MBJunkie said:
I can't comment about the Vox and Orange amps that you are considering, however, I own a MkV 1x12 combo and most recently an Electradyne 1x12 combo. Both excellent amplifiers!
I have been playing mostly MB amplifiers since I started playing 20+ years ago. I have owned a DC-5, MkIV (still own), Lonestar, Road King I Head, Lonestar Special, Express 5:50 1x12.
The ED offers modes which all sound killer....great clean, low gain and hi gain sounds available. Each one can sound fantastic on its own and footswitchable when running the controls in the medium ranges (except the master volume...I don't set it past 9 o'clock in 45 watt mode). You have been warned! ;-) The ED definitely has a british vibe going on with the low and hi gain modes (with 6L6's)!
While I really like the ED, The MkV is the holy grail amp for me! It offers everything that I have always wanted in a powerful tube amp...great cleans, crunch and hi gain lead sounds with options on the graphic EQ, solo boost, power settings, etc....
Seeing that you are a current Roadster owner, you are not new to "tweakability" in a tube amp. Whether you are into combos or heads, single coil or HB guitars.....I feel that you will be blown away by the MkV, but do give the ED a go as well because it is a fantastic amp in its own right!
Hope this helps, and best of luck!
Thanks for the help everyone! I will definitely have to try both the Mark V and 'Dyne out, and, from I've read, it sounds like I will have a tough decision to make. I am leaning towards the Mark though. I like the fact that some of you have said that El34s sound good in it. If that is true, then you've just sold me on it, without playing it. I like the fact that you can get Class A clip, Class A/B clip, and have the extra headroom for cleans.
I love the Roadster, but I don't love the flub that is apparent in most of the channels. While that amp is very versatile and does take considerable tweaking to love, I can't get the articulation that I want from it. From what I've read, it appears that the ED will give me a lot of articulation. The whole thing that worries me about the ED though is the drive and the switching modes thing. From what I've heard, you can't really combine the chimey clean tones with the volume set around 10 o' clock, and still have footswitchable high gain for rock/hard rock. That kind of makes the ED out of my range if that is truly the case.
How different does the Mark sound though with EL34s? In the Roadster, it just gave everything a smoother and slightly brighter feeling to it. Also, at high gain it made soloing feel a bit more "liquidy" than the grainy 6L6 recto feel, although a bit quieter and not as immediate. What could I expect with the EL34s in the Mark V? I can't even imagine I'd want to drop EL34s in there in the first place, considering the midrangey tone that is already there. Man, just writing that gets me excited. The Roadster is so good at what it does, but when you don't want all that low-end bark, the Roadster is pretty hard to live with. Lately, I've been more indie rock oriented, and not as hardrock/punk influenced. I may not need high gain for all my rhythm, but it would be nice to have for soloing -- and from what I've always gathered from any Mark amp, is that liquid soloing can be accomplished with ease.
I really like the low gain sounds that I've heard from the Mark so far. The "tweed" mode has never sounded better, especially with the 10 watt mode. I am glad that the Mark V still retains the tuner out feature. I love that feature on my Roadster and truly hated the days when I'd put the Boss Chromatic Tuner pedal in the effects loop or out front. I really liked the Roadster effects loop and found it pretty transparent with the SPAX7 tube. How is the Mark or ED loop? Any complaints?
It's weird getting a Mark anything. I've always associated them with '80's stuff. I grew up with Boogie being synonymous with Recto chunk. Just looking at the Mark amp with the face plate that reads "Boogie" seems strange. All aesthetics aside, at the end of the day I am looking for something more dynamic and articulate.
Also, is the ED or MKV as responsive as the Stiletto Deuce. Man, that amp is killer in the crunch mode, while feeling a bit too bright for my tastes.