V1 - Vintage Amperex. Bright, articulate and balanced
V2 - vintage Tung Sol. Smooth, vintage, balanced
V3 - Vintage Tung Sol.
V4 - Vintage Amperex.
V5 - Mesa
Outer sockets - Mesa 5881. Smooth vintage tone
Inner sockets - STR420. Smooth vintage tone
I run the power tubes in Simul, Triode.
I am not a metal or high gain player, although there's still plenty on tap. I run Rhy 2 Gain between 6 and 8, pushed for clean tones and pulled for thick edge-of-breakup crunch tones. The guitar volume is used to modulate the amount of gain. My Lead Gain is usually around 7 to 8, pushed for 80's rhythms (Cheap Trick, Blondie, etc.), and pulled for the Mark IV Liquid Lead. Lead Drive is usually run just below the Gain setting.
I like this cocktail because it removed some of what I describe as a modern "boxey" or compressed voice while rounding out the sound. Mark IIs are my favorite Marks, and this mixture approaches the tone and FEEL of a Mark II.