MARK V GRIPES

[MesaGod666]

Ok...I want this thread to document all the crappy things regarding the MARK V. I love the Mark V, but I have to admit I have a gripe here and there.

Couple of things for me, IIC+ mode...sounds like a Triaxis more than a C+, but this is debatable.

A bit of noise and popping between channels. Yeah I now about the preamp tube static and switching between channels while warming up, but even after that, if you stay in one channel for 10 mins or so, if you flip to another channel you still get a bit of a pop.

Random noises and rattlings...I have this plugged into my Monster power conditioner and I get a few rattlings in CH1 and CH2...and a bunch in CH3 (as expected). I don't feel bad about it, it's just kind of annoying.

It's a ***** to dial in tones, and the owner's manual settings suck.

That's it for now. Feel free to add your own gripes as well.

 

[GIG4FUN]

I am surprised to hear the suggested setting are ones you don't like.

Could it also be said here (in this thread) what speakers/cab etc. and what guitar pups etc. are used so those of us on the fence about pulling the trigger on the Mark V can still consider it in their own way... (that is try to work out in my mind the bad things I am going to hear here)?

 

[DaveP]

One thing that really annoys me is the footswitch connection. If you move the footswitch around or bump it you hear the relays going nuts. Almost like a loose connect and the amp doesn't know what channel to select. But the cable is plugged in all the way. Doesn't happen all the time but happens a lot.
As far as dialing in tones. The first hour I spent with it was the worst. Once I got familier with the control interactions I am able to dial it in just fine. I owned a MkIV before this and I like the V much better.

 

[phyrexia]

Mine doesn't have any hiss or pops aside from 10w stuff.

I did find the first thing I don't like about the amp last night. I cannot use my DD20 in the loop as a looper as I could with my IIIs and IV. On the V, you can record a phrase on ch2 but when you switch to ch3 to play a lead on top of it, the master volume and presence setting for ch3 is used for the original ch2 riff so it's not even. However, this is a very minor gripe.

 

[vae]

Owned a Triaxis/2:90 for a long time and the IIC+ mode didn't sound anywhere near as good as it does on the V -- interesting complaint.

 

[wnlively]

Yes , I agree on the pops when channel switching, it happens yes it does and it can be a real pain. I doesnt matter if you are using the 45w or the 90w.

I also feel your pain about the foot switch cable ,it can and will come unplugged.

When i first got my amp I also had a lot of poping and hissing when i first powerd up the amp.

Never had a problem with my MK 4

 

[lesterpaul]

guys..check earlier thread last week on cable-mine sucked,too...I changed it , using a lighter gauge cable/no problems..it has happened a lot since heads came out/its cable/not head

 

[theroan]

In terms of the rattling sound, is this happening for heads or just combos?

 

[DaveP]

In terms of the rattling sound, is this happening for heads or just combos?

9 out of 10 times it is a tube rattling. All combo amps are prone to this. The speaker vibration causes the filaments in the tubes to rattle. Some rattle worse than others and it varies from make to make. Heads don't have this problem as much due to the dampening/isolation of the seperate head/cabinet. They still can depending on the bass you have dialed in but for the most part they don't.

 

[MesaGod666]

Owned a Triaxis/2:90 for a long time and the IIC+ mode didn't sound anywhere near as good as it does on the V -- interesting complaint.

I said that it sounds more like a Triaxis than a IIC+. I didn't say that they sounded the same.

 

[MesaGod666]

In terms of the rattling sound, is this happening for heads or just combos?

9 out of 10 times it is a tube rattling. All combo amps are prone to this. The speaker vibration causes the filaments in the tubes to rattle. Some rattle worse than others and it varies from make to make. Heads don't have this problem as much due to the dampening/isolation of the seperate head/cabinet. They still can depending on the bass you have dialed in but for the most part they don't.

I'm running my combo through 2 4x12 cabs and there is definitely some sporadic rattling. I'm thinking that it's coming from the reverb chamber, because most of the rattling is in CH1 & CH2 with CH3 extreme being the worst.

 

[lesterpaul]

Owned a Triaxis/2:90 for a long time and the IIC+ mode didn't sound anywhere near as good as it does on the V -- interesting complaint.

I said that it sounds more like a Triaxis than a IIC+. I didn't say that they sounded the same.

have you done a direct comparison with a C?
and, if you think its from verb tank, have you taken it out of the equation yet to see if rattling remains?

 

[MesaGod666]

Owned a Triaxis/2:90 for a long time and the IIC+ mode didn't sound anywhere near as good as it does on the V -- interesting complaint.

