Mesa Boogie Express 5:25 with Power Scaling

[kokostrollet]

Just bought a Mesa Boogie Express 5:25 with something called Power Scaling, a technique from Kevin O'Connor at London Power installed:

http://www.powerscaling.com/community/index.php?page=9

The amp sounds amazing at low volumes and I am now hooking it up with a GT-10 in the Fx loop + a Fulltone Fat Boost II in front of it. Very happy so far although I haven´t started any serious tweaking yet.

I have a picture of how it´s installed on the back of the amp, but didn´t figure out how to upload it to this message unfortunately.

[Skully]

Interesting but the very reason I bought my 5:50 is so I could knock it down to 5 watts and get great bedroom tone. This seems like a waste for the Express series, maybe better suited for straight 50 or 100 watt amps.

[kokostrollet]

Interesting but the very reason I bought my 5:50 is so I could knock it down to 5 watts and get great bedroom tone. This seems like a waste for the Express series, maybe better suited for straight 50 or 100 watt amps.

I thought so too until I tried one out and compared. First off, a tube amp is loud at what I call bedroom volumes at 5 watts too. Turn the gain + master all the way to 5 O´clock and see what happens in the 5 watt stage just as a test.. Second, at least the Expresses I have tried out, - both the 5:25 and 5:50 have sounded very different on 5 in A-class vs. 25/50 in AB. I want to be able to run it hard also in AB.

This gives me the possibility to run it at A as well as AB at very low volumes, driving the tubes at their maximum.

[Robert Burns]

I thought so too until I tried one out and compared. First off, a tube amp is loud at what I call bedroom volumes at 5 watts too. Turn the gain + master all the way to 5 O´clock and see what happens in the 5 watt stage just as a test.. Second, at least the Expresses I have tried out, - both the 5:25 and 5:50 have sounded very different on 5 in A-class vs. 25/50 in AB. I want to be able to run it hard also in AB.

This gives me the possibility to run it at A as well as AB at very low volumes, driving the tubes at their maximum.

I got to try out a 525 once for about an hour...REALLY liked the tone.
My problem would be that i would have to have 2 of them in Stereo! :-))

[beachjammer]

I had a 5:25 and wish I still had it but hard times called for me to sell it. Running side by side with my Mesa Rectoverb 50 watt combo the 5:25 sounded louder to me! They are VERY powerful amps even in the 5 watt mode. I didn't hardly see it being bedroom level at all. They have some killer tones and I hope to get another one when things pickup. I think that the power scaling would be a nice option for one personally.

[chrisolson]

Hmmm... I tried one and found it kinda lifeless compared to my F-100 and my Subway Rocket. Weird. I think it really needed a pedal in front of it, but I wasn't able to play it very loud when I tried it.

I'm pretty happy with the pair I've got now, so I'm not looking too hard at amps these days.

[nhspike]

I love my 5:25, esp. the reverb (all tube).
mmmmmmmm

[Skully]

I love my 5:25, esp. the reverb (all tube).
mmmmmmmm

Agreed, the cleans on my 5:50 and the reverb is what initially sucked me into the amp! and it does a great "80s metal" without any help.