Soldano SLO vs Mesa MKIV high gain shootout - video inside!

[Badronald]

Both sound great, but I definitely prefer the MKIV.

The SLO sounds boxy compared. It's a more vintage sound for sure. I prefer the modern tone of the Mesa.

Another thing, my MKIV has some of the, if not the best, cleans I've ever used. Brilliant, chimey, clear, stout clean tones. Stunning. For me there is no comparison.
I've used DR Z's, Blackface Fenders, Matchless, Vox, etc. over the years and I'll take the Mesa over all of them.
The SLO is fantastic, but I just need an amps with stellar cleans. The Mesa has them.

 

[shredi knight]

Slo sounds thin and nasally, IV wins.

That's what I was thinking , nasally . I preferred the Mesa also.

Yeah, the SLO sounds nasally and a bit muffled (probably just the camera's mic though). Much preferred the Mark IV.

 

[dfrattaroli]

Both great. I'd take the Mark IV.

 

[CEG85]

Both sound great!
I prefer the bite of the SLO.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

SLO...5 seconds in no need to listen further!

 

[155]

nice job, mark iv for me....

 

[VC4Ever]

SLO...5 seconds in no need to listen further!

This tells me you already had your mind made up before listening. Like a lot of people on here they listen with their eyes. (Name Brand Recognition)

 

[SLOgriff]

It is pronounced S.L.O. (acronym for super lead overdrive) not Slow....

Do you pronounce a Pontiac GTO a "ga toe"?
Do you pronounce the FBI "fa bye"?
Do you pronounce the USA "Yoo Sah"?
Is your SUV pronounced "Su Vee"...?

Ok, rant over....sounds good and Bob's your uncle.

 

[psychodave]

Both sound great. For the cost, Mark IV wins. I paid under $1,000 for my Mark IV. Used SLO's cost over $2,000.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

SLO...5 seconds in no need to listen further!

This tells me you already had your mind made up before listening. Like a lot of people on here they listen with their eyes. (Name Brand Recognition)

Nope listened to the whole boogie clip.
Went to the SLO and preferred it after 5 seconds.
I use my eq with my ears not my eyes.

 

[VC4Ever]

SLO...5 seconds in no need to listen further!

This tells me you already had your mind made up before listening. Like a lot of people on here they listen with their eyes. (Name Brand Recognition)

Nope listened to the whole boogie clip.
Went to the SLO and preferred it after 5 seconds.
I use my eq with my ears not my eyes.

Wow really? Cause for more than 5 seconds of the start of the SLO he literally played only one chord.
And then he proceeded to adjust the knobs. But ok then...Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Jeff Hilligan]

SLO...5 seconds in no need to listen further!

This tells me you already had your mind made up before listening. Like a lot of people on here they listen with their eyes. (Name Brand Recognition)

Nope listened to the whole boogie clip.
Went to the SLO and preferred it after 5 seconds.
I use my eq with my ears not my eyes.

Wow really? Cause for more than 5 seconds of the start of the SLO he literally played only one chord.
And then he proceeded to adjust the knobs. But ok then...Different strokes for different folks.

I understand ....ok my 5 second statement is taken literally....I got thru the first chord and riffing I forgot how exact and literal I must be to post! BTW I own all for shit gear not name brands!

 

[jdel77]

Listening back the Mesa is more modern and precise.
The SLO has more warmth in the low mods.

 

[bog70]

People that call an SLO a "slow, don't deserve to own one. Sell it to someone who knows how to pronounce SLO. When I hear people refer to it as a "slow", I think is this person a retard? jackass? illiterate? Sell the amp.

 

[Racerxrated]

Both sound great. For the cost, Mark IV wins. I paid under $1,000 for my Mark IV. Used SLO's cost over $2,000.

Absolutely. But even better are the Mark IIIs. I think I saw one on GCs website for 699 last month.

 

[jdel77]

People that call an SLO a "slow, don't deserve to own one. Sell it to someone who knows how to pronounce SLO. When I hear people refer to it as a "slow", I think is this person a retard? jackass? illiterate? Sell the amp.

You need to get off the internet. Go yell at a cloud.

 

[Chester Nimitz]

Im an EL-34 dewd.

 

[shredi knight]

SLO...5 seconds in no need to listen further!

This tells me you already had your mind made up before listening. Like a lot of people on here they listen with their eyes. (Name Brand Recognition)

When I first watched the clip, I skipped past the talking to when the playing started, then only listened to the clip and didn't look to see which amp was being played. I kind of assumed the SLO was being played first since it was first in the title of the clip and this thread. So I was kind of surprised that I liked what I thought was the SLO so much more that the Mesa, since I am such a fan of the Mark series tone. Then I looked and realized it was the Mark IV I was preferring, and not the SLO.

What's really surprising to me about this clip is how different the 2 amps sound going through the same cab. Usually 2 high gain heads will sound fairly similar through the same cab, since the cab is responsible for at least 50% of your tone.

 

[psychodave]

Both sound great. For the cost, Mark IV wins. I paid under $1,000 for my Mark IV. Used SLO's cost over $2,000.

Absolutely. But even better are the Mark IIIs. I think I saw one on GCs website for 699 last month.

Well, the comparison is with the Mark IV . It's really not fair for the SLO. The Mark IV is a 3 channel amp with a killer loop and tons of tonal options all for around $1,000. Tonally, I'd take the Mark IV too.

 

[jsp]

From the vid, Mark IV, easily.