Which is more compressed Mark V or Mark IV

[sjk]

Wondering what the Boogie experts have to say on this. I had a Mark IV I got cheap some time ago, the thing sounded killer and I stupidly sold it. So about 6 months ago I began a binge hoarding all sorts of amps starting out with a Mark V. Its a great amp and more versatile with a better clean channel to boot but I live on channel 3 mark IV mode or sometimes extreme. It sounds great but at the same time it is not quite the same as the mark IV, this I can remember but what I can't remember is how compressed the IV was compared to the V. Like I said I think the V sounds great at lower volume but as I start getting it cranked up pretty loud I just think the high gain does not sound that good with all that compression. As a matter of fact I rarely turn this amp up loud as I think it kind of sounds like shit. So for me it's basically an expensive low volume amp with 3 channels, only one of which I use. Now my mark III has even more gain and way less compression than the mark V and is very different sounding in my opinion to the IV and V and I will likely never sell it considering the low price I paid for it. If I knew for sure the mark IV was noticeably less compressed than the V I would buy one to replace it. So does anyone have any opinions on this. Thanks

 

[Mizati20]

From what I can remember (I have owned both) the IV seemed more compressed to me... however that was a POSITIVE thing for me... as it handled lower tunings MUCH better...

Been awhile since I've owned either though... and I may be remember the compression as maybe just saturation, the Mark IV is definitely more saturated than the V in my opinion as well...

 

[Mailman1971]

Owned several versions of the III ......owned the IV and never owned the V (but have played it for several hours)so cant speak for it too much. But the III and IV was pretty easy to dial in a bad ass tone. The V it seemed I was constantly flicking around the options. Maybe it had too many options??
But I really liked the tones from the III and IV....the V ....eh...I would pass. But on another note...I saw Big Rich post some BAD ASS sounding clips of the Mark V!
All up to your tastes.

 

[sjk]

I've played several rectifiers and really liked them and have never owned one so maybe thats the direction I will go with Boogie. A tremoverb would be nice.

 

[Mailman1971]

I've played several rectifiers and really liked them and have never owned one so maybe thats the direction I will go with Boogie. A tremoverb would be nice.

Yeah man....out of all the amps I owned...got a old 3 channel Dual recto(modded by Fja) and its like (to me at least) a cross between the Mark IV and the Recto. Amp sounds bad ass and plays great.

 

[sjk]

I've played several rectifiers and really liked them and have never owned one so maybe thats the direction I will go with Boogie. A tremoverb would be nice.

Yeah man....out of all the amps I owned...got a old 3 channel Dual recto(modded by Fja) and its like (to me at least) a cross between the Mark IV and the Recto. Amp sounds bad ass and plays great.

An aucton on ebay just ended with no sale from a guy with no feedback score selling a tremoverb head with an Avatar 4x12 with the bidding starting at $1050 or buy it now for $1350 with $75 shipping. I had been watching it then forgot about it, was leary about his zero feedback. What you think, risky to buy from someone with no feeback?

 

[jcj]

I've played several rectifiers and really liked them and have never owned one so maybe thats the direction I will go with Boogie. A tremoverb would be nice.

Yeah man....out of all the amps I owned...got a old 3 channel Dual recto(modded by Fja) and its like (to me at least) a cross between the Mark IV and the Recto. Amp sounds bad ass and plays great.

An aucton on ebay just ended with no sale from a guy with no feedback score selling a tremoverb head with an Avatar 4x12 with the bidding starting at $1050 or buy it now for $1350 with $75 shipping. I had been watching it then forgot about it, was leary about his zero feedback. What you think, risky to buy from someone with no feeback?

Not if you're buying through ebay, using paypal linked to your credit card...anything outside of ebay, I'd pass.

 

[Valtiel]

Wondering what the Boogie experts have to say on this. I had a Mark IV I got cheap some time ago, the thing sounded killer and I stupidly sold it. So about 6 months ago I began a binge hoarding all sorts of amps starting out with a Mark V. Its a great amp and more versatile with a better clean channel to boot but I live on channel 3 mark IV mode or sometimes extreme. It sounds great but at the same time it is not quite the same as the mark IV, this I can remember but what I can't remember is how compressed the IV was compared to the V. Like I said I think the V sounds great at lower volume but as I start getting it cranked up pretty loud I just think the high gain does not sound that good with all that compression. As a matter of fact I rarely turn this amp up loud as I think it kind of sounds like shit. So for me it's basically an expensive low volume amp with 3 channels, only one of which I use. Now my mark III has even more gain and way less compression than the mark V and is very different sounding in my opinion to the IV and V and I will likely never sell it considering the low price I paid for it. If I knew for sure the mark IV was noticeably less compressed than the V I would buy one to replace it. So does anyone have any opinions on this. Thanks

It sorta sounds like there is a fuzzy interpretation of what "compression" means here. With preamp gain comes compression, its just how tubes work, so you can't really have a tone that has more distortion but less compression as they go hand in hand. It sounds like there is something else you're not liking about the amp thats being misconstrued as compression. In my experience it tends to be an over abundance of boxy midrange frequencies that cause the amp to feel "flat" and two dimensional which people often call "compressed". Were you using the graphic EQ on the Mark IV when you had it? If so, are you using it in the same way on the Mark V now? Mesa Marks are known for having a ton of midrange which is why you so often see the typical smiley face on the graphic EQ. So if you haven't already, turn your amp up and kick that 750 slider way down and see if the amp open doesn't open up.