Added: 3 years ago
From: slayerofgodz
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  • mesa sounds best

    

  • that is not how you set up a rectifier amp, never take the gain past 3oclock, and boost it with a tubscreamer or something, i never turn the gain past 12:30

  • I like the splawn. More mids and much more defined. Rectifier sounds too

    "scooped"

  • Why choose? Run them in stereo--it'll sound HUGE.

  • mesa olo mesa boogie nikaei

  • so that means u took this seriously at some point?

  • If you use an OD pedal you dont need to max the gain. You get a nice articulate pick attack centered gain. Try it sometime

  • I stopped watching after i saw "Gains Maxed" on the dual rec... You are sooo dumb. Open the amps manual and read about it for once.

  • I know some 'Mesa' guys going to the Splawn... me being one of them :) .... but still, Mesa is great! Loving me some Splawn right now.... thanks for posting this bro! helps people in decision making... Peace

  • i think you need just one more slice in those jeans if you really want to master the 80's thrash look!

  • the quickrod sounds much more defined ;)

  • I still think the QR sounded better.. Maybe its cause i like mids

  • I think the Nitro would have been a better comparison.

  • Dude, you know, that the splawn is not good for this modern-lowend-no mids-shit, right?

    You bought the wrong amp. That's why you're splawn is turned off all the time;)

  • why dont you turn off the shit music so we can here moron

  • I love Splawns. That said, I hate modern metal tone. Guess that says something about the Splawns capabilities :P

    I generally wouldn't use a Quick Rod for anything higher gain than Iron Maiden. Generally I think a Splawn Nitro with KT88s sounds much more brutal and metal oriented.

  • too much gain. i put my pre gain at 1 o clock on my recto without a boost at nominal volumes for extreme metal MAYBE 2. with a boost it's at 9 o clock. i like them both but, i like the quickrods nasal mids. some people hate that but, i like it. good recordings would help though. youtube sucks.

  • Coroner shirt ftw.

  • I've been a Mesa user for years. That said, I also own many other heads, but I always go to Mesa. I've used mostly Rectos for years, but I just switched to a MK V, and it rules. Rectos sound great , but they're a one trick pony. You can get a Awesome high gain sound out of the MK V, plus much more. As for the Splawn, either it needed some tweeking, or was just plain weak...

  • Splawn was NO WAY NEAR its potential.

  • its allright to max the gain on the boogie when playing in your room, but otherwise it sounds terrible..

    past 1/2 + 3/4 depending on the pickups, it sounds horrible.

    To my taste, the boogie sounds way better on the video, but thats maybe because the camera is in front of the Splawn, making it sound beamy. the boogie has more guts being offset from the cam.

    (and dude, pick a metronome at your shop ;) )

  • for this type of music, boogie is the king!

  • they are different. splawn is more marshall oriented. i like mesa tone though

  • I have owned ten Mesa's begining with the Mark IIB on to the class stuff and the rectos. I get to hang with Randal Smith each year at the vintage races in Sonoma Ca. . great guy. However, when I played a Splawn at a Guitar Center a few months ago I was totally sucked into the tone. . It was hard to stop playing. I like them both, but the Splawn offers something a bit different.

  • Should have given the QR more gain...the Mesa embarrassed the Splawn

  • Splawn nitro, Mesa Dual Rectifier Roadster, Framus Cobra. Which one?

  • @MrWhiteSquier I'm a splawn fan...it all depends on your taste...they're all pretty versatile amps

  • @MrWhiteSquier Framus Dragon ;)

  • @robwarde

    I like the cobra a little more than the dragon.

  • splawn ftw

  • after the splawn, the mesa sounded like a guy saying 'o' in a very thoraty way.

  • The Mesa hangs in better than I thought. You cannot really know an amp until you play it live. . but just my opinion. And hard to hear through You Tube as well. I would like to hear some lighter gain blues tones as well. . Nice job on the video. . thanks for posting.

