Opinions on Mesa Single rectifier heads?

[kmanick]

I noticed GC in Boston has a few of these in (Used) and I wonder What is the general opinion of these as compared to the other rectifier heads.
I didn't get a chance to play thru one as I was going crazy on a JSX 1/2 stack yesterday with a hellraiser 7
+'s
-'s ?????

[kmanick]

shit I put this in the wrong place and I can't edit?
what's up with that?

[jgcable]

I will give you my opinion. Every single recitifier guitar that I have played through was excellent. Heavy suckers though so strap button placement is VERY important.

[buzzsaww]

Single Recs are the best of them all to me.

[Sanctuary]

They're not bad...

[69dodgecharger]

I used to have a single. it sounded great, but wasnt load enough for the band, so I got a triple rectifier and never looked back. They are awsome amps!

[emperor_black]

what's the difference between single, double and triple? Is it in the amount of vol they have to be cranked to hit the sweet spot or wattage? Please correct my misconception...

[LEOKV2]

As the name implies, it refers to the number of Rectifier tubes each model has, though I believe the Single Recto uses only the silicon rectifier (not a tube).

Now, it also refers to the wattage, 50 watts "per rectifier", so yeah, Single=50 watts, Dual=100 watts and Triple=150 watts.

Now, the volume difference is almost unnoticeable, I dunno the correct term but it's not like the Dual sounds "twice as loud" as the Single or the Triple sounds three times louder. I believe it's a 3db difference, almost unnoticeable.

Most people prefer the Dual since it's hasn't got the inmense headroom of the Triple, which sounds great on cleans but the distortion ain't as good or creamy or saturated or deep as the Dual's. But, the single it's different from the other too, I believe it's got a different circuit, different (and less) options and though it has the "rectifier" name, it doesn't sound like the typical Recto sound, from a Dual or Triple.

Yeah, the "headroom" concept means that you need more volume to hit the "sweet spot" if the wattage goes up. That's why many people swear by 50 watt JCM800's since you can get power tube distortion at lower volume levels.

[emperor_black]

Thanks Leo. As usual, a very informative post!

[LEOKV2]

Thanks!

Now, seriously, I'd reccomend ANYONE to get a Carvin V3 head and V-30 loaded 4x12 cab. American made, factory direct, AMAZING SOUND (it SMOKES the Triple Recto the rehearsing studio has...) and so far I've had it for half a year and I still drool over it's tone and versatility. Check the demos on Carvin's website. You really don't need any distortion pedals to get death metal drive (well at least with EMG's you don't), amazing cleans, amazing crunch. Solo boost, dual effects loop (channel assignable), 3 channels, GROOVE TUBES LOADED (5x 12 AX7 and 4xEL34 but it can also use 6L6's), 50 or 100 watt switch.

Really, an incredible amp.

[emperor_black]

but then you would probably need to crank it up to get that sweet spot right? What does that line out with volume control do? Can I stick a pair of studio headphones in them ? Of course I will match the impedance necessary for the amp by using an attenuator as a dummy load.