MINI MARK V

[kippiejr]

Just arrived UPS drop off thanks Mesa! Hear I go. I also got some NOS Amprex Bugle boy EL84's and some TAD EL 84's to try incase the Mesa's don't impress. Along with a stash of NOS and current 12AX7's to try as well. I will run it through its paces and put in my two cents. I have Mark I-V already so this mini and my ear should be a good test.
Stand by......

 

[dodger916]

The suspense is killing me!

 

[kippiejr]

Ok boys just got back from the studio. That was fun!! Quick background. Like I said early I have Mark I-V and I always gig with my C+. duh? lol...
I love all types of music. I demoed the only channels I would currently use in my current projects.
Clean and Fat Clean
C+, IV and Extreme.

Cool factor One. I simply unplugged the power, send/return, speaker and foot switch from the C+ and set it aside and plugged them in the Mini in the same fashion.

Cool factor Two. Did not have to change anything, once I brought the volumes of the two channels up my rig was set as the C+ prior. Plug and play between the two.. Really Cool!


Cool Factor Three. First Mesa I can carry with one hand. AWESOME!

CHANNEL ONE
Both Clean and Fat Mode are typical from what you would expect from the Mark V, Crisp and articulate. Sounds like any Mark in Clean mode. Always been great and continues in the Mini. Not a shocker Mesa cleans are some of the best ever. Great Job Mesa.

CHANNEL TWO
C+ MODE: Usable tones can be found here but sorry Mesa not true C+ mode. I play only C+'s and right away It was missing. C+ fans don't be discouraged read on!
MARK IV MODE: One flip of the switch and leaving my setting copied from the C+ mode as i set from the real C+ and HELLO MOMMA!
This mode resembles a C+ very close. Not as warm as a vintage 30 year old amp but WOW. Very impressive for 10 pounder! "I could gig with that," i said to myself..
EXTREME MODE: There is db boost when switching from the other channel two modes but from channel 1 to Channel 2 is seamless. Again this mode is usable. I found it muddy in Mark V but in the Mini it brings thunder and tight attack. the Djent guys will love this channel.

Things I love. Simple Two Channel amp, Series FX loop (like the c+, no knob to worry about) Plug and Play with my current rig.
Things I did not love. Still had that EL 84 mid range thing but I dialed it out!
Does not need 6V6's
Thought this was weird but I left the master at 7 oclock which is 0 but when I started to turn bass, treble and mid the volume increased with their function. Once I brought the master to 8 the tone knobs acted as they would in any amp. Thought that was weird. O yeah and just like a true Mesa if 7 is off 10 is full and no change between 10 and pegged wide open.
Still need more time with her but my advise, Buy it, buy two, buy three. Worth ever penny.! Congrats Mesa you should sell a ton of these. 000027 is staying with me :lol:

 

[Don]

Great review! Thanks!

 

[Rectifried]

Thank you Kippiejr

Just for reference, do you find the 2c+ mode on the V to be like a 2c+? I'm wondering how far off the mode on the 25 is from the mode on the V, if that makes sense.

 

[Steve Naples]

Thanks for the great review, I can't wait to get mine.

 

[kippiejr]

C+ modes on both amps have usable tones. But there is only one C+ and it was made in the 80's. However, like i said and confirmed in the 25 manual. The Mark IV mode is warmer in the mini than big V. If you read the manual. " the MODES in Depth" the description they use to describe the Mark IV mode is how i hear my C+ and that is what i am hearing it in the Mark IV mode.. 40 watt monster! I will re visit the C+ mode in depth later tonight, But with the Mark IV mode so close, why try to dial the C+ mode. The Mark IV mode and Xtreme modes are monsters in the Mini V. Maybe its the EL'84s. They seem warmer to me..

 

[dodger916]

Thanks, kippie, and glad you like the amp! You got me chompin' at the bit to demo one!!

