Mark IV noob questions

[boogiemonster]

Hi,

Since I signed up I have taken the time to read through almost all of the Mark IV threads in this section to answer the questions I have. However, I hope you can help me out with clarifying a few things.

I've been a hobby player for 14 years but never owned a real tube amp. Anyways I would like to buy a good one and have tried many different ones in the last couple of months. For Mesa stuff I've tried:
- Roadster
- Mark I
- F30

I thought the F30 would be most appropriate for my needs because I want something for playing at lower volumes at home. However, when I tried it I was disappointed with its high-gain sustaining lead sound potential with the contour switch pulled. That lead me to try a Roadster and Mark I. The Roadster is nice but doesn't have the sounds I'm looking for. The Mark I had the exact kind of clean tones I wanted and worked at lower volumes. This lead me to think about the Mark IV which I have been unable to try because the two Mesa dealers in my area stock every Mesa amp except the Mark IV :roll: So anyways here's my questions:

1. Can you get the Mark I type clean sound from the Mark IV - Answer from what I've read here = Yes

2. Can you get good tones from the Mark IV at low volumes - Answer from what I've read here and other review boards = unsure :?: , some say yes while others say the Mark IV's volume is too much for even small gig venues.

3. Will the Mark IV's high-gain singing sustain sound be better than the F30? This is important to me. Eventhough I'm not a big Santana fan I really like that fat sustaining sound he gets from his Mark Is. I couldn't get the F30 to do this with the contour switch (maybe its not meant to do that) nor could I get it from the Roadster's high gain channels. - Answer from what I've read here = probable 8)

So, if you can add any clarity particularly to question 2 I would really appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[6L6C]

I can’t comment on the Roadster I have not heard one yet (in person) but the buzz is nothing but positive and I plan on one for myself during the summer. I have heard some really great clips, that’s what has peaked my interest.
The F30 I really can’t comment on either.

But the Mark IV I can, I love this amp to death my present power configuring is 2 EL34’s and 2 6L6’s, as far as bedroom volumes I think everybody has a different definition but I personally find keeping the volume low on this amp is difficult at best. I can’t drive the power section the way I want (even when I cant drive the power section the way I want it still sounds great!) so right now using a Hotplate but plan on going with a Weber, I have heard some good things so I want to try one. And with the attenuator I can drive the tubes the way I want.

 

[Russ]

Well, considering that you are considering the F30 as a choice then the Mark IV will still be a viable choice because you can get it down to low wattage with the settings and 6V6 optional tube configuration. The Mark IV really is a great amp. I have been getting useable good tone out of the 6L6 configuration even at home levels. There again I play pretty loud at home. But like I said you can always take it down to 6V6s and reduce your volume. You can use a single 12" speaker as in the combo or even as a closed cabinet with a head confiuguration for home use. The amp in combo configuration has become my primary amp for practice though I still plug it into a Thiele for more bottom and even disconnect the combo speaker if I am using the Thiele. The combo with a 4x12 sounds great loud. The Thiele with a 4x12 sounds great too. The amp into a 4x12 sounds good too. I guess it just depends upon what you are looking for. Thinking about things in the realm of wattage to volume, doubling wattage only yields approximately 3db increase. So with that in mind, a small 18 watt amp is still pretty loud. In the class A option you will be down to around 20 watts but the output tubes will be more driven as you turn up than if you had the 6L6s in there. The nice thing about the Mark IV is that you have so many options to alter your tone and volume. I think of the Mark IV not only as a gigging capable amp but also as one of the world's best practice amps because of the low wattage capabilities, flexibility, versatility,.... you name it. The fact that it stays tight and tracks well for a tube amp is important to me. Other amps like the F series and Rectifiers tend to be a little looser. The Roadster is no way near as tight as the Mark IV. The Mark I has classic tone but has nowhere near the capabilities of the Mark IV. The way I see it is even if you are just playing at home it is of the utmost importance to have the versatility of the Mark IV. Why not have a Cadillac instead of settling? This will give you the option of using it in the event that you ever play with anyone else and/or play out. The Roadster, Mark I, and F30 are all nice amps but in my opinion they are outclassed by the Mark IV. The only things that the Mark IV cannot do are the tube rectified sag and the Rectifier's deeper bottom voicing. Otherwise it covers most of the ground that you have been considering. In response to question 2, I think that it is more user reliant to find the tone at any volume than the amp's ability or inability. In that I mean, as you turn up you need to adjust your settings. This goes the same for turning down. Sure the amp can go full tilt with a complement of 4 6L6s but it can also use 6V6s in class a. If need be it can use the recording out and be silent other than your monitors for your recording gear or headphones if you have the option in your recording gear. The Mark IV has so many options and the knobs can actually change your sound greatly due to their sensitivity. I feel that people don't take the time to fully learn how to use it or forget how flexible the amp really is. Like I said, it is really one hell of a practice amp too. Before you buy one, get out and play one. Just remember that the amount of time it takes to really access all of its glorious tones cannot be achieved in just a quick test run. It will take months to even play all of the different settings and configurations available and really understand the nature of the beast. Patience is a virtue. Good Luck.

 

[jamme61]

MKIV all the way and class A with 6v6's or two yellow jackets EL84's is a great way to go for home use. I have posted a lot about this and you might have read some of my stuff. I'm a newbie MKIV guy and have struggled with the volume issue the most. I tried everything including the new weber lite attenuator. I love the amp with two Yellow jacket el84's in class A (only running two of the four power tubes) I don't think you need the attenuators but the best one sound wise and money wise has been the weber lite. The 6v6's work great too, but, you can't run the amp at full power with the 6v6's. With the yellow jackets you can run full power too. I like all the power and tube options and they all sound very cool. I started out wanting a roadster and when I played it it didn't do it for me, but the minute i plugged into the MKIV I was hooked and the longer I play the MKIV the more I love it. I've had my issues with volume and R2 but the guys here have talked me down and I'm grateful. The MKIV has soul and balls too IMHO. Great amp!

 

[boogiemonster]

thanks for your input guys