Mark V combo, finaly have a go with MC90

[bandit2013]

Since I converted my Mark V head to a combo, I could not use the MC90 speaker that came with it as it was damaged. I bought the combo shell used and only cared for the reverb tank and condition of the shell and coverings. I did have two MC90 speakers, one was removed from the Mark IV combo as it was blown. the other was the one that came with the combo shell (dust cap was falling off and flapping. Tried to glue it, did not work. Paper cone also had a wrinkle in it so did not sound ideal when used.) No big deal as I had plans to use EV speaker anyway. EV was ok, blossomed at higher volume but not ideal at lower settings. Perhaps the tone or low end character or lack of mid hump was reason to try other speakers. Jensen Blackbird was next in line. Sounded great once it was broken in but did a low frequency burp at elevated volumes. Put EV back in, then returned to Jensen but pushed a screw though the web and well, not good. Works great in my Carvin V3MC combo. Note that the damaged MC90 also sounded great too in the Carvin. Before I bore you to death with back story (bla bla bla...). Last I had the Celestion ALNICO 90W Crème. One sweet speaker and cost about same as EV. Unfortunately since I channeled the JP-2C though it, the Crème 90W never sounded the same since. Suffered a tone shift. Not sure if it was caused by overheating the voice coil as the bell was reall hot after that happened, the smell of something burning was also a tell tale sign that was not good. Had that happen to a WGS BlackHawk HP100. Once you smell it may as well replace it.

MC90 on order. Took a while to get it from Mesa. I was not impatient as it did arrive this past Friday. Was busy setting up a Drum kit and figuring how to tune it so my attention was else where. Last night I popped the MC90 into my combo. Had the option to put the label on the driver such that it was showing Black shadow across the top since I had to index the speaker to keep the connection tabs to the side vs the bottom. Speaker cable was getting shorter every time I changed speakers. Looks great but most of all, sounds incredible. I will give it some time to break in. Also hooked up the horizontal 212 cab to the amp to compare. I love both separately. Running the horizontal 212 with V30 and the MC90 combo at the same time was heaven. I never would have known how impressive that sounded. Now I am dying to get a Road King 412 cab..... That would be cool. Perhaps I have been too far removed from the MC90 as it was too hard for me to bond with it in my Mark IV combo I had for 16 years. Must have been some changes over the years. Also noticed that the new MC90 was made in the UK. I will have to check the sticker on the side of the magnet from the old speaker that came with the combo shell and see where its origins are.

One last note: The Mark V combo never sounded better. I was really considering unloading the Mark V but now I am much happier that I kept the amp even after the JP-2C has taken me by surprise. The Mark V still has a future in my collection and do not have the "I wish I did not sell it" regrets.

 

[Wayno]

I'm glad you've found some love for your MK V. I've been reading all your posts relating to it both here and over on the JP2C page with interest and hoping you'll find some happiness with it. I think the MC90 compliments the combo very well and I'm very happy using both my combo alone and along with my vert 2 x 12. Home practice I just use the combo, plenty bottom end at bedroom volume, small inside gigs I just use the 2 x 12 to give a bit more balls than the open back of the combo and outside I'll use both the combo speaker and the 2 x 12 and micing the 2 x 12 if I have the chance. Going to experiment with just micing the combo at next practice to see if I can get away with not having to take the cab to gigs. Getting lazy in my old age haha. Guess sometimes the factory fit is the best option, who are we to question the likes of Mesa when it comes to choice of speaker etc. Again glad your liking your MK V again, look forward to hearing about more of your observations.

 

[bandit2013]

I really loved it with the Celetion Cream Alnico 90W before it suddenly changed in tone. That could be a characteristic of the speaker once it breaks in but I doubt it. Had the same issue with the WGS version. I will have to try it mounted in my 1x12 cab as it is the same width as the wide body but deeper than any of my larger cabinets. However, best overall sound I have heard yet was with MC90 and horizontal 212 cab. Note that I am not running stock tubes in the Mark V. I am using something similar to the Doug's tubes tone kit but my tubes have different brand names on them but they are the same. Speaking of tubes, I was going to get two full sets of Mesa tubes for both Roadster and JP-2C as it seems the one's I have left are not ideal (used). At least the Mark V responds to different preamp tubes. Actually if I did not mention it before, the first time that I actually liked edge voice on CH2. that is actually really cool tone. Before it was just ear piercing just as much as the tweed on CH1. The final filter does make a difference. I believe I am done chasing the speaker balloon. I could have bought one a long time ago but felt since I had problems with those in the past to try something else first. I held onto the Mark V assuming there is mojo in this amp that I have yet to discover. Sometimes when you let an amp sit for a while and when you get back to it, it sounds totally different. Side by side to the JP, I do not like the Mark V. Now that I have made the change I will have to try it again. Besides, I generally do not like selling gear especially when I bought it new. I would not have any regrets selling an amp I bought used (with the exception of the RA100's).

 

[Wayno]

I agree the MK V does take pre amp tube changes well. I've got a bit of a cocktail in mine now along with EL34's and they've definitely unlocked the edge and tweed modes. Never really cared for them with all stock tubes and 6L6's. Only really got on with fat, crunch and MK iv modes at first but changing out the 6L6's to EL34 and refining the preamp tubes has made all the modes sing to my ears. I can push the bass a bit more on iiC+ without so much flub to get a nice 80's metal crunch tone when I want and also MK iV and extreme both work really well with my band now. To begin with I found the amp a little cold with everything stock. Now it truly sings! Crystal clean on fat, plexi crunch on edge, jcm 800 growl on edge ( with help of an Overdrive pedal set conservatively), 80's iiC+ thrash, 90's heavy MK iv and modern from extreme all easily accessible on stage with virtually no tweaking, only minimal master volume balancing on the rare occasions I use tweed or extreme on stage and will push the gain up a little when I use iiC+.

The edge mode in particular is a bit of an riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma to quote Winston Churchill. I honestly think it's one of the strangest modes on the amp. If all things are optimal it really is great, any deviations can ruin it though. The wrong tube anywhere in the chain will destroy that mode I think. Much more so than the other modes. It really can roar, just like an old jtm. No its not exact, but then nothing is. Get the setup right for your own ears though and it really does speak to the soul. Just like those old tones my dad used to tell me was real music, hendrix and the stones and cream etc etc. Was jamming out Free alright now in my garage the other day and my neighbour came round just to ask what I was playing through as he couldn't believe how close the tone was, much more praise for the amp than my technique I hasten to add. With the same settings and just a little push with an Overdrive, only a cheap one too, I get a nice jcm 800 crunch which works really well for guns n roses and the like.

Wish I could get the band organised to get together for a practice soon as I'm keen to find out how well micing up the combo will work in a live setting as the more I play without the 2 x 12 the less I miss it. It's at our rehearsal space as I just don't have the space for it at home at the moment.

 

[bandit2013]

All I can say it is the first time I ever liked the edge mode. Preamp tubes may have something to do with it as well as the new paper doughnut. Before it just sounded like breaking glass as did the tweed mode. Why all of a sudden the change as the amp sounded really good though the horizontal 212 by itself. I could not tolerate the amp though a V30 speaker, now it sounds really good. Perhaps I set the gremlin free when I removed the chassis for the speaker swap.