Have you compared Mark 3 Colisseum to Mark 3 Simul ?

I ask because I own a Mark 3 blue stripe simulclass. Adn I was able to try out one of my friend's MArk 2C+ heads and his Mark3 Colisseum head.

We noticed right off that his Mark 3 COlisseum was a very bright amp while my blue stripe simulclass lead channel soundedmore like his 2C+ lead channel ( The 2C+ clean channel is unique of course)

I'm wondering if the Mark 3 COlisseum's tend to all sound bright ?

I think you will find that high mid sizzle is inherent in most high gain 6L6 designs. I find that a 60/100 IIC+ has it as well. Now, just imagine using six 6L6's and a ton of gain. The Simul may use the bright EL34, but it is not a harsh type of high end. Even using 6L6's in the Simul sockets, it's wired in triode and takes out most of the 6L6's mid sizzle. IMO, the Simul design on Mark series amps are superior to all other power section designs. It is just ingenious and unique beyond any other design.

I think I'd agree with that. However, my friend's C+ has 6 power tubes which I believe makes it a colisseum head as well ?

It sounds very balanced with a very healthy low end that his Mark 3 colisseum doesn't have.

There's a lovely Mark 3 red stripe on the bay that I'd like to bid on but it's a colisseum which kind of steers me away ....

Any other experiences?

sotosprince said:

Any other experiences?

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I don't find the coliseum to be brighter than any other Mark series amp.

I have a Coliseum and a Simul C+ that just got back from the factory. I will most likely make a report on the differences when I get a chance to play them.

I don't think it is so much brightness, but the extreme reserve power in the Coliseum models that can be heard as brightness. The big transformers and all those capacitors will not let you blur the lines, no matter how much preamp gain that you use.

Paul Secondino said:

I think I'd agree with that. However, my friend's C+ has 6 power tubes which I believe makes it a colisseum head as well ?

It sounds very balanced with a very healthy low end that his Mark 3 colisseum doesn't have.

There's a lovely Mark 3 red stripe on the bay that I'd like to bid on but it's a colisseum which kind of steers me away ....

Click to expand...

Mark IIC-C+'s, were either 180 watt class AB, or 150 watt simul-class correct?

I have a Blue Stripe Coliseum and a "100 watt" Blue Stripe, and with the same settings, I don't hear any difference between the brightness of treble response.

What I do notice is that the Coliseum has a ton more balls that the normal Blue Stripe. The most noticeable qualities of the Coliseum is that it sounds a LOT thicker than the normal Blue Stripe, and that the feel is much quicker. IIRC, (and feel free to correct me with photos those of you that have IIC+ coliseums) the Mark III Coliseums had the same OTs as the Mark IIC+ Coliseums, and if you've studied up on your IIC+ knowledge, those amps are known for their responsiveness and feel.

Another fun fact is that after the Mark III Coliseums were discontinued, those same OTs were used in the Bass 400+.

Ok, back to the low-end characteristics, the Blue Coli can be made to have the same type of low end as my Rectifiers, and it may have very well been the jumping off point where Mesa decided to split the Mark and Rectifier lines (there's a few threads about this a few years back, so check them out too), but I think the Rectos sound much more 3D, whereas the Coliseums sound a little more dry. That's a long way of saying that if you're familiar with the "girth" of the Rectifier's low mids, the Blue Stripe Coliseums have that tight low mid where the normal Blue Stripe just stops at a certain point.

Don't get me wrong, any of the Mark IIIs are a seriously killer and underrated amp in my opinion, but the Coliseums are more than just a high output amp. They have their own extended voicing that rather than getting brighter, they have more depth.

My No-Stripe Coliseum doesn't quite have the same low end response as my Blue Stripe Coli, but still sounds thicker and more responsive.

I have a mkIII red stripe simul head and a mkIII red stripe coli head.Ive used them both on the road and in the studio for different tones and purposes.They are not the same, that's for sure. (with the same guitar, same cab,same everything) the coli is more authoritive and the bottom end deeper, tighter, and the whole feel of the coli is a bit more aggressive.( kinda reminds me of a/bing my vh4 & Herbert).Its a lot easier to get the regular mkIII head turned up in a real world situation, but Im also very fortunate in that I can crank the coli, live at certain gigs.I like em both, but theres a ton of regular mkIII red stripes out there, only a very small handful of colis' runnin around.