Hey so i bought a mesa dual rec a few months ago and i have been messing around with it, but im really getting frustrated with it. when i when i stand in front of the speakers from about ten feet on modern distortion i get a really crackly sound which i dont know if thats the mesa sound and me being the easily frustrated type i want to just get a 6505 and im trying to give it another chance if theres anybody with some ideas please post back. im looking for a pantera-ish type distortion by the way.
frustrating mesa sound please help!!!
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screamingdaisy
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Try standing further out, and don't put your face directly in front of the centre of the speaker cone. Slightly off axis is the sound most others in the audience will hear, particularly since you'll be putting your mic slightly off axis so that'll be what's fed to the PA.
That said, if you're looking for a Pantera type of sound I think you bought the wrong amp. I've heard he occasionally tracked with a Dual Rectifier in the studio, but his main sound has more or less always been a Randall. A 6505 would probably be more up your alley.
That said, if you're looking for a Pantera type of sound I think you bought the wrong amp. I've heard he occasionally tracked with a Dual Rectifier in the studio, but his main sound has more or less always been a Randall. A 6505 would probably be more up your alley.
wildrat666
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sounds strange that crackle sound. boost the mesa with an overdrive for tighter sound, but if u want the Pantera sound you have to buy a cheap bad sounding amp like Randall.not a tube amp though.
a 6505 is a good choice but its not gonna sound like Pantera.
a 6505 is a good choice but its not gonna sound like Pantera.
Is your DR a 2 or 3 channel?
In my 2 channel, I don't experience this "crackle" from the "beam" frequencies. I actually prefer to stand in front of it. Not sure if it is just the fact that it's a 2 channel or if the Auralex ground isolation riser I use has something to do with it.
Imitating Dime with a DR is going to be difficult to say the least. You needs loads of solid state wattage and some pretty hard to find rack equipment (like the MXR Flanger/Doubler) to even get close to his tone... right now that is. But soon Dean is coming out with an amp called the Blacktooth that comes closer to nailing his tone that any amp I have ever heard.
In my 2 channel, I don't experience this "crackle" from the "beam" frequencies. I actually prefer to stand in front of it. Not sure if it is just the fact that it's a 2 channel or if the Auralex ground isolation riser I use has something to do with it.
Imitating Dime with a DR is going to be difficult to say the least. You needs loads of solid state wattage and some pretty hard to find rack equipment (like the MXR Flanger/Doubler) to even get close to his tone... right now that is. But soon Dean is coming out with an amp called the Blacktooth that comes closer to nailing his tone that any amp I have ever heard.
pokerrules47
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I know exactly the sound you are talking about, it's like it's hyper-distorted when you play with a fair amount of power on your strings, and not in a good hyper-distorted way... It's almost a scratchy/harsh sound around the edges.
It's your eq settings. Read the manual about the eq and figure out what you are doing wrong. If you have any settings above 2pm, then that is where I would start. Your gain control is also only really useful up to about 2pm, after that it gets a bit harsh sounding IMO. If you MUST have the gain above 2pm, roll off the volume control on your guitar slightly, and expect shorter lifetimes out of your preamp tubes.
I typically roll off my volume, reduce the treble and bass to compensate when the amp is in this state. I find it is really dependent on the environment when you get this phenomenon. It's usually after the amp has warmed up a bit, sounds great, then tends to get harsh sounding after it's been played for a while.
Question: are you gauging this at bedroom levels, or is this at live/jamming levels?? At higher volumes is where the Dual is supposed to be run. You may find you aren't satisfied with the sound at lower volumes, but once you get a nice amount of output volume behind the amp, it will appeal to you more. These things can f@#king roar at the right volume!!!
You should really read the manual, start with their settings, and explore a LOT!!!
That being said.... you aren't going to find any brutal distortion sounds like Dime in there really. Although Mesa Dual Recs have been known as the de-facto standard for metal, things have changed significantly in the past few years. All of the manufacturers have decent metal offerings right now, and a lot of them have also changed the standards for "high gain" and "brutal distortion". Mesa has not yet followed suit. I personally don't find that those newer brutal metal sounds really appeal to me, and I am content in the realm of mesa.
