Played through a Mesa Roadster today...

[SimonSez]

...and it was awesome.

I had the Mesa Dual Rectifier next to the Roadster so I could test them out side-by-side. The Roadster sounded a bit better to me (and a friend) because in Channel 4 in Modern mode it didn't have the fizziness or "hair" or whatever you wanna call it.

This was the first time I had a chance to really sit down and play the amps for a while. I noticed that when switching channels there is a loud pop. It seems like it's common on all of the Mesa Boogie amps. I think it's one of the only negatives I could find. I have played through a lot of tube amps in the past and some make that same noise when switching channels but I would think on an amp of this caliber they could implement some sort of circuit to prevent the pop. My Crate Blue Voodoo 120W tube amp doesn't create a gunshot when changing channels. But I guess I could live with it for such a great rectifier sound.

Also I don't know if I would be better off with a Triaxis and 2:90 or just getting the Roadster. The Triaxis does all of the Mark series sounds too.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

marcus?

 

[Metaltastic]

Hahahahha, yup, I'm here Just sold my 2 channel Dual with the intent of buying a Roadster actually, as the 2 channel just had too much fizz around 6k that I couldn't dial out, and I really wanna give the Roadster a try to see if it's better! (I imagine it will be, as after a call to Mesa they told me it's voiced slightly darker than the standard Dual Recs, and I did a quick test here with my friend's Roadster, though as I explain in that thread I really didn't have much ability to check the tweaking). As for Triaxis vs. Roadster, there's absolutely no contest IMO; not only have I never been too crazy over the Mark series sound (from all that I've heard), but I could never imagine a rack setup running on two different transformers sounding as full and powerful as a head!

 

[SimonSez]

It's weird that on Mesa's site it says that the Roadster and Dual Rectifier have the same circuitry. I played the Roadster on "bold" mode though and I don't remember what setting the Dual Rectifier was on because I read that on the back it has some sort of switch for silicon diode or tube mode. Does that change the fizzy sound at all?

 

[Metaltastic]

Nah, not really, my experience is that tube rectification just makes everything sag more, though if tightness and high gain isn't your primary focus I could see it being useful (I never use it though!) And while the Mesa website hints at them being the same ("Channels 3 and 4 contain all the mind-altering iconic sounds of the legendary Dual Rectifier® Solo Head and hand you the keys to the world of high gain…both retro and future"), to me that was ambiguous enough to warrant a call to Mesa, when they told me what I mentioned above, about it being darker, and all clips I've heard of the Roadster and Road King (not to mention my experience playing the Roadster and hearing one live) confirm this. It's a pity, cuz I don't see myself playing live any time in the near future, and all I need from an amp is one good high gain tone, so the versatility and options on the Roadster mean absolutely dick to me - but if, as I suspect, it could be the variant of the Dual Rec series that does that one high gain tone best (to my ears), then I have to own one for awhile to know for sure!

HOWEVER, that switching problem you meant is actually very widespread - check out this thread on the boogie board, it's rather appalling honestly - I can only hope they're working on a fix!

 

[Dylan S]

General,ly you'll want to have your Rectos set to 'bold' and 'diodes' for playing high gain stuff. Bold makes the response a lot more direct and in your face, and having it set to diodes I find provides a rounder, slightly less saturated sound, in a good way. Tube rectifier can sound great too, but I find it used better for sort of hard rock tones, maybe with your channels set to 'vintage' as well, to get that really crunchy type of sound.

I haven't experimented with it very much at all because the few times I've set it to that on my Recto, I've thought "yeh pretty cool" and gone back to diodes after only a few minutes of playing. I find it isn't so much that it is way more FIZZY, but the kind of sound does have a lot more fizzyness to it, if that makes sense...which I'm certain it won't.

EDIT: Marcus beat me to it with describing it as sort of saggy and somewhat less defined/direct.

 

[Metaltastic]

Yeah, and on the topic of bold vs. spongy, all spongy does is function as a variac (like EVH used to use), castrating the amount of power going through the amp; saves power tube wear, but also sounds every bit as bad to my ears as the description suggests!

 

[Dylan S]

Yeh. It can still sound good compared to other amps, but in comparison to 'bold' there is no competition.

I remember when I tried out my recto in the shop, it was set to diodes, but I had no idea the 'bold/spongy' switch existed (the guy in the shop set it to diodes and said "you probably want it on that setting" and walked off, letting me noodle". I played it in the shop really loud and it sounded amazing (still with no TS mind you so it was hard as hell to play being so dry), and when I got it home I put my OD in front of it and switched it to bold and became EVEN HAPPIER.

 

[Metaltastic]

The gift that keeps on giving!

 

[Executioner213]

I could never imagine a rack setup running on two different transformers sounding as full and powerful as a head!

Your imagination eludes you. It's just heavier (as in weight). Triaxis/2:90 is monsterous sounding...I just happen to be one of the lucky ones with a Triaxis that makes a bunch of extra noise and Mesa told that it was fine.

Theres a reason I bought the amp....I'm sure there's a reason Petrucci, Hammett/Hetfield, Joe Haley (Psycroptic), Rocky George (Suicidal Tendencies), Kenny Hickey (Type O Negative) and more have sought to employ this amp also.

 

[Metaltastic]

Not a fan of any of the album tones Petrucci used the Triaxis on, never heard Psycroptic, can't stand Suicidal Tendencies, don't really listen to Type O, always hated Metallica tones - and anyway, live is one thing, recorded is another! Don't suppose you have any clips?

 

[Nitrobattery]

I've had two and three channel Dual Recs, a Mark IV, a DC-5, a TriAxis/2:90 combo, and now have a Roadster. The TriAxis is a VERY handy tool live and is a killer sounding preamp. I was blown away by the tones I was able to get out of that thing. It's definitely something I'd like to pick up again at some point.

Of all of the Mesa stuff I've had though, the Roadster is by far my favorite. The lag in switching is something to take into consideration though.

 

[Nitrobattery]

always hated Metallica tones

you and I aren't on speaking terms anymore

 

[Executioner213]

Don't suppose you have any clips?

Of mine? No

 

[SimonSez]

Damn that lag switching thing now has me second guessing the Roadster. I play live shows and that would be a problem. Argh.

 

[Nitrobattery]

Damn that lag switching thing now has me second guessing the Roadster. I play live shows and that would be a problem. Argh.

Honestly, it sucks. I love my Roadster to death, but the lag in switching is driving me crazy.

 

[Metaltastic]

you and I aren't on speaking terms anymore

Haha, yeah, it's the mid-lover in me!