Mesa/Boogie Royal Atlantic In Depth Review RA-100

[frankjdesalvo]

Bro, you can play a guitar

[TheEternalLeader]

Can anyone suggest or does anyone know of an H-S-H guitar with coil-splits/taps on the two humbuckers and preferably a trem like a Floyd Rose? Thank you.

[haggertysmusic]

@TheEternalLeader Sure. You can have a custom Suhr built with whatever wiring scheme you want. It's also not difficult to customize the wiring of your any HSH guitar to function that way.

[TheEternalLeader]

@haggertysmusic Thanks! I really appreciate the response, keep up the great work! What would be the average price for a custom one? Is there somewhere I can learn how to wire it? Can I take it in somewhere to get done for me? You guys have got to be the greatest on Youtube for what you do, great videos and great, friendly advice, keep rocking!

[af17790]

I think the Solo feature in the Stiletto and Lonestar series is the most useful feature Mesa has added in some time. Why it is not applied across their entire line up is a mystery to me.

[JoeJuts19]

06:50 is awesome

[bvaproductions]

I like how you can play and turn the amp dials at the same time...and your fingers look so dainty!

[dbenc]

So the RA-100 sounds like it can get a decent hi-gain tone but can it get really heavy?

[123lowp]

@dbenc This amp is great for metal. Use channel 3 and approach band volumes. I was jamming RUIN by Lamb Of God at the local guitar shop. Awesome metal tone! I prefer it over the Rectifier and Mark V when playing metal.

[ThePhrygiandom]

Don, you do GREAT reviews. You've really done a great job running through the features.

[KMD861]

Hey Don, Great video demos on all the mesa boogie's man! I just had a question regarding this head. I'm realy into John Petrucci, Paul Gilbert etc. I just wanted to know how well this amp handles legato playing, fast alternate picking and string skipping licks, thanks for your time!

[chasingtone]

Hey Don, I really enjoy every demo that you do. I have a question for you! I have the Mesa Boogie Rectoverb 50 Single Rectifier. I do not use the Modern channel at all, i only use the Vintage Channel only. I know the RA is voiced different in the British way. My Question is does this amp have as much gain as the single rectifier? Also i noticed that the RA combo has Vintage 30's, does it have good bottom end with these speakers. From your demo it might be my next amp. Thanks for any info. Bruce

[haggertysmusic]

@chasingtone Yeah, I think the RA has as much usable gain as a Recto, but voiced differently. The gain on both amps can be pushed past the point of sounding good. If you need more gain at that point, a boost will work really well with either amp and take it over the top. You would get more bottom end with the RA head and a 2x12 Rectifier cabinet as opposed to the combo which has a smaller cabinet and part open back.

[dbenc]

Great demo but I don't get it either?!?! The attenuator did effect the volume at all. Isn't it like say a THD HotPlate? Great distortion at reasonable levels?

[UltraPlexiCat]

This concept is what I do with three amps...an old Fender Bassman, a 1969 Marshall 50 watt Plexi head and a 1981 Marshall JCM 800. Also, a few different boost and OD pedals in front. Nice Job Mesa...I just might buy one!

[JohnnyTsak316]

the power soak didnt change the tone at all but I know that these videos must be balanced or compressed because the volume didnt change on the atteuation changes even though I know that this amp is made for big sound less volume with the power soaks -

[haggertysmusic]

@JohnnyTsak316 The audio clip was "Normalized" on each step of the attenuator. This is not compression. Normalizing raises the volume until the loudest peak hits -0dB. It doesn't effect the dynamics, quality, or tone of the audio file. It's just a way to balance the clips so that our ears don't trick us into thinking louder is better. The amp gets very quiet at the highest attenuation settings and this video hopefully showed you can still record or jam with it and get great results.

[DToneQuest]

As far as the pgs comments go..... theirs is more "polished" but the are showing optimized setups and honestly haggertys is much more real sounding and they take the time to show you what it actually sounds like

[DToneQuest]

i'm having a real hard time choosing between the ta-30 or the ra-100, the ta-30 seems more versatile, compact and sounds great and volume wise is more than i need. the RA has good clean and crunch, more headroom and can attenuate to the volume you want. I have a attenuator but this can do per channel which is amazing. someone please help me!

[Nevadatyler13]

Hell yeah Dream Theater!

[skunizzi]

I appreciate the effort that goes into making a demo like this and I am not trying to knock your efforts, but I think your videos would be so much better if you simply play instead of trying to read the product manual. Just be yourself and people will appreciate it much more. A good example of this is gearmanndude's videos. For what its worth I think your video quality is much better than his. Also a room mic would make the amp sound much more natural and less harsh. Keep up the great work!

[bornburied]

@skunizzi Actually there is a lot of inconsistency and sometimes total incompetence to gearmandude videos.I think you find him more personable, but I perfer Don's friendly with professional consistency approach better suited.

Haggerty music's problem is the way they record the amps.The end result has been rather harsh and stiff demos.All you have to do is hear some other utube vids and it becomes obvious (if it wasn't before)

[SonicProvocateur]

@skunizzi The reason you probably hear their videos as "harsh" sometimes is because they volume normalize their videos. A) in whatever audio program (probably pro-tools) and that pushes the decibels to zero, and makes it almost clip. and B) they probably use Sony Vegas (which I use) and it makes it sound a little different once the video is re-compiled. C) Youtube compression takes some away again. All this adds up to the dynamic change. Mesa's are still king of the hill, though.

