Mesa Dual Recto Comparison - Rev C, Rev F, and Rev G

[NewWorldMan]

So, I did a thing. Here's a quick clip thrown together comparing 4 different 2 channel Rectos - Rev C (Ch 1 & 2), Rev F, Rev G, and a Rev G Racktifier for anyone that cares. Always get comparison questions. Disclaimers:

Clips are 100% raw tracks. Not even HP/LP.
No boosts, plugged straight in.
All clips are double tracked and split L/R.
All amps roughly the exact same settings.

I would typically dial them all in slightly different, but wanted to set them all the same to hear the subtle differences. If you're only listening on an iPhone speaker, you may not hear as much differentiation.

General thoughts:

Rev C is clearly the brightest of the lot, with less bass and low mids on channel 2. Also has the most attack. Rev F and G have more girth and meat by comparison, also a little more low end.

You can hear some differentiation in the F and G. They have a similar low end and thud on the attack, but the F has a little more push in the upper mids. I hear F frequently characterized as brighter than G, but I think it's more the upper mids you're hearing making it seem brighter. C is legitimately brighter on the top end.

Channel 1 Vintage on the C is probably the biggest anomaly of the entire 2 channel run. Also has the most gain by far. Gain on the clips were around 1:00, except channel 1 Vintage on the C. It was set on 10:00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTJUPLhR4s8

 

[DragonCrestPC]

I actually like the G ( rackmount ) the most in that clip.

 

[NewWorldMan]

I actually like the G ( rackmount ) the most in that clip.

So do I. That thing is just solid. My other Rev G is about to head in for a tune up. It's been well used and abused for the better part of 15 years, as opposed to that rackmount which is borderline NOS by comparison.

I'd typically run the high end lower on the C which adds girth, but I wanted to keep settings the same to show how much brighter it is.

 

[japetus]

I liked F the most.

 

[NewWorldMan]

I liked F the most.

The F has gotten the most use recently. I enjoy Lynch's old Rev C, but I also wouldn't miss it if it was gone.

 

[skullfxr]

REV G Rack. Second is the REV F.

The REV C is a totally different thing. There are a few plusses and minuses IMO.

I have a Tremoverb which is pretty much (correct me if I am wrong) is a REV G with trem and reverb). I am happiest with mine. But you have me gassing for an F now though.

Thanks for putting that clip together! Killer rigs!

 

[NewWorldMan]

The oldest Tremoverbs were released during the production run of Rev F, but it wasn't many. They all sound pretty much identical. Tremoverbs are fantastic amps.

I usually go back and forth on any given day of which is my favorite - the rackmount G and the F have been battling it out. The F has seen more regular use lately, but I think the rackmount G sounded best this morning. They were all dialed in the same, volumes matched as close as I could, etc. I didn't tube swap (not getting that fancy, and I spent less than an hour total on the clips ), but they are all using the same spec tubes as well.

I should have slaved a Triaxis into one of them on LD1 Red (Recto) as well, but I didn't even think about it.

 

[skullfxr]

The oldest Tremoverbs were released during the production run of Rev F, but it wasn't many. They all sound pretty much identical. Tremoverbs are fantastic amps.

I usually go back and forth on any given day of which is my favorite - the rackmount G and the F have been battling it out. The F has seen more regular use lately, but I think the rackmount G sounded best this morning. They were all dialed in the same, volumes matched as close as I could, etc. I didn't tube swap (not getting that fancy, and I spent less than an hour total on the clips ), but they are all using the same spec tubes as well.

I should have slaved a Triaxis into one of them on LD1 Red (Recto) as well, but I didn't even think about it.

Interesting. Great work though. What is the difference of the rack mount and stardard G?

 

[Metal1977]

So, I did a thing. Here's a quick clip thrown together comparing 4 different 2 channel Rectos - Rev C (Ch 1 & 2), Rev F, Rev G, and a Rev G Racktifier for anyone that cares. Always get comparison questions. Disclaimers:

Clips are 100% raw tracks. Not even HP/LP.
No boosts, plugged straight in.
All clips are double tracked and split L/R.
All amps roughly the exact same settings.

I would typically dial them all in slightly different, but wanted to set them all the same to hear the subtle differences. If you're only listening on an iPhone speaker, you may not hear as much differentiation.

General thoughts:

Rev C is clearly the brightest of the lot, with less bass and low mids on channel 2. Also has the most attack. Rev F and G have more girth and meat by comparison, also a little more low end.

