Am I really crazy, or does the DC-3 seem to have more bottom end than the Mark IV? I had a Mark IV for a little while a few years back, and for some reason I swear it seems that my DC-3 pushes more bass than the Mark did. Was it just some weak tubes or something? I really liked the IV, but not as much as the DC-3 for some reason, and just want some closure hahah :wink:
DC-3 comparison
- Thread starter jutsin
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TimeSignature
Well-known member
My DC 10 without a doubt has more bottom end than my Mark IV.
I had my last DC-3 & Mark IV (A) at the same time, along with my DC-10. Nice problem to have, but it was over 2 years ago.
I seem to remember the DC-3 needing a little help in the bass department. I replaced the stock Vintage 30 with a Mojotone BV30H, Heritage 30 clone and was much happier. Still though, it seems like I did not like the 3's tone with my McCarty unless I had the Thiele cab under it. The Thiele didn't necessarily make the amp tubby or add bass that it didn't need. It did, however, add just the right amount of bass and some serious thump. Basically (no pun intended), it sounded like a very well tuned subwoofer!
I've never liked the fact that you cannot turn the bass on the Mark IV's up past 4 on the Lead channel!
I think that it is a serious design flaw to have a knob that goes to 10, but is only useable up to 4 or so.
This is because the IV has the EQ right after the 1st gain stage for all 3 channels. The DC's have a fake Tone Stack after the 1st gain stage to set the overall character of the amp, but the actual EQ that you can adjust is after most of the gain stages. This is how the DC's gain is so useable all the way to 10!
In the end, I had a shootout between the DC-10 & Mark IV A. I had already sold the 3 because we were closing our music store and I just didn't have the room for 20 amps at my house. :mrgreen: No matter how I tried to stack them! :mrgreen:
The IV and the 10 were very close.
The DC-10 won for a few reasons.
The DC-10 had way more useable BASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
I felt that the gain was incredibly close between the amps. In fact it took me about an hour to decide which lead channel I liked better. The IV had a tad more smoothness and sustain to it, but the 10 was CRUNCHY, and had more BASS BALLS!
The cleans were not really any contest though. The DC-10's cleans were just warmer and less sterile sounding than the IV's.
Plus, I thought that the factory circuit for R2 was just not anything that I was interested in using.
So....in the end, the DC won because of the crunchy goodness, warmer cleans, no R2, smaller footswitch, and the fact that the DC sounds the same in the same room with the same cords, pedals, guitars, speakers, etc. every **** time! That is something that the mighty Mark IV just could not do. Stabillity is essential to get the tone I want.
I seem to remember the DC-3 needing a little help in the bass department. I replaced the stock Vintage 30 with a Mojotone BV30H, Heritage 30 clone and was much happier. Still though, it seems like I did not like the 3's tone with my McCarty unless I had the Thiele cab under it. The Thiele didn't necessarily make the amp tubby or add bass that it didn't need. It did, however, add just the right amount of bass and some serious thump. Basically (no pun intended), it sounded like a very well tuned subwoofer!
I've never liked the fact that you cannot turn the bass on the Mark IV's up past 4 on the Lead channel!
I think that it is a serious design flaw to have a knob that goes to 10, but is only useable up to 4 or so.
This is because the IV has the EQ right after the 1st gain stage for all 3 channels. The DC's have a fake Tone Stack after the 1st gain stage to set the overall character of the amp, but the actual EQ that you can adjust is after most of the gain stages. This is how the DC's gain is so useable all the way to 10!
In the end, I had a shootout between the DC-10 & Mark IV A. I had already sold the 3 because we were closing our music store and I just didn't have the room for 20 amps at my house. :mrgreen: No matter how I tried to stack them! :mrgreen:
The IV and the 10 were very close.
The DC-10 won for a few reasons.
The DC-10 had way more useable BASSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!
I felt that the gain was incredibly close between the amps. In fact it took me about an hour to decide which lead channel I liked better. The IV had a tad more smoothness and sustain to it, but the 10 was CRUNCHY, and had more BASS BALLS!
The cleans were not really any contest though. The DC-10's cleans were just warmer and less sterile sounding than the IV's.
Plus, I thought that the factory circuit for R2 was just not anything that I was interested in using.
So....in the end, the DC won because of the crunchy goodness, warmer cleans, no R2, smaller footswitch, and the fact that the DC sounds the same in the same room with the same cords, pedals, guitars, speakers, etc. every **** time! That is something that the mighty Mark IV just could not do. Stabillity is essential to get the tone I want.
GD_NC
Well-known member
jutsin said:
Sorry. That's just crazy. I've owned both amps at the same time. No contest. The Mark IV will thump the hell out of a DC-3.
