Tone Differences between Mark V, 25, 35

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lewis.byng

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I would like to get the full 90 watt head as my first boogie, I don't need that much power however having the 3 channels would be preferred. Are there many tone differences between the 3, head or combo, just need to get the best sound for small to medium sized venues and jams, I don't care about weight, just pure tone and versitility. Mainly play blues, rock, hard rock.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpZQZo7aZCg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1r5EpEhn-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRDoiGdJEnw

Hope this helps.
 
I've no experience with the 25 or 35 but from what I can gather from posts on here the only real difference is the 90 has a bit more weight to its tone than the 35 and the 35 a bit more than the 25. Otherwise they're very close to each other. If money and physical weight are no object then I'd say the 90 is a no-brainer. More options than the other two, 3 channels and all the volume if you end up needing it. Plus it is a truly great amp!
 
I've got the Mark V:25 and it's a great amp weight/price/performance. BUT if you want a 'lifetime' amp always go big...get the 90, you'll never have buyers remorse and left wondering 'why didn't I just save up for a few more months and buy the most and best I could afford'...
 
I would like to get the full 90 watt head as my first boogie, I don't need that much power however having the 3 channels would be preferred. Are there many tone differences between the 3, head or combo, just need to get the best sound for small to medium sized venues and jams, I don't care about weight, just pure tone and versitility. Mainly play blues, rock, hard rock.
If you want to get the full 90 watt and you can afford it without starving yourself or your family, and you don't have chronic back issues (or better yet, if you have somebody who can carry it for ya)... just go for it! Take it from somebody who deep down wanted a 90, but made countless excuses for the more "reasonable" 25 and 35 options before finally giving in... save yourself the time and hassle if you know deep down that the 90 is what you're really after.

A few comments:

TONE: the differences are negligible, but they are there. No matter how you set up, no matter what room you are in, with all things being equal, the 90 will bring you a tone that is simultaneously sweeter and more authoritative. Oh, and perhaps counter-intuitively, it still sounds better even at the most hushed bedroom volumes compared to its smaller cousins.

This doesn't mean that the 25 and 35 sound like garbage by comparison. Quite the contrary: they sound pretty sweet. It's just that the 90 sounds a little bigger and better. Always. Like, I dunno... maybe 5%? The problem with this is, if your ultimate goal is the best possible tone available, that 5% will never stop bothering you. Tiny differences can mean a lot.

It's a shame, because the 90 takes up so much more space and is generally so much less convenient... and hardly anybody these days bothers actually pushing amps like this to the point of infuriating the neighbors, so it almost feels like an ornament at times. But the bottom line is, you will get a better sound.

OPTIONS: There are fewer shaping options on the 25 and 35 and You don't get the Tweed, Edge, or Mark I settings. While Tweed is kinda nice, I don't personally care about the other two, so no big loss there. The biggest issue for me, by far, was the lack of a 3-way switch. If all you plan on doing is bedroom playing/recording, that's not an issue. But if you perform live, in an eclectic variety of genres, and don't want to rely on too many pedals, it's kind of annoying you can only toggle between two settings on the fly. I mean, even a Hot Rod Deluxe comes with a switch between Clean, Gain, More Gain settings,* and you can easily find one of those at less than 1/3 the cost of a new Mark V:25 and cabinet.

For me, it took several rehearsals to get over the denial, but eventually the the 2 channel issue negated the portability advantage of the 25 and 35. Yes, I'm lazy and don't like planning the night's set list around the sounds immediately available at my feet. It took only having 2 channels before I realized just how much more flexibility 3 gives you.

PORTABILITY: 35 and (especially) the 25 kill the 90 here. It's no comparison. I don't even like moving my 90 up and down the stairs. Granted, I'm a wuss, but even so, the 25 and 35 were a breeze to cart around, and the 90 just, well, sucks.

PRICE: This is just my opinion, but if you're going for high-end gear, you should worry less about the price tag itself than locating exactly what you want to play/play through, making absolutely sure, then saving up.... making sure again, then getting it. In the meanwhile, you can still get a more than passable sound out of a used Fender, Peavey, Blackstar, Vox, whatever floats your boat, then turn around and sell that when you've got your dream equipment. So if portability is your most important factor, get the 25. If portability is most important but you also need just a little more oomph and a solo boost, get the 35. Otherwise, might as well get the 90, regardless of cost. (and fwiw, you can find used 90s in great condition for hundreds less than new V:25s right now)

FINAL NOTE: Others may disagree, but unless you've put in a lot of time in the amp and it still sounds absolutely perfect to your ears, stay away from the combo version. There are just so many more easy options available to you with a head/cab.

-------
* Yeah, we all know nobody actually uses the HRD gain channels, but still ;-)
 
I tried the 25 and 35 and they are GREAT amps !!!
But once I tried the full V it was all over for me.
Its not that heavy, sounds killer anywhere from bedroom level to deaf for life !!! , I liked it so much I sold my MK2B that I have had since 82.
and then I put EL34s in it and I loved it even more.
 
I tried the 25 and 35 and they are GREAT amps !!!
But once I tried the full V it was all over for me.
LOL... that's exactly how it happens, isn't it?
 
I got a 2-year old gently used 90 watt combo four years ago. I've had a Mark I/60/100/EQ since roughly 1975, brand new at the time. The combos are quite hefty in every sense of the word, but the tone... Three years ago, I also picked up the 25. The day after I ordered it, they announced the 35. So I traded the 25 back to the store for the 35 head at a very nice 27 pounds, but they let me hang on to the 25 for a while. As already mentioned, there are differences in the tone, but they all sound great. I love the 35 for bringing a head and a 1x12 Mesa closed-back ported cab to rehearsals and jam sessions, though I've been known to take the combo as well. Gigging, it's both the 90 and the 35, with wah, volume, phase and EH Lester G into a Radial Switchbone out to both amps. My Eventide Factor pedals hit the 90's effects loop. I'll run two Eventide H9 Maxs through the 35's loop, or just let that be dry. I have yet to run all three Boogies but one of these days... I use 6L6s in the 90. Running both at the same time, clean or driven, sounds just massive. Those slight differences complement each other incredibly well. You can't lose, no matter what you do, but if I were looking for my first, it'd be the 90 watter. I use the Mark I setting as my principal solo channel, with Extreme as an incredible blues/crunch channel that cleans up really well while adding anything from a little grit to full-on howling at the moon.
 
Some great advise for you above!

Would love to have all of them :lol: Bet the mix of 2 or more of them with they're slight differences really do compliment each other :lol: ! Cue gear envy :lol: i'm more than happy with my 90 really though.

Like Pongo mentioned before, if its your first boogie and a MAJOR purchase, take your time, try them all, including other brands and get what grabs you most. There is no definitive answer anyone can give you. You have to make your own mind up. I would err on the side of the 90 because of the depth to it. But thats me, you may prefer the 25 or the 35 or something else.

Get what grabs you most, and let us know.

Thanks,

Wayno.
 

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