Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier Twenty Five Head

Compact design. 2 channels. 25 watts with 15 watt selectable. All tube design and effects loop. Footswitch included.

This is for all intents a Dual rectifier minus one channel and a couple of throwaway features. Sure the power tubes are EL84's but I was never a fan of the 6L6 design anyway.

UTILIZATION

I think this design was a long time coming and it's a good thin Mesa did it. The fact is, that a Dual rec has way too much volume on tap for most people and a more portable amp is always something people will appreciate. I can say the mini rec is a little bit different dialing in than the original model which was and always has been a bit of an oddity with the knob turning. While the general rules of the old design are at play here, the different power amp style makes the master have a bit more of a role than before. Although the El84's are not very hot so even on higher volume settings it's difficult to get a lot of power amp gain. Be wary though on the 15 watt setting you will get some breakup at higher volumes. This isn't always something you want from the ole rec but to each his own. Personally I feel that this amp's design relies on 90% preamp gain and putting it in a design with power amp breakup involved is sort of reductive.

SOUNDS

Let's face it. The clean channel on these has always been pretty glassy. It really depends what you want and how you dial it in, but if you work at it you can get it into blackface (ish) territory. The pushed switch is off limits for me. I don't care for having a dirty clean channel based off preamp gain.

The lead channel is where it's at, and I'm happy to say it gets the recto chunk down just fine. Mesa did a really good job of translating the design to a smaller chassis and there's a lot to be said for that. After all, this is what people are going to buy it for.

OVERALL OPINION

I'm getting addicted to this little 10-25 watt amps that every company seems to be putting out. It's great that mesa got on board. This is a well constructed amp. The FX loop is good. Everything is top notch. I think the price is about right considering what you get. This is pretty much a low wattage single rectifier.

Mine is red with LEDs in to the atmosphere, it throws! No switch to bypass the loop at the back.
So tiny, full of tubes inside, and all essential settings are there.
Two channels with full eq, plus a switch mode and power per channel. No reverb, why must take the much more expensive (that already!) Rectoverb ...
Serial Loop working fine with my VD400 bebert, I do not need more.
25w and they are there, it is a class a / b and thus rectifying diode.
HP: 8 ohm output and output 4 ohms. This is smart because it can safely pull over on a tube amp, but never less on pain of burn the thing.
Clearly, we can plug in a box 16 ohms on the 8 ohm output of the amp without any risk.
(My vox AC15 is stupid because it only accepts minimum 8 ohms, well it suddenly chome not bad).
In short it is a faultless for the mini, especially as empty no hum or nothing can spoil the picture.
10 therefore, minus 3 for the consequent price ...

UTILIZATION

Besides the absolutely illegible markings buttons is super simple to use, while audibly is no exaggeration either. The switch provided does not produce noise bizzarres when changing channel, ok then.
The modes are clean or crunch on channel top, and vintage / modern on the bottom one.
Switchable powers do not allow you to play in an apartment, they serve rather to put the power tubes knees, what bluesmen appreciate.

SOUNDS

I have not bought this amp to sound stereotypical big bad wolf, but bearing in mind that Bernard Allison uses a grinding for ages so with good reason.

The clean sound is very good, a good balance between precision / intelligibility and heat / respondent. He agrees very well both overdrives I proposed to him so far (vintage overdrive and green harley bebert OD400), which makes me my simple and effective 3canaux.
In crunch mode and without touching the eq is formidable and clean, it is very thin and easy to modulate. For more mushy it's easy, switch to 10w and push the master, basic.
The sound in modern saturax position is very dominant, we instantly know who you are dealing! It's more alive than the bulk of the series, and midrange pass better too, thank you the EL84. That said I prefer the vintage fashion.
For vintage mesa means pre-2000 I guess, nothing to do with ledzep and co, and that's good.
This mode is very versatile and offers a progressive gain, and behaves like the clean channel in the proposed equilibrium. It's very effective remaining natural.
As I was not too saturated rule I can add overdrive for more mid / sustain solo.

