Recto r-0022 rev C on ebay....

[anomaly]

fwiw.... 3 different times, i owned iva's at the same time as real, loaded c+'s. 3 times out of 3, i sold the c+ and kept the IVa and a giant lump of cash. c+'s aren't 8k better than a IVa imo... same tonal flavor, just a slight variation that i can deal with just fine.

I think the early IVb's (transitional IV's) sound as good or very similar to the IVa's as well. They have a lot of the same components as the IVa's that the later IVb's don't have... they did more to that amp further along the B revision line. The one's to look for have the attatched power cable and old school cosmetics.

 

[Racerxrated]

I've somehow never had tinnitus issues (maybe just briefly for a few minutes when I'm very very tired), but I do agree the III's have a harsh high end that I interpret as less musical. The C+ wins for me really because of the extra clarity, detail, complexity and much more going on in the mid and uppermids. I never really agreed with others saying III's are more aggressive. They are in the highs, but the C+'s have so much more growl and aggression in the mids that I hear them as more aggressive overall despite the smoother highs. It's like they're rough and smooth in the right places vs the III's and IV's

I have a Rev D and would be very curious to hear a C one day for comparison

This.
Long ago I scored 2 DRG IIIs for 1200. I was deciding which to keep, in this case a purple stripe wiped the floor with a Red....internet would tell you otherwise...but then I found a 2C combo for 750, SRG at an east coast GC. That 2C was maybe the best, most open/raw amp I've ever owned. That 2C made my decision easy; time to off both IIIs. It wasn't even close, and this was a non upgraded C! Of course I sent it in for Mike to + it, and it was killer...my best sounding C+ of all 4 I've owned..but it lost that open 'edgy' tone. Looking back I should have kept it stock. It was THAT good.

 

[thegame]

I think it’s really silly to judge amps on the current hyper inflated market conditions. Sorry, I’m from the era of $1200 C+s, $700 mk 3’s, etc. The good ‘ol days when you had to spend a little or moderately higher amount to get a better amp, instead of today when it’s several times that. Comments like, yeah it’s better but not x amount better doesn’t change the reality of what’s coming out of the speakers. 20 years ago there was no crying that a C+ was, gasp, $500 - $700 more than a used MK 3. Unreasonable hype inflation often leads to unreasonable conclusions and bias about the gear itself.

 

[VESmedic]

I think it’s really silly to judge amps on the current hyper inflated market conditions. Sorry, I’m from the era of $1200 C+s, $700 mk 3’s, etc. The good ‘ol days when you had to spend a little or moderately higher amount to get a better amp, instead of today when it’s several times that. Comments like, yeah it’s better but not x amount better doesn’t change the reality of what’s coming out of the speakers. 20 years ago there was no crying that a C+ was, gasp, $500 - $700 more than a used MK 3. Unreasonable hype inflation often leads to unreasonable conclusions and bias about the gear itself.

Get off my lawn! “ I’m from the era of…..” LMAO GTFOH

 

[braintheory]

Well I got a certain (very early) mid 90's Mark IVb that has more mojo and clarity to it than any other Mark I've owned, and it sounds and feels different than the later B revision Mark IV's I've tried. I've A/B'ed it with my old III red stripe and as soon as I did that I sold the red stripe, it just lacked the low end of the IV, it lacked the grind, it lacked the clarity and it was hard to dial the mid honk out of the III, as well as the harsh top end... The III's don't record nearly as well as the IV's do either IMO.

Don't get me wrong though, I still like the III's, but if I had a choice of a III or a IV I'd take the IV any day of the week. The fact that it is really hard to get a modern tone out of a III is kinda a deal breaker for me too.

I've only got to try a IIC+ once and it did sound great. It certainly sounded like an expensive amp and felt amazing to play through, but I didn't play it nearly long enough to judge it completely. IMHO though, I really don't think any amp is really worth that kinda cash.

I haven’t tried a red stripe in many years now. A IV I think is capable of more lows like you said or at least low mids. There’s no argument of the c+’s being very overpriced. Lotta other stuff that’s even more stupidly overpriced (like a Klon, ‘60’s Marshall’s, dumble, certain model vintage fender amps), but I only comment on how things actually sound IME regardless of price and we can all decide for ourselves if it’s worth buying or not. I paid $1900 for my IIC+ HRG fwiw in 2014, but still a very good price at that time. The no stripe coli I had was surprisingly close to the voicing of my c+ other than the harsher high end, not quite as good mids or clarity, and when Mike B did the ++ mod it got a bit closer still. Actually now that I mention it it seems very obvious now. I think a mark iii with mike B’s ++ mod (hopefully on a no stripe) is imo easily the best alternative if one can’t get a iic+

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

I haven’t tried a red stripe in many years now. A IV I think is capable of more lows like you said or at least low mids. There’s no argument of the c+’s being very overpriced. Lotta other stuff that’s even more stupidly overpriced (like a Klon, ‘60’s Marshall’s, dumble, certain model vintage fender amps), but I only comment on how things actually sound IME regardless of price and we can all decide for ourselves if it’s worth buying or not. I paid $1900 for my IIC+ HRG fwiw in 2014, but still a very good price at that time. The no stripe coli I had was surprisingly close to the voicing of my c+ other than the harsher high end, not quite as good mids or clarity, and when Mike B did the ++ mod it got a bit closer still. Actually now that I mention it it seems very obvious now. I think a mark iii with mike B’s ++ mod (hopefully on a no stripe) is imo easily the best alternative if one can’t get a iic+

 

[GJgo]

I had a III red DRG long head that Mike B ++ modded for me. On that amp at least I think it took it too far, it was overly compressed on the feels. Sounded great, though. BeyondBlack owned it for a while after I had it. In hindsight I wish I only got the + mod.

Later I had a no stripe SG that Mike + modded for me, that was much better in terms of "closeness to a C+".

All that being said, for years I've had the position that a no/black III+ is the second best alternative because no III has the II clarity. IMO the #1 alternative is a RP9C loaded IIB loop mod. For rhythms I actually prefer it to a C+.

Back to the topic, the Rev C is the only Recto I've touched that has that kind of clarity and liquidity!

 

[braintheory]

I had a III red DRG long head that Mike B ++ modded for me. On that amp at least I think it took it too far, it was overly compressed on the feels. Sounded great, though. BeyondBlack owned it for a while after I had it. In hindsight I wish I only got the + mod.

Later I had a no stripe SG that Mike + modded for me, that was much better in terms of "closeness to a C+".

All that being said, for years I've had the position that a no/black III+ is the second best alternative because no III has the II clarity. IMO the #1 alternative is a RP9C loaded IIB loop mod. For rhythms I actually prefer it to a C+.

Back to the topic, the Rev C is the only Recto I've touched that has that kind of clarity and liquidity!

Hm the 2 blue stripe coli’s I had and no stripe coli that I still have all have the ++ mod such that it’s switchable between + and ++. I usually like most + mode with a boost, but I also use the ++ mode. I will have to try a Rev C one day. My Rev D is great and also better for leads than the other Recto’s I’ve tried (more clear and liquidy), but to me still not on my IIC+ HRG’s level for leads