Not happy with Rack Setup - What Would you Do In my place?

[joe187]

I have a rack with a Prophesy Pre and a Mesa 2:Fifty into two Mesa 2x12 Recto cabs.

I have never been happy with this. I have over $3 grand into this setup and i just don't like any of the sounds that much. I can't get quality sounds at lower volumes, and cranked I just hear a wall of characterless noise.

I am going to change it all. My question is do I just dump the Prophesy and go with a Tri-Axis, or do I dump the whole rack and get a Road King II?

I have a Roadster 2x12 combo that is much closer to what I want. I am enjoying the simplicity of basically just adjusting the EQ on easch channel and having it make such a dramatic difference in my tone. I put an Expression in the loop of the Roadster and get any of the big delays and nice Chorus's I need.

I need the combo, and I want the rack for nice stereo seperation.

What is the conventional wisdom - Tri-Axis or Road King II Head? Or Mark IV head?

Thanks

Joe

 

[18&Life]

get a triaxis wich will gives you MARK tones.
Roadster already gives you rectifier tones and yes prophesy sucks :wink:

 

[Aart]

Sell the prophesy and buy a Mark IV or TriAxis.

 

[t0aj15]

I have a rack with a Prophesy Pre and a Mesa 2:Fifty into two Mesa 2x12 Recto cabs. I have never been happy with this. I have over $3 grand into this setup and i just don't like any of the sounds that much. I can't get quality sounds at lower volumes, and cranked I just hear a wall of characterless noise. I am going to change it all. My question is do I just dump the Prophesy and go with a Tri-Axis, or do I dump the whole rack and get a Road King II? I have a Roadster 2x12 combo that is much closer to what I want. I am enjoying the simplicity of basically just adjusting the EQ on easch channel and having it make such a dramatic difference in my tone. I put an Expression in the loop of the Roadster and get any of the big delays and nice Chorus's I need. I need the combo, and I want the rack for nice stereo seperation. What is the conventional wisdom - Tri-Axis or Road King II Head? Or Mark IV head? Thanks Joe

Dump the Prophesy Pre. Even though I have a TriAxis I prefer this setup, I have a W/D/W stereo rig using a Mark IV for the center (dry) channel and take the signal from the Slave Out into a stereo efx unit which drives a Boogie 50/50 stereo poweramp for the stereo wet signal.

 

[Russ]

Sell the prophesy and buy a Mark IV or TriAxis.

+1

 

[scottywompas]

Rocktron is a great company but the Prophesy aint all that great a sounding unit. I mean Dave Mustane uses it, and that guy has never been know for great tone.

Get a Recto pre and keep the rest.

 

[soundpurist]

Rocktron is a great company but the Prophesy aint all that great a sounding unit. I mean Dave Mustane uses it, and that guy has never been know for great tone.

Get a Recto pre and keep the rest.

Wise suggestion, having gear acquisition syndrome is not good for the wallet. Putting EL34 in your 2:50 might give a killer sound to recto pre though. I tried the recto pre with a 2:50, it was bassy (i mean a lot) if you like to have a lot of bass keep the 6L6. Mesa rules!

 

[soundpurist]

Sorry! I didn't see you got a roadster combo! maybe you just must change the prophesy(sell it) for a good effect processor and use the 2:50 for a wet/dry/wet rig with the roadster! Don't really need a bunch of mesa. They're all great amps! You can already tweek the sound into a hundred of style with the roadster. I have to admit that i prefer the head version over the combos but i still have my recto pre/2:100 and i stopped myself having GAS. I'm still learning to tweek that wonder in different way and practicing the skills on the guitar. Doesn't really matter wich amp you have while you practice your "clean playing" and your amp is gonna sound good! I just believe that the best distortion is coming directly from the amp the rest is coming from your fingers. Hope it's inspiring you. :wink:


If you really want to add a preamp to your 2:50, the tri-axis should be great but if i were you i'd forget about an effect processor and go for an ISP decimator prorackG for a undigitalized sound. You'll have a dead silent rackmount rig with a genuine mesa tube sound...arrrrgh! :twisted:

