Am I the only one not liking the 5 watt mode? ...misc musing

[edward]

OK, I've read so much on this board and TGP, with so much praise over the 5w mode. I tried ...and tried some more. Then tried other settings, really spending some time. Yup, no shortage of tries. I just can't get myself to play in 5w mode. Too thin, missing depth, gutted low end. Harmonics and complexity just absent ...ok, that's a bit harsh, so let's say "largely missing."

Keep in mind I love this amp and am really having a great time bonding with it so am not "complaining," per se. But as a feature, I find the 5watt mode useful only if super low-volume practice is dictated, but its tone is completely uninspiring, and so non-boogie-like. I have now resigned myself to the fact that it is a 25 watt amp and am much happier for it. Anyone else?

Edward

 

[TimeSignature]

I couldnt agree more!

I had an Express 5:50.

My main complaint with the 5 watt mode was that it was a much thinner sound. Also, the gain maxed at 50 watts / low volume sounded way better than the gain at 5 watt/ super loud volume so IMO the 5 watt setting was useless. I could never find any justification to use.

 

[edward]

Ahhh, yes, thank you for mentioning that point which I had forgotten to say: that full wattage with the master down sounds faaaaar better to my ears than the 5w mode with any setting. I was refraining from the word "useless" but that was, indeed, what I was feeling toward this "feature."

Edward

 

[mlabbee]

What are you playing? Chord through a single-ended amp can sound really mushy/flubby when cranked up. For me I think the 5W mode tends to sound best for lead lines (and I think that's the CW, though I may be off on that). Also, I've been looking for a schematic for the 5:25 to confirm, but I don't thin there's any negative feedback in the 5W mode, which tends to exacerbate the flubbiness (neg feedback makes for the spanky cleans you get in Fenders).

In any event, I suspect you'd feel similarly if you played other single-ended, low wattage amps. They definitely have a sound that is pretty distinct from a push-pull/AB amp

 

[EtherealWidow]

5 watt with some verb sounds great for solos I think. Chords are meh. Didn't hear any of those rich 2nd harmonics which are supposed to sound like a tiny octaver way back in the mix. Then again, I don't own one just yet.

 

[UKBoogieboy]

I LOVEEEEEE the 5 watt mode, it sounds better, sweeter, its more PURE like a Roland JC 120, or a Roland VGA3 on Twin setting.

Cuts out annoying harmonic overtones for a sweeter sound (I hate overtones)

Boogies for me are clean Blackface era amps but with more control over the tone controls and the added feature of a gain knob ASWELL as a master volume so you can introduce some edge of break up to the clean channel (a fender twin does NOT have a gain, I turned a twin up full and it broke up but not in a nice way), I don't use the hi gain at all, I don't like the sound of it on amps, only pedals.
When I think of Boogie, I think of the Wood and wicker mark 1, not the big Metal stacks, Boogie to me is Fender with balls.

I use the clean channel as its better than ANY Fender, (I have tried every available Fender) and I use the blues channel for a Channel 1 CLONE clean sound just on the edge of breakup like a turned up twin reverb, there is more mid in this channel, could be good or bad depending on the sound you want, I would prefer an exactly clone of channel one with more gain.

So what I have got is Channel 1 clean, and Channed 2 an equivilent to "Pushed" on the rectoverb. (had a rectoverb for a week, the clean was not good and the tone controls didn't suit me at all, couldn't get a single good clean sound)

I can get all the overdrive from my pedals. The best overdrive I have ever tried is my Digitech Bad Monkey overdrive, (the amp can't get this sound itself) I also use a Boss OD-2 overdrive, a Boss MT-2 Metal Zone and a Digitech grunge.

So I have now got a great amp where I can use BOTH channels, Clean and clean with some edge. Before with the F50 I could only use channel 1, channel 2 was completely useless for anything, just awful fuzz.

I love a tight pure sound, I hate loose overtones, sounds terrible.

I LOVE the Express 5.50, its my perfect amp, Mesa/Boogie are the only amps for me.

 

[edward]

Goes to show ya: to each his own

I like single-ended amps. I had a hard time letting go of my old SF Fender Champ which, through a 12" cab, sounded better and fuller than the Mesa on 5w. Same goes with other single-ended amps (Vicky, etc...). And FWIW, I had both NFB loop in and out ...offered different voices to be sure, but neither of which were thin.