That said, the DC-3 sounds great. I'm not knocking the amp. It just lack some bass.
trickyrick
Well-known member
I have followed this thread and debated commenting because tone is subjective and I am just going to confuse you even more. I feel I must comment though. I have owned the MKIV for a few years and sold it because I too have found that the bass was lacking. I have tried different tube configurations and speaker options. The IV played through a 4x12 will give plenty of bass, but that is not always practical. I now own the DC-3 and find this amp to have WAY more usable bass than the IV. I play through 2 thieles generally, but sometimes one and never have an issue with bass. I have generally found the 4 to be too thin for my liking unless it was hooked up to a 4x12 and cranked. Also someone mentioned how temperamental the IV was and I couldn't agree more. The mood of the amp changed nearly daily. One day the tone was inspirational and the next it was flat and lacking. I always thought it was just me but discovered many have the same issue.
Again, tone is too subjective. What I perceive as being thin sounding, others may find to be round sounding ( Although I am not sure how).
I am very happy with the DC-3. It covers every type of music I enjoy playing. The key is the graphic eq. I have never played the amp without it engaged on the lead channel. I could compare the dc-3 w/o geq to the R2 channel of the MKIV in that both of them need pedals to sound there best.
I and glad I own the DC-3 and do not miss the IV at all. That's not to say I wouldn't mind owning a V one day, but I will not sell the DC to get it.
Again, tone is too subjective. What I perceive as being thin sounding, others may find to be round sounding ( Although I am not sure how).
I am very happy with the DC-3. It covers every type of music I enjoy playing. The key is the graphic eq. I have never played the amp without it engaged on the lead channel. I could compare the dc-3 w/o geq to the R2 channel of the MKIV in that both of them need pedals to sound there best.
I and glad I own the DC-3 and do not miss the IV at all. That's not to say I wouldn't mind owning a V one day, but I will not sell the DC to get it.
scotteggshell
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+100
I hated the IV for that. It was made to please those who are twiddlers and anyone who isnt is F(&*ed.
S
scotteggshell said:
:lol: :lol: I never seem to touch my knobs, but I do keep changing the circuitry around a bit! :lol: :lol:
caucajun
Well-known member
my bassist has alot of bass. i like to sound crisp and crunchy and then my tone doesn't stomp on the bassist's tone. DC3'er here! zappa rules! boogie rocks!
carry on smartly, and with vigor!
carry on smartly, and with vigor!
fdesalvo
Well-known member
Caucajun- awesome avatar lol! I'm a Looziane boy, myself. Haven't eaten a Hubig pie in years 
. But I digress.
I've owned DC3/10 heads and the amount of useable bass is only limited by your speaker's ability to cope. My bud had a MKIVA with the old school halfback cab and we A/B'ed the DC3 with his MKIV and the DC was capable of more "useable" bass.
Most of the posts here make it seem like the MKIV has no GEQ- disengage it on both amps and you wont have any bass at all. The tone controls on these two Mesas seem to do more for the feel and character of the distortion than anything else.
If you keep the bass low on the preamp side of the MKIV and increase it via the GEQ, the difference between bass response of the DC and MKIV becomes marginal. Moreover, by the time you get either amp at such levels, you are walking over the bass player and will not be cutting through at all. Hey, that's ok if you play alone.
While I was holding down rythm in my band, the DC was ideal, but limited. It does saturate, but not at the level the MKIV does. For lower gain sounds, the DC loses it's feel and sounds less convincing- it was all or nothing from the gain pot. Not the MKIV. For lead, the DC can't hold a candle to the MKIV for it's fluid and springy saturation. I found the DCs to have a drier, grainier type of saturation, if that makes sense- and I liked it.
Both amps are tight for palm muting and sound awesome for different reasons. I wish I still had my DC3/10 heads and the MKIV I am buying will be well received.
. But I digress.I've owned DC3/10 heads and the amount of useable bass is only limited by your speaker's ability to cope. My bud had a MKIVA with the old school halfback cab and we A/B'ed the DC3 with his MKIV and the DC was capable of more "useable" bass.
Most of the posts here make it seem like the MKIV has no GEQ- disengage it on both amps and you wont have any bass at all. The tone controls on these two Mesas seem to do more for the feel and character of the distortion than anything else.
If you keep the bass low on the preamp side of the MKIV and increase it via the GEQ, the difference between bass response of the DC and MKIV becomes marginal. Moreover, by the time you get either amp at such levels, you are walking over the bass player and will not be cutting through at all. Hey, that's ok if you play alone.
While I was holding down rythm in my band, the DC was ideal, but limited. It does saturate, but not at the level the MKIV does. For lower gain sounds, the DC loses it's feel and sounds less convincing- it was all or nothing from the gain pot. Not the MKIV. For lead, the DC can't hold a candle to the MKIV for it's fluid and springy saturation. I found the DCs to have a drier, grainier type of saturation, if that makes sense- and I liked it.
Both amps are tight for palm muting and sound awesome for different reasons. I wish I still had my DC3/10 heads and the MKIV I am buying will be well received.
