For low volumes, Mark III or Mark IV

[Retu]

Hi,

today I tried out Mark IIC+ and Mark III SC Blue stripe with GEQ at my local shop. To my surprise, Mark III sounded better at lower volumes (using class A) than IIC+. The IIC+ didn't have GEQ, though. I think the Mark III sounded quite brutal compared to IIC+.

I haven't had a chance to play Mark IV, so I'm asking (again..) your opinions about the following:

I want a thick and smooth distortion with good sustain at low volumes, which one would you think would be better for low (that's bedroom) volume playing: Mark III or IV?

 

[CoG]

My Mark IIIs are pretty useless at bedroom volume; it's basically not worth trying.

Honestly, this keeps coming up, I don't know why people try to buy these kinds of amps to play them at bedroom volume. It doesn't work. Get a Roland Micro Cube for home if you're under that much of a volume limit. That will set you back like a hundred bucks, so you'll still be able to buy an amp for rehearsal and gigging.

 

[stoz]

The MkIV can be knocked right down to about 15 watts if you put it on triode mode, harmonics, & tweed power. Thats still too much to work properly in a bedroom. You'd end up buying a powersoak or something.

Have you auditioned a line6 pod and either some earphones or a small amp like the roland micro cube?

 

[straitouttahell]

Honestly, this keeps coming up, I don't know why people try to buy these kinds of amps to play them at bedroom volume.

I agree with that. I have tried to play my MkIV at bedroom levels, it is possible to get good sounds at reasonable apartment volumes, but yet my Epiphone Valve Junior with a Compnova and a TS9 sounds better at the same volume.

 

[CoG]

my Epiphone Valve Junior with a Compnova and a TS9 sounds better at the same volume.

yeah, I use a VJ with a Barber Direct Drive and same thing--it sounds better even than my MkIII attenuated down to bedroom volume.

 

[Elpelotero]

The C+ with a GEQ would've sounded equally as brutal.

What shop was it at?

 

[phyrexia]

**** my 60W sounds as good or better than a modeler at TV volumes.

 

[AustinK]

ya my mark III doesn't even begin to sound boogie excellent until the master is over 2.5. Today at band practice i was at 1.5 and it didn't blow me away.

 

[mrd]

My MKIV sounds OK at bedroom volumes, it's not that amazing though. I'd agree with these other guys.. don't buy a +$1000 tube amp if you can't crank it, it's just a waste of money.

Might wanna check out a tiny terror, you can run that at 7 or 15 watts, that thing sounds pretty killer for it's price. Even if it's not cranked, it sounds pretty decent. Good for recording too.

 

[trem]

At bedroom volume, a Mark IV sounds like a really good distortion pedal. Mark III OTOH needs the output at least at 2 to sound decent.

~trem

 

[LEVEL4]

I've never played a Mark III, but I just played a new Mark IV combo, and I think it sounds great at low volumes. Low-volume sound was one of the things I was auditioning for, specifically. It definitely pwns my Roland Cube. I think Soldano SLOs, Framus Cobras, and 5150/6505s all sound very good a low volumes. Some amps don't.

I have a 60-Watt 6505 head, and often record at very low volumes using an AT3035 LDC, an SM57, and a tube-based micpre, and it sounds HUGE! I would like to know the answer to the TS' question as well. I think it's a valid question.

 

[Retu]

My Mark IIIs are pretty useless at bedroom volume; it's basically not worth trying.

Honestly, this keeps coming up, I don't know why people try to buy these kinds of amps to play them at bedroom volume. It doesn't work. Get a Roland Micro Cube for home if you're under that much of a volume limit. That will set you back like a hundred bucks, so you'll still be able to buy an amp for rehearsal and gigging.