The simple fact is that to get that "brutal over the top" distortion from a mesa, you really need to boost it. Just what you boost it is up to you, but it's going to be a long process of trial and error. If you can find an amp that "already" does it for you, sell the mesa, and buy the "so and so" amp. (or keep both)
Remember, Mesa amps are designed for ruggedness, appeal to the masses, having a ton of usable tones and, of course, their signature sound.... if that does appeal to you, just move on...
Hope this helps, and I hope that Mesa either bonds with you, or bonds with whoever is lucky enough to buy it from you!!
It's your eq settings. Read the manual about the eq and figure out what you are doing wrong. If you have any settings above 2pm, then that is where I would start. Your gain control is also only really useful up to about 2pm, after that it gets a bit harsh sounding IMO. If you MUST have the gain above 2pm, roll off the volume control on your guitar slightly, and expect shorter lifetimes out of your preamp tubes.
I typically roll off my volume, reduce the treble and bass to compensate when the amp is in this state. I find it is really dependent on the environment when you get this phenomenon. It's usually after the amp has warmed up a bit, sounds great, then tends to get harsh sounding after it's been played for a while.
Question: are you gauging this at bedroom levels, or is this at live/jamming levels?? At higher volumes is where the Dual is supposed to be run. You may find you aren't satisfied with the sound at lower volumes, but once you get a nice amount of output volume behind the amp, it will appeal to you more. These things can f@#king roar at the right volume!!!
You should really read the manual, start with their settings, and explore a LOT!!!
That being said.... you aren't going to find any brutal distortion sounds like Dime in there really. Although Mesa Dual Recs have been known as the de-facto standard for metal, things have changed significantly in the past few years. All of the manufacturers have decent metal offerings right now, and a lot of them have also changed the standards for "high gain" and "brutal distortion". Mesa has not yet followed suit. I personally don't find that those newer brutal metal sounds really appeal to me, and I am content in the realm of mesa.
The simple fact is that to get that "brutal over the top" distortion from a mesa, you really need to boost it. Just what you boost it is up to you, but it's going to be a long process of trial and error. If you can find an amp that "already" does it for you, sell the mesa, and buy the "so and so" amp. (or keep both)
Remember, Mesa amps are designed for ruggedness, appeal to the masses, having a ton of usable tones and, of course, their signature sound.... if that does appeal to you, just move on...
Hope this helps, and I hope that Mesa either bonds with you, or bonds with whoever is lucky enough to buy it from you!!
MesaGod666
Well-known member
Don't worry about it bro. Here are a couple of things you can do:
1) Check the Dual Recto Settings at Grailtone.com
2) Keep the presence low for active pups and a bit higher (not past 12oclock) for passive pups.
3) Keep experimenting with the Vintage mode...Modern mode is very, VERY harsh.
4) Get a MESA TRADITIONAL RECTO STRAIGHT CAB.
5) Get a BOSS EQ in the loop and treat the recto like a MARK SERIES amp.
That should help you out. Finding your sound with a BOOGIE IS POSSIBLE! I had the same issues many years ago as well, but I am so very thankful I didn't give up, because there's nothing like it in the world when you FIND YOUR SOUND.
Keep your chin up and don't give into the generic off the assembly line amps like PEAVEY.
1) Check the Dual Recto Settings at Grailtone.com
2) Keep the presence low for active pups and a bit higher (not past 12oclock) for passive pups.
3) Keep experimenting with the Vintage mode...Modern mode is very, VERY harsh.
4) Get a MESA TRADITIONAL RECTO STRAIGHT CAB.
5) Get a BOSS EQ in the loop and treat the recto like a MARK SERIES amp.
That should help you out. Finding your sound with a BOOGIE IS POSSIBLE! I had the same issues many years ago as well, but I am so very thankful I didn't give up, because there's nothing like it in the world when you FIND YOUR SOUND.
