Wizard MTL Clips

[EvilBatman]

Quick questions for the MTL owners, do you know where the Bright knob is located in the circuit? And is it just a more typical Bright switch, just simply in a more user controllable form?

 

[glip22]

Quick questions for the MTL owners, do you know where the Bright knob is located in the circuit? And is it just a more typical Bright switch, just simply in a more user controllable form?

I don't think it's a bright cap, as across the master volume. It's a simple mod added as a pot and a cap. I'm not sure as it's placement in the circuit, as I never traced it.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

bock needs a gobo methinks. i hear some phase cancellation from the room.

love my mtl

really hard to capture that huge 3d soundscape that you experience in the room with the amp. really inspiring to play.

You maybe correct sir! I've seen others use those curved foam shields... might have to check them out.

I concur with your statement... it's really hard to capture the massive, yet cutting nature of the MTL. It's very unique.

Some have mentioned HiWatts... HiWatts just get loud, not very crunchy (I've owned several)... the MTL gets loud, but crunches like a Marshall, but with a super-tight low-end. Really cool.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Quick questions for the MTL owners, do you know where the Bright knob is located in the circuit? And is it just a more typical Bright switch, just simply in a more user controllable form?

It's in the preamp section as each channel has a dedicated bright pot.

Much more than a typical bright switch and infinitely more adjustable.

The power section has the standard presence & depth pots = high & low negative feedback controls.

 

[Redneckstomp]

Does MTL covers extreme metal well?

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Does MTL covers extreme metal well?

Depends on what sort specifically. Name some bands.

It's not super modern saturated/compressed like a Diezel Herbert or Engl Special Edition. But it's got tons of gain and stay tight/focused no matter what. More Mesa Mark than Recto if that abstract analogy makes any sense.

 

[Whowantsamustache]

Does MTL covers extreme metal well?

No.

 

[Redneckstomp]

Bands like Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary etc.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Bands like Deicide, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary etc.

Yeah... for those sort of tones it wouldn't be my first pick. It think you might be missing some chunky low end. The feel is just really different than a Recto... or any sort of Recto variant amp.

 

[EvilBatman]

More Mesa Mark than Recto if that abstract analogy makes any sense.

And this right here speaks directly to my heart. The Mark series are my favorite amps. The IV has become my favorite period because it's generally tighter, sharper, and more focused than the IIC varieties. Lead 2 Red from the Triaxis is my second fav and would likely be first if I could get a less compressed version.

Reza has a clip of the MTL in to the Alnico Cream Celestions up on YT that may not be my favorite tone wise, but the tight sharpness he has going is INCREDIBLE.

 

[Racerxrated]

More Mesa Mark than Recto if that abstract analogy makes any sense.

And this right here speaks directly to my heart. The Mark series are my favorite amps. The IV has become my favorite period because it's generally tighter, sharper, and more focused than the IIC varieties. Lead 2 Red from the Triaxis is my second fav and would likely be first if I could get a less compressed version.

Reza has a clip of the MTL in to the Alnico Cream Celestions up on YT that may not be my favorite tone wise, but the tight sharpness he has going is INCREDIBLE.

The Wizard MTL is very different from a Mark series amp..in fact opposite ends of the spectrum. I think he was referring to the differences between a recto and Mark, the recto being best for metal. The MTL is so open and uncompressed, no matter how much gain you throw at it the string separation is there, but a Mark has that thick wall of gain that the Wizard doesn't get. But the Mark can sound blurry with that much gain...exception being the C+ due to the articulation that circuit has.
The MTL 50 I had was great. Lots of gain but not suited for extreme heavy stuff, and didn't take my boost pedals very well. But no need for more gain IMO.

 

[sleewell2]

Not trying to be a dick but I don't hear the articulation or note definition y'all are taking about. Seems like the gain is way too high. Kinda just sounds like a buzz saw. Maybe it sounded better in the room?

 

[MetalHeadMike]

[/quote]
The MTL 50 I had was great. Lots of gain but not suited for extreme heavy stuff, and didn't take my boost pedals very well. But no need for more gain IMO.[/quote]

This is just what I needed to hear Thanks you sir, because I was strongly throwing a Wizard into the running for the next amp in my future and honestly even at the best smokin used price deal of the century, I think its more than I should really be spending.

 

[glip22]

The MTL 50 I had was great. Lots of gain but not suited for extreme heavy stuff, and didn't take my boost pedals very well. But no need for more gain IMO.[/quote]

This is just what I needed to hear Thanks you sir, because I was strongly throwing a Wizard into the running for the next amp in my future and honestly even at the best smokin used price deal of the century, I think its more than I should really be spending.[/quote]
The newest MTL is quite a bit different than the old. The tone is more linear. The master has a full range. The gain and sat pots have fuller range. The amp has a much lower noise floor. When you stop playing it's easy to silence any squealing at high volume and gain. The older 2012 MTL took a good bit of effort as she squealed easily. Once you feel a Wizard in your hands and see the circuitry you can easily understand the cost. It's a tank with art form wiring. I have had 6 of them.

