Mesa Question

[Hollywood]

I was wondering if any of you guys that play or have played the Mesa amps could share your experiences with these amps and running cabs and speakers other than the Mesa cabs and v-30 speakers. I actually tried the Mesa Dual Rectifier last night for about an hour and a half at GC and Liked it.
But I was thinking it would sound even better with a different cab other than the Mesa cab it sat on. I run Scumback speakers mostly and do have a v-30 gt-75 mix cab also. I tend to like the green back and h-30 speakers the best so I wonder how this would do with those.
One kinda weird thing on the New Mesa dual Rec. is the mode switch on each channel when switched really changes the volume a good bit. but I guess since that function is not foot switchable you choose which mode for that channels set up and adjust volume accordingly before playing. that variac switch on the rear is a Cool as Hell feature as well.
I thought the clean channel in pushed mode covered the Plexi real well too.

 

[Dwangtwang]

Hey man,

I had a 50watt Single Recto for about 9 months coupled with 2x Blackstar Series One cabs (basically same spec as the Mesa Recto Cabs - V30's oversized etc)
a 2x12" "Recto Sized"cab with Eminence Texas Heats, a "Marshall Sized" 2x12" with Eminence Red White and Blues and a Cheap as Hell Hiwatt MaxxWatt 4x12" with "who knows what speakers"

The Recto sounded like a Recto through all of them

When recording I found the Hiwatt "cheap ass" Cab to have some really tight bright and aggressive Dimebag-esque tones, coupled with the warmth of the red white and blues was a great combination - for me anywayz D

Daniel -

 

[locoed]

I actually prefer my Marshall TV 4x12,with greenbacks for all my Mesa stuff,recto cabs sound great with Bogner amps

 

[RJF]

My early 2 ch Dual rec sounds better through my Diezel front load 412 with an X of V30's and K100's, than it does with it's matching recto 412 cab.

 

[kasperjensen]

Funnily enough I like them with Marshall cabs.

Somehow takes a bit of the "isssss' out.

 

[Hollywood]

so have any of you guys switched the tubes from 6l6 to el-34's ?
How'd that go?

 

[scottkahn]

1. Dual Rec is designed for 6L6 tubes. Although you CAN switch it to EL-34, this is not a good move and should be avoided. You will lose the beauty of the 6L6 tone and end up with less headroom and a dirtier, more jagged sound. Given that rectos aren't known for being the tightest bottomed amps, stick with the cleaner tube choice, and the one for which it was really designed.

2. You're new the world of Mesa, so I would encourage you to read this in-depth review of the new Dual Recto.

http://musicplayers.com/reviews/guitars ... lRecto.php

It is very easy to get the wrong feeling about a Mesa amp from playing in a store because so many people handle these amps who don't understand Mesa's design, and many switch settings get left in improper configurations. Besides essential rear panel settings, if you turned the Bass up past 12:00 on any channels, you killed the tone. Mesas are notoriously bass heavy and you do not dial in your EQ like on a comparable Marshall, for example. So if you had a positive experience in the store, expect the amp to sound even better once you get it home. READ the Mesa manual. It's legendary documentation and essential for getting the most out of your Mesa amp.

3. Mesa cabs are among the best made, and you would be hard pressed to find comparable cabs that sound "better" when paired with the DR. You can find cabs for less money, cabs for more, and they may sound different, but "better" is not necessarily what you'll hear... just some subtle difference in the EQ and the resonance of the cab, perhaps the low-end presence, especially with a cheaper cab. Most manufacturers really tune their amps to their cabs and vice versa.

Of the non-Mesa cabs I have used/played/tested with, I have had great results with ENGL Pro series cabs (212 and 412) each with V30 speakers, and had amazing results with a 3rd Power 3x12 cab loaded with 3 G12H speakers paired with a Dual Recto Road King II, which has some similar modern recto tones in it as the new Dual Recto.

http://musicplayers.com/reviews/guitars ... _SB312.php

Scott

 

[Hollywood]

thanks for the post. there is a good bit of info here.

 

[Gjeven]

I have a Mesa Dual Rectifier and a Mark V. I've tried them with a Mesa 2x12 w/ V30's and a Whitebox 2x12 with Scumback M75's. Both the Dual Rec and Mark V sound great with the Scumbacks and gets rid of a little bit of the fizzy sound that people hate mesa's for, but I think I prefer the Mesa cab. Mostly because I like the low end / mid range sound of the V30's for that "modern" sound I associate with Mesa's. I'd like to try the mesa cab with some scumbacks to see if its the cab or actually the V30's that I like. The mesa cab is built like a tank.

 

[RJF]

I don't agree at all that a Dual Rec is not designed for EL34's. The bias switch works fine and many people PREFER EL34's over the 6L6's in the dual rec because it helps bring out some extra mid range from an amp that is voiced somewhat scooped.

Me personally I run the KT88/KT66 combo in my rev F 2 channel and love it. When combined with a boost and my Diezel FL 412 cab, SUPER tight low end.

 

[tfridgen]

I don't agree at all that a Dual Rec is not designed for EL34's. The bias switch works fine and many people PREFER EL34's over the 6L6's in the dual rec because it helps bring out some extra mid range from an amp that is voiced somewhat scooped.