  • marshall jcm ftw!

  • Loving the Quickrod.

  • The Splawn imo sounds better. Mesas sound to muddy, and all that mud is not used on records anyways. Guitar is a mid instrument not a bass.

  • Comment removed

  • Eh neither sound right to me. The splawn's tone suffers the same problem I have the the uberschall too much lower midrange to the point seems like your running a compressor through it and the tone is squashed. And the mesa is a turns into a feedback factory with a floppy bottom end. Both amps are marketed for metal its just a matter of what you look for in your tone chances are if you buy either one you can trade it for the other or something of equal value if you don't like it.

  • Wow, no surprise that the Mesa is a soul-less POS compared to the Splawn! Nice playing.

  • cool demo, mesa i would say sounded best, but as you know, it is subjective, turn a few knobs on either amp and hey presto, a different tone, thus, both are fantastic for what ever you play. Quality amps. Mark 5 Mesa will emulate both of these amps, "you can put in 6L6 or EL34 aswell, one amp to kill the rest, or at least get you so many more quality tones variations in one amp. keep rockin!

  • Splawn takes it in all aspects without a doubt

  • ahhh theres your problem... the dean.

  • this isnt a fair comparison as the volume levels should be set the same on the amps, everyone knows that amps sound better as the volume level is increased so they both should be set the same to make it fair. I have owned both an would prefer the splawn if I had to pick between them.

  • I think its pure opinion to say that the "Dual rec is the clear winner". To me the Splawn sounded far better. They are both great amps, but the Splawn is more versatile in the tones you can get from it. Again, my opinion, of course.

  • These are two great, incomparable, classic sounds. They each have their strong and weak points in regards to the other. If you're fortunate enough to own both, then you get the best of both worlds: the brilliant, cutting mid-rangey marshall sound and the pummeling, woolly, saturation and low end of the mesa.

    Cheers, and let the man cut his jeans up iffn' he wants to, GAWD!!!

  • I think that the Splawn is the better Amp. :)

  • i guess the razor back cut your pants lol.i dont want to say this but mesa sounds better.they dont even sound good in real life.the splawn has potential

  • that splawn is better for what you are playing than the mesa but for me that distortion is soulless... i like more the mesa tone

  • Splawn has wayyyyyy more clarity, but not enough lowend for the song you're playing. If it had the chunkiness of the Recto, it'd slay the Recto.

  • The Splawn blows the Recto away - the Recto sounds like buzzes to me compared to the Splawn!

    I guess it comes down to what tone you are after.

  • I love Splawn amps, but for low volume the Mesa kicked it's ass. It is much more defined than the Splawn. Crank up that splawn and the mesa will sound like a whiney bitch though.

  • boogie wins

  • @tim11elliott Not even close, the clarity is whack, sounds like flies in a tin can.

  • well you were playing at bedroom, neighbor friendly levels. These are 100 watt things (the QR is switchable to 50 watts but whatever). They're designed to be rocked. The only fair way to demo these is to rock them both at a high volume and see which sounds better. Even so... in my opinion the Splawn still wins.

  • Sick shirt, sick tone.

  • gotta go with the Splawn..thicker richer

  • Splawn sounds to "honky" and the mids seemed to be cranked too high, and I love mids, but it's a big much. The Recto sounded better to me.

  • Hmmm, this is tough but I gotta go with the Splawn. That Splawn tone is pure goddam muscle like "Ride the Lightning" style. It is so classic, it can't be beat. It sounds like it wants to breath fire, whilst the Mesa sounds much more tame in comparison. Hey, but I am sure both would sound awesome cranked to 11.

  • Keep both of them, I love them both! Two different beasts...

  • I think the Splawn owns the Mesa.

  • Listen to the transition at 3:19, the Splawn sounds like it has a cold. Very nasally... I prefer the Mesa...

