PurityS.L.G
Well-known member
So...after my recent acquisition of the MKV, I was extremely curious to see how the IIC+ mode stacked up to the JP2C that I've played many times but this time in the same room through the same cabs.
First off, both amps can get very close to each other. Like, 90% close. The thing with the MKV is that it needs a lot of volume to come alive and even sound remotely good and comparable to the previous MK versions it copies. When I say that, I mean like serious volume. I'm not a buy a 100w amp and never play past whisper volume because I live in an apartment guy and expect godly tone. Very much like my Nitro and pretty much every Marshall I've owned, the MKV is an amp that I now realize is misunderstood and needs the volume to deliver the punch and goods that people seem to miss from it at lower volumes. I can see why almost everyone prefers the mighty MKIV since it sounds glorious at all volumes.
As for this beast, I couldn't be more happier with it. The voicing is more vicious than I remembered and I attest that to being able to crank it louder than I was previously able and comfortable to. This amp is probably the most aggressive sounding I've owned including the Uberschall, Cobra and Deliverance 60.
The lower gain Marshall type tones can be had on here as well, much more so than the MKV I'll add.
I had the intention to pit this up against the MKV and see which one I liked best and sell the other but I'm most definitely keeping both. The JP scratches all of my high gain itches and then some. The MKV covers every other tone I need for other purposes. I'm addicted to the MKI mode for the khaki lead tones I need for pop/R&B projects I work on.
I will make another thread with comparison clips of the JP, MKV and my friends MKIII red stripe. I can already tell you guys right now off the bat that it does NOT sound like the MKIII I used to own. Can't compare to a IIC+ since I've never owned one but against the MKIII, JP is more aggressive, has a much softer attack, more prominent mids and less stringy highs. Overall it just sounds more modern and I like that!
I didn't buy the amp primarily to chase IIC+ tones, even though that's a tone I very much like. I just wanted an amp that gives me the most immediate and striking attack like a Fryette UL does. Also I wanted to see if the IIC+ mode on the MKV is as authentic as Mesa claims and compared to the JP, its hella close.
