Tone ranges of Mesa/Boogie amps? (Mark & Recto series)

[petejt]

A Marshall JCM 800 2203 100 watt amp has its tone ranges as:

Treble: 10kHz - 35dB
Presence: 3kHz - 6dB
Middle: 600Hz - 9.5dB
Bass: 50Hz - 15dB.


Does anyone know the tone ranges for the Rectifier series Mesa/Boogie amps, and also the Mark series?
And any other amps for that matter?

I find it odd that the tone ranges for the treble, presence, midrange and bass knobs are not specified, particularly since the graphic EQ has clearly stated frequencies for each slider: 80Hz, 240Hz, 750Hz, 2.2kHz, and 6.6kHz.


I suppose the Q value of each slider is another factor altogether, but that's for later in the topic...

 

[mixn4him]

Sorry but those are completely wrong. Download the Duncan Tonestack calculator and you will see the center points and values of a Marshall tone stack. And that changes a good bit depending on WHICH Marshall tone stack you enter. Mesa DR use the same values as Marshall BUT in a completely different circuit design so they do not sound the same....Mark series I think are closer to Fender values and layout but I would have to look at a schematic to verify...

 

[petejt]

Sorry but those are completely wrong. Download the Duncan Tonestack calculator and you will see the center points and values of a Marshall tone stack. And that changes a good bit depending on WHICH Marshall tone stack you enter. Mesa DR use the same values as Marshall BUT in a completely different circuit design so they do not sound the same....Mark series I think are closer to Fender values and layout but I would have to look at a schematic to verify...

Huh? Those values came straight from the Marshall JCM 800 user manual...

If you look at the rest of the page, there are some differences in dB values between the models, e.g. 26dB for the 10kHz Treble control on the 1987. And interestingly, the 2204's Midrange is set at 500Hz - 9.5dB rather than 600Hz...

 

[petejt]

I know that the later versions of the Mark series are complicated by incorporating "Pull Shift"s, "Lead Fat", and "Lead Bright".

I'm not exactly sure what they all mean. "Lead Fat" is said to shift down the centre frequency of the Treble, "adding a boost the low mids". But WHERE FROM and WHERE TO?

"Pull Shift" is on the Lead Presence control, so I guess alters the centre frequency of the Lead Presence. But again- same question. When pulled Out, it "has better balance with a band", and pushed In, it thickens it up (so I guess some kind of low end boost).

"Lead Bright" is obviously a high end boost, I guess around 10kHz or maybe higher. Then there's also switches like 'Mid Gain' and 'Harmonics' to contend with.
But it all still seems ambiguous.


I'm trying to see where all these tone controls and their shifted positions, fit around the 5-band graphic EQ. And the Marshalls and Recto amps too.

 

[BrentSSL]

I don't know ranges but was working on a 50 watt single rec with my local Mesa tec and it had a really nice hot rodded Marshall tone. He has a older DSL with mercury Mods done to it. Also the treble control on all pre Multiwatt dual 3 channels do nothing lol.

 

[jwelliott]

I wouldsaythat for a specific amp, to get real numbers, you need to scope it at a center point of the tonal range for each control. This is the only sure-fire way of finding out what the actual shifts do to it. But this may seem to be almost a Herculean task for someone who is not an "amp guru" or who doesn't possess a lot of elex equipment. So best of luck, whatever you find out - I would like to know

I get where you are going and what you are asking, and the comparisons, to me, are fascinating. As a rule, though, yes the DR series is based on the Marshall stack for a meatier sound (but different), just as early Boogie/Mk circuits began with Fender Black/Silverface combo amp circuits which were hotrodded with extra gain stages.

 

[petejt]

I wouldsaythat for a specific amp, to get real numbers, you need to scope it at a center point of the tonal range for each control. This is the only sure-fire way of finding out what the actual shifts do to it. But this may seem to be almost a Herculean task for someone who is not an "amp guru" or who doesn't possess a lot of elex equipment. So best of luck, whatever you find out - I would like to know

I get where you are going and what you are asking, and the comparisons, to me, are fascinating. As a rule, though, yes the DR series is based on the Marshall stack for a meatier sound (but different), just as early Boogie/Mk circuits began with Fender Black/Silverface combo amp circuits which were hotrodded with extra gain stages.

Thanks for that man. I do wish that Mesa/Boogie would just release the specs rather than vague descriptions. The Marshall user manual is straight to the point.

 

[Racerxrated]

I don't know ranges but was working on a 50 watt single rec with my local Mesa tec and it had a really nice hot rodded Marshall tone. He has a older DSL with mercury Mods done to it. Also the treble control on all pre Multiwatt dual 3 channels do nothing lol.

Ugh. One of the worst sounding amps I ever owned was a single rec. All highs and lows, nothing worth a damn in between. Couldn't get rid of that thing fast enough.