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ibanez4life SZ! « What a Rectifier should sound like! »
Published on 04/07/11 at 00:05This amplifier follows the original/simpler design in the rectifier lineage, featuring
- 4 space rackmount design
- 100 watts all tube, with 4 6L6s, 5 12AX7s, and 2 5U4GBs
- 2 Independent channels
- Voicing switch for high gain channel, between Modern and Vintage
- Channel cloning to allow a second high gain channel instead of clean channel
- Rectifier selection between tube and silicon diode
- Bold and Spongy variac
- Tube driven parallel effects loop
- External Switching jacks
UTILIZATION
Physically, the rackmount design of the amplifier makes integration into big rigs simple, and gets the user all the features in a smaller package. The simple two-channel layout of this amplifier makes dialing each channel an easy task. As with most other Mesa Boogies, the interactive EQ can make dialing your specific sound a little more difficult than your average Marshall, though reading the manual, and having any sort of experience with other Boogies makes this an easy task. As with most of the rectifier lineage, the parallel effects loop can be difficult with many effects, causing tone loss, volume loss, and phase issues. If you use the loop, modding to series is also a quick job. Finally, channel switching is very quiet, contrary to the switching relays in the more recent 3 channel rectifiers, which usually cause horrendous pops.
SOUNDS
Here is where this amplifier shines. The ‘Racktifiers’ are held by many as one of the grail offerings of the Rectifier sound. While more recent rectifier offers are usually explained as ‘muddy’ and ‘fizzy,’ this amplifier carries none of those characteristics. Both modern and vintage settings are tight, bold, and HUGE; true to what made the rectifiers so prominent in the modern music scene. The low end is something to be experienced; even at extreme levels, the amplifier maintains it girth, and moves air more so than most others I have played. The clean is unfortunately nothing to write home about. With the channel cloning, channel 1 in vintage high gain can be used for a nice biting lead tone, and channel 2 modern produces the ferocious high gain for rhythms with plenty of attack and girth.
OVERALL OPINION
This is not a versatile amplifier. If you want many good sounds, look elsewhere. BUT, if you want THE best offering of Mesa Boogie’s Rectifier series, this is definitely an amplifier to hunt after. I ran it in a multi-amp rig with this amplifier covering my high gain rhythm, and the sound was nothing short of astounding!
- 4 space rackmount design
- 100 watts all tube, with 4 6L6s, 5 12AX7s, and 2 5U4GBs
- 2 Independent channels
- Voicing switch for high gain channel, between Modern and Vintage
- Channel cloning to allow a second high gain channel instead of clean channel
- Rectifier selection between tube and silicon diode
- Bold and Spongy variac
- Tube driven parallel effects loop
- External Switching jacks
UTILIZATION
Physically, the rackmount design of the amplifier makes integration into big rigs simple, and gets the user all the features in a smaller package. The simple two-channel layout of this amplifier makes dialing each channel an easy task. As with most other Mesa Boogies, the interactive EQ can make dialing your specific sound a little more difficult than your average Marshall, though reading the manual, and having any sort of experience with other Boogies makes this an easy task. As with most of the rectifier lineage, the parallel effects loop can be difficult with many effects, causing tone loss, volume loss, and phase issues. If you use the loop, modding to series is also a quick job. Finally, channel switching is very quiet, contrary to the switching relays in the more recent 3 channel rectifiers, which usually cause horrendous pops.
SOUNDS
Here is where this amplifier shines. The ‘Racktifiers’ are held by many as one of the grail offerings of the Rectifier sound. While more recent rectifier offers are usually explained as ‘muddy’ and ‘fizzy,’ this amplifier carries none of those characteristics. Both modern and vintage settings are tight, bold, and HUGE; true to what made the rectifiers so prominent in the modern music scene. The low end is something to be experienced; even at extreme levels, the amplifier maintains it girth, and moves air more so than most others I have played. The clean is unfortunately nothing to write home about. With the channel cloning, channel 1 in vintage high gain can be used for a nice biting lead tone, and channel 2 modern produces the ferocious high gain for rhythms with plenty of attack and girth.
OVERALL OPINION
This is not a versatile amplifier. If you want many good sounds, look elsewhere. BUT, if you want THE best offering of Mesa Boogie’s Rectifier series, this is definitely an amplifier to hunt after. I ran it in a multi-amp rig with this amplifier covering my high gain rhythm, and the sound was nothing short of astounding!