Mark V vs. 35 Cleans

[Mastober]

I’ve had a Mark V combo with 6L6s for a while and today I sent it in for servicing. As a loaner I grabbed a mark V 35 combo, and I immediately noticed that I enjoy the clean tone much more. I’ve always found the big mark V a little bright, but the 35 is rich and still clear.

Any guesses on the difference? Do the EL84s make that much of a difference, or maybe the cab size?

 

[mixsit]

Might ch.1 in tube rectifier mode soften it out some? I just realized I'd been using the diode mode for cleans for quite some time and need to revisit this. :>)

 

[Mastober]

Good thought, but both are in diode mode.

 

[BMW-KTM]

I have a Mark V-35 and the cleans really are quite nice, as you've pointed out.
I used to own an early version of the .50 Calibre which used EL84s and it also had very good cleans.
At some point during my ownership of the .50 Calibre I happened to try a newer version of the .50 that employed a pair of 6L6s instead of the quad of EL84s mine used.
I found I was not quite as impressed with those cleans.
There were other differences between those versions so I can't say for certain that it was attributable to the tube types.

 

[Mastober]

Well I might have to put EL34s into mine some time to try it. Interestingly, I definitely like the distortion more on the big boy, but that might have something to do with the added girth.

 

[BMW-KTM]

We are discussing EL84s.
Not EL34s.
Those are a completely different animal.

 

[Mastober]

Fair enough, but if the EL84 changes the clean tone that much it would be interesting to try 34s.

 

[BMW-KTM]

I get the feeling you may be under the impression that these tube types are all interchangeable.
You should know they are not.

You should also know that EL84s are not typically known for their cleans and that my personal impression of the cleans on the Mark V-35 and the .50 Calibre amps is something of an anomaly and should not be used to form a generalization.
Most people would prefer 6L6s for cleans and in fact some of the best clean amp tones I have ever heard have come from 6L6 powered amps.

I fear my original comment has lead you to an erroneous assumption.

 

[Mastober]

Thanks, I’m certainly aware tubes aren’t interchangeable, it just so happens that on the Mark V 90 they are (at least between el34 and 6l6). And I’m aware of the history of both tube types.

As to my original question and the reason for the post, I was simply wondering how the two amps with the same speaker and presumably similar circuits could have different clean characteristics.

I’m still curious about the cabinet size and might also experiment with building some speaker cabs.

 

[BMW-KTM]

Cabinet size is important.
There is an entire cottage industry built around trying to use modifications to the circuitry to compensate for the sonic shortcomings of the Fender Blues Junior when really what it needs most is a bigger cabinet.

The Mark V-35 does exhibit a small amount of that same cabinet related tone-thing, as do all of the past and present Marks that use the same sized cabinet.
It is part of the sound and everybody just accepts it as being that's how they sound.
I wanted more from mine so I bought a Theile 112 extension cabinet to sit under the combo.
It opens up the bottom end in the cleans and give them more breath.
As for overdriven tones the ext cab does not seem to affect the tone as much as it does on the cleans, but it does make it a bit louder.


I once owned a Rivera Fandango which used EL34s (55w) and the cleans were absolutely astounding but it had almost no headroom.
You might find something similar with yours.

 

[Bigbart8]

I have a V 35 head with dual rectifier and fender twin and have yet to really like the cleans on the Mesa. Tried every setting Eq combo yet- I find when playing my stat, I always use the Twin. While playing LP I always use the Boogie. Guessing best solution would be to ad AbY peadal to switch between. Any good setting threads in here? I see a bunch for the 5 and the 5:25.