NAD! Mark III Purple Stripe

[spawnofthesith2]

Purple stripe SR. This amp is a bad motherfuker

The guy made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and I’ve been eyeing this for over a month now

Exceeding expectations actually. Spent a good hour or so without adding any EQ and just jamming it as god built it. Was able to dial in some pretty great and aggressive high gain tones. I know there’s only like one component difference in the circuit of EQ/non EQ models but I swear it sounds less honky than my other marks when disengaging the EQ


Anyway, then I popped on the “Cali Q graphic” on the stomp


HOLY. ****.

Now we’re REALLY talking

I did have to modify my settings that I dialed for “non EQ” but man this thing sounds epic.

For leads it definitely dunks on both the IV and the V for smoothness. Just crazy immediacy and tightness. It’s been a long time since I had my DRG red stripe, but I dunno I think I like this better from what I recall (and that amp was incredibly awesome)

I’ve heard the purple stripes as being “the least aggressive” but IDk, this sounds pretty ****** aggressive to me :lol:

No issues balancing in a beautiful clean and a menacing lead either (didn’t have that issue on my red stripe either, but I’ve heard people say that)

Only tested through my thiele so far so still have a lot to experiment with. Definitely very glad that I didn’t let the lack of GEQ scare me away

 

[sloanthebone]

Nice!

 

[rarebitusa]

Oh now that's a score there. Congrats. Yea, I find the GEQ in the loop works really well. The SR is a beast, I often run my HR in 60W mode. Very

 

[spawnofthesith2]

Had my first band practice with this III tonight (last week against better judgement I conducted an experiment using my HX stomp with modeling direct. As I suspected, failed experiment lolol)


The III sound absolutely huge. Was using my closed back widebody 1x12 (c90). The 60 watts is no slouch for volume and power. Roared with the best of them. I rarely trust my drummers tonal opinions but he was particularly stoked on the tone, so I’ll selectively accept that one

Was planning on bringing it back home but by the end of practice I was too lazy and tired so back to the IV and V at home for the next week lol. I like my other amps and all, but I think at the end of the day Marks are the only true amps for me

 

[rarebitusa]

The III sound absolutely huge. Was using my closed back widebody 1x12 (c90).

Gotta luv that. You've got those 3 sequential model Marks... old school to new, pretty sweet.

So does that WB C90 cab play good with all 3?

 

[spawnofthesith2]

Gotta luv that. You've got those 3 sequential model Marks... old school to new, pretty sweet.

So does that WB C90 cab play good with all 3?

Still a bit keen on eventually adding a simul III and a II of some kind to the arsenal eventually lmao. And maaaybe a VII one day if they ever get down to like 2k used lol

The wide body is my favorite all around cab by far, everything sounds good through it. I do really love my EVM loaded thiele but I do feel like it has a few quirks and particularities. I also feel the widebody mic’s up easier too

I actually am thinking I’ll likely grab a second one, if for nothing else a permanent one to leave at my drummers and one to have at home and to take to gigs…

I’ve been keeping an eye out for a used older one with the c90 but I may just grab one of the current production ones that are branded as a “recto 1x12” with the v30. I’d be interested to have another go with a v30 as it’s been years. Depending on how I like that may just roll with it, or else do some speaker shuffling. I have a Madison 2x12 that currently has a redback and a creamback that I pillaged from my deluxe reverb. Could possibly just put the creamback back in the DR, pick up another used c90 on the cheap, put that in the hypothetical widebody and move the v30 from there into the 2x12 with the redback

 

[rarebitusa]

The wide body is my favorite all around cab by far, everything sounds good through it.

Oh yea get that, feel the same way about my WB C90. It's the best all round cab, well balanced and sounds big. Logistically fairly easy to deal with as well. I will mention that the EVM Thiele as an extension cab with the WB C90 sounds over the top with the Badlander and the IIC+. However haven't had alot of time with it on the V:90... yet.

 

[spawnofthesith2]

Oh yea get that, feel the same way about my WB C90. It's the best all round cab, well balanced and sounds big. Logistically fairly easy to deal with as well. I will mention that the EVM Thiele as an extension cab with the WB C90 sounds over the top with the Badlander and the IIC+. However haven't had alot of time with it on the V:90... yet.

Haven’t done much combining of the two with anything, I know that the times I’ve tried my badlander with just thiele it hasn’t been my favorite combination. BAD tends to sound better with my other cabs so far

WB plays absolutely fantastic with the V:90… the majority of my gigs in 2024 have been that combo, and truthfully it’s been some of my favorite live tones to date, highly recommend!

 

[Craig E.]

I have a purple stripe DRG and love it. Nice Fender like cleans with plenty of high gain on the lead channel. Nice score enjoy it!

 

[rarebitusa]

Was using my closed back widebody 1x12 (c90).

Curious... is your fully closed or like this? Also what are it's dimensions? I'm not sure when they made the version I have but it's certainly not new. It measures

width height depth

26 1/2”​

20”​

11 1/2”​

Now these are the dimensions of the WB 1x12 Mesa lists on their site now. It is smaller then what I have.

Height Width Depth​

16 1/2" 22 3/4" 11 1/4"

 

[Craig E.]

I have a purple stripe DRG and love it. Nice Fender like cleans with plenty of high gain on the lead channel. Nice score enjoy it!

