question to Mark V-25 owners

[Santuzzo]

Hi,

after watching some reviews/demo clips on YT of the Mesa Mark V:25 amp I'm GASing for one pretty hard. Especially the Andy Timmons clip did it to me, but I also loved the Petrucci clip. Both those clips showed me this amp has a beautiful cleans sound, a great low gain sound and also a great high gain sound, so the versatility is awesome.
They say in those clips that the map is really loud, but I was wondering would this amp work in a metal band context in terms of volume if hooked up to a 2x12 or 4x12 cab or would it not be loud enough?
Any of you guys usong a Mark V-25 in a metal band?

thanks,
Lars

 

[ryjan]

It's loud enough.

 

[Monstercastle]

I agree, but your milage may vary. I was running mine through a Mesa traditional 412a and it is loud and full.

 

[Santuzzo]

Thanks for the input guys! I appreciate it.
So, are you guys using your Mark V:25 in a metal band with a loud drummer?

 

[Monstercastle]

Not currently playing in a band, but have played an a few over 40+ years. Just giving my opinion based on ownership of both the Mark V:25 and the Mark V head. If you are trying to compete with the bass player for the same frequency space you probably want the big Mark. Into a 212 or 412 I think you can get by comfortably with the V:25 unless you are ear bleeding loud. Plus, if you have front of house, just take the cabclone out to that.

 

[ryjan]

I've played with a loud drummer a few times and I can drown him out with the volume I have on tap.
25 watts is a ton in a tube amp. People are just used to 50 or 100 watts being the norm. When I gigged regularly with my Mark IV I always used Class A, Triode which was probably less than what the MV:25 puts out and I still never had to push it.
If you play in a band where you have to be 100 watt loud then simply use an active PA speaker or two out of the cab clone.

 

[Santuzzo]

Thanks again, guys!

 

[pinhedgtr]

I guess one of the issues may be on the clean channel. Not sure if you have any clean passages in your music, but at band volumes, my clean channel has a bit of power tube distortion in it. I don't mind it at all, but if you need a perfectly clean sound you might be disappointed.

 

[primal]

Thanks for the input guys! I appreciate it.
So, are you guys using your Mark V:25 in a metal band with a loud drummer?

With my experience it was dependent on the speakers.

First time I played in a full band setting with two guitars I used a spawn 2x12 with Celestion G12T-75 with are a very inefficient speaker.

The other guitarist was using a Friedman pink taco through a Carvin cab with two vintage 30's.

I was not loud enough. Close, but just was not cutting through the mix even with everything pushed.

At one point during that practice we swapped cabs.

BINGO. Going through the 2x12 with the Vintage 30's the settings that were previously not loud enough were now too loud and I had to turn down.

I have since replaced the speakers in my 2x12 with Vintage 30's and volume has not been an issue.

The G12T-75 have 97db efficiency where as the V30's have a 100db. That atleast to my untrained eye seems to be the equivalent of doubling your wattage (or halving it depending on the direction you are coming from)

Also grabbed a Fryette power station. I had a couple other applications I could use it for and the fact that it can also bump the volume on the Mark V25 (or let me play through a straight 6L6 power section) is an added plus

 

[Santuzzo]

Thanks!

Well, I just found out about the new Mark V:35! That might be the perfect answer for me