Mark Five:25 - 25/10-watt Tube Head - Black Taurus Review

An amp that finally does it all!

This amp is something else! I play in a power trio focusing primarily on swing and power blues with some heavier tunes as well, so I need a great clean channel with a little bite and a channel that will give me some good saturation yet still be articulate. I owned a Rocket and a Heartbreaker and can honestly say the Mark V definitely has the best clean channel Ive ever found on… read more a Mesa. I'm running through a 2x12 with a V30 and a G12-80 and a 10x12 with Celestion alnico golds. I have it set to clean and the gain almost dimed (around 4:00). I'm running it at 25 watts with the volume at around 9:00. On channel 2 I'm using the Mark II C+ setting with the gain extremely low (8:00) and am getting unity with the volume at 4:00 but the power set at 10 watts. Now here's the kicker…the 5 band EQ. Being that it's "assignable" on the clean channel I'm using it as a treble booster with the footswitch however on channel 2 I have it set for "always on" and it cleans the signal up nicely, eliminating some of the "bottom end mud" giving me that nice, smooth Gary Moore sound out of my '99 Les Paul. Bottom line, this is no bedroom amp, in fact it has replaced my SLO30 because not only can it hang with the volume, but the assignable EQ and assignable power section give me ultimate control of my unity volume and tone for both channels. Money well spent and special thanks to Joe Schafer for his help in my selection!

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1 amp to rule them all!

I was hesitant to purchase one of these. But I did some trading and got one NIB w/ the 12" sealed Mesa Cab. After spending some time reading the manual fully and sitting down to 'learn it' I must say, I think if I had to only own ONE amp this would be it. I can go from super glassy cleans to a high gain metal with the push of a footswitch. I honestly didn't know if I would like… read more the graphic EQ or not, but honestly, it has helped me 'tweak' in the right settings. Very happy. I haven't pushed it to the 25w setting as at home the 10w is more than enough. I still have some more exploring to do on the amp but I think this is one I will keep for a lifetime. Thanks Mesa!

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Versatile, Loud and All Mine

This amp ticks all of the boxes for me. Great cleans, great edge of breakup tones and above all else, gobs of chewy distortion. I was stuck choosing between a handful of choices for what amounted to being my first tube amp. I had always dreamed of owning a Boogie since I was a youngster. I am glad I made the choice that I did. I was worried about not being able to try before… read more I buy but in the state of the world today, it just wasn't possible. Upon arrival, all fears subsided upon hitting that first chord. The amp sounds great even with the master set at about .1. This is important because anything past 8 o clock on the knob had me making sure my life insurance hadn't lapsed without my knowing. I paired up the amp with the Thiele cab and can report the union is exactly what I was looking for. Great low end without being flubby. All in all, I'm over the moon with this purchase and can't help but smile every time I power this thing on.

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What?????....Mesa Boogie LOVE IT!!!!!!

how can this thing be any cooler....great small size badassery of a package......great for any room in your house... basement or even a bedroom...I have mine sitting on top of an EVH 1x12 cab and it is just killer.....the best sound ever... give Lindsey Becker a call at ext 1674....she's ABSOLUTELY the best.......

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Supreme little monster!!

In an attempt to keep this short and sweet, it's difficult to do this amazing amplifier justice in a short user comment. Received my custom ordered Mesa Boogie Mark V:25 (leather handle instead of rubber) from Sweetwater all safe and sound. All I can say is WOW!! Each of its two channels and all 6 of its modes, pure tone. 2 beautiful cleans, 1 sweet crunch, and OMG 3 ripping… read more gain modes. Side note: very few YouTube videos accurately reflect just how ferocious and capable this little monster can be. From classic rock crunch to harmonic laden high gain articulate grind. Most people have the bass turned up to "normal amp" levels...NOT how to adjust most Mesas. Overall it's miniature in size only but is absolutely packed with features, flexibility and most importantly: tone! Also, don't let the 25 watt rating deter you, it's very powerful, easily driving your cabinet of choice. Although it's quite expensive for a "mini" I'd comfortably say its worth every penny. Very highly recommended.

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