I can't help envisioning a Mark V:40 with 4 EL84s and 3 power options, like the T/A. Seems to me the technology is already there....

 

[MBJunkie]

Yes, thanks for the great review kippie!
If you get a chance, I would love your opinion of the crunch mode. Does it offer a wide range of sounds like the crunch mode of the Big V?

 

[kippiejr]

C+ and Crunch Mode and Cab Clone Reviews:

C+ MODE: Turn up the the presents and treble and gain and you get closer to the original. However for some reason it still lacks the true C+ Drive. However, like I mentioned before for some reason in the mini, The Mark IV mode delivers both C+ tone and Mark IV as well. Awesome!

Crunch Mode: Much better than the Big V. With the added Mid Boost feature (ala King Snake) The Crunch channel can go from Marshall to Modded Marshall to over the top Marshall but better with Mesa tone. A ton of usable gain and tones in this new Crunch mini channel. Like no other Mesa crunch channel before. Thanks to the new mid boost feature. Well done Mesa. That mid boost needs to be in the Big V.. Awesome!

Cab Clone: Great feature for direct and live sound. Ran through PA and live cab and mixed a KILLER tone. However, if you guys don't have your own sound guy or using the house sound guy (and you know what I mean) you could be in trouble. The cab clone version of simulation reminds me of the mic closer to the cone. A cool feature is you can simply turn your amp cab off via the "speaker off" switch in back and hear just the FOH. Then if you wish you can flip the cab back on and hear the entire mix. If the live cab is mic'd and you get the luxury of a direct as well and time to dial in the PA. HEAVEN! . With direct and cab clone combo, I liked open back cab feature for clone and live mix. Bigger open sound. I can tell cab simulation has come a long way.

Again, the best thing is how simple this 2 channel amp is. If Mesa would have just wired the clean in Fat mode only, kept the mid boost feature and just used the Mark IV mode as the channel 2 only this could as easily been called a MKIIC+ reissue 2.0 40 watts. And all those people who never played a true C+ would have a great idea of what one sounded like. just Idea. lol. There is still only one C+. The down fall is the 40 only gets so loud. The true C+ just keeps its tone louder and louder then paint pealed from the wall..lol The mini at full volume is still LOUD but tolerable and enough at a PA (mic'd) supplied gigs.

The only thing that kind of bugs, and that is because I have been playing C+'s so long, is I still hear that EL 84 mid range thing that is their characteristic. But that me!

Wish list: Same exact amp and features with 2 6L6's. With 10/25/60w. If possible. Mesa could call it the MKIIC+ 2.0 60 watt.
******But maybe the secret of the mini is the Mark IV mode and the EL84's and somehow it shares the circuitry of both the C+ and IV modes and MESA just stumbled on to another legend of tone AND they don't have to be sent back to upgrade.
Stay tune for the Exotic hard wood shell I am going to make...heheheheh. It so tiny..I can lift it with one finger...
PLEASE!

 

[ryjan]

Great review. Thanks a lot man.
What are your thoughts on the over all volume capability? Would this amp hold up in a band rehearsal situation with another guitar, bass, and drums without PA reinforcement?

 

[kippiejr]

Enough power for practice rehearsal. It's as loud as the 20/20 if you ever tried that.
But don't expect a sweeping volume knob. 10 o'clock to 5 o'clock is about the same db's
7 o'clock is 0 and 5 o'clock is 10 for reference.

Another feature I stumbled on is in the clean mode the EL84's break up quick using the gain knob so be careful. Like 9 o'clock on gain knob is beautiful cleans but 10 o'clock is breaking up pretty quick. Not badly just quick

 

[Iceman63]

What cab are using? If I get one, not sure what cab to use. I want to keep it to a 1x12.

