Mesa fifty/fifty question

[GuitarGuyLP]

I have been running my mak4 through my 50/50 for a few days now. I have found that there is a bit of an unpleasant high mids thing going on. So I decided to see if it was the Mesa, or the Mak4, so I put the Mak4 into the return of my Peters 20 watt amp, and holy balls does it sound so much better!!!!!!! Same cab, same settings on the preamp, but wow

Now my question, is the fifty/fifty just not a great power amp, it sounded good with my ENGL E530, but with the Mak4 it just seems to not sound right. I am thinking about selling the mesa, and just using my Peters as the power section.

Cab is an Earcandy Buzzbomb 212 with greenmachines. I have also tried a few other cabs, but this one seems to kill everything else with the Mak4.

 

[glassjaw7]

I'm looking for a Mesa 2:50 for my axe fx if you decide to sell..

If I'm not mistaken, the 2:50 has a bias switch to run EL34's(or KT77) while the older fifty/fifty can only use 6L6's. Keep that in mind.

 

[hydesg]

try dialing the presence knob on the 50/50 lower?

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

I haven't had the presence up past 2 on the Mesa, I have it up to about 3 on the Peters. I think that I might have to keep on looking for a different power amp... Or wait for the Mako power amp

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

Anyone else have some info on these power amps??

 

[Ancient Alien]

I've owned a few over the years.
They tend to have a weird high and high mid that can't be dialed out.
Just get a Fryette and be done with it

 

[srinivassa]

20W vs. 2x50W power section? Tube power sections need to be cranked for tone.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

I have been cranking it. I also tried just using one side of the power amp, and hooking the other side up to another cab, and turning it down. Also tube power amps usually have to have the volume control up past a certain point, if I want to play at lower levels I use an mxr eq to drop the level up to 24 db. It still sounds great. I just think that there is something funky about the 50/50.

lol, I have been thinking about a VHT, but since I mostly play at home, and 20 tube watts is more then enough head room for me at I might just keep my peters head, then I still get those sounds, and I can use the power section for my mako.

 

[srinivassa]

I figured that was a dumb question. Normally, I would trust Mesa to have reasonble low end and decent settings for everyone. It seems oddly disappointing to give up on a Mesa 50/50, but I suppose they could never really be for everyone.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

I picked it up based on the fact that mesa gear is usually solid, but I don't know about this power amp. There is no shortage of low end, there is just something funky with the high mids. I have been thinking about getting the schematic, and seeing if there is something different in the feedback loop, or presence control, but I have heard a lot of mixed things about the 50/50 so I wanted to find out if that is just how it sounds, or it could also be the combination of that pre, and that power amp.

 

[Ventura]

In speaking at length about this very topic with Andrew (Solner, Mako owner/founder), he had the following things to say:
- the Mak 4 doesn't rely on power tube or power section saturation for tone
- power tube/section saturation would sound horrible coupled with the Mak 4, pending on the amp in question
- he recommended the highest ceiling possible from a power section, huge headroom, huge power handling
- as transparent a power section as possible

I did my research, and this is what led me to the Fryette 2:90:2 which Andrew gave a big on as far as being a good choice to couple his pre with. I'll never use 90+W per side in any situation (or colliseum for that matter), so saturation isn't a concern. The KT88's are apparently quite neutral, or, let's say well suited in their inherent coloring, to the Mak 4 preamp circuit and tone.

I've heard several people voice their displeasure with matching their Mak 4's to a Mesa poweramp. I've also heard that the Marshall series of poweramps, while decent, lack the depth and presence controls as that of the Fryette models.

Hope this helps,
V.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

In speaking at length about this very topic with Andrew (Solner, Mako owner/founder), he had the following things to say:
- the Mak 4 doesn't rely on power tube or power section saturation for tone
- power tube/section saturation would sound horrible coupled with the Mak 4, pending on the amp in question
- he recommended the highest ceiling possible from a power section, huge headroom, huge power handling
- as transparent a power section as possible

I did my research, and this is what led me to the Fryette 2:90:2 which Andrew gave a big on as far as being a good choice to couple his pre with. I'll never use 90+W per side in any situation (or colliseum for that matter), so saturation isn't a concern. The KT88's are apparently quite neutral, or, let's say well suited in their inherent coloring, to the Mak 4 preamp circuit and tone.

I've heard several people voice their displeasure with matching their Mak 4's to a Mesa poweramp. I've also heard that the Marshall series of poweramps, while decent, lack the depth and presence controls as that of the Fryette models.

Hope this helps,
V.

Thanks for the info. I will probably sell my Mesa. I was thinking about taking an afternoon, and going to a music store, trying tube, and solid state power amps, and seeing if something sounds better to my ears then the Peters power amp. I also have a possible line on a 100 watt dedicated Peters power amp. I will probably spend more time with the mak 4 into the peters for now, and see if there is any real need for a change.

Thanks

Ryan

 

[bubbastain]

 

[Ventura]

I was running my Mak4 with a Peavey EL84 powered 50/50 and thought it lacked nothing. It was stereo or bridgeable to mono, has presence and resonance knobs and was just great. Plenty of volume for anything. I'm not really a "gotta push the power section hard to get good tone" believer.

Yes, and Andrew would tell you that's the last thing the Mak 4 will benefit from tonally

V.

 

[GuitarGuyLP]

I will also say this. James Peters told me the same thing about the Warhawk channel in my Peters. I have found that I like a bit of give in the power section even with high gain amps. You just have to dial the amp a bit different. I haven't tried it with the mak4 yet, but I will try the vintage, and low power modes on my Peters to see what it does. I think my Peters is a keeper, and 20 watts is enough for me so I will probably just use that power section, and if I start up a band again I will look for a vht, or Randall rt2/50, but I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

Thanks for all the advice!!!