Mark V 25 owner here with some tips on settings, particularly for the IIC+ and IV modes. The Mark series amps have their EQ knobs before the gain in the signal path. They act like an EQ pedal would, letting you decide what parts of the guitar signal pass through to the distortion. Try this sort of thing - Gain 7-9, Treble 7-8, Mid 2-3, Bass 0-2, Presence 4-6. Then with the graphic EQ sliders (which are *after* the gain), boost the 80 and 6600 slides almost all the way up, cut the 750 slider so that it's almost touching the bottom line, and then adjust the 240 and 2200 sliders around the middle of the range (I boost both slightly). I know this looks really weird if you're used to amps with solely post-gain tonestacks (Marshalls, Rectos, 5150s etc), but this is how you get the really tight gain a la Hetfield or Petrucci with these amps. The Ch 1 crunch mode also has a gain boost on the 25 and 35 that isn't there on the full size 90w head - increase the mid knob beyond 50% and it'll engage. It's actually my favorite channel on the amp and you can get an almost modded Plexi or Friedman type sound out of it. One of the most versatile amps there is imo. There's very few tones you can't get with it once you understand how the tonestack and sliders actually work.
Using a Synergy 50-50 stereo power amp with that head might be amazing. 50 watts stereo plus 6L6 sound. I was already planning to eventually add synergy modules to my rig.
I've heard mixed reviews of the Syn 50 and that Steve's LXII power amp is the better of the two. Either way, I'd rather save a bit more and just get his fifty/two/fifty unit or maybe a Mesa Fifty/Fifty.
Amen.....amps today have WAY too many options, and then you wind up sitting there pressing buttons. Modelers are like that in many ways. That said, Boogie's IMO lack the bite, and mid-focused, percussive bit of the Splawn/SLO-style circuits. You got it sounding the best I've heard most Boogies sound, though. Kudos! But, their clean amps are spectacular (i.e. the California Tweed)
Yeah one of the best sounds I've heard from a clean amp was from a blue angel 4x10 combo years and years ago. And yeah, the liquidy gain structure and flexibility are all great on this amp but the Mark low end is more bloom and less boom. I'm testing the Orange OR30 right now and side by side with this Mesa... man the Orange is just a sledgehammer. Much more raw and pure sound but also much less flexibility and of course, just 1 channel. I 100% had more fun with it on stage than the MKV though and I really enjoyed the MKV on stage. It was great but man... the Orange made up for the lack of flexibility with just a filthy high gain no nonsense ripping high gain sound.
Great review but you need to adjust the bass better. I have an amazing clean and my bass is at around 10 oclock and for the second channel its only at 8 oclock. Watch videos of the Mesa guy showing how to dial in a Mesa. Takes time to learn but it sounds amazing
For my gain I set my clean channel to about 11 oclock and for the 2 channel its at 2 oclock. My mid for clean is 2 oclock and 11 oclock in 2 channel. My clean treble is at about 1.5 oclock and for my 2nd channel its at 1 oclock. Clean presence is 11 oclock and 10 oclock for 2 channel. I only use the graphic eq in the 2nd channel. Don't need to use it on clean.
@@marcfrenette1599 Yeah I've messed around a lot with the EQ and the different modes definitely require a different approach to the EQ based on which mode you're on. The guitar and cab also play a huge role in how the amp sounds and reacts so it's hard to say that there's a 1 size fits all EQ method. My Mesa studio preamps I had in the past would vary wildy on where the EQ worked best depending on what power section or power amp I ran them into. Some could tolerate the bass control being cranked and others needed it pulled back a lot more. The MK IV that I had for a couple months (the guy who owns it is the guy who built my silver jubilee) had to have it's bass control at 10 o'clock or lower or else it would get really muddy but it was also a much thicker and smoother voiced amp than this amp, my MK V or the Studio Preamp. My full size MK V never liked going past noon on the bass control on any of the 3 modes on channel 3 which is why when this amp stayed tighter and cleaner with the bass control much higher, it surprised me and was one of the things that led me to suspect some voicing changes vs the 90w version.
