Mesa Cabs & the 2:100 Power Amp

[PUBH]

OK... have some questions (I seem to be confused over some things).

I have a Mesa 2:100 power amp ordered and it is currently shipping, I'll have it about Friday. Between now and then I'll head up to Guitar Center... and I'll probably get the Mesa 4x12 Recto cab.

Well I'm not sure how I'm going to hook it all up. I'd like to keep things in stereo (certain effects are running stereo with my Recto Pre). So assuming I have the 2:100 coupled with one 4x12 Recto cab... how would everything connect? :?:

Side question...

:?: Do you have to run both sides (A & B) of 2:100? Can you only power up one side (and NOT damage it)?

:?: If you only run one side of the 2:100... how does the 4ohm outputs work? Do they simply "make" one side "stereo"? Or does it actually take the left & right side from the Recto?

:?: What does the presence knob (on pwr amp) do? Where do most people set it?

Any other info I need to know?

People typically have trouble with their first head & cabinet... well I'm having my first power amp and it has a lot more options to confuse me, lol...


-EDIT-

:?: Also, what would be the difference between running a 2x12 recto cab and 4x12 recto cab? Will it help to reduce "loudness"? It's starting to look like a nice option to go for if it will help with that, and it'll be a lot easier to transport. I mainly record (hence Recto Pre), only got the 2:100 to mess around in a friend's band, so I don't need a big-ass "concert cab" lol

 

[PUBH]

Also...

I understand you're supposed to use different type of cabling for a speaker (something to handle the greater signal or such)? What cables would you recommend?

 

[nocluejimbo]

You NEED to use a designated speaker cable. I prefer the Planet Waves 5 ft. speaker cable for my head -> cab connection. Whatever brand you are used to using will be fine, as long as it is a speaker cable.

I would connect each side of the poweramp to that respective side of the cabinet.

The presence knob does what the name implies, it controls the amount of presence. At low settings, it will decrease high end and volume, and at higher settings, it will boost high end and volume. This gives a lesser or greater feeling of the amp being present in the mix.

 

[PUBH]

Thanks for the info, it's answered some of my questions.

I understand what a presence knob typically does; is that really what it does on the power amp though? I know I have one on my preamp and what it does, I just found it "odd" that there is a second presence on the power amp, and was curious if there was a difference between them.

 

[nocluejimbo]

Thanks for the info, it's answered some of my questions.

I understand what a presence knob typically does; is that really what it does on the power amp though? I know I have one on my preamp and what it does, I just found it "odd" that there is a second presence on the power amp, and was curious if there was a difference between them.

I'm sure there is a difference, but what that is is beyond me. Seems kind of redundant.

Any question other than the repeating knob phenomenon can very likely be answered. Ask away.

 

[PUBH]

Well from your help & consulting the manual for the 2:100, I've been able to answer a number of questions (finally was able to find it, for some reason I could never "see" it in the list, lol).


My main question remaining is, what is the difference between the 2x12 and 4x12 (what would you recommend; etc)? I'd like a 4x12 obviously... but considering the level of use it will have and the easier transport of the 2x12, the 2x12 recto cab is looking like a real possibility. But I've seen "mixed" reviews about it compared to the 4x12, so I'm curious what people hear think.

 

[screamingdaisy]

OK... have some questions (I seem to be confused over some things).

I have a Mesa 2:100 power amp ordered and it is currently shipping, I'll have it about Friday. Between now and then I'll head up to Guitar Center... and I'll probably get the Mesa 4x12 Recto cab.

Well I'm not sure how I'm going to hook it all up. I'd like to keep things in stereo (certain effects are running stereo with my Recto Pre). So assuming I have the 2:100 coupled with one 4x12 Recto cab... how would everything connect? :?:

Leave your effects in the loop like they are now.

Plug channel A on the preamp into channel A on the Recto Input on the power amp.

Repeat for channel B.

The Recto 4x12 has 4 inputs on the back. One is 8ohm mono, two are 4ohm stereo, the other is a daisy chain through if I remember correctly.

Plug the 4ohm out of channel A into one of the 4ohm inputs on the cab.

Repeat for channel B.

Side question...

:?: Do you have to run both sides (A & B) of 2:100? Can you only power up one side (and NOT damage it)?

Turn the volume and presence to zero on the unused side and don't plug anything into the input for that channel.

:?: If you only run one side of the 2:100... how does the 4ohm outputs work? Do they simply "make" one side "stereo"? Or does it actually take the left & right side from the Recto?

You'll understand it when it's in front of you.

:?: What does the presence knob (on pwr amp) do? Where do most people set it?

It adjust the presence, but more importantly for you (as you own a Recto Pre), it does nothing. The volume and presence settings on the 2:100 are bypassed when using the Recto Pre and controlled by the knobs on the preamp.

Any other info I need to know?

Use speaker cable....preferably 14g, or better yet 12g if you can find it.

:?: Also, what would be the difference between running a 2x12 recto cab and 4x12 recto cab? Will it help to reduce "loudness"?

Easier to carry.