[metallica5252]

why do reviewers keep scooping the mids on the high gain channel when the gain is cranked? shitty compressed tone, crank the fucking mids up the amp sounds so much better..

[scrapinger]

Don...You're a little stiff. Also I thought you were a better player. With that specialized soldano and Mark I home rig you have I though you might have a little more going on. Quit reading the card and just talk dude. BTW you are playing Long Train Running in the wrong key. You've got a long way to go to be like Andy at ProGuitar.

[clivedunnscat]

@scrapinger this guy does some of the best demos you can find on you tube. Why don't you upload yourself playing and show us how to be like Andy from Pro guitar?

[TheFreekzila]

@scrapinger I'll take a demo by Don anyday over PGS. Much more informative and interesting. Despite reading off the cue cards, Don seems more down to earth. Great guitar player too!

[sydneyxerin]

@scrapinger don't be silly, andy is cool, but he's not that good at all either. And why don't you make some vids yourself.

[smoore8807]

@scrapinger OH NO, NOT THE WRONG KEY

[gtivan]

Don,

Awesome video here again.!!! As said before, this is making my amp "fund" much harder to decide between the Mark V and an R.A.!!!! Thank you again for such awesome, in-depth gear coverage, dynamic and tasty playing, and most of all, doing it in an intuitive and friendly (dare i say soothing!!!!) way. Also, it's nice to see correct grammar, spelling and punctuation in the descriptions, and not have to decipher some goofy ass "text" jargon or "typed slang".

[skunizzi]

Why do your recordings sound so harsh and brittle?

[haggertysmusic]

@skunizzi Haven't had anyone complain they are harsh sounding. What kind of speakers are you using to listen to the clips?

[bornburied]

@haggertysmusic I remarked before about the sound quality.

My speakers are monitors.

ROOM AMBIENCE DOOD

and oh yeah, 4 people are tone deaf....

[BertilUlfsson]

@skunizzi harsh and brittle = too much treble, which seems to be the case here, but each to their own.

[bornburied]

@skunizzi I actually described it as sounding small.

The reason I believe is that there is almost no room ambience in the way they record it.

It almost sounds like its done DI.

Most of us hear an amp's tone with the livelyness the rooms ambience provides

So the amp doesnt sound juicy and lacks depth and dimension.

So IMO very poorly recorded--sounds like ass.

[rigorhead01]

@skunizzi It sounds amazing to me. The RA-100 will be my next amp.

[JME033089]

First off, I wanna say your videos are great, and helpful, but your radically awesome playing in this and the Mark V vids are making my life a bit difficult. Ya see I am currently trying to decide between getting this amp or a Mark V. If I get the RA, then I'll have some extra cash in my pocket for a pedal or two. If it were your $, what would you do man? Would ya get the Mark V or a RA with a couple pedals. (Side note, I play a lot of 90's music like the RHCP, Nervana, Foo Fighters etc)

[haggertysmusic]

@JME033089 Thanks for the compliments! You can give me a call if you would like, 605-348-4801 and we can talk tone, but based on the groups you just mentioned and that era of music, my initial instincts lean towards the Mark V. But give me a shout. It's easier over the phone to figure out exactly what kind of sound you are looking to get.

[dobermann1973]

FUCKING MOTHERFUCKING AMP !! LIFE IS A SHIT BUT LESS WITH A MESA ;D

[cordanscedo]

Great sounding amp! Don's demos are some of the best sounding and most complete on the net. Keep em coming!

[d4r4gorn]

Awesome Amp!

[pregnome]

Has anyone tried 6l6 tubes in the RoyalAtlantic?  If so, what do you think?

[riseofthefallen301]

damn are you good

[mintsnuff]

PGS better watch out, great demo Don!

[aznazm]

u guys should demo the lonestar!!

[skunizzi]

How would you compare this amp to the Mesa Boogie Electra Dyne?

[vileguile4]

This is such a good review! Going through the eq like that .. brilliant!!!!

[Antoffka]

nice player

[fluff191]

Wow that amp sounds amazing!

[louie180]

you guys make fantastic vids. Not quite proguitarshop, but still extremely good :)

[nicolasrivera]

Sounds great, but i didn't feel those sounds had any kind of vibes i liked, i still feel the LSS has the best cleans of any of the mesa line.

[bmwm3cs]

I have played this amp and it is AMAZING!!!

[smaschmann]

Beatle Master!

[digitrixster]

Am I the only one who didn't hear much of a difference (or any at all) when they demoed the power soak?

[haggertysmusic]

@digitrixster I'll clarify this in the video comments too.... but the audio was normalized to the same volume level of pro tools. The volume level drops considerably as you lower the attenuator and it would have been too quiet for the recording. Comparing all the attenuator settings at the same relative volume helps to demonstrate the transparency of the design. The fact that you didn't hear much difference is a testimony of how great the design works.

[spakuloid]

That distortion sounds pretty fizzy

[Klimpmeister]

But it is soooo sweet for other stuff... *droowl*

[Klimpmeister]

This amp is not worthy Petrucci-riffs.

[zombieheadhunter]

6:30 Mmmmm, crunchy.