TA 30 compared to a Maverick or BA

I would like to know opinions on the TA30 for those who have also have/had the Mav or Blue Angel. From the specs and reviews it looks realy like a Vox AC 1530.

I have played the Mav extensively and the BA some and I know they get nice cleans specially the Mav. Videos on the TA30 seems to be all breakup sounds. I know the Vox amps can get clean too. I am just hesitant that the TA will just be snarly and not clean up at all.

I am looking at the 212 combo and also at at a Mav and BA 410. Sadly my budget restricts me from spending over 1K.

I have a lot of EL84 recent and a quad of NOS plus maybe 20 or so 12Ax7 that I could roll when I get this. Is the TA30 tube rectified as well. After playing tube rectified amps. I don't think I can ever come back but maybe just maybe.

Thanks

logdrum said:

I would like to know opinions on the TA30 for those who have also have/had the Mav or Blue Angel. From the specs and reviews it looks realy like a Vox AC 1530.

I have played the Mav extensively and the BA some and I know they get nice cleans specially the Mav. Videos on the TA30 seems to be all breakup sounds. I know the Vox amps can get clean too. I am just hesitant that the TA will just be snarly and not clean up at all.

I am looking at the 212 combo and also at at a Mav and BA 410. Sadly my budget restricts me from spending over 1K.

I have a lot of EL84 recent and a quad of NOS plus maybe 20 or so 12Ax7 that I could roll when I get this. Is the TA30 tube rectified as well. After playing tube rectified amps. I don't think I can ever come back but maybe just maybe.

Thanks

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No tube rectifier in the TA-30, but it's not all snarl and grind: there are some great clean tones in both channels. I had one for a 30-day trial and had a somewhat peculiar experience: the mids on the amp just really disturbed my ears like no other. It might just have been that amp or my ears, but I returned it and stumbled into a DC-3 that I totally love it.

I've always been a Mark guy, and have favored the previous generation(s) of Boogies. I demo'd a Mav once and thought it was great. If you really like the Mav, your tastes might run like mine. The DC-3 has a more vintage-style Boogie voice, like the Mav. Sad to say, but their newer stuff just doesn't fit my style or ear as well as the older ones. YMMV

It cleans up quite well, especially in the 40W mode. Obviously won't be as clean as other Mesas with 100W outputs...

I own or have owned nearly every era and style of Mesa amp since 1981. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but it is a thing.
I did own a TA-30 head for a while. It does have a lot of good tones in it, but it is very much more like a Vox than an American "style" amp and is virtually nothing like the more "traditional" mesa mark styled amps or rectifier amps. The cleans do clean up nicely and are very cool, but they also are very punchy and powerful, without the sag or bounce you associate with Fender derived/heritage styled amps. I found the TA-30 fun to play at home and get totally different sounds with, but when it came to my band, it just didn't feel/sit right to me. I never fell in love with it to gig with. If you like the vintage Vox/Marshall leaning tones, you probably will totally dig it. If you lean to the more american style tones (Mesa, Fender, etc...), I would think you'd probably dig the Mav if you need 2 channels or the BA if you are a one channel kind of guy. Everyone who has a BA totally digs it. It may be one of the few I haven't had, and I always seem to GAS for one.

Good luck,
Brent

I to gas for the BA it just seems like it would be the amp for me. that Said I have had a good deal of experience with boogie amps through the years and though i don't have experience with the TA30 I do have a TA15 and it does clean well, but really shines in the tweed Mode at 5watts class A into a four ten with mixed 2/2 alnicos and ceramics. I find it totally addicting at the edge of break up pushed clean , I don't know how that relates to the 30 but if they both act the same you be in heaven. The Vox AC sounds aint bad either and I have a real AC 30 for comparison. Lots of sweet clean tones there as well. I not all that enamored with the two high gain modes though they are decent usable tones I have other amps that really shine there like my Triaxis. The better of the two is the High gain 1 which is supposed to be marshal like and I feel is best again in the 5 and 10 watt settings into a pair of v30s.