You can hear some differentiation in the F and G. They have a similar low end and thud on the attack, but the F has a little more push in the upper mids. I hear F frequently characterized as brighter than G, but I think it's more the upper mids you're hearing making it seem brighter. C is legitimately brighter on the top end.

Channel 1 Vintage on the C is probably the biggest anomaly of the entire 2 channel run. Also has the most gain by far. Gain on the clips were around 1:00, except channel 1 Vintage on the C. It was set on 10:00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTJUPLhR4s8

They're all awesome but the Rackto sounds best for me on this. I remember when you got it, i couldn't believe it. Literally new in box.

 

[NewWorldMan]

Interesting. Great work though. What is the difference of the rack mount and stardard G?

Allegedly nothing, but all rackmounts I've owned over time have had a little something of their own going on. Almost like the low end is compressed a tad making it "feel" tighter, even though it isn't.

My Rev G standard head does need a tune up, though. It hasn't been in the factory since the '90s, and it has a ton of miles logged in it. It was my workhorse amp for the better part of 15 years in and out of venues and rehearsal spaces. I finally gave it a rest over the last 3-4 years, but a refresh is certainly in order.

 

[NewWorldMan]

They're all awesome but the Rackto sounds best for me on this...

Agreed! It sounded great this morning. Don't know what I expected listening back, but was surprised the Rackto was my favorite on the clips, as I've gravitated towards the F more recently.

 

[skullfxr]

Interesting. Great work though. What is the difference of the rack mount and stardard G?

Allegedly nothing, but all rackmounts I've owned over time have had a little something of their own going on. Almost like the low end is compressed a tad making it "feel" tighter, even though it isn't.

My Rev G standard head does need a tune up, though. It hasn't been in the factory since the '90s, and it has a ton of miles logged in it. It was my workhorse amp for the better part of 15 years in and out of venues and rehearsal spaces. I finally gave it a rest over the last 3-4 years, but a refresh is certainly in order.

That G is worth a good tuneup. I wonder how different it would be.

 

[psychodave]

G rack sounds best in this clip.

 

[skullfxr]

Listening again. I like the F a little bit more than I did initially. Still like the rack over the normal G though.

 

[Racerxrated]

G Rackto for me...but the C is damn fine too.

 

[aftec]

G racto for me too, the C is really in vein of the SLO, probably it is closer to the originally 1:1 copy of the SLO preamp, the Dual Recto started out with.

 

[Shask]

I think I like the Gs the best also. Have a good depth, without being to fizzly. It seems like the older they get, the more fizzly they get.

However, I honestly think the small differences could be made up with an EQ pedal in front to slightly tweak the low and high end before hitting the amp.

 

[skullfxr]

I think I like the Gs the best also. Have a good depth, without being to fizzly. It seems like the older they get, the more fizzly they get.

However, I honestly think the small differences could be made up with an EQ pedal in front to slightly tweak the low and high end before hitting the amp.

I totally agree with that.

 

[NewWorldMan]

Part of why I made the video was exactly what was stated above - to show the minimal differences among revisions. I'm not a world class engineer by any means, but I do feel like the video captures the subtle differences.

DISCLAIMER:

I think part of the problem with a lot of videos is that people try to dial amps in to sound the same as one another. I don't think that helps give a sense of how they contrast. With this video, I chose one set of standard issue Recto settings to use on all the amps so you could hear the differences. Is it the optimal settings for each of them? No, and all of them would have sounded better/worse if I'd chosen different settings, and you might feel differently about each revision then. Had I darkened up the C, the settings would have put a blanket over the G, and so forth. So keep that all in mind when listening. It's a video to show the tonal differences, not which is "best". None of them were dialed in to sound best.

That all said, I also wanted to help dispel some myths. I've preached it for years, but people have to hear it for themselves.

"The Rev C is tighter and Rev G is loose and flubby!" - Bullshit.
"The older transformers are so much better/tighter!" - Bullshit.


Reality is, the Rev C has more hair on the top end, and less low mids and low end as a result. Channel 1 is a different animal on the C vs the others, but most folks like channel 2/modern. Rev F isn't brighter or tighter than G, it has a little more upper mid push and seems brighter because of it.

None of those revisions are tighter than another. They're just different flavors.

 

[Rex Rocker]

I really dig the Rackto here.

What tubes did you have in them? Similar tubes in all?