Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording Preamp - Boost or Not to Boost?

[McLeanAB]

Hey all!

Just acquired a gently used Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording preamp after about two years of really getting to know my Mark V:25, which has become the standard to which all things are measured.

Spent the weekend digging in and threw down two quick and dirty demos to explore...





I'm still diving in, but loving it so far... really thinking I want to pair it with a 20/20 power amp... I know it's 'meant' to be with another power amp, but I'm loving the sounds now while it's being shoved through the power section of my Mark V:25.

Anyone know if the 20/20 is at all similar to the power section of the Mark V:25?

Thanks!

 

[ChuggNorris]

Hey all!

Just acquired a gently used Mesa Boogie Rectifier Recording preamp after about two years of really getting to know my Mark V:25, which has become the standard to which all things are measured.

Spent the weekend digging in and threw down two quick and dirty demos to explore...





I'm still diving in, but loving it so far... really thinking I want to pair it with a 20/20 power amp... I know it's 'meant' to be with another power amp, but I'm loving the sounds now while it's being shoved through the power section of my Mark V:25.

Anyone know if the 20/20 is at all similar to the power section of the Mark V:25?

Thanks!

No boost.

If you have to boost, I'd just go ahead and finish the gender reassignment if I were you.

Great job.

No they are not similar.

 

[McLeanAB]

I don't have to boost, but I know people boost their Rec's all the time (and there's a few demos of this unit being boosted). I'd just like to boost to play around and explore (you know, like in college...)

I'd love for you to unpack how the power section in the V:25 differs sonically, if you would be so kind, from the 20/20; more mids, not as thick and creamy (like your mom), tight (like the ex-girlfriend that got away), or flat and lifeless (like your mom).

Any and all info about those differences would be great, as I can actually afford a 20/20, and the demos of the 20/20 sound pretty good to my ears.

 

[BeZo]

Real men boost.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

No boost.

If you have to boost, I'd just go ahead and finish the gender reassignment if I were you.

Great job.

No they are not similar.

Pssh. You play music? You like art? How was bottom surgery, tranny?

Real men don’t “like” things. They only lift heavy stuff and slam their faces into walls all day. Doing literally anything else means you’re a tranny.

I am very smart!


As for the preamp, go for it. Throw a boost out front and see if you like it. Rectos sound great boosted, I don’t see why the Recto pre would be any different.

 

[ChuggNorris]

Pssh. You play music? You like art? How was bottom surgery, tranny?

Real men don’t “like” things. They only lift heavy stuff and slam their faces into walls all day. Doing literally anything else means you’re a tranny.

I am very smart!


As for the preamp, go for it. Throw a boost out front and see if you like it. Rectos sound great boosted, I don’t see why the Recto pre would be any different.

Yeah that's probably why you guys called it a rectum fryer for so long.

The writing was on the wall. Your movement is upon us.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

If it was me I would go with something higher headroom and loaded with EL34's if you're mainly playing hard rock, and 6550's if you're playing metal.

I had a Tremoverb for a couple decades and either running EL34's in its poweramp, or running the fx send into a 6550 loaded poweramp sounded incredible. I way preferred it to the stock 6L6GC set up. The Tverb into 4x6550 feeding an EVM12L loaded 2x12 gave me one of the best high gain metal rhythm tones I ever got.