go to) :
Mesa mark 5 (2900e).. the con is the tech support, 2y warranty, the pro is that i know what i can expect as i used to have a mark 4, footswitch included and solo boost+ reverb on channels

OPTION 2:
Diezel VH4 (which a friend of mine pointed me to that i should check out.. 2980e but i suppose i'll need a midi FS of some sort)..

I am afraid that the VH4 migh be too compressed and processed as most of the videos I've watched did not overwhelm me too much, but I was told it can do the more airy, raw open tones as well so I am just completely unsure

All your ideas are highly welcome and just to really stress one thing from my side - both of the companies do an amazing job on building high quality amps so i am definitely not question that :)

Thx guys
 
karol86":2x4uhi05 said:
Hey folks,

I do not mean to start any flame-causing topics because I know that this is pure subjective and this is mostly a diezel related topics, so everyone will be leaning towards this brand, but I really need an advice. Best if someone played both and which he/she preferred.

Here, where I live we do not have much chances to try amps cause most of the shops carry only the cheapest stuff, so the only option is to listen to clips, vids and TALK to people about their feelings or if you're adventurous, drive with a pile of money over some serios distance.

I am in a stage that I'd like to buy a new amp, but I am not sure what to go with. Let me just quickly explain what I am searching for:

-I play a 7 string guitar in B, not just pure metal, but lets say a crossover with funky rhytms and crushing riffs at the same time
-I want the new amp not to get too flubby, I want it to cut/sit in the mix, not sounding too hifi or too compressed-
but on the opposite with certain rawness and crunch, tight (but not overprocessed like engls for instance) in the lows and with some good chord definition- being universal, I want it to stick good with drums and bass you know..
.. it needs to be at least 3 channels as i do cleans as well as crunches and higher gain rhytm stuff a lot..

the sound should be raw and chunky but not overly too agressive..
(that's why i did not keep the old 5150, it just sounded metal any way I used it and even though I loved it for certain styles, I felt it was too much gain on tap for our band and sound)

-i want pristine cleans that do not distort too much, which work great with FX and a solid crunch which has enough juice to be in the almost higher gain ballpark

So far I am considering these, please note that both of these are in the same price range (the MK5 is expensive in the EU..so is the VH4, here where I live they are monewise almost equal)

OPTION 1 (which was the first option to go to) :
Mesa mark 5 (2900e).. the con is the tech support, 2y warranty, the pro is that i know what i can expect as i used to have a mark 4, footswitch included and solo boost+ reverb on channels

OPTION 2:
Diezel VH4 (which a friend of mine pointed me to that i should check out.. 2980e but i suppose i'll need a midi FS of some sort)..

I am afraid that the VH4 migh be too compressed and processed as most of the videos I've watched did not overwhelm me too much, but I was told it can do the more airy, raw open tones as well so I am just completely unsure

All your ideas are highly welcome and just to really stress one thing from my side - both of the companies do an amazing job on building high quality amps so i am definitely not question that :)

Thx guys
Click to expand...

I know "Rezamatix" has experience both of them. He prefer VH4 all the way. I was in the same situation as you before (considering MKV, VH4 and Herbert). I choosed Diezel and couldn't be happier :thumbsup: I have had Herbert and VH4 and I think VH4 would be good choise for you...
 
thanks for the reply.. what concerns me if the VH4 can get that brutal/raw tone with growl.. by brutal i do not mean oversaturated, scooped or superfast/piercing.. i mean that fat raw lively tone.. :)
 
This is a tough one... Half of your post would suggest a Mark V, the other half (as Pauly also says) a Herbert...

I've had the opportunity to test them side by side several times.

What I don't like about the Mark V is that for all those tonal options, switches, knobs etc, You can't manipulate anything with midi... You can only set up each channel for one mode/tone/EQ setting, which I find terribly limiting for an amp of that price and with such extended capabilities.

I'd say, get the Herbert and a midi pedal and everything will become possible! :)
 
I guessed from his post that he maybe does switch a lot between Crunch and Heav Rythm...considering that, i'd take the VH4 over the Herbert, because the "+/-" is not switchable (without modification, and then an extra footswitch).
 
I think you should get a Herbert Mk.II, the new ones! or score a used one for less

I think that is the amp for you and not the VH4, just my opinion though... I suggest at least you do some research on both the VH4 and the Herbert...

