DC-3 vs DC-5

[nwsomeone]

Hi -

Anyone have any experience with a DC-3 vs a DC-5? How's the clean headroom on the DC-3? Does the pull clean boost on the DC-5 really add additional versatility?

Thanks -

 

[edward]

Hi there,

I tried a DC3 ...but never back-to-back to A/B the two. So, FWIW...

I like the DC3, but it's an EL84 thing ...you like it or you don't. I "liked" it, but just personally prefer the 6L6 girth, bottom, and focus of the 5 better. Chocolate and Strawberry.

The clean headroom on my DC5 is good, but not stellar if you're looking at an just amp in a large room w/o PA . There always seems to have just a bit of dirt around the edges as "squeaky clean" is not really all that "squeaky" ...which is good for me as mildly hairy IS my tone. Don't get me wrong, it can do spanky clean, just not that loud as that is not it's main voice (or at least that's how I read it).

The pull boost is a nice sound, but it's not "pull clean" as it changes the voicing substantially and definitely adds grit. It's not footswitchable, and its volume is sigif different from when normal, so switching back/forth probably was never the intention is my guess. This is not a "negative," per se; just letting you know what it can and can't do. Hope that helps you a bit

Edward

 

[tetsubin]

Like edward said, the pull boost definitely adds versality, as it acts almost like a third channel. Not footswitchable, but a totally different sound compared to both the unboosted rhythm and the lead channel.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

The clean headroom seems about the same between them. Like Edward said, the DC-5 has a bit of hair.

The main difference is in the tonal qualities of the power tubes.

EL-84's have this chime to them that is not available with 6L6's. They seem to have this upper mid range sparkle that is hard to describe.

The 6L6's have tons of lower end and sound bigger.


Both of these are great amps.
The DC-5 can get more traditional Mesa tones because of the 6L6's.
The DC-3 is sort of a hybrid sound between high gain Marshall & Mesa.


You Tube has tons of videos of guys playing through their DC's. Also, a guy here, Plumptone, has some great vids of his band Jambone. He uses a DC-3.


I used to use a DC-3 in a Classic Rock band and we could cover anything from the Allman Brothers to ZZ Top easily with no effects. I was using an EV loaded Thiele cab under my DC-3 combo though to add some beef.

 

[MJ Slaughter]

Regarding clean tones when I want spanky clean on my DC-10 I just drop the mids down around 1-2 and keep the treble no higher than 5-6. With this setup I run my gain at 6, master at 4-5 and level around 4 and have no trouble getting super clean. Where before I'd use the gain for just a little hair I now just bump the mids up and I get what I need. That's with a Strat though. With humbuckers I turn the gain down a little more. The amps are so versatile and easy to get a good tone out of. If you're willing to tweak a little you'll discover many tones in the amp.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

If you're willing to tweak a little you'll discover many tones in the amp.

It just takes a little tweaking. These are some of the easiest amps to dial in, Mesa wise anyway.

I've got a Plexi Clone that I built years ago. I'm in the process of rebuilding it now. It is much easier to get a great tone out of than a Mesa, but it only has 2 tones, clean & quiet, & loud and proud!

Mesa excells in the fact that there are so many available tones at your fingertips.

 

[nwsomeone]

Thanks for all the responses - they definitely helped.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Anytime, thanks for buying my amp!!!!! It is greatly appreciated.

 

[PC Biz]

I've owned both, and the DC-5 definitely has more bottom. However, I've owned two DC-3s, because that turned out to be the sound I liked the most. If I had to do it over, I'd get the DC-3 head, not the combo. You will get more clean volume with a 2x12 or 1x12 ported cab, and more clarity and focus for high gain tones.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

DC-3 combo with an EV loaded Thiele cab sounds incredible!!!!!!!

 

[edward]

DC-3 combo with an EV loaded Thiele cab sounds incredible!!!!!!!

I've used my Ev-Thiele on lots of amps, from a Fender Champ to a few diff SF Fenders, to SolidState whatevers ...this cab is like the swiss-army knife of tone

Edward