I'm thinking about the breakthrough from Mesa over the last six years and wondering what could be folded back into the Mark V for the next update.
The basic premise here for me is: no new features or tones, just pulling in emerging or historical technology to make the basic Mark V better.
Here's my take on it:
1. Add in the Schumacher reverse engineered power transformer from the JP-2C. At face value this seems like it should be standard on all of the big daddy Mesa amps, even if it raises the retail price a bit.
2. Cab clone (duh)
3. Keep the multiwatt, variac power and rectification options, go back to supporting EL34s/6L6 mixes again. Class A with EL34s for Channel 2 vs full power on Channels 1 and 3 would be epic.
4. Like the older Marks, retain the ability to just use a quad of 6L6s on the outside instead.
5. JP-2C/Mark-V:x5-style channel master volumes
6. Corrected JP-2C/MVx5-style fx loop
7. Hell, while we're here: we've got midi on the JP-2C, it's be nice here as well.
[added]
8. Pull Gain and Pull Presence controls - these would have been HUGE for me with my Mark V.
9. Mid boost for channel 1
All of this raises the question for me: was there any one thing that prevented to iic+ mode on the Mark V from really being a IIC+ like the JP-2C is? Are they completely at odds with being able to make a Mark IV that offers the flexibility of the V without compromising the JP-2C tone for this hypothetical Mark VI's channel 3 iiC+ mode and channel 1's Clean mode?
The basic premise here for me is: no new features or tones, just pulling in emerging or historical technology to make the basic Mark V better.
Here's my take on it:
1. Add in the Schumacher reverse engineered power transformer from the JP-2C. At face value this seems like it should be standard on all of the big daddy Mesa amps, even if it raises the retail price a bit.
2. Cab clone (duh)
3. Keep the multiwatt, variac power and rectification options, go back to supporting EL34s/6L6 mixes again. Class A with EL34s for Channel 2 vs full power on Channels 1 and 3 would be epic.
4. Like the older Marks, retain the ability to just use a quad of 6L6s on the outside instead.
5. JP-2C/Mark-V:x5-style channel master volumes
6. Corrected JP-2C/MVx5-style fx loop
7. Hell, while we're here: we've got midi on the JP-2C, it's be nice here as well.
[added]
8. Pull Gain and Pull Presence controls - these would have been HUGE for me with my Mark V.
9. Mid boost for channel 1
All of this raises the question for me: was there any one thing that prevented to iic+ mode on the Mark V from really being a IIC+ like the JP-2C is? Are they completely at odds with being able to make a Mark IV that offers the flexibility of the V without compromising the JP-2C tone for this hypothetical Mark VI's channel 3 iiC+ mode and channel 1's Clean mode?