Honestly have not tried the Mesa Boogie... So can't give you that comparison though...
 
hmm, i don't like to cut my mids out, on the opposite, I quite like a middier tone, i am not a huge fan of those scooped sounds so even with a herbert, I wouldn't care about the mid cut at all i suppose.. but its a bit more expensive than I'd expect nah.. but so far it seems I am igging the herbert a bit more.. in case it would really sound like this in person with my mesa stiletto 4X12 V30s then I'd be all in
 
Honestly, I replaced six Mesa's with the Herbert and VH4. I also do not feel the newer VH4 is a compressed amp, they have a good bit of bight
to them now and are not nearly a dark as the older ones. It accepts 7 String guitars and down tuning VERY well.

As for the Herbert, it is a real gem, but remember there is no one holding a gun to your head telling you that you have
to use the mid cut. :thumbsup:
 
Still learning my herbert but have been through the mesa family in the past 10years from rack stuff to recto to mark iv i can say the herbert might be better suited for what your looking for from a tone aspect ... though the mid cut is cool and channel 3 is the heaviest thing i have ever heard come out of an amp .. i have found my self floating around channel 2 and no mid cut youll find that raw chunky tone with ease .. ... and the cleans out of 1 are superb... have not had that much time with my herbie but those are my initial impressions ...
 
Those initial impressions you have are just how I remember the Herbert as when I last played it! Huge rythem chunkiness coming out of channel 2+... probably my favorite channel on the Herbert, period! HUGE!!! Channel 3 has great liquid leads, and the cleans are most definatly awesome, and have plenty of headroom!
 
Basically your saying, that you want to have a hot girlfriend with nice boobs, nice ass and now you are asking us whether she should have blond or brown hair.
The VH4 and the Mark5 both are hot and have nice asses and boobs (VH4 has bigger boobs and is way hotter!!!).
But considering rawness go for the Diezel. The VH4 is not "to compressed" and Peter Diezel can always tweak it a little. Also the VH4 has way more usefull features.

I'd say you contact Peter Diezel and explain your needs. Then, if necessary, he can tweak you a VH4, which you then can buy at your local shop.
You won't regret it!
 
MARK2C":3810kbha said:
.As for the Herbert, it is a real gem, but remember there is no one holding a gun to your head telling you that you have
to use the mid cut. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...


I hardly ever use the midcut on my Herbie. :D
 
I'd go with a new vh4. Its a beast. I'd recommend ordering new because this year they've become even more of a raw uncompressed cutting monster and that sounds more like what you're after.
 
slyvren":27h8cu18 said:
I'd go with a new vh4. Its a beast. I'd recommend ordering new because this year they've become even more of a raw uncompressed cutting monster and that sounds more like what you're after.
Click to expand...

+1 :thumbsup:
 
hey reza...do you remember your CH3 settings for that video? cheers!
 
I have a Diezel VH4 and Mesa Mark V -combo. Both are wonderful amps capable of many extremely great tones. Peronally I find VH4 easier to dial in the "perfect" tone for my purposes. Also the loops are better in VH4 and having the 4th channel is a great advantage.

Im using mainly 7 and 8-string guitars and play also other styles than metal.
 
Rezamatix":1yi0w0lu said:
kloppsta":1yi0w0lu said:
hey reza...do you remember your CH3 settings for that video? cheers!
Click to expand...
Everything at about noon except the gain which was around 3oclock.
The bass was at 11oclock
Click to expand...

and that was with a strat? wow! big sound! what pickups are you using in your strat?
 
The problem with the Mark V is that it doesn't have nearly as good of a lead channel as the Mark IV did (IMO), however, practically every other aspect of the amp has been greatly improved (cleans & crunch).

If you were in the US, I'd say the Mark V might still be a better choice, as it's A LOT cheaper than the VH4, which I've never been a huge fan of, but in Europe, Mesa is just not worth buying.

PaulyPanacea":318k2m0b said:
For you... a Herbert may serve you better IMHO
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking.

Not that the VH4 wouldn't work, but I think a 7 string into the Herbert would be a much better decision.
 
I have spent a lot of time with both the MarkV and the Herbert. I still own the Herbert. I play 6 and 7 strings. The 7 string sounds fantastic thru the Herbert. The amount of tone shaping options seem to be limitless. The fact that it is midi controllable is icing one the cake. Every amp should be midi IMO.


The Herbert can sound mean but still raw/organic and open sounding if you want it to. It's all in the users hands.

I have nothing against Mesa and I quite like them but the Herbert is in a different league. One of the best high gain amp clean channels ever made. Love the freaking clean channel.

Good luck with whatever you decide but my vote is HERBERT! :rock:
 
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