 

[spawnofthesith2]

Curious... is your fully closed or like this? Also what are it's dimensions? I'm not sure when they made the version I have but it's certainly not new. It measures

width height depth

26 1/2”​

20”​

11 1/2”​

View attachment 5419

Now these are the dimensions of the WB 1x12 Mesa lists on their site now. It is smaller then what I have.

Height Width Depth​

16 1/2" 22 3/4" 11 1/4"

View attachment 5420

Interesting! Mines fully sealed, and now I don’t have it handy with me as I left it at my drummers last night, but I’m pretty sure it corresponds with the latter dimensions, fits mark V and badlander exactly so it’s gotta be 22 3/4” wide

Looks like yours is even more true to the name widebody!

 

[rarebitusa]

Interesting! Mines fully sealed, and now I don’t have it handy with me as I left it at my drummers last night, but I’m pretty sure it corresponds with the latter dimensions, fits mark V and badlander exactly so it’s gotta be 22 3/4” wide

Looks like yours is even more true to the name widebody!

Thanks.. been digging around FWIW I think they refer to what I have as a 3/4 back WB. Not sure what timeframe they made them. BTW I did see the closed back WB but Sweetwater shows it as being discontinued.

WB 1x12 CB Cab

Mesa sure has changed their cab specs and offerings over the years.

Yea mine does have a bit of overlap with the Badlander or the V

 

[spawnofthesith2]

Thanks.. been digging around FWIW I think they refer to what I have as a 3/4 back WB. Not sure what timeframe they made them. BTW I did see the closed back WB but Sweetwater shows it as being discontinued.

WB 1x12 CB Cab

Mesa sure has changed their cab specs and offerings over the years.

Yea mine does have a bit of overlap with the Badlander or the V

View attachment 5421

Yeah based on the current offerings, the only thing they have labeled “widebody” is an open back

As far as I can tell is that the “23 rectifier 1x12 is the same as mine aside from having a v30 instead of a c90

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...-by-12-inch-23-rectifier-cabinet-black-bronco

 

[danielpasco]

OMG OMG OMG. I just noticed this thread and am screaming! I'm super glad that you pulled the trigger on this and I hope you love it for a long time. I love mine.

 

[danielpasco]

Flagging this post as pornography

Purple stripe SR. This amp is a bad motherfuker

The guy made me an offer I couldn’t refuse and I’ve been eyeing this for over a month now

Exceeding expectations actually. Spent a good hour or so without adding any EQ and just jamming it as god built it. Was able to dial in some pretty great and aggressive high gain tones. I know there’s only like one component difference in the circuit of EQ/non EQ models but I swear it sounds less honky than my other marks when disengaging the EQ


Anyway, then I popped on the “Cali Q graphic” on the stomp


HOLY. ****.

Now we’re REALLY talking

I did have to modify my settings that I dialed for “non EQ” but man this thing sounds epic.

For leads it definitely dunks on both the IV and the V for smoothness. Just crazy immediacy and tightness. It’s been a long time since I had my DRG red stripe, but I dunno I think I like this better from what I recall (and that amp was incredibly awesome)

I’ve heard the purple stripes as being “the least aggressive” but IDk, this sounds pretty ****** aggressive to me :lol:

No issues balancing in a beautiful clean and a menacing lead either (didn’t have that issue on my red stripe either, but I’ve heard people say that)

Only tested through my thiele so far so still have a lot to experiment with. Definitely very glad that I didn’t let the lack of GEQ scare me away

 

[danielpasco]

Purple stripe SR. This amp is a bad motherfuker

This is so neat. Mine doesn't even have the reverb, so it's just an S, but I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment. I actually prefer my Purple to my Blue DRG by a long shot (don't say anything to it, it's super sensitive and can get really aggressive).

Anyway, super happy for you. Love to hear some sound cloud posts or something if you get the chance.

 

[spawnofthesith2]

This is so neat. Mine doesn't even have the reverb, so it's just an S, but I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment. I actually prefer my Purple to my Blue DRG by a long shot (don't say anything to it, it's super sensitive and can get really aggressive).

Anyway, super happy for you. Love to hear some sound cloud posts or something if you get the chance.

Thanks man! Really loving the amp!!

My bands actually recording an EP right now, we did the drums at a nice studio but will be self tracking the guitars and the III is definitely going to be on there

In the mean time here’s a ****** phone video of some ****** mid-00’s deathcore with the HX stomp GEQ scooping it into oblivion from a couple weeks ago. You’ve been warned of its quality

 

[rarebitusa]

In the mean time here’s a ****** phone video of some ****** mid-00’s deathcore with the HX stomp GEQ scooping it into oblivion from a couple weeks ago. You’ve been warned of its quality

+1 that's pretty grindy right there... dig it

 

[spawnofthesith2]

+1 that's pretty grindy right there... dig it

I would never say a IV or V lack in any aggression, but man… the IIIs are just such rabid beasts if you want them to be Kinda in a league of their own. Hats off to Randall, Mike B. Etc for creating such firebreathers that long ago

And even with the amp setup like that, switching back to RH1 is just some of the most beautiful “fender on steroids” cleans I’ve heard

Some days I feel like writing a romance novel about how I feel about the Mark series