Adambomb
Well-known member
Ok, so it's been a love-hate relationship with the Mark V for the past 2 years.
Now I have gotten many many great tones out of this amp for the last 2 years, especially Ch 1, but there always seemed to be something missing in the "girth" and balls department in Ch 2 & 3 with 6L6's. I've even tried SED 6L6's, Ruby 6L6's, and EH 6L6's. The =C='s sounded the best as far as 6L6's, but just still wasn't 100% satisfied (I'm very picky with tone as most you are too). I am an amp tweaker... I have tweaked this amp to all ends and every possible settings for ch 2 & 3 and got some good usable tones from the 6L6's, but always just missed something. I had pretty much decided to sell the V about 2 months ago but just hadn't got around to it.
Well, two weeks ago I pulled out a set of old EH EL34's and though why not. Kinda crazy I never thought of throwing them in there sooner, but from my experience I've always thought Mesas sounded best with 6L6's. I do all tone tests at stage volume so I blast the amps for short periods of time to really see whatever I add or take away, or mod to my gear is going to sound great live on stage. And speaking of playing live, I never was fully satisfied with Channel 2 at full volume at gigs, it sounded pretty dull and lifeless. So the night before a gig 2 weeks ago I (flip the bias switch) throw these EL34's in there... crank it up... and WWWWOOOOOOOWWWWW. WAY BETTER FOR MY EARS. I can actually get some better hard and classic rock tones better. When I think EL34's I think middy, and not enough low end (as far as Mesas go), but not the case with them in the V. It made Ch1 a little more compressed, lost some sweetness in the top end, but not much. Ch 2 and 3 were the biggest best improvement. Sounds so much more full, cutting, gain is more complex and smoother. Channel 3 MK4 and Extreme mode had richer more Plexi type gain. With 6L6's I never could get the extreme mode to sound as full and round as I wanted it too with 6l6's, but with the EL'34 and alot of EQing to both preset and sliders.... I can get one of THE best crunchy rich distortion sounds that reminds me of half way between a Marshall and Mesa. During our show last Friday I was more pleased with my tone than I have been since I've owned the MKV.
I could go on and on... but all I'm trying to say is, if you think Ch2 is a little dull and want more punchy gain, and if you want Ch.3 to have a little more richer gain with tighter bass, then give EL34's a try. Next I'm gonna try and get me some SED =C= EL34's, I've heard they were the best current EL34 in current production. I know the SED 6L6's were my favorite 6L6, so the EL34's gotta rip.
Oh and one question... the EL34's have a plate current(ma) of 33 on each tube, is that around Mesa specs for the Mark V? I took them out of an old Recto years ago so I figure they were within tube specs for all Mesas. Thanks
Now I have gotten many many great tones out of this amp for the last 2 years, especially Ch 1, but there always seemed to be something missing in the "girth" and balls department in Ch 2 & 3 with 6L6's. I've even tried SED 6L6's, Ruby 6L6's, and EH 6L6's. The =C='s sounded the best as far as 6L6's, but just still wasn't 100% satisfied (I'm very picky with tone as most you are too). I am an amp tweaker... I have tweaked this amp to all ends and every possible settings for ch 2 & 3 and got some good usable tones from the 6L6's, but always just missed something. I had pretty much decided to sell the V about 2 months ago but just hadn't got around to it.
Well, two weeks ago I pulled out a set of old EH EL34's and though why not. Kinda crazy I never thought of throwing them in there sooner, but from my experience I've always thought Mesas sounded best with 6L6's. I do all tone tests at stage volume so I blast the amps for short periods of time to really see whatever I add or take away, or mod to my gear is going to sound great live on stage. And speaking of playing live, I never was fully satisfied with Channel 2 at full volume at gigs, it sounded pretty dull and lifeless. So the night before a gig 2 weeks ago I (flip the bias switch) throw these EL34's in there... crank it up... and WWWWOOOOOOOWWWWW. WAY BETTER FOR MY EARS. I can actually get some better hard and classic rock tones better. When I think EL34's I think middy, and not enough low end (as far as Mesas go), but not the case with them in the V. It made Ch1 a little more compressed, lost some sweetness in the top end, but not much. Ch 2 and 3 were the biggest best improvement. Sounds so much more full, cutting, gain is more complex and smoother. Channel 3 MK4 and Extreme mode had richer more Plexi type gain. With 6L6's I never could get the extreme mode to sound as full and round as I wanted it too with 6l6's, but with the EL'34 and alot of EQing to both preset and sliders.... I can get one of THE best crunchy rich distortion sounds that reminds me of half way between a Marshall and Mesa. During our show last Friday I was more pleased with my tone than I have been since I've owned the MKV.
I could go on and on... but all I'm trying to say is, if you think Ch2 is a little dull and want more punchy gain, and if you want Ch.3 to have a little more richer gain with tighter bass, then give EL34's a try. Next I'm gonna try and get me some SED =C= EL34's, I've heard they were the best current EL34 in current production. I know the SED 6L6's were my favorite 6L6, so the EL34's gotta rip.
Oh and one question... the EL34's have a plate current(ma) of 33 on each tube, is that around Mesa specs for the Mark V? I took them out of an old Recto years ago so I figure they were within tube specs for all Mesas. Thanks