 

[6L6C]

I agree with everyone above the Tri Axis is the way to go but you may also want to in the future (there is no rush) get a 2:90 power amp also to match. There is nothing wrong with your current power amp but the 2:90 has three voicing modes (modern, deep and I believe “half”) the Tri Axis can trigger these modes, myself I never really bothered with “half mode” , “deep” was really cool for jazz and rock also but was a bit too much for overdriven sounds. “Modern” was my favorite and worth it just for this mode alone. But even with all the voicing’s off the 2:90 is just an awesome poweramp.
The way I use to run my rig was (the short version) Tri > effects > 2:90
The Tri-Axis has an effects loop but never really cared for it. If you buy used make sure it has the “rectro board” , some of the old ones are still out there
These are my suggestions if you want to go the Tri-Axis route.
However I also think SOUNDPURIST has a great idea! And a better one at that!
Myself these days I just have a Mark IV I sold my Tri and 2:90 years ago, not because I didn’t like them but need cash, I loved the flexibility of the Tri, but I’m in love more with the attack of the Mark. Bottom line no matter what you do with Mesa products you can’t go wrong!

Sorry! I didn't see you got a roadster combo! maybe you just must change the prophesy(sell it) for a good effect processor and use the 2:50 for a wet/dry/wet rig with the roadster! Don't really need a bunch of mesa. They're all great amps! You can already tweek the sound into a hundred of style with the roadster. I have to admit that i prefer the head version over the combos but i still have my recto pre/2:100 and i stopped myself having GAS. I'm still learning to tweek that wonder in different way and practicing the skills on the guitar. Doesn't really matter wich amp you have while you practice your "clean playing" and your amp is gonna sound good! I just believe that the best distortion is coming directly from the amp the rest is coming from your fingers. Hope it's inspiring you. :wink:


If you really want to add a preamp to your 2:50, the tri-axis should be great but if i were you i'd forget about an effect processor and go for an ISP decimator prorackG for a undigitalized sound. You'll have a dead silent rackmount rig with a genuine mesa tube sound...arrrrgh! :twisted:

 

[scottkahn]

If you like the Mark I/II/III tones, the Triaxis will be great.

I had the Triaxis into a 2:Fifty power amp and it sounded great. If you think your 2:Fifty is heavy, you won't rush to get the 5 pounds heavier (or so) 2:90.

BUT...

I eventually sold my Triaxis rig and went with the Road King II. I needed heavier rectifier tones that I couldn't get from the Triaxis rig, and with four channels, I felt like there was enough flexibility for me to have many sounds at my disposal.

If I could do it over again, I might consider the Roadster as I really don't need the EL-34 sound option -- I love my 6L6 tone.

Here's a review of the RK II, which also discusses the differences with the Roadster:

http://www.musicplayers.com/reviews/guitars/2006/0906_MesaBoogieRoadKing.php

 

[CoG]

Don't rule out the Rec Pre, though I have never tried it with a 2:50.

You have a lot of the tonal options from the RK II for a lot less $$$, and it's a rackmount. Down side is, only two channels-plus-lead-boost versus four, only one FX loop, and no reverb.

Depends how much live flexibility you need, but if you can live with those restrictions it would be worth trying out--$1300 price difference.

 

[Shep]

dude this is wat i would do if i was you..


Sell the prophesy thats a given..


two opts

opt1

get a triaxis and a good midi controller..


opt2

get a recto pre amp and a S/H studio preamp off ebay and run them as 3/4 different channels.. that would be pretty cool..to run it all you would need is a A/B box you could still run both sides for each preamp..

Thats what i would do..

 

[Shep]

Mk IV is what i ended up with but,, It is awsome..

 

[18&Life]

opt2

get a recto pre amp and a S/H studio preamp off ebay and run them as 3/4 different channels.. that would be pretty cool..to run it all you would need is a A/B box you could still run both sides for each preamp..
Thats what i would do..

