New Roadster - first impressions

[G.I.G.]

I have a three channel Dual Rectifier and, until recently, had a Rect-O-Verb head (I had to sell to afford my Roadster head that should be coming in soon ). Here's my take on the whole popping situation with recto's.

You're right lifsebcbien, the popping sound is somewhat annoying when you first fire up your. But like Fredster said, I wouldn't let that stop you from buying a recto.

Like Fredster mentioned, if you go through the channels when it's on Standby (you have to wait for the tubes to warm up anyway) you can avoid most of that popping. Once I take my Dual Rec out of standby, it will sometimes pop when I first change channels, but that's it. IMO it's a small price to pay for such great tone.

With the Series II Single Recto's, they remedied this problem...but at a price. They built in a small delay when switching channels to avoid the pop. The problem with that "small delay" though, is that it seems like an eternity when you are playing live. I would much rather hear that pop when I first power up my amp (which then goes away) over having an amp that has a delay when switching channels.

I'm sure Mesa has looked into the popping problem on the recto's. If there was an easy fix that didn't sacrifice tone or other important features, I'm sure they would have addressed it by now. I hope the channel popping doesn't affect your purchase decision. As most people would probably agree on this board, the advantages of the recto's far outweigh their shortcomings.

 

[lifsebcbien]

I like your analyse G.I.G., thanks.

I used to have the little delay you talk about on my single rectifier which is a V2 and it never occurs me any prob as when i change channel there is always a cymbal or a break which makes this very short delay nearly unhearable ( is this word english?)

Anyway I think you nearly convinced me to give it a try. I m impatient for the first roadsters to come in France, it would be during August but as a lot of shops are in holidays I will probably test it during September.

I will come back here often as I appreciate the advise given and cause I think i will need more information from its lucky users .
For the moment I planned to keep my single rectifier as back up and as a tubes tester.
So after the test I will be able to choose beetween the roadster, the roadking II, the XTC and the OD-100 SE.

 

[scolli]

Hello lifsebcbien,

I have a Roadster head (and a 2x12 and a 4x12 Recto std cab...these things seem to be reproducing themselves! ). The only time I've experienced the popping when changing channels is after power-up the first time I go to channel 3 or 4. Afterwards, no popping at all when switching from any channel to any other channel.

Fredster,

Funny, the amp sounds better to me at low volumes. When I crank it and hit a low-E or A-note, It sounds rather harsh (especially on bold/diodes ch3/4). Kinda sounds like "Braaaap!". Any suggestions on how to smooth it out more at higher volumes without loosing the highs?

Thanks man!

 

[lifsebcbien]

Thanks for sharing your experience scolli. I will give it a try !
(about mesa cabs I have exactly the same prob home )

 

[fredster]

Funny, the amp sounds better to me at low volumes. When I crank it and hit a low-E or A-note, It sounds rather harsh (especially on bold/diodes ch3/4). Kinda sounds like "Braaaap!". Any suggestions on how to smooth it out more at higher volumes without loosing the highs?

I mostly play this amp low and I think it sounds great. I know a lot of folks swear by power tube breakup, but I'm not missing it. I may not be your best source for high volume advice! I'll tell you though, I've spent a LOT of time reading the manuals of most of the amp Mesa has and they say pretty must the same thing when it comes to dialing them in. I think the key is understanding how they relate to each other...

 

[scolli]

I mostly play this amp low and I think it sounds great. I know a lot of folks swear by power tube breakup, but I'm not missing it. I may not be your best source for high volume advice! I'll tell you though, I've spent a LOT of time reading the manuals of most of the amp Mesa has and they say pretty must the same thing when it comes to dialing them in. I think the key is understanding how they relate to each other...

Yeah, I think I know what you mean...it does sound good at lower volumes, especially the Brit setting. Weird thing happened tonight, I put channel 3 (gain about 12:00) and 4 (gain @3:00) on 100 watts/diodes/spongy, cranked it and got some nice lead tones and good rhythm . No harshness and No "Braaap" (or maybe my ears were ringing so much I just couldn't hear it )! Same setting (pres,bass,mid,treb,gain) on 50watt/recto/spongy/cranked sounded harsh. Maybe when cranked, you need the extra wattage so it DOESN'T break up!

Anyway, thanks again for you input.

 

[xscottx9]

Hey guys .. I need some help with my Roadster ..

When I use the tuner out, and connect it to my Boss TU-2 it is very noisy ..

and I CANNOT get a good sound out of the Brit channel .. Its insanely brittle, thin, and Muddy ..

Les Paul and a Marshall 4x12 V30's .. thanks.

 

[scolli]

xscottx9

I've been using the Brit settings in the manual with the presence as low as possible and the bass cranked up on spongy (50watts/rectifier). It does sound kinda thin and brittle at higher volume, but not muddy. The guitar is a Carvin C66 (strat-like) set to the bridge pickup.

Regarding the tuner, what do you mean by noisy? I hear little or nothing thru my cab when the tunner switch is engaged. If the problem is a noisy signal into the tuner, then try tuning on the neck pickup and/or rolling back the volume or tone a little on your axe. I get a better tuner reading this way (i'm using a peterson virtual strobe).

Hope this helpgs

 

[xscottx9]

no, its just NOISE .. I re did my pedalboard lastnight, and put my Noise gate in the effects loop .. I also connected the tuner to the tuner loop. It was VERY noisy after doing this, and I figured the noise gate was not working as well as it should since it was in the loop .. so I pilled the noisegate, and put it in front of the amp .. Still super noisy.

so I reached back there, and pulled the tuner out of the tuner loop .. and bam .. dead silent. man this amp is quiet .

I have not swapped a cable yet, .. but it was so noisy, I assumed it was a "feature" using the tuner loop.

 

[xscottx9]

no, its just NOISE .. I re did my pedalboard lastnight, and put my Noise gate in the effects loop .. I also connected the tuner to the tuner loop. It was VERY noisy after doing this, and I figured the noise gate was not working as well as it should since it was in the loop .. so I pilled the noisegate, and put it in front of the amp .. Still super noisy.

so I reached back there, and pulled the tuner out of the tuner loop .. and bam .. dead silent. man this amp is quiet .

I have not swapped a cable yet, .. but it was so noisy, I assumed it was a "feature" using the tuner loop.

 

[scolli]

I have not swapped a cable yet, .. but it was so noisy, I assumed it was a "feature" using the tuner loop.

No, it is definately not a "feature"! Mine is dead quiet (especially on the buckers) with or without the tuner. I'm running no effects or noise gate...just staight in with a little roadsterverb.

 

[xscottx9]

Swapped the cable and its still noisy. It does not matter if a guitar is plugged in or not. I also plugged a 20$ kprg in there, and it was just as noisy .. so its not my cable, and its not my tuner ..

pull the cable, dead quiet.