 

[Racerxrated]

The MTL 50 I had was great. Lots of gain but not suited for extreme heavy stuff, and didn't take my boost pedals very well. But no need for more gain IMO.

This is just what I needed to hear Thanks you sir, because I was strongly throwing a Wizard into the running for the next amp in my future and honestly even at the best smokin used price deal of the century, I think its more than I should really be spending.[/quote]
The newest MTL is quite a bit different than the old. The tone is more linear. The master has a full range. The gain and sat pots have fuller range. The amp has a much lower noise floor. When you stop playing it's easy to silence any squealing at high volume and gain. The older 2012 MTL took a good bit of effort as she squealed easily. Once you feel a Wizard in your hands and see the circuitry you can easily understand the cost. It's a tank with art form wiring. I have had 6 of them.[/quote]
Gary, they are great amps no doubt. I just don't think they are the best choice for extreme metal, I think they are great for everything else though.

 

[glip22]

The MTL 50 I had was great. Lots of gain but not suited for extreme heavy stuff, and didn't take my boost pedals very well. But no need for more gain IMO.

This is just what I needed to hear Thanks you sir, because I was strongly throwing a Wizard into the running for the next amp in my future and honestly even at the best smokin used price deal of the century, I think its more than I should really be spending.

The newest MTL is quite a bit different than the old. The tone is more linear. The master has a full range. The gain and sat pots have fuller range. The amp has a much lower noise floor. When you stop playing it's easy to silence any squealing at high volume and gain. The older 2012 MTL took a good bit of effort as she squealed easily. Once you feel a Wizard in your hands and see the circuitry you can easily understand the cost. It's a tank with art form wiring. I have had 6 of them.[/quote]
Gary, they are great amps no doubt. I just don't think they are the best choice for extreme metal, I think they are great for everything else though.
[/quote]
True. Not what they are good at.

 

[Racerxrated]

The MTL 50 I had was great. Lots of gain but not suited for extreme heavy stuff, and didn't take my boost pedals very well. But no need for more gain IMO.

This is just what I needed to hear Thanks you sir, because I was strongly throwing a Wizard into the running for the next amp in my future and honestly even at the best smokin used price deal of the century, I think its more than I should really be spending.

The newest MTL is quite a bit different than the old. The tone is more linear. The master has a full range. The gain and sat pots have fuller range. The amp has a much lower noise floor. When you stop playing it's easy to silence any squealing at high volume and gain. The older 2012 MTL took a good bit of effort as she squealed easily. Once you feel a Wizard in your hands and see the circuitry you can easily understand the cost. It's a tank with art form wiring. I have had 6 of them.

Gary, they are great amps no doubt. I just don't think they are the best choice for extreme metal, I think they are great for everything else though.
[/quote]
True. Not what they are good at.[/quote]
Does yours take pedals well? My old one didn't, it seemed to change the tone for the worse. Pedals and Cameron's also didn't get along imo. If the new ones do, then disregard. Then you might get a Wizard to the extreme metal stuff.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

For "extreme metal" there are other amps. Which is why I also own a Diezel Herbert and Engl SE... these would be my first two picks for anything heavier than your average garden variety death metal tones... black... ultra-black... pick one.

The Wizard amps handle 90% of everything from classic rock, classic metal to '80s metal, to most all prog/power/death metal. Amon Amarth, CoB, Arch Enemy, old InFlames is about as heavy as I get. I play mostly classic & power metal.

Pedals: I've had great success with both my Majik Box Rocket Fuel & Keeley Red Dirt. Both sound great pushing the MTL with the gain on the amp back a bit.

Competition: I've owned a lot of amps... and pretty much every variety of Marshall and modified variants... and I'd pick the MTL over any Cameron (Jose/Ocean/Aldrich)... Friedman BallBuster100... Soldano SLO... or stock Marshall with pedal. The tone stays tight, focused and articulate with any amount of gain or volume... the competition does not.

Also these amps are built very, very nicely. They are point to point wired by one person on a turret board by the man himself. The work is not farmed out to who knows who using a soldering iron with a kit amp and some pc boards. And play tested by the same person.

Bottom line: These amps do kill. The real deal.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Once you feel a Wizard in your hands and see the circuitry you can easily understand the cost. It's a tank with art form wiring. I have had 6 of them.

This +100.

The build quality is really good. No skimping on the details. Military parts, design, and build execution.

Dave Friedman commented himself here in another thread how well built and how time intensive Wizard amps are to build. In the context that they are in fact built to higher specs, standards than his own offerings. Just saying. They are that good.

 

[glip22]

Once you feel a Wizard in your hands and see the circuitry you can easily understand the cost. It's a tank with art form wiring. I have had 6 of them.

This +100.

The build quality is really good. No skimping on the details. Military parts, design, and build execution.

Dave Friedman commented himself here in another thread how well built and how time intensive Wizard amps are to build. In the context that they are in fact built to higher specs, standards than his own offerings. Just saying. They are that good.

Yup. In the early releases Rick had a great circuit tonally but there were some issues like grounding, relays, that he has really gotten a handle on in the last several years. Outstanding amps in every area.