  • I watching this video again I've decided that the Splawn sounds more like a 5150. The Mesa has a tighter bottom end whereas the 5150 feels a bit looser and more 'open'. I would really like to see a head to head with a 5150 vs this Splawn. :)

  • dude, thats brootalz

  • I just learned of Splawn amps and how the guy who makes em lives 20 minutes away from me...Apparently what i'm hearing is the sound of Mesa getting slapped in the face. Splawn holds up the tone at extreme low volume as a tube amp! KILLER!

  • Perhaps I'm going against common opinion here. But I prefer the sound of the Mesa.  It sounds more defined and less "fizzy".

  • Probably has something to do with the volume level...

  • Don't listen to this douche nugget! You get five stars for the pant to.

  • 5 stars for the riffs, 1 star for the pants.

  • ..negative stars for the pants. lol

  • ...."mom im goin out to the dime store to buy some razor blades for my jeans"

  • The wore that way, I got another pair now doing the same thing after 3 years..lol

    can't wait for them to get all 80's on me.

  • @melonheed3 Natural wear and tear from sliding around stages. Oh wait...

  • both are great!

  • Diezel herbert imo

  • I just heard about these Splawn amps and man they make rectifiers look like toys. More crunch, better definition, killer tone.

  • mesa=winner

  • what kind of cab was that you were play with the mesa? also are these comments and your personal experience saying that the splawn can get way louder than the mesa?

  • man i would like to run both of those rigs together and blend both tones....

  • Comment removed

  • Next time, try them out on the same cab. ;)

  • Maybe you should buy an Attenuator for the Splawn for better sound for bedroom levels.

  • A buddy of mine used to own recto, now owns a splawn actually, but when he had the recto it sounded good not gonna lie. But he put a 10 band on it and it sounded much better.

  • NIce but Mark series of Mesa vs Splawn would be a much better comparison as the chap below me had said.

    Try and get a 10 band EQ for the Recto and run it through the loop and it will sound much clearer

  • The Mark 4 is dry as hell. And not as much gain as the Recto. And in this video the Recto is brighter than the Splawn. An eq pedal may make it sound like shit. You dont need any damn pedals anyway!!!! Just plug straight through. I feel you get a more honest tone that way. Nothing in the chain to muck up the signal.

  • The Mark 4 is dry as hell, but boosting it with an OD or 2 really makes it sing, it saturates the hell out of it, making the sound huge while still being extremely tight because it's a mark 4. Delay and a great compressor help as well.

  • I would say so. I dont have a mark four but James Hetfeild uses one. And maybe he uses an overdive too. Either way Mesa is incredible. I am going to get a Road King 2 Halfstack.

  • James Hetfield uses a Mesa Triaxis rackmount preamp.

  • mark 5 better

  • Gain on the Recto Maxed????

    Why? That is a horrible setting for a recto and even the manual warns against this.

    Rectos sound there best with the gain no higher then 2:00.

    It is complete mush above that depending on how hot your pups are.

    Splawn sounds incredible by the way.

    But considering the styles of the two amps, a better comparison would have been the Mark Series amp sitting in the back!

  • continued) of them held up at live volumes. (they were also boosted in case you're wondering) I've never had this problem occur with my Vht or Bogner but hey, what ever works. I wouldn't say the 5150s are one trick ponies, a bias mod and a volume knob can do wonders. Haha, I'm just not a recto guy. To each his own.

  • I don't know how old you are or what scene you revolve yourself around but from the looks of your videos you aren't that old and probably not that experienced. I've been around recording rooms that sessioned very popular bands both metal and rock and the REC is a staple in almost everyones run regardless of what else is thrown in. I haven't come across many bogners or VHT's used but I'm sure there has been. And for you to say 5150's aren't a one trick pony.. is there even a clean channel? lol

  • Yeah, you're right, I'm not that old, but guess what, I've tried a majority of high gain amps and could tell you what I felt was wrong with them. the Mesas, definately didn't stay, I can tell you that.The REC is a staple only when its coupled with something else live or in the studio , turned up by it self, it becomes dog poo. I've had em sound pretty good until you push it a lil more, where all that hard work gets lost. 5150=2 channel, granted the clean isnt a fender but hey neither is a mesa.