I just did a review of the Dave Grohl 335 and used this amp with the bass pulled back. Check it out if you haven’t already. Kinda didn’t make too much difference it seems. 🤷♂️
"During some points of the video, it may sound like the audio is clipping. It isn't. This is simply the amp being pushed to it's absolute limits." --> maybe should be "ITS absolute limits" 🤦♀
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Mark V 25 owner here with some tips on settings, particularly for the IIC+ and IV modes. The Mark series amps have their EQ knobs before the gain in the signal path. They act like an EQ pedal would, letting you decide what parts of the guitar signal pass through to the distortion. Try this sort of thing - Gain 7-9, Treble 7-8, Mid 2-3, Bass 0-2, Presence 4-6. Then with the graphic EQ sliders (which are *after* the gain), boost the 80 and 6600 slides almost all the way up, cut the 750 slider so that it's almost touching the bottom line, and then adjust the 240 and 2200 sliders around the middle of the range (I boost both slightly). I know this looks really weird if you're used to amps with solely post-gain tonestacks (Marshalls, Rectos, 5150s etc), but this is how you get the really tight gain a la Hetfield or Petrucci with these amps.
The Ch 1 crunch mode also has a gain boost on the 25 and 35 that isn't there on the full size 90w head - increase the mid knob beyond 50% and it'll engage. It's actually my favorite channel on the amp and you can get an almost modded Plexi or Friedman type sound out of it. One of the most versatile amps there is imo. There's very few tones you can't get with it once you understand how the tonestack and sliders actually work.
25:28 sounds killer
Screams Jerry Cantrell
Using a Synergy 50-50 stereo power amp with that head might be amazing. 50 watts stereo plus 6L6 sound. I was already planning to eventually add synergy modules to my rig.
I've heard mixed reviews of the Syn 50 and that Steve's LXII power amp is the better of the two. Either way, I'd rather save a bit more and just get his fifty/two/fifty unit or maybe a Mesa Fifty/Fifty.
Sounds great. I'm thinking about getting one...
Amen.....amps today have WAY too many options, and then you wind up sitting there pressing buttons. Modelers are like that in many ways. That said, Boogie's IMO lack the bite, and mid-focused, percussive bit of the Splawn/SLO-style circuits. You got it sounding the best I've heard most Boogies sound, though. Kudos! But, their clean amps are spectacular (i.e. the California Tweed)
Yeah one of the best sounds I've heard from a clean amp was from a blue angel 4x10 combo years and years ago.
And yeah, the liquidy gain structure and flexibility are all great on this amp but the Mark low end is more bloom and less boom.
I'm testing the Orange OR30 right now and side by side with this Mesa... man the Orange is just a sledgehammer. Much more raw and pure sound but also much less flexibility and of course, just 1 channel. I 100% had more fun with it on stage than the MKV though and I really enjoyed the MKV on stage. It was great but man... the Orange made up for the lack of flexibility with just a filthy high gain no nonsense ripping high gain sound.
@@FastRedPonyCar Spot on....and yes, I agree with every word on that OR30. I'm still a huge fan of the Rockerverb. That's a GREAT company.👍
Are you using the eq at all?
Yes on both channels
Great review but you need to adjust the bass better. I have an amazing clean and my bass is at around 10 oclock and for the second channel its only at 8 oclock. Watch videos of the Mesa guy showing how to dial in a Mesa. Takes time to learn but it sounds amazing
For my gain I set my clean channel to about 11 oclock and for the 2 channel its at 2 oclock. My mid for clean is 2 oclock and 11 oclock in 2 channel. My clean treble is at about 1.5 oclock and for my 2nd channel its at 1 oclock. Clean presence is 11 oclock and 10 oclock for 2 channel. I only use the graphic eq in the 2nd channel. Don't need to use it on clean.
@@marcfrenette1599 Yeah I've messed around a lot with the EQ and the different modes definitely require a different approach to the EQ based on which mode you're on. The guitar and cab also play a huge role in how the amp sounds and reacts so it's hard to say that there's a 1 size fits all EQ method. My Mesa studio preamps I had in the past would vary wildy on where the EQ worked best depending on what power section or power amp I ran them into. Some could tolerate the bass control being cranked and others needed it pulled back a lot more. The MK IV that I had for a couple months (the guy who owns it is the guy who built my silver jubilee) had to have it's bass control at 10 o'clock or lower or else it would get really muddy but it was also a much thicker and smoother voiced amp than this amp, my MK V or the Studio Preamp.
My full size MK V never liked going past noon on the bass control on any of the 3 modes on channel 3 which is why when this amp stayed tighter and cleaner with the bass control much higher, it surprised me and was one of the things that led me to suspect some voicing changes vs the 90w version.
Different models tone up different...I have one with non standard tone controls (mine are TOO much..I have them almost off on all channels!!!)
I just did a review of the Dave Grohl 335 and used this amp with the bass pulled back. Check it out if you haven’t already. Kinda didn’t make too much difference it seems. 🤷♂️
"During some points of the video, it may sound like the audio is clipping. It isn't. This is simply the amp being pushed to it's absolute limits." --> maybe should be "ITS absolute limits" 🤦♀
its okay