Wow, wow, wow. I didn't think we'd see this. Got the email today. Mesa is definitely not sitting on their laurels, given the excellent products already released the past couple years.
This is almost my dream gigging amp. And I just got a Rectoverb 25 to sit in for my Mark V on tight stages. But it's missing a channel, and I agree, the tube change must make it totally different. I'm willing to give their creative engineers the benefit of the doubt in voicing this potential gem as a Mark V.
But I'm sick. I want 3 channels in this configuration! I need the great clean, but I love the chewy tweed channel on the Mark V. In ten watt mode it's so excellent and authentically vintage sounding. And of course you can't give up crunch and high gain. So what I really dream of, is a 4 channel, mini Mesa Mark VI! Clean, tweed, crunch, and high gain, all in foot switchable, pedal eliminating glory. I'm sure we are years away from that kind of miniturization in analog amplification though, if it's even possible or affordable.
Interesting in the description that in polling the community, it sounds like they considered 3 channels, but users preferred only two. And that pedals made up for the other drive tones required.