Blue Angel & Subway Series - Same preamp??

[mdortona]

Toying with the idea of picking up one of these. Are the preamps the same in the Blue Angel & Subway Blues? Also, can anyone tell me what the OD channel of the Subway Rocket is based on? I'm guessing it's similar to the DC series? THanks!

MAtt

 

[94Tremoverb]

The Blue Angel and Subway Blues are similar but not identical - the Subway is a bit simpler, and doesn't have tube reverb or the 'mojo module', but it's the same general design.

The Rocket is not at all like the Dual Caliber - if anything, it's a bit more like the older Studio 22, but still not very close. The Dual Calibers are true 2-channel amps with separate audio paths, and the EQ on the lead channel is post-distortion (there is also a fixed pre-EQ too), whereas both the Studio and the Rocket are one-channel amps with an extra gain stage switched in at the start (and another one later on, in the Rocket), and the EQ is pre-distortion on both channels... which is why the tone controls don't do much on the lead channel.

 

[mdortona]

Thanks for the info about both series. Looks like a no go on the Subway Rocket series (really didn't like the .22's od). We'll see how the Blue Angel is, especially on 6v6 side. Take care!

Matt

 

[mdortona]

I forgot to ask, what's the mojo module???

Matt

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Those Blue Angels always give me a boner... 8)

 

[94Tremoverb]

You may not want to find out what the 'mojo module' is, but keep an open mind...

It's a Graphic EQ circuit, set to flat. Mesa discovered in the Mark series that the Graphic EQ improved the tone of the amps, even when it was turned off - because the switching doesn't bypass it, it just turns off the frequency controls. The signal still passes through the circuit, via 4 transistors.

Mesa put this turned-off EQ circuit into an encapsulated package and used it to improve the tone of the Blue Angel and Maverick. Now you may realise why they were so secretive about what it is!

So... transistors improve the tone of a tube amp?! Yes - but they don't distort (in fact, in the Blue Angel there is a trimmer right in front of the circuit to set the level precisely to make sure they cannot) - and in fact transistors don't inherently sound bad, no matter what you may have heard or believe. Transistor *amps* don't sound the same as tube *amps*, but that's not the same thing... individual transistor preamp gain stages sound almost exactly the same as tubes, especially if they don't distort.

The other advantage of the circuit is that it has a low output impedance, so they used it to drive the FX loop - the Subway Blues uses a single transistor instead to do the same thing.

 

[mdortona]

Unreal!! I had no clue about this. Thanks for the classified info. :lol: I'm going to check out a BA this afternoon and see how I like it.

Matt

 

[Koreth]

There's a few other Mesa amps that do this as well. the F series also has the graphic EQ and uses the GEQ transistors to double as the FX send buffer. The Nomad series does this as well, even on the amps without the GEQ - those have the transistors, just not the EQ circuit.

 

[mdortona]

The F series does not have the GEQ, but rather has the Contour knob.

Matt

 

[mdortona]

Well, I checked out the 1x12 Blue Angel and what a gutsy sounding amp! Easy to get the bottles cooking. Unfortunately, since it's only one channel, unless one is willing to ride their volume knob all night or set it clean with a pedal front end, it would be impractical in my current band situation. However, it's definitely going on my bucket list :lol:

Matt

 

[Koreth]

The F series does not have the GEQ, but rather has the Contour knob.

Matt

Looking at the schematic again, you're right, it has contour, not the GEQ. But the contour circuit looks **** close to the GEQ circuit that I'd bet the contour is derived from the GEQ. It also sits at the same point in the signal chain, and also doubles as the FX send buffer.

 

[mdortona]

Yep, I'm with you on that one. My understanding is that the Contour knob is nothing more than the GEQ set to the "classic V setting", with the knob controlling the amount of "EQ-ness" that is added to the signal. The Express series continues this idea. Take care!

Matt

 

[jbright44]

I love my blue angel. It's one of the best sounding amps Mesa ever made in my opinion!

 

[mdortona]

Yep, definitely a great sounding amp! 8)

Matt