Mark I Reissue Overdrive Harsh

[Dougeds]

Just picked up an early 90s mark I. The overdrive seems harsh - after just a few minutes of playing I start to feel ear fatigue. It’s not the volume because I’m keeping the master pretty low. It just seems the tone is ice picky, not warm. I’ve tried different preamp tubes with no real difference. Is this how the amp is supposed to sound or could there be something else going on? I walk away from just a few minutes of playing with a dull headache.

 

[user 21540]

Have you tried the suggested settings in the manual?

https://mesa-boogie.imgix.net/media/User%20Manuals/Mark1%20Reissue.pdf

 

[Dougeds]

2.5 on the master is ear splitting, with the volumes set at 4 and 8.

 

[user 21540]

I don't think they're a low volume type of amp.

I imagine the King Snake manual will probably have some useful settings you could try on the RI:
https://mesa-boogie.imgix.net/media/User%20Manuals/kingSnake_140214.pdf

There's a thread here about the RI from 2006:
http://forum.grailtone.com/viewtopic.php?t=5754

TGP thread about the RI from 2014:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/nad-mesa-boogie-mark-i-reissue.1509393/

 

[Laurent Brondel]

IME those amps sound best with the power section cooking around 4 or 5, I would suggest a HotPlate or other high quality attenuator.