dc-5/10 vs. mkIV...differences

[bsideexperiment]

've heard great things about the DC series and am looking for something that my recto can't do. I'm sooo intrigued by the mark IV but frankly, its just out of my price range.
I'm looking for an amp that can give me a great chimey clean and a great clear distortion.

1. How do the cleans compare to each other ?(DC-5, DC-10, Mark IV).

2. How do the distortions compare to each other?
(i've heard DC models are very similar to mark IVs except its a little more modern sounding a la recto)
T or F?

3. Which has the most gain on tap?

 

[mrd]

I've only played a DC-5, so I can't speak for a DC-10 here.

1. The cleans are great on both. I'm pretty sure the clean from the DC-5 is either taken from the Mark series directly, or is modeled very closely after it. They are both chimey, tight and articulate. When overdriven, they can create a great hard rock or classic rock tone. Even with just this one channel you can hit a myriad of tones and styles. Be aware though, to enter overdriven territory on the clean channel, you are gonna need the gain and volume to be at about 9 or 10, so wear earplugs, eh?

2. The DC distortion is only similar to the MKIV, I think, because of the available graphic EQ. The actual voicing is quite modern. It's definitely like a recto. Very bass heavy, very thick. That EQ adds tons of options though. I wouldn't say its exactly recto, but its close and it sounds just great. The MKIV distortion is very tight, VERY cutting (works great live and in a band), has way more gain on tap than any sane person would ever require, and again, the graphic EQ allows for almost any tone imaginable.

3. I would say the MKIV has the most gain. If you crank it up all the way, your tone turns into absolute gainy, unusable mush.

 

[fatoni]

I've only played a DC-5, so I can't speak for a DC-10 here.

3. I would say the MKIV has the most gain. If you crank it up all the way, your tone turns into absolute gainy, unusable mush.

really...ive never whittnessed such mess come from a mark. it has so much useable gain

 

[bsideexperiment]

is there a huge difference in the amount of gain between the two??....
i have a recto and its just too flabby and the cleans are terrible in my opinion. i was super excited about the dc series b/c it seemed like it was perfect medium. Great chimey cleans, recto distortion but tighter and smoother, and all for less than half of what a mark IV costs... i had heard that it had more gain, and then i heard it has less...

i guess i'm wondering how much of a drop off in gain should i expect from a dc versus a mark IV. half? a third less?

 

[bcarr22]

 

[tetsubin]

i guess i'm wondering how much of a drop off in gain should i expect from a dc versus a mark IV. half? a third less?

I only know the DC-5 (and I think the DC-3 is a little different animal than the 5 and 10) but it has tons of gain. So my guess would be: probably none. You will get recto-gain.

 

[Bisconne]

Hi there! I have the same question... and I have an option tobuy Dc-10 combo 2x12. The dilema was the amount of Gain. I use to have Nomad 55 and it was only capable of mild gain... As jman7272 said in my thread: "Some say the DC has a recto father and a Mark IV mother".
Regarding to this IMHO this would be the perfect amp, it' like saying that you are dating a chick that is a mix of Megan Fox and Jenna Jameson (in her glory days)
So I am going to try this one this saturday... and let you know, allright?!?

 

[tetsubin]

Oh, I talked about "tons of gain" - and that is not coming from a guy who thinks in terms of The Who or something. I'm talking Cannibal Corpse, Dillinger Escape Plan, Genghis Tron etc. = modern gain. So if you find the DC-5 doesn't have enough gain then either you're used to playing through a Boss Metalzone or the preamp tubes need to be replaced. I use a Duncan JB in my guitar and never turn the gain past 8 in the lead channel of the DC-5 head.

 

[bsideexperiment]

how tight and clear is the distortion?
if the mark IV was a 10 from a scale of 1-10 in tightness and clarity..in comparison, where is the DC series? (for point of reference let's say the Dual rec was a 4)

i certainly don't want recto distortion like my dual rec. its way too flabby and muddy -even with an od in front and an eq in the loop.

 

[edward]

I can't compare the DC5 directly with the MKIV as I have not done a side-byside comparo. But I can tell you w/o a shadow of doubt or least bit of hesitation that the DC5 can deliver the heavy tones and saturated gain to keep even the most ardent metal head happy, but also tight/solid bass. Kick it up a notch further and sit an EVM-loaded Thiele Cab on top of the combo's MC90 ...whoa! Anyone who has heard or played these two together knows what I am talking about.

The tight, focused bottom is due to the GEQ and, IMHO, the worst move Mesa ever made is eliminating it from every single amp since the IV. Maybe it was cost prohibitive, or perhaps deemed too complicated for those weened on 3 knobs, but what the GEQ adds is serious versatility to the amp's already excellent core voice. If you want metal, the DC5 can deliver that and much more ...and yes, in my experience.

Edward

 

[lockbody]

I used a Mk Iv combo with two 4x12 halfbacks in my hardcore band for three years and, without a doubt, my DC-5 smokes it in almost every way. Especially in the gain dept. You hit max Mk IV gain "8" around 4-5 on the DC-5. Not as tight or compressed as the Mk IV, and not as loose and flabby as the Rectos. Best of both worlds.

Turn up the gain a bit on the DC-5s clean channel and it goes from shimmering cleans and round neck tones to SRV with picking dynamics alone. Ch1 on the IV doesn't get as loose, round, and "hairy" as DC, and Ch2 doesn't get as "shimmery" either, so for me, the DC-5's clean channel covers both ch1 and 2 on the Mk IV. Use the pull-boost on the DCs clean channel and you'll hear everything the Mk IVs ch2 wishes it could do. Do a search here along the lines of "Help! Can't get ch2 of the Mk IV to sound good".

True, the DC is darker. The Mk IV has more top-end on tap, but the DC is plenty cutting. The DC is simply voiced lower in the mids than the nasally IV. I like that 6L6 punch, and the DC-5 is voiced to take advantage of it when you turn it up.

Ch2 on the DC-5 simply has more usable gain on tap, more low-end, and has a looser, more aggressive feel than the Mk IV. That said, the DC doesn't clean up as well as the IV when you back off the gain.

The reverb of the DC-5 is head and shoulders above the IV.

Right now I'm running it with:
Jan Phillips 12ax7
Tun-Sol re-issue
Jan Phillips 12ax7
Ge 5 Star 5751
Shuguang 12AX7
Jan Phillips 12at7
SED =C= 6L6

and with a Celestion G12-65 in the combo it's my favorite amp evah. Add a Halfback 4x12 and it only gets better. Wish I had discovered 'em years ago.

YMMV

 

[bsideexperiment]

sweet..i'm even more interested in a dc-5...anyone know of someone wanted to sell one for a reasonable price?

also i have a traditional (or Road King) cab and i believe they are loaded with v30s ... someone said that the head will sound like poo with those speakers...just wondering why? and what are the best to use ...perhaps i should get a separate cab....what kind?

 

[tetsubin]

I don't know the RK cab, but it should sound great with the DC. The V30 or or Eminence V12 in a 4x12" are great speakers for the DC. The head will never sound like poo. It's all about differences in taste.