How would you improve the Mark V

[Rufuss Sewell]

add an auto-tune style program to it... so when i play and screw up it fixes it (like all of pop music does with their vocals)

Uh, they're called frets. They keep you in tune unlike a fretless instrument like a violin. Even Auto-Tune can't help a singer if they're more than half a note off. It'll move them to the wrong note. Auto-Tune is basically frets for your voice.

 

[rabies]

Personally I want complete elimination of all pops and switching noise. This applies to ALL Mesa amps. Popping is difficult to avoid when switching between different output levels (ie different wattage levels), but a $3000 amp should not pop when switching between channels or modes. Other Mfgrs have managed to solve this problem. Marshall, Peavey and Diezel for example.

How come I can eliminate the popping issue completely in all amps that I build, and Mesa, with all of their wealth and resources cannot deal with it? To me it seems that they are a victim of their own desgin "style". If you look closely at the way their circuits have developed, there is a common design "theme" throughout, with them using the same "old" electronic ideas, like the switching mute topologies and even brand of components in ALL of their recent amps. There are better and more modern ways to deal with this issue.

I'd get rid of the reverb too, because that's also the source of an annoying lapse in the sound when switching from a distorted channel to a clean one.

+1. That noise "feature" is getting very old now....

 

[rabies]

Less nit-picky customers.

edit: badging? Are you serious?

+1. rip the gay badges off. you should see my gear, it's all raped and man-handled and tortured.

oh no, but it needs to be "prime" for a wine & cheese "boogie" event. whatever.

 

[rabies]

I enjoy looking at my Mesas almost as much as playing them.

Diagnosis: that statement indicates to my weary eyes that your hormonal levels need adjustment. Rip the gay badges off and burn them! The economy still stucks, burn that **** in angst and revolt along with a couple dollar bills!

I've never "admired" an amp by looking at it. Now a hot Russian or Latina ***, different story. Who you is now?!

 

[rabies]

I would scrap the whole idea of the Mark V and give us what we wanted. A REAL IIC+ reissue and not the half-assed tone dead mode on the Mark V.

You said be honest.

+1. Why not an improved but simple IIC+ mod amp (let's keep the price low in this bad economy)? A IIC+ with two channels (one dirty, one clean; each with 2 or 3 modes maybe) and recto tubes and EL34/6L6 switch? And a decent reverb otherwise drop the reverb. Forget MIDI.

Seriously, I've been on this forum for a few years now and I've never heard anyone mention anything negative about the IIC+ other than the shared EQ maybe.

Now ppl are dumping Mark V's on eBay....

 

[theroan]

There were transformers in the IIC+ that are no longer made, so an accurate Mark IIC+ re-issue is actually not possible, hence the high price tags.

 

[rabies]

There were transformers in the IIC+ that are no longer made, so an accurate Mark IIC+ re-issue is actually not possible, hence the high price tags.

So start making them again.

The trannies are typically the most expensive components in a tube amp. And the fact that they're using special output trannies for simul-class makes it complicated to plug-and-play replace with a high-quality after-market tranny.

So you think the preamp and power tubes have less or more impact on the tone when compared to output and power trannies???

They should be able to get pretty **** close to original IIC+ sound you'd think....

 

[theroan]

The transformers from my understanding were made from an external company. I feel like if Mesa could re-issue the C+ accurately they would, there is a very large used market they could under cut. Subsiquently, most people say the Mark V is "pretty **** close".

Maybe that's their logic too, if we can't get it dead on what's the point, lets just toss into the V and be done with it.

 

[Jim Ed Love]

Less nit-picky customers.

edit: badging? Are you serious?

+1. rip the gay badges off. you should see my gear, it's all raped and man-handled and tortured.

oh no, but it needs to be "prime" for a wine & cheese "boogie" event. whatever.

I sure as hell don't want to buy a used amp from you. :lol:

 

[Jim Ed Love]

I enjoy looking at my Mesas almost as much as playing them.

Diagnosis: that statement indicates to my weary eyes that your hormonal levels need adjustment. Rip the gay badges off and burn them! The economy still stucks, burn that sh!t in angst and revolt along with a couple dollar bills!

I've never "admired" an amp by looking at it. Now a hot Russian or Latina ***, different story. Who you is now?!

I admire amps and women. I love to see a nice Vox Super Beatle, Fender Bandmaster, Marshall Stack etc...

I don't admire or appreciate a beat up piece of garbage.

 

[Jim Ed Love]

The transformers from my understanding were made from an external company. I feel like if Mesa could re-issue the C+ accurately they would, there is a very large used market they could under cut. Subsiquently, most people say the Mark V is "pretty **** close".

Maybe that's their logic too, if we can't get it dead on what's the point, lets just toss into the V and be done with it.

The person/persons who designed the original C+ tranny would have to recreate the design and use the same materials for Boogie. I personally know a hi-fi tube amp designer and he even goes on about the metal used in the tranny. He has special iron made for his trannys, which are **** expensive and **** heavy.

 

[Chrissmoth]

Less nit-picky customers.

edit: badging? Are you serious?

+1. rip the gay badges off. you should see my gear, it's all raped and man-handled and tortured.

oh no, but it needs to be "prime" for a wine & cheese "boogie" event. whatever.

Good man!

Me & my mate Pete are in complete agreement 8)

 

[rabies]

that's more like it.

death proof. is your boogie? make love to concrete.