  • Comment removed

  • You know what probably sounded like poo? You. Who in the right mind would really say they sounded like poo? Maybe not to their preference but poo? They're articulate amps and if you don't play tight they will brighten your mistakes like crazy. But anyways i'm done arguing with you. You have your opinion, regardless of how unfounded they are, it's still yours and you are entitled to it. Enjoy.

  • Yup, I sound like poo, go troll somewhere else...

  • originally mesas r based off fenders ;)

  • You're indeed correct! But you responded to the wrong guy =P

  • the first marshalls too..

  • Actually the Soldano SLO 100...

  • only for the dual rectifier, the mark1 off a fender princeton

  • Splawn is way punchier and less fizzy. Much clearer too. I would definitely want the splawn from a mix perspective. However the dual just has that unrestrained brutality that is so enjoyable to play. Especially with a tube screamer as a clean boost. Although the gain structure is too fizzy/buzzy and not smooth enough for my tastes Thanks for postin but u cant compare apples with oranges. Two great amps for two different purposes. There is no winner when both do different things. Just preferences

  • Rectifiers are absolute garbage in my opinion, and tone-wise they sound like a gameboy.

    JMP with a vintage tube-screamer infront of it is the absolute best. Completely cranked on every aspect.

  • Splawn 0wNs

  • both are wicked amps and both have their place, to say one is better than the other is ridiculous, they are completely different amps with completely different voices. I think the best thing about them is that they are so different, if you were to double layer them in the track you would have an amazing tone result. That is what I am planning on doing with my mesa roadster when I acquire a quick rod.

  • If you think a 3 chanel recto can hold it's own against a splawn QR you need to think again. Recto's have sucked since they started mass producing them so every Guitar Center in the US can have a Boogie line in them. I honestly think they were re-voiced around the late 90's for nu-metal low end people, thus making them muddy as all hell.

  • You obviously have no idea what you are talking about.

  • this is hella true. compare a old old mesa tripple rectifier to a new one like the 2 channel tripple rectifiers to the new ones. the old ones have way more tone everyone knows this.

  • Shut the fuck up nuby. It's a well known fact that Splawn directly aimed a lot of their amps to compete with the Rec ever wonder why? It's' funny to read this guys info on the video "at lower volumes the Rec sounds better but at high volume blah blah" dumb ass. Rec's CRUSH live, this is what they are meant for, high volume playing. And if you don't know that putting an OD in front of a Rec fixes any mud or loose end it has by now then you are clearly a nub and you shouldn't comment on amps.

  • You are clearly a douche, and fan of the man mayo.... Drink up!

  • Its a well known fact they started out modding marshalls and built the quickrod to have the sound the marshall guys wanted in there amps.

    I am lucky enough to be able to play live and crank all my amps...the QR destroys the DR in a live situation.

    No Splawn is aimed any the mesa crowd, the Nitro sounds more like a bogner than it does any mesa.

  • No, the Splawn Nitro was a direct aim at the Recs and they don't do the job. The QR is a different amp altogether so you can like what you want but I'm still yet to find an amp compete head on with a Mesa at peak volumes.

  • Lol, I see your'e boasting rectifiers on another video. My Ultra lead and Uberschall will eat any Recto, as well as any 5150/6505 will do, as I told you in a different video =P

    P.S I don't see why you have trouble finding an amp to compete with a recto at peak volumes, compared to other amps they tend to crap out and lose their tone.

  • I guess people love using Recs live because it makes them look cool? lol. 5150's are kickass but they're one trick ponies. Ultra Lead's are nice and so is the Uberschall but neither can compete with the ability to create a massive wall of sound like the Rec can. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses and one of the strengths of a Rec is it's ability to breath at high volumes. The most common problem I find when discussing a Rec is that most people don't know how to tweak one.