Keep your chin up and don't give into the generic off the assembly line amps like PEAVEY.
thanks guy i worked with it a little last nigh and found a nice crunchy heavy sound, not like dimes but sounds way more saturated. if i didnt mention in the last post i use a boss me-50 for a little overdrive but im working on a pedal board what would be the best pedals for overdrive im also have been thinking about buying a eq pedal and a noise supressor.
scottieL
Well-known member
Cheap (ugly) solution is to make a couple of big *** (personally recommend ski or soccer socks) balls of socks on put them in front of the center of each speaker. works wonders for my mark IV. 
:lol: 8)
:lol: 8)scottieL
Well-known member
blocks the beamy treble from the front and equalizes the axis so that the speakers sound the same at all angles
I've had this EXACT same experience. It just takes some time messing with the EQ and standing out and listening.
Keep in mind as a good rule of thumb, as the gain goes up in a Recto the bass and other frequencies need to come down to round them out, otherwise you are going to just get a saturated thin sound. Also Rectos tend to have a "fuller" sound (meaning there are more ranges of low, mids and highs) when they roll off the cone of a speaker than a 6505. So a 6505's sound coming out of the middle of the cone won't quite have this problem.
But if you are looking for Dime's "sound" a 6505 or a XXX is in your ball park, but a Recto eq'ed correctly can do it as well.
Keep in mind as a good rule of thumb, as the gain goes up in a Recto the bass and other frequencies need to come down to round them out, otherwise you are going to just get a saturated thin sound. Also Rectos tend to have a "fuller" sound (meaning there are more ranges of low, mids and highs) when they roll off the cone of a speaker than a 6505. So a 6505's sound coming out of the middle of the cone won't quite have this problem.
But if you are looking for Dime's "sound" a 6505 or a XXX is in your ball park, but a Recto eq'ed correctly can do it as well.
Chris McKinley
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There's also this: why would you want to spend the money a Mesa costs if you only want to be able to produce a single, not very versatile, in fact very limited tone that a) isn't used in current music and b) isn't very prevalent in older cover music. You'd essentially be spending @ $2000 just to be able to play Pantera songs.
What about every other band's music you like, or that your audience is going to want to hear? As cool as Dime was, no audience is going to want to listen to an all-Pantera-song cover band for more than a couple of songs worth. You've still got to be able to play other material, and Dime's sound won't work for much else than Dime's music. Maybe some early Metallica, Megadeth, Sepultura, Testament, etc., but then, there's not much call for that music these days as cover songs.
If you set your rig so that it nails the Dime tone, and open with a couple of great Pantera tunes, your audience is going to be very disappointed with the next songs you play from other bands when all of a sudden your guitar sounds thin, kind of fake, and gets buried in the mix. Dime had a cool tone in its own right, but it's not a tone that travels well.
What about every other band's music you like, or that your audience is going to want to hear? As cool as Dime was, no audience is going to want to listen to an all-Pantera-song cover band for more than a couple of songs worth. You've still got to be able to play other material, and Dime's sound won't work for much else than Dime's music. Maybe some early Metallica, Megadeth, Sepultura, Testament, etc., but then, there's not much call for that music these days as cover songs.
If you set your rig so that it nails the Dime tone, and open with a couple of great Pantera tunes, your audience is going to be very disappointed with the next songs you play from other bands when all of a sudden your guitar sounds thin, kind of fake, and gets buried in the mix. Dime had a cool tone in its own right, but it's not a tone that travels well.
i miss said what sound i wanted i was wanting more of a late 80s distortion but i dont want to sound just like dime i was just kinda naming some of my influences i also like alot of scandinavian black metal and american metal like lamb of god and shadows fall
colemaneuclid
Well-known member
I never understood how people could like dime's tone. his sound is the exact reason i never listened to that band ever. my friends would try to get me to listen to pantera and all i could hear is nails on a chalkboard shitty solid state guitar tones. never ever liked his tone. or lack therof.
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