Mark IIC+ Reissue vs. OG 1983 IIC+ DRGX: The Ultimate A/B Blind Comparison

  • Thread starter Thread starter hellzington
  • Start date Start date
hellzington

hellzington

Well-known member
Can YOU tell the difference between the OG IIC+ and the Reissue? Put your ears to the test!

I'd love for you to check out my latest video, a totally blind comparison between the IIC+ Reissue and the OG. There's 3 Rounds: Easy, Intermediate, and Hard. As always, constructive feedback, thoughts, and opinions all welcome. Enjoy!

 
Test one was very easy (even on the iPhone). OG has more harmonics in the mids and is well balanced. RI sounds slightly woofy.
I got two wrong. Couldn’t tell but the second one had the woofyness.
Cleans sounded identical.

Thx for the comparisons!
 
Test one, a sounded so great and in your face.
Test two, b sounds better
Test three, b sounds way better so maybe the reissue sounds better with creams
 
Interesting, I actually preferred the Reissue in the Kickstart my Heart clip. It sounded smoother, where the OG sounded like it almost had a kind of half-cocked-wah thing going on in the front end, like the lows were cut too aggressively. In other clips, the OG sounded smoother.

They both sounded very similar though. Quite subtle differences overall.
 
I got them all correct, but honestly they both sound great.

As mentioned, the low end was the determining factor
 
I'm more interested in knowing what model Les Paul Studio that was?
 
SQUAREHEAD said:
Remember, that Reissue is hanging VERY well, considering the OG is loaded with Sylvania STR-415’s!

Great job doing this, Mike👍
Very impressed with the Reissue (with cheap power tubes)
Click to expand...
Thanks Keith! I agree completely. IMO anyone at this point who is throwing a fit that this isn't up to snuff is just plain wrong. There's a very small difference that is totally negligible as soon as you start playing with your band, turn on your effects, or lay down tracks for a mix. A little touch of EQ on one or the other during the post process and they're indiscernible.
 
DanTravis62 said:
I got them all correct, but honestly they both sound great.

As mentioned, the low end was the determining factor
Click to expand...
Good ear! It was pretty difficult to get the lows exactly the same. Just like the OG, the GEQ sliders on the reissue are finicky. More finicky, in fact, because they have a wider sweep than the OG. So the two do not line up 1:1. Lows could also be slightly different due to small transformer differences, etc. In a mix almost impossible to tell, though.
 
hellzington said:
Good ear! It was pretty difficult to get the lows exactly the same. Just like the OG, the GEQ sliders on the reissue are finicky. More finicky, in fact, because they have a wider sweep than the OG. So the two do not line up 1:1. Lows could also be slightly different due to small transformer differences, etc. In a mix almost impossible to tell, though.
Click to expand...

I would hope so, I've been recording high gain amps for the better part of 30 years :ROFLMAO:

I would also guess transformers - especially at a reasonable volume, those differences show up alot more

I would guess that as long as the circuit is the exact same, you should be able to get very close with the GEQ by setting them by ear one at a time, instead of using the same settings
 
DanTravis62 said:
I would hope so, I've been recording high gain amps for the better part of 30 years :ROFLMAO:

I would also guess transformers - especially at a reasonable volume, those differences show up alot more

I would guess that as long as the circuit is the exact same, you should be able to get very close with the GEQ by setting them by ear one at a time, instead of using the same settings
Click to expand...
In the first video, I lined them up one to one. But in this video, I did them by ear.
 
hellzington said:
It's maybe a 5-10% difference in feel at most.
Click to expand...
That's all I wanted to hear.

Honestly my post was a troll post but not really. I'll explain.

First though, thank you for being an asset to our forum dude. You are very likeable, post great content and just seem like a great guy who has valuable knowledge in gear in general. Thank you for hanging with us! You are in SoCal. So am I. We should link up one day for beers and gear. Let me know if interested. My treat!

With all of that said, you did a good job on the vid. My gripe was how forumites here LOVE to shit on the MKIII, an amp thats only 1-2 years apart from the IIC+, and say its galaxies apart from the coveted IIC+. I've never played a IIC+. I have 2 out of state friends who own OG IIC+s. Both STILL own MKIII's and tell me I'm not missing out. What am I missing here? LOL

Anyway, thanks again Mike. My offer stands for those beers (y)
 
PurityS.L.G said:
That's all I wanted to hear.

Honestly my post was a troll post but not really. I'll explain.

First though, thank you for being an asset to our forum dude. You are very likeable, post great content and just seem like a great guy who has valuable knowledge in gear in general. Thank you for hanging with us! You are in SoCal. So am I. We should link up one day for beers and gear. Let me know if interested. My treat!

With all of that said, you did a good job on the vid. My gripe was how forumites here LOVE to shit on the MKIII, an amp thats only 1-2 years apart from the IIC+, and say its galaxies apart from the coveted IIC+. I've never played a IIC+. I have 2 out of state friends who own OG IIC+s. Both STILL own MKIII's and tell me I'm not missing out. What am I missing here? LOL

Anyway, thanks again Mike. My offer stands for those beers (y)
Click to expand...
I’ve owned both, here’s my two cents. The Mark III kills for metal. I had a red stripe. It’s a more one dimensional sound though. The IIC+ has that sweet harmonic upper mid range that compresses just right. Juicy. The III is more strident in the highs for sure. In his high gain example you can hear it plain as day.
 
PurityS.L.G said:
That's all I wanted to hear.

Honestly my post was a troll post but not really. I'll explain.

First though, thank you for being an asset to our forum dude. You are very likeable, post great content and just seem like a great guy who has valuable knowledge in gear in general. Thank you for hanging with us! You are in SoCal. So am I. We should link up one day for beers and gear. Let me know if interested. My treat!

With all of that said, you did a good job on the vid. My gripe was how forumites here LOVE to shit on the MKIII, an amp thats only 1-2 years apart from the IIC+, and say its galaxies apart from the coveted IIC+. I've never played a IIC+. I have 2 out of state friends who own OG IIC+s. Both STILL own MKIII's and tell me I'm not missing out. What am I missing here? LOL

Anyway, thanks again Mike. My offer stands for those beers (y)
Click to expand...
I'll shoot you a DM! I'd love to meet up sometime. I love both beers and gear. Maybe over the holiday break?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top