Mark Series GEQ? Where in the amp is it placed?

The Boogie Board

Help Support The Boogie Board:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

el34sg

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2013
Messages
67
Reaction score
3
I hear conflicting info about where the Mark Series GEQ is in the schematic of the amps.
Does it lie in the same spot as most fx loops or is it right before the power section..?

Having had Mark II's, III's & DC5's I can never get an EQ pedal in the loop or in the front of
an amp to sound close to as good as a Mesa GEQ..

Thanks in advance for the help!
 
I can vouch for where the EQ is in the amps I have: In the Mark IIC, Mark III blue, and Mark IVA, the EQ is after the effects loop. In other words you can plug a different preamp output into the effects return, and still be able to use the EQ. I hope this info helps.

As I recall, for the Mark V, the EQ is prior to the effect loop, so this trick does not work. But it has been a while, so I may be confusing the EQ position with the reverb. Regardless, I do know that the Mark V reverb and or EQ sits differently in the signal chain than the other Marks I own.
 
The difference probably has something to do with the fact that EQ pedals run off of 9 volts and 100 mA or less (or thereabouts), whereas I would guess that the GEQ on Mark series amps is running off higher voltages and currents.
 
Post FX loop just before the power section in my MKIII. Very good GEQ. Love it.

Only down side if using a looper is that it effects any looped sounds if the EQ is switched.
 
Tuna141 said:
I can vouch for where the EQ is in the amps I have: In the Mark IIC, Mark III blue, and Mark IVA, the EQ is after the effects loop. In other words you can plug a different preamp output into the effects return, and still be able to use the EQ. I hope this info helps.

As I recall, for the Mark V, the EQ is prior to the effect loop, so this trick does not work. But it has been a while, so I may be confusing the EQ position with the reverb. Regardless, I do know that the Mark V reverb and or EQ sits differently in the signal chain than the other Marks I own.
Absolutely spot on! In all of the Mark series amps except the Mark V, the EQ is after the FX loop. In the Mark V, the EQ is before the loop. Also, as the JP-2C shares the same circuitry as the Mark IIC+, the EQ is also after the loop on that one.
 
The original Mark I also has the GEQ placed differently. If I recall properly, in my 1977 Mark I, Mike Bendinelli moved the EQ just before the power section because he said it will be more powerful if placed right there.
 
I can confirm on my Mark III that it is after the FX loop and I love that feature about it.

I like to do a loop with nice riff or cord progression on the clean channel - so while that is looping I change channel and play lead over the top - the riff stays clean as its played through the loop, and the dirty is played over the top - it sounds fantastic..

Casey
 
Back
Top