Mesa/Boogie Mark 5, Owner'S Manual, Page: 7 / 70

for each Channel’s sound. For example, you might want to use the SLIDERS selection on Channel 3 to craft your own signature lead
sound and two different mixes of the PRESET setting on Channels 1 and 2 for your clean rhythm and crunch sounds.
The ability to choose between these two options when assigning the Graphic EQ to your sounds gives you ultimate flexibility when
dedicating the Channels. By combining subtle blends of the Tone controls with the EQ options, virtually any sound you can imagine
is at your fingertips. Shaping power like this is what the
MARK V
is all about and another reason to smile, knowing you’ve made an
investment in your long-term musical journey. This is one instrument that can keep pace and grow with you as you evolve, helping
you to reach your full potential as a player.
POWER: MULTI-WATT
™
The bottom 3 position mini toggle in each Channel (lower left corner) is the MULTI-WATT
™
Power feature that determines the amount
(wattage) and type (configuration) of power each preamp Channel will be coupled with to create a classic sound. Any amplifier’s
sound is 50% preamp and 50% power, so this switch is responsible for a large part of a given Channel’s personality and feel. The
choices repeat for all 3 Channels and they are 90 W, 45, and 10 W. Using the switch is simple… just select the power you want for
each Channel, keeping in mind that the greatest headroom, focus and authority will always be found in the 90 watt position. That’s
how to use it, but for those who want the full story, here it is.
Since 1981 Simul-Class
™
Power has been the heart and soul of the MARK Series amplifiers, imparting its sweet, musical character
onto any sound in the vast library of the now classic MARK legacy. Cleans that shimmer with transparent layers of sweet delicate
highs, while the bottom end breathes a warm fundamental under a bed of rich low mid ambience. Never harsh - always fat, the Simul
lead tone is the quintessential single-note solo sound that is best described with a human trait…vocal.
This patented way of wiring an output section combines two pairs of power tubes with different bias settings and operating parameters
to arrive at a blend that showcases the best attributes of both.
Talking about amplifier operating classes is too complex a topic to fully cover in this user manual however our booklet “Class A: Exposed
and Explained” does a pretty thorough job and is available on-line at http://www.mesaboogie.com/US/Smith/ClassA.htm .
In simplified terms, our Simul-Class output comprises two dissimilar pairs of power tubes operating simul -taneously. One pair oper-
ates more toward Class A for tone while the other pair runs the traditional Class AB to provide the extra horsepower needed for clean
headroom. Since its introduction in 1980, Simul-Class has evolved and improved, providing more power while still eliminating any
trace of harshness.
In the Mark II-C+ the Class A pair was permanently wired in Triode configuration and in the MARK V this can still be achieved (for
Channel 3 only) via the rear panel toggle switch. By reducing the tubes’ power sensitivity, Triode wiring pushes the pair even further
into the Class A region. This results in more dynamic compression and greater harmonic spread for the ultimate single-note fluid
sustain but it does reduce the clean headroom substantially.
So let’s quickly go through the power levels: The 90 WATTS position is the full Simul-Class mode with all four 6L6s combining the two
different bias settings to deliver the maximum power and headroom. It is substantially sweeter and warmer and a little more scooped
than a standard 100 Watt amp yet it has plenty of punch and authority without any harshness.
45 WATTS turns off the outer pair of 6L6s so only the middle two are running. These are the ones with the lowered bias so, while
they are still Class AB, their Class A region is extended. In Channel 3, they can be switched to run in Triode configuration which cuts
their clean headroom roughly in half.
Combining these two opposite styles of wiring in one amplifier gives you the best of vintage and modern amplifier styles. Headroom
and power are there when you need it… but there is always a naturally pleasing and musically curvaceous quality to the sound that
O
verview
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frOnt panel (Continued)
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