Replaceing the Triple....help me decide

[Krowsif]

Well... not exactly replacing, because i wont be selling it, but I want something to suplement the rectifier.

I am considering all the high gain monsters that i can think of. VH4, Engl Powerball, Rockerverb, Mark IV.....

the only real problem is test driving all of these to make my decision. Houston is not a small city, but it's no Los Angelas either.

any comments from those who know from experience? I think i want something tighter, high gain, and better cleans than my Recto

 

[b0nkersx]

This is something I have looked into a lot as well.

Since cleans are important to you, I think a Mark V would be a good starting point. It's way tighter and has great cleans. I don't know anything about the cleans on a Powerball or Mark IV, but they should be good choices too. A Splawn Nitro would be worth checking out as well, as well as a Bogner Uberschall, though I've never heard either of these in person.

I wouldn't recommend a VH4 just because I don't think the price tag justifies it (although I'd probably buy one if I lived in Europe). I'm not sure that Rockerverbs are super-tight either, but I have absolutely no experience with them. If cleans aren't a huge deal, you could look into a 5150/6505 too.

For what it's worth, my top choices for a second amp right now are between a 5150, Mark V, Powerball, or some kind of Marshally amp (Electra Dyne, Stiletto, Peavey Butcher). For your sounds though my first recommendation would be a Mark V, then a Powerball. They just released a new Powerball model and I'm interested to hear how it sounds.

 

[Anonymous]

Diezel stuff is great, but very different. If you like organic distortion, don't get one.

Engl is great for high gain, and though their cleans are good, anything less than high gain will sound a bit sterile and lifeless.

Uberschalls are simply killer amps, but cleans aren't great. I think of them as a Marshall version of the Rectifier; tighter distortion than the Rectifier but just as heavy, and they track a little quicker in the power section. Cleans are a little better than the Rectifier IMO, but as with any dedicated high gain head, power amp design will dictate how good cleans can get.

Don't have as much experience with Orange heads, but from what I do know, they won't be tighter than the Rectifier.

No in person experience with the Mark IV, though in blind recorded clips a member of Rig-Talk did a few months back, I thought it sounded a little weak.

 

[Melodyman]

Well... not exactly replacing, because i wont be selling it, but I want something to suplement the rectifier.

I am considering all the high gain monsters that i can think of. VH4, Engl Powerball, Rockerverb, Mark IV.....

the only real problem is test driving all of these to make my decision. Houston is not a small city, but it's no Los Angelas either.

any comments from those who know from experience? I think i want something tighter, high gain, and better cleans than my Recto

Not a high gain amp, but a JCM 800 with a boost pedal sounds awesome mixed with a Rectifier imo.

 

[Krowsif]

I have considered Marshalls, but for some reason they just never really got me. Not that i dont like other guys tone when they play the right one..... but they just have been for me.

also this is sort of back amp while i get my Mesa fixed. We were playing saturday night and it started switching between channel two and three so fast it sounded like tremolo pedal was on. I had to hard select channel two on the back of the head and use volume knob..(that takes me back)

so while I have wanted something different for a while, I am somewhat forced to decide quickly now.

 

[Dave G.]

Well if cleans arent that important to you id defo go with the 6505! They are probably the best match for a Rectifier imo and most people ive spoken to seem to think the same. The two together just sound huge!

If you need come cleans then I think the powerball is a good choice as it has some really nice cleans.
Here is a demo video of it which shows all the features and channels: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud3F1G_EgOA

The only thing about the powerball is ive heard it can be hard to get a good recording tone outta it but ive only heard that from one or two people so not sure if its true.

If your after both good cleans and killer Distorted tones id say get a Mark V. They do everything really well.


My choice however would PERSONALLY be a 6505. The reason for this is that these two amps work so well together when distorted. On the other hand i also think that Rectifiers can get good clean sounds if you spend a while tweaking. Id just run the Triple for your cleans and then the two amps together for your dirty sound if you have the option of doing that with switchers and cabs etc....

