I have played said IIB Coliseum and it is in fact a horrifying beast. The most raw and brutal high gain amp I’ve ever played. More aggressive and raw then a C+. Not as liquid, but for sheer brutality, it’s jaw dropping.
My experience exactly. My first Mark was a IV, and I loved it, still love them. But after I scored a Red Stripe ++, and a C+ SG, off it went. Then I had the SG ++ modded, and that took it next level just the way you explained. It’s such a furious little beast.
Those who say it’s too aggressive or bright just have wimpy ears or low tolerances for good aural assaulting metal tones. They should play the smoother, more polite amps instead. Kidding for those who don’t know. Some guys even feel the early revision Recto’s are too bright or aggressive, which is even more strange to me, but then again I used to like raw lemons when I was a little kid, so I like intensity
One trick I've found in red / blue / green Mark IIIs is to run Tung Sol 12AX7 in V1-V4. It tames the harshness & makes them killer.
That's kinda why I switched from the Mark III to the IV. I found the III to be a bit harsh and cold sounding by comparison, it gave me ear fatigue at band volumes. I like a warmer sound.
Agreed. I found the IVa to be not too far away in this regard, and I personally much preferred the IVb. That would have been a desert island amp for me if Colis didn't exist. Still one of the best PM clanks I've ever had. Example-
Maybe it's because I'm more of a classical guitarist, but honestly I am many of the things that guys here hate on outside of my love of high gain amps. I'm not a TGP guy, but if they saw how I often dress I'd probably be stoned and excommunicated faster than Shawn Lane could shred. I really don't fit in here other than my interest in high gain guitar gear. I guess though the guys I've privately sent clips to here didn't seem to complain about my attire lol. I think maybe I just go for the most aggressive high gain sounds I can to contrast my other side. No Verdi or herbal tea for me though lol... they also wear tan pants, loafers with no socks, prefer it when their husband serenades them with Verdi's Rigoletto played by violin... while sipping a nice herbal tea.
CUCKS!!!!
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
What’s the tube layout in those amps? Is the signal passing through V1 to V4 or are there some modes where this is changed or tubes are bypassed like in the triaxis?
I kinda agree with you, I don't really think the III's are more aggressive than the IIC+'s either, just shittier, lol. They have some more abrasive high end frequencies going on that the IIC+'s and IV's don't have, but the mids on a IIC+ and even a IV are more growly than the III's IMO. There are clear reasons why the III's were never regarded as well as the IIC+ or the Mark IV.
The III’s vary from stripes. All of them seem to have a more abrasive high end ime, but the no stripes I found to me sounded best of the III’s and would for me take them over IV’s (A or B version) for the extra rawness, aggressive, and more openness. For my taste the IV’s were still too smooth, but still great amps (that I’d take over tons others) , but also when AB’ed vs my C+ found them even more lacking in the extra detail and clarity vs when I compared my III’s. I think the harsh high end of the III’s is just a deal breaker for many, but if I wasn’t able to have a c+ I’d get a iii no stripe as the next best thing to me. I would say a switchable c+/++ would be the most versatile mark amp lead ch
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.