I think Micro Cube sounds horrible at any volumes. Mark IIC+ and III were 100000+ times better sounding. Besides I don't like any modeling gear. And my next amp will probably be the amp to keep. I have already had two Rolands, one Marshall and one Laney during the last two decades and I know that with loud volumes any amp sounds at its best but I don't play with a band anymore, so the main usage of the amp will be at home. I have always dreamnt about getting a Mesa, and finally I have money for it. So, I want your opininions about the low volume playing properties between Mark III and Mark IV. Which one is better at low volumes and which one will give thicker and smoother distortion.

Opinions are appreciated, thanks.

 

[CoG]

I know that with loud volumes any amp sounds at its best but I don't play with a band anymore, so the main usage of the amp will be at home. I have always dreamnt about getting a Mesa, and finally I have money for it. So, I want your opininions about the low volume playing properties between Mark III and Mark IV. Which one is better at low volumes and which one will give thicker and smoother distortion.

Opinions are appreciated, thanks.

The Mark III definitely sucks at low volume. It's not bad with an attenuator, but it would be a total waste of money. to drop a grand on a MkIII and an attenuator and play it in your bedroom.

Seriously, though, III or IV, you're gonna be in the Classifieds section in five months trying to sell the amp again. This happens a lot. Sorry if I come off like a dick but I'm just trying to save you some hassle.

 

[Herbie the Rad Dorklift]

Just while we're on this topic, no ned to open a new thread. The TS said the IIC+ didn't have a GEQ, is that really much of a problem? Could he not just buy an EQ pedal?

 

[carlosasi]

I couldn't disagree more! My Mark III sounds excellent at low volumes. Many nights I play it once my kids are deep into REM and with a little dialing of the knobs I get some of the sweetest sustain on the lead channel, awesome crunch from R2 and sweet cleans from R1. I use to have a subway rocket for low volume playing or headphones, but I sold it because headphones suck and my Mark III sounded way better at low volumes. I find it retains all the qualities of high volume playing. Obviously its a different beast with the master turned past 2 but then none of the settings used on low volume work anymore and you have to dial back down or start pushing knobs back in. I'm pretty sure some classic guitar work recorded in studio was done with Mark III's or any good tube amp for that matter turned down low and made to sound like it was cranked. Tone is in the fingers and they don't care what volume you play at.

 

[al3d]

I agree with carlosasi, my MKIII sounds awsome at extremely low volume. unlike my, now sold, Marshall JCM2000 TLS 212, wich sounded like crap unless it was at least at 4 to5 volume. My MK is the 60w version doh, don't know if this makes any difference

 

[Tuna141]

Both are very good amps at low volumes.

Dropping the power on the IV helps it at low volumes, because you can then turn up the Master volume some to get some power tube thickness.

For those having trouble getting a III to sound good at low volume, try reducing all of the graphic EQ bands. Then you can crank the Master volume on the III to get some power tube thickness and sustain. This trick works well.

 

[nick a]

First off if you can afford a Mark III or IV, there is no reason you shouldn't own it. Just because you can't crank it now doesn't mean you won't be able to at some point.

Secondly these amps want to be cranked. However, they do sound extremely good at low volumes too. I have owned a small line 6 combo and a micro cube and my Mark IV sounds way better at low volumes. I would recommend getting an attenuator so you can crank the master and still adjust the overall volume with the attenuator. I have a weber attenuator 100W at it works great!

I would recommend either amp with an attenuator!

 

[CoG]

I'm torn on attenuation-- I use a Weber Mass attenuator a lot, but I use it to get down from "holy sh!t" to "can't hear it outside the house anymore. " It's cool for that.

When I go down to conversation-type volume with the attenuator, I find my valve jr. with a 5751 in the preamp and an o/d pedal a lot more satisfying to play because the o/d tones are less compressed, even if it's not "the" tone I get from my IIIs.

Your money, man, I understand the urge but I don't think it's something that'll work out for you long term.

 

[AustinK]

Your money, man, I understand the urge but I don't think it's something that'll work out for you long term

I am with CoG. I would recomend looking at some of the smaller amps like an express of the lone star classic for bedroom volume. While some can get good sound out of the marks at low volume they get that classic boogie tone only when pushed.