 

[screamingdaisy]

I have a Recto and a Mark V. Together they sound crazy good. The Recto brings a big and naturally scooped tone into the mix while the Mark V complements it with more natural mids and more articulation.

 

[Melodyman]

also this is sort of back amp while i get my Mesa fixed. We were playing saturday night and it started switching between channel two and three so fast it sounded like tremolo pedal was on. I had to hard select channel two on the back of the head and use volume knob..(that takes me back)

so while I have wanted something different for a while, I am somewhat forced to decide quickly now.

Plenty of good choices out there.

 

[Krowsif]

I have a Recto and a Mark V. Together they sound crazy good. The Recto brings a big and naturally scooped tone into the mix while the Mark V complements it with more natural mids and more articulation.

Any way of using them at same time and switching Channels together?

Channels 1's linked .... Hit one switch, both amps go to channel 2 together etc.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Any way of using them at same time and switching Channels together?

Channels 1's linked .... Hit one switch, both amps go to channel 2 together etc.

Yes, using an outboard MIDI switcher.

I wouldn't link them straight up (1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc). It's actually kind of cool if you mix channels, plus some of the voices don't sit as well with each other as they do with others.

Mark IIC+ mode works great with the Recto's Modern for instance, whereas Mark IV and Modern modes seems to clash a bit and Crunch + Modern sound massive but not as aggressive as IIC+ and Modern.

 

[iceman]

I run my Roadster and MKV in stereo and they complement each other perfectly. Like screamingdaisy said, you can get an outboard switcher, I'm picking up a RG16 from RJM todo this. RJM makes custom cables for both amps so you don't need to run multiple cables for each amp.

 

[ryjan]

I'm trying to get a good metal rhythm tone with my Axe-Fx using Recto Red and the MarkIV together. These two amps fit together like 69. :lol:

 

[boss4]

I have my eyes on a uberschall twin jet to pair with my recto. It cant go wrong!

 

[R_ADKINS80]

my ENGL Fireball 100 is a perfect mate to my Triple. It's got a "boosted recto" vibe to it right out of the box.

 

[glassjaw7]

I'm also looking to add an amp to my arsenal. Love my recto, but want a more british sound also. I'm looking at the following:

Friedman Kitchen Sink Marshall
Mark IV
Stiletto
Uberschall -They mix so well with rectos!
Engl Fireball 100
XTC 101B with modded red channel for tighter, bigger voicing
Baron B120 check out the Baron stuff if you haven't! Awesome!
http://baroncustomamps.com/

And I really want to try the Royal Atlantic once they ship. Seems like it could cover a LOT of territory that the Rectifier can't. 8)

I would be using the recto's clean either by itself, or blended with the second amp (if clean channel was good of course) and for rhythm sounds. For leads, the recto just doesn't have the tone I like, which is a more singing and smooth type of sound. For rhythm sounds, it's unreal with Dave's mod!

 

[volatileNoise]

I have a Recto and a Mark V. Together they sound crazy good. The Recto brings a big and naturally scooped tone into the mix while the Mark V complements it with more natural mids and more articulation.

See I have to disagree, either people I have seen with a Mark V set it up like an old 80's hair metal moron, with the mids turned off, or the mids are actually quite scooped.

I am yet to see any amp cut through the mix like my recto does, I have seen plenty of recto users not cut through a mix too, but they are clearly bedroom warrior kids with the mids turned down way too low.

 

[screamingdaisy]

See I have to disagree, either people I have seen with a Mark V set it up like an old 80's hair metal moron, with the mids turned off, or the mids are actually quite scooped.

I'd lean towards them being morons. If the bottom of the mids slider is anywhere above the bottom line on the EQ it has more mids than a Recto. It's once you start dipping below that line that it gets all hollow sounding.

It's probably the same deal as you've found with Rectos... people dial them in to sound good at home, then don't re-eq them for a live venue.

 

[volatileNoise]

Yeah I guess that is likely the case, can't see the point of not dialing in the mids!