Express 5:50 Hiss

[pragquix]

I just purchased a 5:50 2x12. I really like the overall sound of the amp but the background hiss drives me crazy. This is my first Mesa
Boogie. Is this hiss typical? The following comment from the Guitar Buyer review makes me think it is typical:
"The 5-watt mode would be excellent for home recording applications, though both amps exhibit rather more background hiss than we’d ideally like to hear, with the 5:25 being the worse offender."

Where does it come from? What can be done to minimize it?

 

[Pyro]

Depends on how much Gain you use. Burn is the only voice that should give you any hiss but its not that bad on my 5:50.

I swich to clean between songs on any amp though which is a good habit that everyone should try.

A lot of people say this about Mesa but take into consideration that you're using an loud amplifier, then adding huge amounts (in most cases) of gain to it. Mesa do very well to tame their gain in my opinion

Have you tried a little noise gate like the MXR. It works wonders for the metal heads

 

[Newysurfer]

Compared to Marshall, Vox and Fender tube amps I've had I don't think the hiss on the 5:50 is bad at all. You always get hiss when gain is cranked on a dirty channel. A lot of high gain distortion pedals have a terrible hiss

If it bothers you a noise suppressor pedal will kill it.

 

[benlink]

perhaps its because of the combos.....the hiss might be inexistent on a head version plus cab.....

 

[Hobo]

Probably tubes.

Before I bought my F-30, I read some reviews where people complained about the hiss but fixed it by swapping the tubes.

After I bought my F-30 (used) I noticed it did have some hiss but nothing out of the ordinary for the volume I like to play at. About the same as my Marshall.

When the original Mesa tubes started to die I replaced them with a whole new set from Eurotubes and now the hiss is almost non-existent. Quieter than my Marshall.

 

[user 4242]

I found the 5:25 to be very hissy. Definately was the amp (unplugged cable and guitar).

I measured the hiss with a sound pressure level metre and found it to be nearly twice that of my Nomad 100 head.

Also tested the 5:25 against the Lonestar, Fender Hot Rod Delux and Blues Junior. The 5:25 is massively noisier.

I blame a poor design, and was very disappointed that a £1000 amp should behave like this so I returned it.

NOTE: It is possibly a UK/ Europe model problem only as the power supply is different.

Either way, for a "Studio" amp, the hiss is way to loud IMHO.

Mesa, we expect more!

 

[benlink]

I repeat.....but was it the combo or the head..?...
cause the hiss is probably due to vibrations due to the tiny area between the tubes and the speaker.........the solution might be to buy the head.

 

[JAZZGEAR]

Had both of the Express Series Amps (25 & 50) both were hissy -- tough to record them.....while they were both combos -- I don't think that was the issue as they hissed to the same SPL through ext. cabs.

 

[user 4242]

Unlikely to be hiss as it hisses when not being played, not guitar or lead plugged in.

Maybe it was a fault with that particular model, but hen I returned it the same thing was apparent on the shop floor one.

The hiss is apparent on the clean channel hardly cranked.

I fear that many 5:25s / 5:50 have this flaw but people are not complaining as they take it as a product feature or mesa loyalty.

These things are flying off the shelves so maybe I'm too fussy. Personally I expect only the best from Mesa and in that price range and the Express did not deliver.

Shame, cause on paper they are great. Features are excellent and the build quality is rugged. But there's a flaw somewhere!

 

[Reg]

If you check the reviews on Harmony Central for the 5:25, people are complaining about the hiss.
You're right, it's not good enough really for such an expensive amp (these cost the equivalent of $2000 in the UK. Ouch!!!

 

[Pyro]

I honestly have no problem with mine. I feel for the guys that have had a bad experience with these amps because a good Express is honestly a really great amp

 

[pragquix]

I swapped out a couple of tubes and the hiss is noticeably reduced but not eliminated. I put a Tungsol 12AX7 in V1 and a Mesa 12AX7 in V4.

 

[Steve P]

Depends on how much Gain you use. Burn is the only voice that should give you any hiss but its not that bad on my 5:50.

This has also been my experience with the 5:25. Perhaps some individual amps hiss more than others??

 

[singlecoilheaven]

My 5:50 hissed unacceptably when I brought it home. It was one of the power tubes. Now i get no hiss, hum, etc. and I play single coils.

 

[andy]

I sent my 50.50 back and it was re valved , all the hiss disappeared its now 100% ok.