Dude the guy already have a roadster so why he needs a recto pre ???
His roadster already gives him rectifier tones,with triaxis he will has mark tones. :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[CoG]

Dude the guy already have a roadster so why he needs a recto pre ???
His roadster already gives him rectifier tones,with triaxis he will has mark tones. :wink: :wink: :wink:

The rec pre can cop a lot of the mark tones-- plus then he wouldn't have to carry the roadster around to gigs too.

 

[Shep]

yeah..I am thinking it like if you want to carry/take just your rack unit... then you would have a a nice array of sounds.. i didn't say triaxis on the second op becasue it might end up costing to much.. but a recto pre and triaxis would be a sweet mix into the 50/50..

 

[again with this]

Loose the 2:50 and get a 2:100. Make a plug or use a footswitch to engage "modern" mode. Trust me.

 

[jdurso]

i'm gonna go a little outside the box with this responce and will probably get a lot of flack from all the tube guru's but whatever....

you probably haven't given this a thought mostly because they're relatively new and hard to get but this company called fractal audio makes the Axe-fx.... it an all digital preamp/fx unit.... now dont let that scare you because one of my friends just got one and paried it with a 2:90 and i was stunned..... this guy who designed it has really done a fantastic job..... he has programmed in the characteristics of a tube amp and has hit it pretty dead on.... i still own a vetta which has some pretty **** good distortions in it if you look for them hard enough... my only complaint from the L6 is that it never had the feel or the "mojo" of a tube amp.... which is why i picked up a roadster..... but the Axe-fx feels like a tube amp.... best of all it has a full arsinal of fx that are stellar quality.... some of the best reverbs and delays i've ever heard period.... if i had the money i'd buy this just for the effects alone.... the chorus sounds identical to a JC120 which to me is the cream of the crop......also like the vetta you can stack 2 amp models at the same time... basically like having 2 amps going at the same time.... i believe its priced similar to the triaxis

again i know its a little out of left field but its worth at least considering.... your getting a lot for the money and its top of the line stuff

 

[again with this]

i'm gonna go a little outside the box with this responce and will probably get a lot of flack from all the tube guru's but whatever....

you probably haven't given this a thought mostly because they're relatively new and hard to get but this company called fractal audio makes the Axe-fx.... it an all digital preamp/fx unit.... now dont let that scare you because one of my friends just got one and paried it with a 2:90 and i was stunned..... this guy who designed it has really done a fantastic job..... he has programmed in the characteristics of a tube amp and has hit it pretty dead on.... i still own a vetta which has some pretty **** good distortions in it if you look for them hard enough... my only complaint from the L6 is that it never had the feel or the "mojo" of a tube amp.... which is why i picked up a roadster..... but the Axe-fx feels like a tube amp.... best of all it has a full arsinal of fx that are stellar quality.... some of the best reverbs and delays i've ever heard period.... if i had the money i'd buy this just for the effects alone.... the chorus sounds identical to a JC120 which to me is the cream of the crop......also like the vetta you can stack 2 amp models at the same time... basically like having 2 amps going at the same time.... i believe its priced similar to the triaxis

again i know its a little out of left field but its worth at least considering.... your getting a lot for the money and its top of the line stuff

Saw that website. It looked sick to me. I have never read a bad review of one. I would love to have one, tubes be damned.

 

[jdurso]

well worth it if you have the money..... im considering getting one somewhere down the road to have some more non-mesa tones.... while the roadster can cover a lot of ground it still can't do bogner, marshall, or diezel.... not that it is a bad thing.... in fact a tube amp trying to emulate all those tones would end up being a POS...... anyway one thing i forgot to metnion to those who have ever played a vetta, is the lines of code that goes into the amp modelling.... the vetta i believe has about 10,000 lines of code to do amp models.... fine for coming close but not for getting that extra 10% which i consider the feel of a tube amp or the sag of a tube amp..... the Axe-fx has about 40,000-50,000 lines of code just for the amp modelling..... it has a top of line processor in it which accounts for a huge chunk of its cost to make.... but in the end you get a great piece of gear.....also i can't say enough about the effects in this thing... such fine quality and above all usable