Mark V Channel Popping

[Micro7311]

My Mark V 90W combo makes an incredibly loud pop sound when channel switching across all channels on the same power setting. There are lots of threads about this Mark V channel popping issue, which for a $3,400 amp is totally mind boggling and unacceptable that it even exists in the first place.

I’ve heard to cycle the channels on standby because of “static charge build up”, which is complete nonsense, given the technology built into these amps one would think that Mesa could figure out a way to very easily dissipate the charge in normal operation. Needless to say this trick doesn’t work for my amp. Take the amp out of standby while on channel 3? Doesn’t work either. Try channel switching from the rear of the amp? Nope.

Even Guitar World calls out the Mark series amps for having this problem.

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-best-amps-for-metal
Has anyone actually found the proper fix for this problem? As great sounding this amp is, to me it’s utterly useless if I need to wear ear plugs when I’m just simply trying to switch channels.

 

[playingitloud]

I had purchased a used Mark V 90 watt head last year.

Brought it home and I found it had that loud popping sound when switching channels (he said it was normal and it was happening on his other Mark V).

I had researched it and there was nothing that had been suggested that would fix it.

A few days later I had called Mesa Boogie about it and a guy named Chris there told me it was completely normal AND a common occurrence.

He acted like it was not an issue.

Yeah, right!!

Also, I spoke with a qualified and well-known Mesa Boogie repair person and he said it was a common occurrence and there is no known fix for it.

I couldn't live with it since I was regularly switching between channels so I sold it to someone that was going to mainly use just one channel and limit channel switching.

I had two other Mark V's some years ago and they didn't have the popping issue (well, possibly on one of them, but it seemed to have gone away over time).

I have found that it happens on other Mesa Boogie amps as well and not just the Mark V's.

I had purchased a brand new Mark V last year and I can hear a very low popping sound but you can't hear it once the volume goes up.

It does worry me that it might get worse over the years and I can't believe that a $3400 amp would ever have this kind of an issue where Mesa Boogie calls it normal!!

 

[NSpop]

I've always considered my Mark V as three separate single channel amps in one box because of this and don't switch mid song just use pedals... not a very good fix but a good excuse to buy more pedals...