Me personally I run the KT88/KT66 combo in my rev F 2 channel and love it. When combined with a boost and my Diezel FL 412 cab, SUPER tight low end.

+1 Using JJE34L's and loving them!! Another thing I disagree with in that article is the hard loop bypass. These amps sound INFINITELY better with the loop bypassed. They sound pretty good if you need effects, but take that loop out and these amps transform!

 

[_actual time_]

remember that Mesa's proprietary V30s are not the same model as regular V30s. some guy on TGP did a big shootout between them and said the Mesa ones sound a bit darker, not as bright.

i run my Mark V through Hellatone 60Ls, which are yet another different flavor of V30. they have a lower-frequency voice coil or something, which gives punchier lows and a bit more highs and smoother midrange. i dunno how they would sound with a DR, but i think they sound great with the midrange thickness of the Mark V.

 

[glassjaw7]

IMO, Rectos sound the best with at least a mix of V30s and some other smoother speaker (such as a Mesa C90 or G12-65). They also sound pretty good through Marshall 1960 cabs (T75s)

I've had good luck with them through my Carvin 412 with Carvin/Eminence 100 watt BR12s also, but only for bedroom, studio use as there's not enough cut for live use.

The BEST tone I've heard from Rectos however, was through 412 Road King cabs. The partial open-back design and the mix of V30s and C90s was absolutely brilliant! It brought out the best of the recto tone in every aspect. The V30s in the closed back side of the cab provided the crunch and bite, while the open back side with the Black shadow C90s gave the tone depth and just enough smoothness to counter the V30s' tone. Also, clean tones sounded noticeably better through the RK cab than through other cabs.

I also preferred the slightly smaller Stiletto/Traditional Mesa Cabs to the oversized Recto cabs with the Recto (and much preferred with the Mark series). It is tighter and less scooped and fuzzy.

 

[155]

+1 Using JJE34L's and loving them!! Another thing I disagree with in that article is the hard loop bypass. These amps sound INFINITELY better with the loop bypassed. They sound pretty good if you need effects, but take that loop out and these amps transform![/quote]
I agree with that ...bypass the loop, diodes

 

[locoed]

I just starting using EL-34's in my Mark IV,and so far,it's sounding mid heavy,little more gain feeling,it's a tight amp to begin with but it's a little tighter now,i like 6L6 tubes but i've been using them for almost 20 years and i'm at the point of not being afraid to try new things,as for my Rectos,anything goes,i've tried them all,my least favorite was the KT-77's.Now i'm back and forth from EL-34 to 6L6 tubes.I only hear a slight difference in tone.

 

[glassjaw7]

I just starting using EL-34's in my Mark IV,and so far,it's sounding mid heavy,little more gain feeling,it's a tight amp to begin with but it's a little tighter now,i like 6L6 tubes but i've been using them for almost 20 years and i'm at the point of not being afraid to try new things,as for my Rectos,anything goes,i've tried them all,my least favorite was the KT-77's.Now i'm back and forth from EL-34 to 6L6 tubes.I only hear a slight difference in tone.

That's funny because my fav was running 77s in mine. Different strokes... EL34s were nice too. I don't like 6L6s at all in rectos. I guess I don't like the stock, traditional recto tone, at least not the 3-channel versions. I need that tighter bottom and a little more mid emphasis that the 34s or 77s bring out.

This was the recto tone for me:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=1090342


My Mark on the other hand, I love with 6L6s. I'd still like to try 34s in the outer sockets, just to check it out again. (played my buddy's IV like this and liked it)

Still digging the Rhodes Recto?

 

[Nitrobattery]

I'm new to the forum, but thought I'd also chime in. I've had two and three channel Dual Rectos, a Mark IV, a TriAxis/2:90 rig, a DC-5, a DC-10, a Roadster, and currently have a Tremoverb. EL34's sounds GREAT in Rectos and really give them a very cool vibe. I also really liked running two 6L6's and two EL34's in my Mark IV.

As far as speakers go, I've loved my Mesa 4x12 since the day I got it. I've had a ton of heads over the years, and guitars have come and gone, but my Mesa cab has stayed with me through all of the rig changes. I think it just comes down to using your own ears and trying as many different speakers as you can.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I don't agree at all that a Dual Rec is not designed for EL34's. The bias switch works fine and many people PREFER EL34's over the 6L6's in the dual rec because it helps bring out some extra mid range from an amp that is voiced somewhat scooped.

Some things like tube preferences and tone are subjective, while others are not. No Recto that I have ever seen is scooped in any imaginable way, that is a rumor, they're just bassy. The excess of low end present in the output tone can drown out a certain portion of the midrange by sheer fact that it is louder than it (typically the 150-300Hz range gets lost), but that's only in a relative/perceived way. Most amps that people consider to have a "flat response" in actuality have lots of bass and high chop so that they focus a certain part of the midrange of a guitar's tone.

 

[Hollywood]

thanks for the input. Seems to me that the number of Mesa Dual rec users is a whole lot higher than people realize. I am in the checking these out phase, I always do this before I try new directions. You guys are helping a bunch. Thanks again.

 

[D-Rock]

I'm finding that my Recto sounds best through a quad of Eminence V12 Legends. With those speakers you can just pour on the bass, midrange and treble and the tone just gets better and better. Very thick, clear and aggressive.