I said that it sounds more like a Triaxis than a IIC+. I didn't say that they sounded the same.

have you done a direct comparison with a C?
and, if you think its from verb tank, have you taken it out of the equation yet to see if rattling remains?

I have done a direct comparison to a Triaxis/2:90. The only comparison that I have to a C would be sound clips from other rigs...and so far I haven't been able to get the V to sound like any of those (which is OK with me b/c I still LOVE this amp).

I'm "running tests" this morning on it and I think the reverb tank is the culprit.

 

[dethrattle]

WOW!!! Too many problems for me. I was about to order one for my late Father's Day gift. I told my wife to wait and let me go play one on my day off for several hours and see what its like. Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I will wait untill untill the Mark V 2? is out. I still want to play one.

 

[MesaGod666]

WOW!!! Too many problems for me. I was about to order one for my late Father's Day gift. I told my wife to wait and let me go play one on my day off for several hours and see what its like. Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I will wait untill untill the Mark V 2? is out. I still want to play one.

Dude...get the amp. These problems are minuscule in size and they are easily fixed. The pros FAR OUTWEIGH the cons on this one. Plus, as with all mesa gear, you are not promised the same tone from a V2 than you are from a V1...and if it's good enough for John Petrucci I'm pretty sure that it will be good enough for you. BUY THE AMP TODAY. Get the HEAD instead of the COMBO.

 

[lesterpaul]

ok..obviously wouldnt put a ton of faith in those sound clips..I have compared with mine, and so far, its pretty **** close-bandwidth,compression,etc are nothing compared to being in the same room,same cab,same guitar,same etc....wouldnt consider this a "gripe" :?: -to my ears, it would be hard to decipher the V "lead C+" from the real thing when set up equal
...good luck on your troubleshooting

 

[dethrattle]

WOW!!! Too many problems for me. I was about to order one for my late Father's Day gift. I told my wife to wait and let me go play one on my day off for several hours and see what its like. Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I will wait untill untill the Mark V 2? is out. I still want to play one.

Dude...get the amp. These problems are minuscule in size and they are easily fixed. The pros FAR OUTWEIGH the cons on this one. Plus, as with all mesa gear, you are not promised the same tone from a V2 than you are from a V1...and if it's good enough for John Petrucci I'm pretty sure that it will be good enough for you. BUY THE AMP TODAY. Get the HEAD instead of the COMBO.

I want the head and should get the head and think I will get the head. OK, what am I thinking!?, My wife said you should get it because you wont stop thinking about it until you do. SOLD....

 

[MrMarkIII]

WOW!!! Too many problems for me. I was about to order one for my late Father's Day gift. I told my wife to wait and let me go play one on my day off for several hours and see what its like. Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I will wait untill untill the Mark V 2? is out. I still want to play one.

Dude...get the amp. These problems are minuscule in size and they are easily fixed. The pros FAR OUTWEIGH the cons on this one. Plus, as with all mesa gear, you are not promised the same tone from a V2 than you are from a V1...and if it's good enough for John Petrucci I'm pretty sure that it will be good enough for you. BUY THE AMP TODAY. Get the HEAD instead of the COMBO.

Have some more Kool-Aid :roll:

 

[Supreeth]

Nice thread! I love the Mark V to death, so much so that it is my only amp now. That said, some things I find annoying are

1. My fingers get in the way if I try to turn knobs on the upper row while standing up.
2. Pops when switching from 45 watts to 10 watts.
3. HUGE pop if I power the amp off without putting it on standby
4. Preamp tubes are too hard to change (I'll probably have to turn the amp upside down to do this correctly)
5. Set FX loop to footswitch mode on all channels. Now connect only a delay pedal and turn the FX loop off via footswitch. There's a huge hissing sound. I can still hear the delay though. I don't know if this is a good use case for the amp or not but it's annoying, or my delay is BAD.
6. The amount of Bass on the Mark I mode

cheers,
Supreeth

 

[iFreedom]

WOW!!! Too many problems for me. I was about to order one for my late Father's Day gift. I told my wife to wait and let me go play one on my day off for several hours and see what its like. Thanks for all the feedback guys. I think I will wait untill untill the Mark V 2? is out. I still want to play one.

Dude...get the amp. These problems are minuscule in size and they are easily fixed. The pros FAR OUTWEIGH the cons on this one. Plus, as with all mesa gear, you are not promised the same tone from a V2 than you are from a V1...and if it's good enough for John Petrucci I'm pretty sure that it will be good enough for you. BUY THE AMP TODAY. Get the HEAD instead of the COMBO.

+1

Your voice is in this amp.