Which Mark iv?

[misterbee]

If having a choice between a very good condition early 90's version A compact combo with an EV speaker, or an '07 version B wide body combo in mint condition and a C90 speaker. . . . What would you choose? And why?

 

[Markedman]

I prefer the early one, the EV v. C90 is a big deal, IMO.

 

[misterbee]

So in your opinion, the speaker change is a bigger deal than the change in channel 2?

 

[Markedman]

Yes, it is. The EV speaker is so much better than the C90 when using just one speaker. The difference in ch2 gain is not that much between the A & B versions. I much prefer earlier Mark IV's. They're not as compressed sounding as the later version.

 

[Thaymz]

For me personally I like the versatility of the short head and the variety of options that gives you as far as housing being that it is compatible with all short head shells and combos from mark 1-4 and also rackmountable. I also much prefer EV to the c90.

As for the rev a/B. I have a B, I’ve played an A and while the difference is only slight I’d go A if I could choose.

So your short head EV Rev A would be a simple choice for me.

 

[rarebitusa]

yea the EV is the real deal...

 

[woodbutcher65]

I am going to go way out on a limb here and say that from my own personal experience, speaker and cabinet choice makes more tonal difference than anything else and I do mean anything else.

I can run my Marshalls and my Mark III and (when I had them) my Triple Rectos into my Marshall 4x12s with either Greenbacks or G12T75s and it always sounds...Marshally.

I've always until fairly recently only played Mesas through 1x12s with EVs in them.

If I plug a Marshall into an EV cabinet, it sounds more like the Mesa sound I have in my head from so many years of hearing it, than it sounds like the classic Marshall sound.

If I plug a Mesa into a 4x12 loaded with Greenbacks, it sounds more like a Marshall.

The sound of the cabinets and speakers is the dominant factor, making even very large differences between amplifiers comparatively minor.

Yes, different amps unquestionably sound different. But to my ears, speaker and cabinet selection is 70 percent of tone. Amp selection is 30 percent.

 

[xdg999]

I would add preamp tubes to the tone formula of speakers and cabs. They can make or break an amp.