OVERALL OPINION

I'm about a month, two box 112 placed pseudostéréo and me in the middle, it's very fun to play.
Tested on a 212 Openback alnico is less advantageous, for against a randall 412 (hp jaguar) adchire total remaining pretty, no problem with a drummer that's strong enough. Now for the pissed two guitars and bass saturated craziest drummer I'm not sure, I'll update as soon as my guinea pigs have tested the beast ...
So much for now, the motivation of this purchase was the compactness and versatility and absolute choice for boxes. I was tired of tandem amp clean-pedals saturax, not that it did not work but rather that loses too saturax through a clear channel is less direct in fact true.
I am very happy with my purchase, I do not touch anything unless it works because it sounds good as is. I just hope to get lucky reliability issue with my 2 subway fire blues of the mark (but they were 1994-5, much water has flowed under the bridge since then).
In fact for the price it goes again, an F ... mexico costing too much and is really the superdaube compared (and in absolute terms, there was no idea of ​​building too bad).
Note 8, but only because of the price next 2 bugera I've had (333-1990) that sounded good by listening 3-4x less ... Times are tough and the dosh is scarce.

Switchable tube amp 10-25 watts Made in USA, beautiful production with the iconic metal plate Dual and Triple Rectifier, 5.5 kilo.
2 channels with 2 modes per channel -> I only use channel 1 "Clean" mode and channel 2 in "Modern" mode.

UTILIZATION

Setup is simple and obvious. I just advise the user to take a look at the end of the manual for slices at each knob.

SOUNDS

Sound meanwhile it is the Mesa Boogie Rectifier, but less powerful and more compressed.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year and it is always a pleasure to play with the correct apartment.

tube amp: 2xEL84 for 5x12ax7 power for the preamp, transistor RECTIFER no 5U4 for this model for a correct is still nerd ... it is like a pizza without ham queen, P
2 channels + 4 modes: one with clean switch Clean / Crunch, 1 drive with switch Vintage / Modern
1 switch 10/25 Watt per channel can switch the drive in 10/25 and like to clean, in an apartment that is serious
3 adjustable band (treble, middle, bass) + presence on each channel
Effects loop on the back and not the front
No Reverb ... considering the price of the machine is still a little loose

UTILIZATION

Used with a Musicman Axis, Ibanez RG ESP KH, with the firm that is well: the mini recto 1x12 Celestion V30 with cutaway history to put more bodies I add a TS9 and a TS808 with the pedal Reverb Hardwire if it's flat ass like Jennifer Lopez to 8 years

SOUNDS

The clean lack of presence is transparent it looks like a clean limit transistor pushing on the presence seem to get something but it's not what I like the most, what blah ... it's not worth the clean a Fender on the other hand it is not for the clean as I took
The crunch is not bad, I prefer the crunch of a Vox or Tweed which is a natural extension of the clean, then there is the body, but it lacks the grain may be too comes in for some it may lack subtlety on the other hand when you have mounted the switch on the clean channel gain, shame ... Attention can not switch to foot clean / crunch, it's either one or the other
The drive in vintage mmmmmh bah I do not know what they wanted to do on this one is not at all vintage if sen-known like a Plexi or MARK I. .. is ultra missed ... unless they are fans of his boxy low-volume compressed in one word ... YUCK
The drive in modern, oh yes there ok we agree, this is purely pleasurable, dynamic sick, it's own right, slice it super well, we immediately recognize the grain and expertise home, there are many big rock sound of the 90s ... on the other hand is not as clear as the 112 Roadster is more open and airy there was still the compression had not dreamed it is well on the Mini and not the big brother who is around more than 900 € in new

OVERALL OPINION

For me there is the modern drive channel that is worth visiting ...
to € 1,190 + € 510 head body = "€ 1,700", while the Roadster is 112 to 1900 € Used with 4 independent channels controllable at the foot of 50 Watt, Reverb, 5U4 ... then tip saved your money (€ 200 more) to take the true secondhand, because in the end the price was a good result with MINI printing a maximum Knacki ... then yes it is true that the Roadster is heavy etc ... the Mini is portable ... short, it is not intended to Julien Doré ass or cock Christophe Willem ... those who forget their arms turn you tap it will be lighter
Amp sold without regret I went on the MARK V Combo for ... fans of Metallica, Dream Theater is more there ...