  • Ummm yeah, basicaly lol. Here take this example. A few weeks ago, i caught Bad Company in concert and happened to meet em back stage. they were using 6 stacks od dsl 100s and I was curious if they were modded. Instead of a yes or no quesiton, I learned that one of their guitar players had a totally seperate rig in the back. I'm still gonna disagree with your breathing at high volumes with the rectos cause I've tried at least two in a band situation with a loud drummer, and neither (continued)

  • @DigitalVirus you seem like te "nub" to me m8...this guy is very well capable of commenting on which amp he prefers

  • Mesa's are way too muddy. You get the worst flub on single picked notes. You have to have a tube screamer just to get it clean. The splawn sounds great

  • The only reason mesas are said to be flubby is people generally do not spend nearly enough time with the amp. They are particularly difficult amps to dial in, but when the sweet spot is found they can be devestating.

  • Hands down, the splawn is a better amp. I can't understand why people go mesa, it's too damn muddy for my taste.

    to the guy who said it's like a Plexi, quit talking out your ass. It's more than obvious it's a JCM 800 tone.

    personally, I got my best tones out of a silvertone twin-twelve (made by danelectro, mine's all stock 1964 model.)

    But if you need the volume... that splawn would be a nice substitute.

  • Lmao, like every Mesa is muddy. As you told that other guy, "quit talking out your ass."

  • Splawn is really thick like an old plexi. Splawn seems more controllable at low to med. volumes. The mesa has more top end punch and clarity. I think the mesa has more tonal range and bite, but the Splawn beats it in crunch and thickness. I like both. The Splawn reminds me more of my '51 Fender Bassman head.

  • Look, with the right speakers, if you don't want to spend all that money, get a Legacy. They sound great with cleaner harmonics!

  • splawn all the way

  • Is that a Mark III head on top of that rectifier?

  • Try to put some EL34 tubes in the power section of the MESA and let's see which one's superior!

  • Agreed a dual rec with el34's will kill that splawn. try it

  • Mesa sounds more musical then the splawn.. The notes seem to blend together with it although not as tight as with the splawn but, i'm sure a noise gate can adjust that

  • Mesa takes in mouth from splawn

  • coroner!!!!!!!

  • mesa sound much better, its much clearer with lead tones, and splawn for the rhythm parts sounds good but when you do the more lead parts with it it just doesn't sound good

  • hmmmm... i cant see how the mesa would be better at bedroom levels, because i own two dual recs, a modded one and a stock one... and both of them suck at bedroom levels. In a band setting with loud drums and bass though... the dual recs cut through the mix like no other and sound massive on loud volumes! however, i still have to try a splawn out.

  • I agree at bedroom levels the Dual rectifier lacks sustain but when played loud the sustain kicks in

  • in this vid the splawn sounds more full and thick.

  • its like a comparison between a peavey vtm120 and a marshall jcm800, its clear the peavey will give better punch but the marshall give more bass. your splawn give that marshall bass but you mesa is more punchy and thight, less bass.

  • What cab are you using under the mesa? Hopefully one that can do it justice.

  • Splawn definately owns the Mesa in my opinion. So much more clear than Mesa. Though thats not really what Mesa is made for. They both do what they do well. I just prefer the Splawn sound.

  • Splawn for the win,Jo07

  • Apples to oranges, but the Mesa has my vote. And why max the gain? That's just a great of a handicap to the Recto as no volume is to the QR. Good side by side demo though, thanks man.

  • Hearing it again the Mesa wins hands down. its got more presence and sounds more broad.

  • It's not even close if you ask me. the Splawn is hands down a better amp with more growl and bite and clarity. Especially if you put it with the correct cab. It is loud as hell though. I know your gain is not a half on the splawn is it?

