psche378":2ib5hnz1 said:
I too am interested in the amount of gain the xtc produces... the xtc does have the gain how tight is it. XTC guys please chime in...
OK, long answer:
i have a Mark V and a 101B. i play metal, hard rock, and classic rock; chunky metal like Dream Theater or Puppets/Lightning era Metallica. not super-tight djent stuff like Meshuggah (they are the most badass ever; i just can't play it.
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the XTC Red channel circuit in 2004 was changed to have more gain. you may know about the Marvel mod; that's a dude's mod circuit board that lets you switch between the pre-2004 lower gain Red channel, the post-2004 higher gain Red channel, and another higher gain Red mod from Mark Cameron. my 101B has the Marvel mod board and a mod i did to the unboosted sound to make it brighter (clipped out cap C224). i also run high gain preamp tubes and high output pickups.
my XTC Blue channel, i use with the Boost off for classic rock, the same way i use my Mark V channel 2 Crunch mode w/o graphic EQ. it works great. my Blue gain is about 11 o'clock; my Mark V Crunch Gain is noon and Treble is 3 o'clock. my XTC Blue channel with the Boost, i use for hard rock, like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, etc; the same way i use my Mark V channel 3 Mk IIC+ mode. Blue gain still 11 o'clock; Mark V IIC+ Gain 1 o'clock, Treble 1 o'clock, w/ graphic EQ and Bright switch. with Blue gain at 11 o'clock and Boost on is plenty to get Alice in Chains, etc.
my XTC Red channel, i use for chunky metal and thrash, like Puppets-era Metallica, the same way as my Mark V channel 3 Mk IV mode. i use the post-2004 higher gain setting, because it sounds tighter. it has a ton of gain; i only set it at 10 o'clock. i also use it without the Boost. adding the Boost gives even more gain and makes it really saturated; too much gain for me to control or keep tight. so Red definitely has tons of gain, especially with that post-2004 higher gain mod, and with the Boost.
some of the XTC settings make a big difference for me on the tightness. i run B1 bright 1 on both Blue and Red. it sounds tighter than either N or B2. the post-2004 higher gain setting on the Red sounds much tighter than the pre-2004 lower gain setting or the Cameron mod. on Blue, i run the Excursion control, which adjusts the low-end looseness, on the middle setting, so it's not too tight but not too loose. but on Red, i run the Excursion on the tight setting. it's not a dry tightness, like a VHT. it sounds and feels similar to the Mark V Mk IV mode--thick and saturated and not loose; a wet sort of tightness. which is always good, right?
the cleans on both are equally good--both based on classic Fender designs.
i think the XTC is quite versatile. not as super-versatile as the Mark V, but i only use 3-4 modes on the Mark V anyway, and 3-4 of the XTC's six modes. i think the XTC sounds a bit more rich and 3D, but it costs more. they're both great amps; similar in style and features but different enough to not be a repeat.
i have both a Mark V and a 101B.