NAD: Mesa IIC+ DRG (clip add comparing to Mark III)

Thanks guys!

Had more time to play it last night. It sounds great, particularly with active pickups (surprisingly, at least to me). The feel of it is addictive. Something about it feels so effortless and easy.

I still just leave the GEQ off and pull only the bright switches. Has plenty of low end without any of the shifts or EQ.
 
cardinal":uwuppa6r said:
Thanks guys!

Had more time to play it last night. It sounds great, particularly with active pickups (surprisingly, at least to me). The feel of it is addictive. Something about it feels so effortless and easy.

I still just leave the GEQ off and pull only the bright switches. Has plenty of low end without any of the shifts or EQ.
Click to expand...
The feel is the most unique thing; no other amp has it. It's like your fingers are attached to the strings. No idea how that happens in the circuit; the JP2C I played doesn't. Only a real C+.
:rock:
 
exo-metal":hmqkd41z said:
Is the new amp send any amps packing?
Click to expand...

Maybe. Actually the only other amps I have are all essentially Marshall 2204s (two '78 2204 heads and an '82 1x12 combo, the 4010 model). I love the 2204 obviously, and they have sent a lot of other, fancier and more expensive amps packing. But I do like the IIC+ quite a bit so far. It's so small, I might not need the 4010 anymore as a portable amp. But I can't imagine not having a 2204.

Big problem is that I'm neurotic, and if I use a piece of gear a lot, I like to have a backup. That hasn't been an issue since I sold everything but the 2204s since they are reasonably easy to find. But finding another IIC+ is going to be expensive. Might be time to buy a Kemper.
 
Racerxrated":1s06hz6v said:
cardinal":1s06hz6v said:
Thanks guys!

Had more time to play it last night. It sounds great, particularly with active pickups (surprisingly, at least to me). The feel of it is addictive. Something about it feels so effortless and easy.

I still just leave the GEQ off and pull only the bright switches. Has plenty of low end without any of the shifts or EQ.
Click to expand...
The feel is the most unique thing; no other amp has it. It's like your fingers are attached to the strings. No idea how that happens in the circuit; the JP2C I played doesn't. Only a real C+.
:rock:
Click to expand...

I've been looking at the JP2C, but from the description in the manual, I'm not sure I'd like it. The internal settings for the "Volume I" knob in the JP2C seem fine (seems like you can get from around 6 to around 9 depending on the channel and whether you pull the gain knob). But it's how they designed the pull knobs that make me worried. I'm only pulling the bright knobs. But it seems like the JP2C is built so that the lead channels always engage the treble shift and pull deep, which I wouldn't really like. I'd be cool if they released on non-signature 2C-type amp that let the user control whether to engage those features.
 
exo-metal":33k3147v said:
So the other Mesa amps in your are long gone then?
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Yeah, I had a stack of Rectos not long ago. Ended up preferring the plain ol' Rev G Dual Rectifier the most. But I noticed that all I was doing was trying to figure out how to make it sound like a 2204 and realized how stupid that was because I could just, you know, play the 2204. It's been a long long time since I played a Mark. I'm going to be keeping an eye out for a Mark IV to see what I think of it now.
 
Where in Northern VA are you located? I'm local (MD), and my buddy is likely going to selling a C+. Not sure what spec you're wanting, but his is a DRG with an X101 PT. Headshell looks close to new as well, wicker front grill. Can come loaded with a matched quad of Sylvania 6L6s if you want.
 
NewWorldMan":3hzvzju4 said:
Where in Northern VA are you located? I'm local (MD), and my buddy is likely going to selling a C+. Not sure what spec you're wanting, but his is a DRG with an X101 PT. Headshell looks close to new as well, wicker front grill. Can come loaded with a matched quad of Sylvania 6L6s if you want.
Click to expand...

Cool man. I'll send you a pm.
 
Great amp.

I have a shit load of Sylvania 6L6’s. I’d consider selling some...they ain’t gonna he cheap though. :LOL: :LOL:
 
Plugged into a G12-65 4x12 and went back and forth with my main 2204 and favorite boost (Fortin 33). Obviously different. The Mark is smoother, though still pretty mean sounding. With no GEQ or Pull Deep, the Mark is leaner than how I have the Marshall/33 set. Mark is more saturated and slinkier feeling. The Marshall is drier and stiffer by comparison.

Marshall has that bark though. Feels like home.
 
cardinal":2fxp9z0p said:
Plugged into a G12-65 4x12 and went back and forth with my main 2204 and favorite boost (Fortin 33). Obviously different. The Mark is smoother, though still pretty mean sounding. With no GEQ or Pull Deep, the Mark is leaner than how I have the Marshall/33 set. Mark is more saturated and slinkier feeling. The Marshall is drier and stiffer by comparison.

Marshall has that bark though. Feels like home.
Click to expand...
The other unique thing about the C+ is this: I haven't found one cab that I don't like with it. V30, 65s, T75s, Greenbacks, H30s, K85s, EVs, C90s, the list goes on. Even the UGH M70s that I thought were 65s sounded killer with the C+ I had at the time. GC purchase, they told me it had 65s and it had 70s. I wouldn't ever knowingly buy those speakers. :doh:
 
The amp sounds glorious. Nothing really I don't like. I should try some subtle GEQ settings though.
 
Low volume comparison between the C+ and a Mark III. I am not using the GEQ, pull shift, or pull deep here.

Sorry for the poor timing. I suck.




Something sorta close to Metallica licks:




I didn't spend a ton of time trying to make them sound identical, but generally just pointed the knobs in the same directions. The III seems edgier/brighter. They're definitely in the same ballpark.
 
The III seem bolder. Maybe the difference is Pentode/Triode? In the Mark V the switch have the same results.
 
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