  • mesa wins

  • Maxing the gain is never good for definition...

  • Pros:

    Mesa - big bottom end

    Splawn - tighter attack

    Cons:

    Mesa - buzzy

    Splawn - honky

    just an observation

  • el 34s fix all the mesas problems, its like taking the best of each and making one amp.

  • I think I am going to try that man, i'm gettin sick and tired of the 6l6 sound...

  • song ?

  • Its a original.

  • can you please give me the name for that song ?

  • Splawn sounds crispier and brighter, mesa sounds fatter and darker

  • The quickrod totally smoked the mesa. Great tone!!!

  • Are you Shawnfate from MLP? lol

  • Guilty...

  • Haha cool. Thought so. I love your vids man.  Gonna be getting myself a QR sometime soon. :)

  • I really like your playing!!!!

    Reminds me of my bros in the early eighties lol

    Peace

  • How can you have all those ultra-expansive gear???

    What's you work??

    XD

    By the way: exelent riffs!!!

  • thanks man, I am a electrician.

  • Lol Ok now I know that the thing Im studying is worthless ... have to become an electrician! Cool sound and rig ...

  • ok, this is kinda random, but what's that piece of gear sitting on top of your dual rectifier? I've seen them before, but never known what they did

  • its a rack with a mesa mark III aand a tuner in it.

  • ah ok, thanks!

  • i am really concerned about the pants? i suppose i am not that metal. my Marshall works just fine..

  • My Marshall works fine too

  • The Splawn sounds great (just like a Marshall), but there's no mistaken that MESA punch!

  • your questions make no sence ?

    all the music is original.

  • :P he meant the youtube guy "the tone king" also does reviews with background music playing and he finds it annoying because it's harder to hear the actual equipment being played. I love hearing good equipment either way though so keep it coming.

  • That Splawn sounds better by a mile.

  • well of course the dual recto sound bad, you had the gain maxed. theres such thing as too much gain, and with humbucking pickups, the highest you should ever really need for metal gain on a dual rec is 6-7/10. anything after that is just fizz.

  • The Splawn has much more useable gain than the mesa. Splawn sounds sick... :)

  • Awesome!

    The Splawn stack sounds pretty sick!

    Nice Razorback V by the way.

    and sick playing dude!

  • Did the DR have 6L6's or EL 34's? Perhaps the DR would sound clearer if EL 34's were used, at least in my experience it did. I'm assuming the QR uses EL 34's, btw.

  • splawn = sweeter

  • The Splawn sounds great...have you tried the volume pedal in the effects loop trick? That makes the Splawn sound killer at low volumes too. Check out the Splawn Fans forum for more details if you don't already know about it.

  • Wow Splawn sounds VERY good. Wish a GC or music store near me has/or had one I might be able to try out.

  • Well to me the Mesa boogie has a heavier sound which i like. But the harmonics of splawn is clearer. Both gots it advantage. Splawn basically sound better with dragonforce kinda songs and Mesa with metallica kinda stuff. well its just my opinion though

  • This amp looks so sweet! I wish I could get one. I'm looking for a 1x12 30 watt combo tube that has nice cleans and a good lead channel. Can anyone tell me if there is such an amp like this but in a combo version? I've been looking. I know that Splawn doesn't make combos but I'm just looking for a little Mini-Splawn

  • Splawn has made combo's for people, you just have to call and talk to him.He made one for a guy who could not carry a half stack around anymore due to problems.

  • Wait a min, I called them and sent them an email requesting for them to make me a combo and they said they couldnt. What the hell??

  • Splawn wins for sure. Mesa rectos = overrated fizz machines with huge low end, no definition, and crappy clarity. Don't get me wrong, Mesa makes some good amps (stilleto...mark series), I just find the rectos extremely overpriced and overrated.

  • Nice Dean btw!

  • The Mesa don't sound as clear and focused. Don't sou