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got a mark V

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5K views 59 replies 11 participants last post by  79 
#1 ·
haven't even plugged it in yet. got it in a trade+ cash deal. probably going to flip it to pay some bills. someone convince me to keep it
 
#2 ·
Congrats man! It's one of the best amps ever made! Take your time to dig into it and learn it if you've never had one. Almost any sound is available on this amp.

So for settings, here's my attempt to help :)

I'm going to suggest some metal tones here. Go on to the Mark IV or Extreme on channel 3 and try out some of these four settings:

The Ola:
Treble: dimed, all the way up
Mid: off
Bass: off
Gain: 11 o'clock
Presence: Noon

The Petrucci:
Treble: 2 o'clock
Mid: 10 o'clock
Bass: below 9 o'clock
Gain: 2 o'clock
Presence: noon to 2 o'clock

Gain machine (excellent for leads):
Treble: 3 o'clock
Mid: 9 o'clock
Bass: below 9 o'clock
Gain: 3 o'clock
Presence: noon to 2 o'clock

Darker (works great with a boost):
Treble: 10 o'clock
Mid: 10 o'clock
Bass: below 9 o'clock
Gain: dimed
Presence: noon to 2 o'clock

All with an EQ in a V like this:

60 Hz slider near the top
250 Hz slider just above or below the mid bar (to your tastes)
750 Hz slider should rest just above or touching the bottom bar.
2000 Hz slider just above the mid bar
6600 Hz slider higher than that, but you judge.

Obviously tone is subjective, and I've never had a 90w V, but I've had a V25 and a JP2C and those are settings I've used for metal to great effect. Remember on Mark amps high gain channels, treble is gain, not really treble. Gain is also gain. Mids are there even when you use a V eq to scoop them out. Bass should be tamed, held back on the channel, and boosted on the EQ.

Marks are so weird :rofl:
 
#8 ·
haven't even plugged it in yet. got it in a trade+ cash deal. probably going to flip it to pay some bills. someone convince me to keep it
That's step 1. :lol:

If that doesn't do the trick:

The "Drew Tone."
Ch 3 Mark IV, Triode.
Bright switch on
Gain 2 o'clock (or to taste)
Master 1 o'clock
Presence 8:30 or so
Treble 1 o'clock
Mid 12:30
Bass 9:30 or so
EQ off

Can text you pics if it's easier. That plus a good delay in the loop.
 
#14 ·
so, i plugged it in. daaaamn. what a great sounding amp. i might not get rid of it after all.

unless one of you wants to give me 2500 bucks for it. then we'll do it. but for now, it's my living room amp hahaha.
Told you. :lol:

Chris and I checked and we actually use fairly similar settings for Ch 3/MkIV. He uses a bit more gain and a lot less treble, but that's about it. :lol:
 
#21 ·
It's got more gain and is a little heavier, but less compressed. It's cool for sure. Petrucci likes yellow mode for rhythm, but I think it kills for leads, very smooth. Most metal guys I've talked with that have one prefer red channel for rhythm, as do I, but it's not terribly different. Maybe the difference between Iic and IV mode on the V, but the gap is narrower. If that makes sense.

So yeah they're different enough that I can set them to be very different (EQ/Push-pull pots, Shred mode, etc.). That's the perk of a 3 channel amplifier to me where you have two heavier channels. It's why I like the 3 channel rectifiers too. I can set one with a more scooped sound and less gain, but more cutting for rhythm, and I can have a smoother sound with more gain for lead. The Mark V is exceptional and I take nothing away from it, I might even own one some day, but yeah I dig having two heavy sounds available for sure.
 
#22 ·
Huh. I wish it wasn't quite so expensive. All I really want is IIC+ and MKIV mode on two different channels. It'd be more cost effective for what I actually want to just buy a second Mark V. :lol:

Definitely curious to try one out once the goddamn plague ends.
 
#28 ·
One day I'll own a Mark again, be it the JP2C or (God forbid they make one) a 50w Mark.
A 50w Mark would be amazing.
Uhhhhhhhh doesn't the MkV have a 45w mode?

I can tell you, the TriAxis LD2Y (Mk2C+) mode into a 50w power amp was pretty much my go-to when I had my TriAxis.

Also, the 2:90 has a half-power mode, so pair it either with a TriAxis or a Studio Preamp.

Shit man, you could get a TriAxis, a Studio pre, and a 2:90 for less than what a new Mk would run :lol:
 
#34 ·
Man you interpret things in the oddest way Drew. If you knew me, you'd know I never speak with malice or trying to put anyone down. Is that why you've been so pointed to me the last year or two. My man, I'm sorry if you ever thought I was being mean, but you have to be able to take some ribbing and give it back amicably.

As an example, back when I went to UofA and had a friend at ASU, I'd always rib him about how all the ASU girls were not as attractive as UofA ones, and he'd hit me back with the same. We'd find fun and creative ways to hit each other back. You and I both have the pretty girls here man, anything I ever did was meant to be playful, and you never told me you didn't like it until one day you erupted on me out of nowhere. You went from 0-100 on me pretty fast and it came out of nowhere.
 
#36 ·
Man you interpret things in the oddest way Drew. If you knew me, you'd know I never speak with malice or trying to put anyone down. Is that why you've been so pointed to me the last year or two. My man, I'm sorry if you ever thought I was being mean, but you have to be able to take some ribbing and give it back amicably.
I don't think i've been any more pointed to you in the last year or two, aside from this particular subject, but I can't even recall how many times I'd told you while you were on that kick, here, on facebook, over text, whatever, that I honestly didn't care which amp you thought was better, because I was confident I owned the better amp for me. :lol: Taking good natured ribbing is one thing, but there's only so many times you can tell someone you really have no interest in engaging before the insistence becomes a little rude, man. :lol:

All water under the bridge since we'd talked about that in depth after the last time you tagged me in a facebook group post trying to "prove" I was wrong for preferring the Mark V to the JP2C, but yeah, I think you blew well past the "playful good natured ribbing" line back then when you kept refusing to let me just not be a part of that particular conversation. :lol:
 
#39 ·
Yes, because you missed all the increasingly-less-suble "dude, I really don't care, I'm glad you're happy, just let it go" hints, and thought bringing it public by posting to a Mesa owner's facebook group and tagging me in your post was the right step. :lol:

I mean, neither here nor there, but your story about your buddy at ASU suggests that maybe this isn't the first time when you haven't known when to let something drop and pushed it too far. Worth thinking about. :2c:
 
#43 ·
Honestly, wouldn't mind grabbing a IV head, if nothing else just to see how it compares to a V in IV mode. That was the first time I'd ever plugged into an amp and been absolutely floored by a lead sound.
 
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