 

[MBJunkie]

Thanks a bunch for your follow up kippie!
I am glad that you are also pleased with the crunch mode, and coming from somebody who owns a Mark 1 through Mark 5, your opinions mean a lot to me!
Great review! :mrgreen:

 

[polaris20]

Ok boys just got back from the studio. That was fun!! Quick background. Like I said early I have Mark I-V and I always gig with my C+. duh? lol...
I love all types of music. I demoed the only channels I would currently use in my current projects.
Clean and Fat Clean
C+, IV and Extreme.

Cool factor One. I simply unplugged the power, send/return, speaker and foot switch from the C+ and set it aside and plugged them in the Mini in the same fashion.

Cool factor Two. Did not have to change anything, once I brought the volumes of the two channels up my rig was set as the C+ prior. Plug and play between the two.. Really Cool!


Cool Factor Three. First Mesa I can carry with one hand. AWESOME!

CHANNEL ONE
Both Clean and Fat Mode are typical from what you would expect from the Mark V, Crisp and articulate. Sounds like any Mark in Clean mode. Always been great and continues in the Mini. Not a shocker Mesa cleans are some of the best ever. Great Job Mesa.

CHANNEL TWO
C+ MODE: Usable tones can be found here but sorry Mesa not true C+ mode. I play only C+'s and right away It was missing. C+ fans don't be discouraged read on!
MARK IV MODE: One flip of the switch and leaving my setting copied from the C+ mode as i set from the real C+ and HELLO MOMMA!
This mode resembles a C+ very close. Not as warm as a vintage 30 year old amp but WOW. Very impressive for 10 pounder! "I could gig with that," i said to myself..
EXTREME MODE: There is db boost when switching from the other channel two modes but from channel 1 to Channel 2 is seamless. Again this mode is usable. I found it muddy in Mark V but in the Mini it brings thunder and tight attack. the Djent guys will love this channel.

Things I love. Simple Two Channel amp, Series FX loop (like the c+, no knob to worry about) Plug and Play with my current rig.
Things I did not love. Still had that EL 84 mid range thing but I dialed it out!
Does not need 6V6's
Thought this was weird but I left the master at 7 oclock which is 0 but when I started to turn bass, treble and mid the volume increased with their function. Once I brought the master to 8 the tone knobs acted as they would in any amp. Thought that was weird. O yeah and just like a true Mesa if 7 is off 10 is full and no change between 10 and pegged wide open.
Still need more time with her but my advise, Buy it, buy two, buy three. Worth ever penny.! Congrats Mesa you should sell a ton of these. 000027 is staying with me :lol:

Perhaps a difficult question to answer, but would someone NOT intimately familiar with the IIC+ be happy with the IIC+ mode for just getting good tones? I realize someone like you might not find it accurate, but is it still sound good?

EDIT

sorry dude, should have read the rest of the thread! Sounds like the C+ mode is still useful. Thanks for the review!

 

[kippiejr]

Only tried it with my recto 4x12 but I have a recto 1x12. With the right PA guy the 1x12 and cab clone would be enough.

 

[dodger916]

So this amp's output should be good for most (all?) gigging situations: stand-alone for smaller gigs and DI for larger gigs. Very cool.... 8)

 

[kippiejr]

For sure. You could get a FX processor like a G major (single space) that has the switch relay, the V25 and a 1x12 and have the lightness, easiest, portable, best sounding rig around and laugh at the others while they are setting up and you are sipping your preferred beverage of choice..

 

[Triaxstasy]

Awesome info and review!!

I´m still GASing towards the V:25 albeit the street price over here in Germany which is 1000$ more than the US price.
I have a Lexicon MPX-G2 with the R1 Floorboard and hooking this up via 4-cable method with the V:25 and a Mesa Thiele sounds like a nice lightweight but heavy-tone combo!

 

[dodger916]

For sure. You could get a FX processor like a G major (single space) that has the switch relay, the V25 and a 1x12 and have the lightness, easiest, portable, best sounding rig around and laugh at the others while they are setting up and you are sipping your preferred beverage of choice..

Now you're just rubbing it in! :wink: