Mark IV vs Mark III

[braintheory]

I know there have already been a lot of threads comparing these two amps, but I have a few specific questions of how they compare. First, how do the R2 channels compare, paritcularly to the green and blue stripe mark iii's. I currently own a green stripe mark iii and never tried a blue stripe, so if the R2 on the blue stripe is different from the green stripe how so? Also, can the lead channel on the mark iv get as raw and aggressive as the mark iii green stripe. When I tried the mark iv I couldn't get it to be as raw and aggressive (it was too smooth and compressed for my taste), but there are so many controls on the mark iv, so maybe I just didn't know how. I also own a mark v and to my ears the mark iv mode on my mark v and the extreme mode sound slightly better than the real thing, but still very similar, and also too smooth and compressed for my taste. Also, of the mark iii's which one is the most aggressive both in R2 and in lead mode? I assume it's not the purple or red stripe. I played the purple stripe before and it definitely was less aggressive than my green stripe. I also heard that the green stripe is pretty similar to the blue stripe except that the pentode mode makes the green stripe more punchy and less spongy, so that makes it sound like the green stripe is more aggressive, but I could be wrong. That only leaves the black stripe, which I also read has a pretty raw, open tone, which I like. Also, don't bring up this page http://homepage.mac.com/mesaboogie/dot.html again. I've seen it a million times. :lol:

 

[MrMarkIII]

I have a blue stripe and a greenie, and I have had a Mark IV in the past.
I have to say I agree with all you wrote.
To add from my experience, the green stripe cleans are somewhere between the blue stripe and the Mark IV. The blue can get dirtier than the green or the IV as you turn the Volume up to 8 - 10, where I usually run mine, and the blue is definitely spongier here. The Mark IV Rhythm One was too stiff and clean for my taste.
Like you say, the Mark IV is smoother and more compressed, more "educated", while the Mark III is quite on the rude side.
Going by my amps, the green stripe R2 is a bit easier to match volumes with the other modes at low volumes, but the basic sound is much the same.
The blue stripe has an over all softer and spongier attack because of the triode wiring and the 10 fewer watts.

 

[Fronzil]

pretty sure there's a thread like this even on this page? anyway, I owned a IV for 2 years, just sold it after having a III in the house for a few weeks. My impressions were pretty spot on with what I had heard. III is more open, raw, aggressive whereas the IV is more smooth and compressed, even round. Also I find the III much more touch sensitive.

 

[CoG]

far as I know there was no difference between blue and green except for pentode wiring on the el34s (I think greens only come in simul-class) so if you're hearing a difference it's either that, tubes, or an amp-specific random thing.

R2 on the green probably sounds more aggressive because of the increase in headroom on the EL34s.

It seems like people switch to the III fromthe IV because there's one sound they like that the IV can't do, and people switch from the iii to the iv because if you have the iii dialed in for that one sound the other modes don't sound nearly as good

 

[braintheory]

What about the Black Stripe Mark III?

 

[JAZZGEAR]

I know there have already been a lot of threads comparing these two amps, but I have a few specific questions of how they compare. First, how do the R2 channels compare, paritcularly to the green and blue stripe mark iii's. I currently own a green stripe mark iii and never tried a blue stripe, so if the R2 on the blue stripe is different from the green stripe how so? Also, can the lead channel on the mark iv get as raw and aggressive as the mark iii green stripe. When I tried the mark iv I couldn't get it to be as raw and aggressive (it was too smooth and compressed for my taste), but there are so many controls on the mark iv, so maybe I just didn't know how. I also own a mark v and to my ears the mark iv mode on my mark v and the extreme mode sound slightly better than the real thing, but still very similar, and also too smooth and compressed for my taste. Also, of the mark iii's which one is the most aggressive both in R2 and in lead mode? I assume it's not the purple or red stripe. I played the purple stripe before and it definitely was less aggressive than my green stripe. I also heard that the green stripe is pretty similar to the blue stripe except that the pentode mode makes the green stripe more punchy and less spongy, so that makes it sound like the green stripe is more aggressive, but I could be wrong. That only leaves the black stripe, which I also read has a pretty raw, open tone, which I like. Also, don't bring up this page http://homepage.mac.com/mesaboogie/dot.html again. I've seen it a million times. :lol:

I had a green stripe Mark III and Mark IV at the same time. Got rid of the Mark III because, IMO it sounded nearly the same as the IV (w/o the versatility). In fact, I read that the green stripe Mark III is the closest in tone to the Mark IV. If I'm not mistaken it was the last revision before the Mark IV. I agree with what I read because, as I stated, I had both amps....and still have the Mark IV. Also had about 3 Mark Vs, 2 combos and a head (not all at the same time of course)., and every time sold the Mark V and kept the Mark IV. IMO the Mark V does not sound anywhere as authoritative as the real thing.

I think your problem is that you did not know how to tune the Mark IV properly. IMO Mesa's best lead tone is in the Mark IV. My Mark IV will absolutely rip your head off.

 

[braintheory]

I had a green stripe Mark III and Mark IV at the same time. Got rid of the Mark III because, IMO it sounded nearly the same as the IV (w/o the versatility). In fact, I read that the green stripe Mark III is the closest in tone to the Mark IV. If I'm not mistaken it was the last revision before the Mark IV. I agree with what I read because, as I stated, I had both amps....and still have the Mark IV. Also had about 3 Mark Vs, 2 combos and a head (not all at the same time of course)., and every time sold the Mark V and kept the Mark IV. IMO the Mark V does not sound anywhere as authoritative as the real thing.

I think your problem is that you did not know how to tune the Mark IV properly. IMO Mesa's best lead tone is in the Mark IV. My Mark IV will absolutely rip your head off.

I think some people say the mark iv and mark iii green stripe are similar because they both are wired in pentode, but everyone else who responded to this thread seems to agree that mark iv and mark iii green stripe have many tonal differences. When I played the mark iv there was a certain amount of smoothness and compression that I was not able to dial out, while my green stripe is open, and quite unsmooth. My green stripe also has this wonderful growl to it that the mark iv I played definitely lacked.

 

[Neptical]

In agreeance that the III is definitely way aggressive sounding compared to the IV. I use to play through a IV in the mid-late 90's and can distinctly remember the tones of that amp like yesterday. Not that it's a bad amp either, the III just caters more to the sound I'm after. I played through a friends Mark V last weekend and while it's a great amp, it still makes me a proud owner of my Mark III's.

 

[braintheory]

In agreeance that the III is definitely way aggressive sounding compared to the IV. I use to play through a IV in the mid-late 90's and can distinctly remember the tones of that amp like yesterday. Not that it's a bad amp either, the III just caters more to the sound I'm after. I played through a friends Mark V last weekend and while it's a great amp, it still makes me a proud owner of my Mark III's.

Would the mark iii's that you found more aggressive be either the red or purple striped ones I see in you sig.
I also own a mark v and find myself playing my mark iii green stripe way more often, but the mark v is better for certain things.

 

[Neptical]

In agreeance that the III is definitely way aggressive sounding compared to the IV. I use to play through a IV in the mid-late 90's and can distinctly remember the tones of that amp like yesterday. Not that it's a bad amp either, the III just caters more to the sound I'm after. I played through a friends Mark V last weekend and while it's a great amp, it still makes me a proud owner of my Mark III's.

Would the mark iii's that you found more aggressive be either the red or purple striped ones I see in you sig.
I also own a mark v and find myself playing my mark iii green stripe way more often, but the mark v is better for certain things.

It's kind of hard to to describe without someone else hearing it. Best and easiest way to put it is that both purple and red are pretty aggressive, actually. The red just has this hotter sound to it. The purple is by no means any less meaner sounding then the red, especially when you start cranking them up. I've been using my red more for the simple fact that it has the R2 mod while the purple is still factory ( no mods at all ). I find when experimenting with the tubes, tonally it's pretty close. Both are killer amps.

 

[dodger916]

Also consider this: Mark IVs are all Simul-class. Are you comparing non-Simul Mark IIIs to a Mark IV? Everything I've read suggests IIIs would be generally more aggressive than IVs (and IIs), and that Simuls tend to be smoother than non-Simuls as a rule.