NAD Mezzabarba M Zero

[Markedman]

I tried some different tubes from my extensive stash. Pierangelo said he liked the 8th generation square getter12 ax7 in V2, ch2 for high gain. I agree for most amps but when I turn the knob past 2 o'clock on the Mezzabarba, the gain became over saturated and lost it's bight. After trying a bunch of tubes, one totally stood out volume wise as I compared the different tubes with ch1 which has a lot of gain itself. This tube, a Mesa SPAX, allowed me to crank the gain all the way and still not over compressing the tone. It is much thicker than the 8th gen.
In ch1, I found a NOS Raytheon RCA 12ax7 was optimal in that channel.

This amp did not get much use before I got my hands on it. The tubes all tested new. Tubes opened this amp up.

 

[Luca79]

Mesa SPAX aren't chinese too? I also find the overdrive too saturated with some high output pickups.

 

[Markedman]

Mesa SPAX aren't chinese too? I also find the overdrive too saturated with some high output pickups.

Yes, the SPAX are Chinese, maybe even 8th gen. I chose it because it was louder and less saturated in this amp. All amps are different, I've found. NOS tubes work wonders in vintage amps, not so much in modern amps in my experience. The 8th gen that came in it maxed out and turned into compression after 2PM on the dial. Now, I can crank the gain all the way without the compression, which to me, is better for this amp, which I use for Rock, not metal. I've Boogies, all metal monsters, for metal if I ever find people who want play it. The audience for metal around here is like 10 people at best. With rock, we get 40 peple sometimes at our shows.

 

[Markedman]

This is better, 2 16 ohm EVM12L speakers in a cross pattern smoothed out the overall tone. I'll get to try it out at band level tomorrow -

Mezzabarba ‘69 cab with EV & Greenbacks cross pattern by John Bazzano, on Flickr

 

[Markedman]

2nd week update; First of all, wow, just fucking wow. I not saying it's just real good or, "it's a great amp, why, do you want to buy it?" amp. It's a Jackhammer!

If a Boogie Mark IIC+ had a baby with a 1976 Marshall JMP it would sound like an M-Zero. I've owned both of those amps and it has the raw bark of a JMP, pissy ripping bark, and the feel of a C+ with that punch to the chest and the grab of the speaker, heart pounding great low end control and super lush tone, super meaty and full.

It has it's own sound, that's why people compare it to a SLO or a Marshall, you know, "it tastes like chicken" when it's hard to decribe something. The amps I can compare it to are modern amps like Carr, Two Rock, and other woody sounding amps. It'll go to metal but not super tight chug unless you add a GEQ in the loop. The low end grab is incredible and punchy as all hell.

The guys in the band were floored at the tone and presence of the sound. I'm just getting started and I'm loving this thing a lot. It goes places I've never been with an amp before. I have had to adjust my playing style to accomodate the way this amp voices single note or chords. So meaty, sometimes I should cut back a little, I think, It can be overpowering at times.

My one complaint is that once you turn the gain up on channel 2 past 2 o'clock, it goes downhill into the compression zone. Maybe Pierangelo, the maker, will address this as I noticed that Ola also said the same thing. Ola's eyes were buggin' as he demoed this amp. He said it chugged.

https://youtu.be/HMH9STgNEpY

Eris Steckel rips this amp! He uses it like I used to use my Marshall amps, dime everything! This kid rips the fuck out of this amp! Go to about 7:50 and watch his face, it melts. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0p_j79f0UOU

 

[Hamer95USA]

This is better, 2 16 ohm EVM12L speakers in a cross pattern smoothed out the overall tone. I'll get to try it out at band level tomorrow -

Mezzabarba ‘69 cab with EV & Greenbacks cross pattern by John Bazzano, on Flickr

That's an awesome speaker set up that you have. How did you find any EV12L speakers in 16 ohms? I only see those speakers for sale used or new in 8 ohms only. BTW, congratulations on getting the Mezzabarba Trinity amp head. I was always curious on how it sounded and have an idea of it from Ola Englund's Youtube video.

Guitar George

 

[Markedman]

Those 16 ohm EV's came up on Craigslist.

I actually have the M-Zero Oerdrive, not the trinity but is very similar. I've had big iron world class amps for 40+ years and this thing is a new world for me. My hands hurt from playing so much.

 

[Markedman]

Boogie Quad preamp through the loop of the Mezzabarba.




Back to the Mezzabarba




In the room the Boogie slays, not by just a little, but a lot, for tight Modern Metal tone. The Mezzabarba is still a great change and has an awesome Classic Rock lead tone and can be pushed into more metal with a pedal, like any amp. The Mezzabarba power section is where it's at though, IMO, the depth, feedback & presence knobs help make the Boogie sound better than it did through the Boogie power amps. It also lets me shape the attack and feel coming off the speakers.

My Rectifier pre amp is at Boogie getting a go over and I imagine that it will be pretty darn good through the Mezzabarba power too.

 

[FourT6and2]

Congrats. For more info on the circuit... it's an SLO clone with some small Marshall-inspired tweaks. That's why it sounds like a Boogie and Marshall hybrid.

 

[stephen sawall]

I played on one several times.... including yesterday. It really is a nice amp. I tend to prefer the lower and medium gain sounds from this amp. It can cover the heavy stuff. It tightens up nice with a pedal. It sounds better than most amps at low volume. It has a bit of Marshall flavor....but more of the Soldano family of sounds.