Mark V 45 watts or 90 watts

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delt4

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Just curious as to what you guys that gig with the Mark V. I have the head version with a recto 2x12 horizontal cab. Normally during rehearsal or small to mid sized clubs, esp with the amp being mic'd, I use 45 watts. We're gonna do a performance outside in a large yard-field setting. I'm figuring to use the 90 watt mode. I understand that by doubling the wattage, will not double the sound volume. I'll be lucky to get an additional 3 more db.... It's more of a tonality issue and will have some time during sound check to mess with this. Being outside, will afford me the ability to crank the amp a lot more. The type is classic rock-modern rock and some heavy rock.

You folks have any tonality preferences in this regard?
 
I've been enjoying Crunch mode in 45W. It sounds more Marshally and allows the top end to breathe a little better. Also when I switch over to Mark IV mode (90W) there isn't a drop in bass.
 
delt4 said:
Just curious as to what you guys that gig with the Mark V. I have the head version with a recto 2x12 horizontal cab. Normally during rehearsal or small to mid sized clubs, esp with the amp being mic'd, I use 45 watts. We're gonna do a performance outside in a large yard-field setting. I'm figuring to use the 90 watt mode. I understand that by doubling the wattage, will not double the sound volume. I'll be lucky to get an additional 3 more db.... It's more of a tonality issue and will have some time during sound check to mess with this. Being outside, will afford me the ability to crank the amp a lot more. The type is classic rock-modern rock and some heavy rock.

You folks have any tonality preferences in this regard?
Click to expand...

I sometimes use 45 watts at smaller gigs, but otherwise 90 watts for all other gigs. 90 watts just gives a fuller overall tone and more clean headroom. Outdoors the guitar tone will disappear quickly on 45 watts, IMO.
 
There is more to it than just power output & headroom, at 45W the output section is configured as Class A/B, at 90W it is configured as Simul-Class.

The amp will have a much different character & feel, especially when pushed.
 
I'm using 90W everywhere...even at home nowadays.

Playing outdoors does not equal louder volume.
Sometimes outdoor venues are more restricted on how many
decibels they are allowed to push out into the surrounding neighborhood :(

With that, they have to have the stage volume pushed way down and the
drummer sits behind glass so they can control EVERYTHING through the PA.
 
APEMAN, so you're saying that by running 45 watts, it's best for the tubes to run my 8 ohm cab into the 4ohm connector on the amp head? Thanks for the heads up. I may have missed this in the manual.

JB52, we're way out in the country, so no other homes to bother within a quarter mile or more.

Thanks all so far for the responses!
 
I have never heard that you need to use different impedance outputs when switching wattage on a mark V. I always thought that you connect an 8 ohm speaker to an 8 ohm output regardless of 45 or 90 watts...but I do know that using the 4 ohm output with an 8 ohm cab is fine, but you will be getting less power and the tubes might wear faster...I have a mark v 25 and no where in the manual does it say to do anything like that. You can always go from 4 ohm output to 8 ohm cab though...or 8 ohm output to 16 ohm cab, just never high to low ( 8 ohm output to 4 ohm cab)
 
I did read the this in the JP-2C manual, they recommend the use of the 4 ohm output when using the 60W mode, also has a much larger output transformer.

Never noticed this in the Mark V manual, Roadster or RA100 manual. How do you handle the change in power settings if say CH2 is at 45W and CH5 is set to 90W. What do you do for the 10W power mode? Manual recommends 8 or 4 ohm loads to prolong tube life, this is in relation to impedance mismatching.

There is no harm operating the amp with an 8 ohm load on the 4 ohm jack, Have done this with the 90W mod and 10W mode. Not as bright as it would be in the 8 ohm tap position.

The only odd thing I have not seen but read the notice about use of EL34 tubes in the Mark V, use the variac power to reduce the plate voltage as it may be too high for most EL34 tubes in the full power position. this is not in the manual.
 
It's on page 9 in the manual. Here it is:
Speaker Impedance has a large sonic effect on the sounds as the MARK V power section is switched between its’ three dif- ferent Modes. We prefer a matching 8 Ohm speaker load connected to the 8 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT for the most balanced sound and overall performance in all 3 Channels. However, the Simul-ClassTM Output Section is a mysterious animal and will produce some interesting and musical results when different loads are applied. One favorite is connecting the 8 Ohm speaker load to the 4 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT when using the 45 Watt (Half Power) setting. Feel free to experiment with different load combinations. You can’t hurt your amplifier and you may discover an impedance scenario that, though is a technical “mismatch”, produces a unique response that fits your needs. The only penalty might be that your power tubes can wear a bit faster with certain load conditions, usually with mismatches in the low direction (4 Ohm load on the 8 Ohm OUTPUT).
 
I thought it was mentioned more than once but I can't find anything else in the manual. So maybe not. It doesn't say that using the 4 ohm load in 45 watts (8 ohm cab) is the correct impedance though. From what I could find in the manual. But I don't know. The main takeaway from that part of the manual is just to experiment. I think there are more ways to run the mark V than stars in the galaxy. :lol:
 
SamuelJ86 said:
It's on page 9 in the manual. Here it is:
Speaker Impedance has a large sonic effect on the sounds as the MARK V power section is switched between its’ three dif- ferent Modes. We prefer a matching 8 Ohm speaker load connected to the 8 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT for the most balanced sound and overall performance in all 3 Channels. However, the Simul-ClassTM Output Section is a mysterious animal and will produce some interesting and musical results when different loads are applied. One favorite is connecting the 8 Ohm speaker load to the 4 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT when using the 45 Watt (Half Power) setting. Feel free to experiment with different load combinations. You can’t hurt your amplifier and you may discover an impedance scenario that, though is a technical “mismatch”, produces a unique response that fits your needs. The only penalty might be that your power tubes can wear a bit faster with certain load conditions, usually with mismatches in the low direction (4 Ohm load on the 8 Ohm OUTPUT).
Click to expand...

I recall seeing this before.
 
I usually gig at 90 watts, we have a very heavy handed drummer (very good as well). It seems to take the full 90 watts to match his punch. I practice at 45 or 10 watts. I use the combo on top of a Lonestar 410
 
That's a safe mismatch to create a different tone and feel and you can certainly experiment to see if you like it. That being said, the mismatch is not mesa recommended way to use 45 watt mode.

"We prefer a matching 8 Ohm speaker load connected to the 8 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT for the most balanced sound and overall performance in all 3 Channels."



SamuelJ86 said:
It's on page 9 in the manual. Here it is:
Speaker Impedance has a large sonic effect on the sounds as the MARK V power section is switched between its’ three dif- ferent Modes. We prefer a matching 8 Ohm speaker load connected to the 8 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT for the most balanced sound and overall performance in all 3 Channels. However, the Simul-ClassTM Output Section is a mysterious animal and will produce some interesting and musical results when different loads are applied. One favorite is connecting the 8 Ohm speaker load to the 4 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT when using the 45 Watt (Half Power) setting. Feel free to experiment with different load combinations. You can’t hurt your amplifier and you may discover an impedance scenario that, though is a technical “mismatch”, produces a unique response that fits your needs. The only penalty might be that your power tubes can wear a bit faster with certain load conditions, usually with mismatches in the low direction (4 Ohm load on the 8 Ohm OUTPUT).
Click to expand...
 

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