I tried the Express amps today.

[recto preo]

I brought my LP with me to the shop and i first tried the 5:50. To be honest i don't even remember how it sounded lol i didnt really like it. i then treid teh 5 :25. I liked it MUCH better than teh 5:50. the clean channel was great, along with teh crunch and blues channels. the burn channel was teh weakest of them all i thought. BUT! i just realized that i forgot to try the contour on both channels.

anyway i still prefer my F-30 over the express. bt i really liked the reverb on the express.

 

[JAZZGEAR]

Horses for courses.....I very much liked the 5:50 and the 5:25 not as much :shock:

 

[enigma]

That's why Mesa created both

 

[rickc007]

I brought my LP with me to the shop and i first tried the 5:50. To be honest i don't even remember how it sounded lol i didnt really like it. i then treid teh 5 :25. I liked it MUCH better than teh 5:50. the clean channel was great, along with teh crunch and blues channels. the burn channel was teh weakest of them all i thought. BUT! i just realized that i forgot to try the contour on both channels.

anyway i still prefer my F-30 over the express. bt i really liked the reverb on the express.

Hi recto preo, I tried both as well, went home with the 5:25
I love this amp

was playing a bit over the weekend, really like the clean, blues and burn
and yes it's a bit better with the contour all the way up
I can't seem to find the right spot with the crunch channel

I also plugged it into the Recto 1x12 cab with a V30 in it
burn at full contour is very much in the F-30 area
liked it better with a little less contour, cuz the bass was
a little much, then put a Keeley treble booster in front get it
screaming again...this amp can do anything

this is a cool amp

 

[recto preo]

sweeet. **** i cant believe i didn't try it with the contour on. but yea it is a sweet amp thats for sure.

 

[KDS]

If you like Vox amps you will like the 5:25. Very sweet little amp and it's not a back breaker like my ROV!

 

[enigma]

Exactly. The Ch. 2 produces compressed voicing, and can mimick Brian May (Queen) tone. I like the little 5/25 except for the not so versatile foot pedal!

 

[Barracuda]

I concur! I tried them both today and thought the 5:25 had balls. the 5:50 has them too in the sense that it is bloody loud BUT i did not get turned on by the tone maybe it is because i have el-34's and el-84's at home and i'm just used to that sound :lol:

the 5:25 is a mean little monster but i do not think the contour made any difference at all :? i turned the knobs on both channels from zero to full and could not even tell if it was kicking in...hmmm i wonder if there is another master switch somewhere inthe back the front mini toggle was on...

I brought my LP with me to the shop and i first tried the 5:50. To be honest i don't even remember how it sounded lol i didnt really like it. i then treid teh 5 :25. I liked it MUCH better than teh 5:50. the clean channel was great, along with teh crunch and blues channels. the burn channel was teh weakest of them all i thought. BUT! i just realized that i forgot to try the contour on both channels.

anyway i still prefer my F-30 over the express. bt i really liked the reverb on the express.

 

[sotto]

When I tried the 5:25 at the Mesa Store in Hollywood, the contour switch made a lot of difference in filling out the sound. I thought it was very effective.