mdortona:
My praises about the MkV are only because I understand how to get the most out of it in all modes of each channel and sound great! This is partially due to my experience with owning many MB amps over the years, and most specifically having owned and played a MkIV for many years (yes, I still own it as well). I find the V to be much easier than the IV to achieve the great sounds that I am after.......even thought the V has many more options....modes.
Anyway, I do not wish to hijack the thread......so.....
I find the Renegade 212 combo to provide a wide variety of excellent sounds in both channels that I find to be very easy to dial in.......and yes, at a much lower cost compared to the V, Lonestars, EDs and even slightly lower cost than the Express series.
Does that make the Renegade better than the Mesa's.....not at all, but it does offer a cheaper option that may be able to provide the tones that one is after.
Regarding reliability.....Mesa is second to none in my book! Egnater Renegade.......only time will tell, but I hope so because it sounds great to me!
lostcause:
I agree with your post in general, but I do feel there is some common ground with the LS and Renegade in that both amps are 2 channel tube amps with a clean and high gain channel. I am able to achieve beautiful cleans in channel 1 of both amps. However, I find channel 2 of the Renegade 212 (with the gain set fairly low to medium) to be able to cop the sounds of the LS in channel 2, but the Renegade possibilities in channel 2 can also achieve very nice high gain rhythm and leads sounds (EVH for example) as well with the gain set higher (12 - 3 o'clock)......which the LS was never designed or intended to produce.
Is the extra high gain sounds offered by the Renegade in channel 2 important to you compared to the LS? Maybe not, but if it is......you may want to give the Renegade a test drive.
I am not dissing the LS amps because they are great in their own right......they just didn't work well for me in channel 2.