A little less bass

Not as much "oomph"

It's starting to look like a nice option to go for if it will help with that, and it'll be a lot easier to transport. I mainly record (hence Recto Pre), only got the 2:100 to mess around in a friend's band, so I don't need a big-ass "concert cab" lol

If you're using stereo effects, get two 2x12s and put one on each side of the stage.

 

[luigi]

One quick possible correction......if the 2:90 is anything like the 20/20 and you want to run only one side of the power amp you have to .......

1) Turn the Volume of the unused channel all the way down
2) Turn the Presence of the unused channel all the way UP not down

If your unsure, it should tell you in the manual.

 

[PUBH]

screamingdaisy (or anyone else with experience)...

So you don't have to hook up BOTH "4ohm" jacks on channel A or B? From your answer, I understand I would connect ONE of the 4ohm jacks from channel A (and then to the cab), and then ONE of the 4ohm jacks from channel B (and then to the cab)?


Also, where do you place rack equipment in your setup? Do you go from the Recto Pre, to rack stuff, to power amp? I'm not talking like an effects piece of rack equipment, but stuff like noise gates, compressors, enhancers, EQs, etc.


Thanks!

 

[nocluejimbo]

screamingdaisy (or anyone else with experience)...

So you don't have to hook up BOTH "4ohm" jacks on channel A or B? From your answer, I understand I would connect ONE of the 4ohm jacks from channel A (and then to the cab), and then ONE of the 4ohm jacks from channel B (and then to the cab)?


Also, where do you place rack equipment in your setup? Do you go from the Recto Pre, to rack stuff, to power amp? I'm not talking like an effects piece of rack equipment, but stuff like noise gates, compressors, enhancers, EQs, etc.


Thanks!

All of that should run after the preamp.

 

[screamingdaisy]

screamingdaisy (or anyone else with experience)...

So you don't have to hook up BOTH "4ohm" jacks on channel A or B? From your answer, I understand I would connect ONE of the 4ohm jacks from channel A (and then to the cab), and then ONE of the 4ohm jacks from channel B (and then to the cab)?

Correct.

Also, where do you place rack equipment in your setup? Do you go from the Recto Pre, to rack stuff, to power amp? I'm not talking like an effects piece of rack equipment, but stuff like noise gates, compressors, enhancers, EQs, etc.

You can go from the power amp out on the preamp and into the FX units, then into the power amp. This is how I run all my fx as I don't like the preamps built in fx loop all that much.


Thanks![/quote]

 

[PUBH]

Major issue/dilemma, I don't want to damage my setup!


Well the 2:100 arrived today. Pretty damn nice, AND loud... lol, had to keep everything at a low volume setting not to wake the neighbors and it was still LOUD

Anyway, some questions were brought up as I hooked up the Recto Pre, Recto 2:100, and 2x12 Recto cab.

Recto Pre
\/
[2 separate cables; one right, one left; out of LIVE OUTS into Recto's dedicated A & B inputs]
\/
Recto 2:100
\/
[1 speaker cable; in output of channel A rated 8ohm into 8ohm input on cab]
\/
Recto 2x12


My question/problem is this...

Normally were I running just one side of the poweramp, I am able to run one side, but HAVE to bring the level control for the un-used channel to ZERO. OK, makes sense. Problem---when I run out of the Recto Pre, it disables the level & presence knobs (their circuits; it bypasses them).

So how am I suppose to only use one side if it's all controlled by ONE knob on the Recto Pre? :?

 

[samhill]

I would not run the B side out of the Pre into the B side of the 2:100, this sends a signal to the unsed portion of the amp, in Recto mode it bypasses the front Volume and Presence therefore a signal would still be present on the B side and you have NO LOAD on the B side.

Correct me if I'm wrong, all you folks in the know.

Mark

 

[PUBH]

Well I called Mesa, and you correct.

If I don't want to run some side, I just don't connect that side between the preamp & poweramp.

 

[PUBH]

A bit of a question...

In simple but direct terms, how are the tubes in the 2:100 setup? As in, are certain tubes "set" to channel A/channel B? Or no?

Just been thinking about how to extend the tube's life span as long as possible and that thought came up; it'll be expensive to re-tube

Aside from that, a very nice setup

 

[screamingdaisy]

If I remember correctly....

The 4 tubes on the left are one channel and the 4 tubes on the right are the other. If you're only looking to run at 50w or something pull all 4 of the top row of tubes. I wouldn't recommend running an unused channel with no tubes in it. I don't know if it'll actually hurt anything or not, I'd just be hesitant to do it.

Maybe someone else on here can clarify that last sentence?

 

[Iconoclysm]

Wow, this forum rocks!!!

I have the same setup as the guy who started this thread - there is one question not answered here that I've been wondering for almost a year now. If I have rack effects between the pre and power amp (TC G-Force or G-System soon) can I still use the Recto inputs on the 2:100. These inputs override the volume controls on the power amp. If I'm using them, will the output of the rack gear now control the volume or does the preamp still have some sort of "phantom" control? The amp tends to sound better into those inputs, it gets a sizeable gain in volume as well.

The bottom line is that I'm not exactly happy with the sounds I'm getting for the investment and I'm confident it's my own fault - any help would be appreciated!!! Thanks!!!

Still loving this little forum!