Personally, I just think Mesa tried to give the Express "a feature" for the marketplace, but could have have executed it better. Were it well done (like Simulclass down to Class A on my old MKIII), I'd be all over it ...I loved that mode and played in it 90% of the time because it was so rich and inspiring, and was truly a different voice that was more than just "usable" but genuinely beautiful). Oh well, just musing aloud. I totally dig my 5:25 and I forsee it sticking with me for a very long time, maybe even "earning" it's spot as a keeper. But that 5w mode just doesn't do it for me ...glad it's there for you folks that like it, though

Edward

 

[TimeSignature]

Yes to each his own.
My comments about the 5 watt mode were basically in relation to gain. I see that UKBoogieboy uses mostly OD pedals, so in that respect I can see how he may like the 5 watt mode.

Im a gain freak - the more the better! I suppose up to a certain point. :lol: So with that said, I have no use for the 5 watt setting.

As far as clean goes, the Express clean was OK. I still prefer the clean of my DC, Fender supersonic or Rivera knucklehead over the clean of the Express that I once owned (It was a 5:50 2x12 combo.... and I miss it so Im looking for another )

 

[Don]

I'm not a huge fan of the 5 watt mode though I also didn't like the Fender Champ, Gibson GA-5 or any other 5 watt SE amp that I've owned.

However, that doesn't mean that I don't have use for it. I do, though it's limited.

My 5:50 isn't all that quiet in 5 watt mode. Sure, it's quieter, but it effects that amp's tone at least as much as it effects the amp's volume. I turn down the masters to control volume rather than switch to 5 watts.

 

[soundchaser59]

Clean + Loud chords is the biggest challange of any low watt amp, including the Express. Great for leads, but I had to stomp on the compressor and the clean boost in the fx loop to get loud clean chords. You also have to have all 12AX7's in place, no lower gain tubes, and you'll never get anything pleasing from the 5w mode if you still use the stock speaker.

 

[bobby wasabi]

I play in 5W mode all the time. Amp is miked and we use in-ear monitors though. Frankly, I have found the 25W mode too loud and "bassy" for my live situation. I would have to agree the 5W mode sounds "thinner", but it just works for my setup. I feel I am barely cracking the masters in 25W mode.

 

[gezza]

Hey Guys,

Great post,

I also don't like the 5watt mode, no headroom for the clean, breaks up way to early. Now this may be useful for recording at lower volumes. Sounded great for the Burn Channel but I need both live and I like to hit the strings hard and not great breakup on the clean channel.
Great to hear what everyone thinks about it.
I only use the 25watt mode live, on the burn channel I have the Bass on 1/10 - 2/10 that is just enough bass, too much bass seems to make it sound flabby and not focused.

I will hopefully be making some Youtube Videos of my new Guitars and setup.

Great reading,

Gezza.

 

[grc911]

I like my new 5:50 as a 50 - 99% of the time.
Occasionally switch to 5 watt mode to see what it will do then turn it back to 50 watt mode.
It will probably strike me one day what all the hype of the 5 watt mode is all about but at this moment it is a 50 watt amp.
Will let you know if that day comes and what made it happen.
Maybe we are missing something here!

Greg

 

[StevenL]

Not real big on the 5 watt but I do play with it in the bedroom some at night. You can get some really nice cleans there with the master way down and the gain way up. Nice fat cleans for practice.

 

[MrMason]

I don't like the 5 watt mode as well as the 50 watt mode, but it still sounds good. Plus, I find the 5 watt mode records much better than 50 watt mode.

 

[EtherealWidow]

Plus, I find the 5 watt mode records much better than 50 watt mode.

In what way?

 

[MrMason]

Plus, I find the 5 watt mode records much better than 50 watt mode.

In what way?

From my limited equipment (Shure SM57 and M-Audio Condenser mic) the 5 watt mode is a lot easier to get the sound on recording like it actually sounds in the room. Plus, I can overdub with the amp being pushed; that's really hard to do in 50 watt mode because it's so loud that it's hard to hear what's already been recorded, even when using isolation headphones. I've never been great at mic'ing cabinets though; usually when I'm recording I'll use Guitar Rig 3, and it sounds great although I'm never able to get "my" sound on those modelers like i can with the Express.

 

[EtherealWidow]

Sweet. Wish that I could use class a for something other than solos. :/

 

[alpeggio]

I think the crunch channel sounds great on 5 watt, not a fan of the burn channel though..

 

[edward]

Given the variety of responses here, I re-visited the 5watt setting again. The clean (and also Bules channel set to semi-cleans) is simply a no-go for me. The tone is jsut thin and devoid of girth and real bottom end.

The crunch is better, but again, thin bottom and no "authority." I much prefer the tone of the amp in any channel voicing when run in the 25watt mode, even with the volume set way low. Simply put, this amp sounds great, but the 5w setting is absolutely unusable for me. Oh well

Edward