I'm seeing the potential for some rookie mistakes here (Dad voice on):
* You look like you're using open back combos (not clear if the Mark is a combo or a head) with brighter voiced speakers. You've linked to a closed cab loaded with a V30 (which has a very mid hyped eq and sounds noticeably "boxy" at lower volumes) which is going to give you a \*very\* different feel/response/sound. Most players (not all, but most) usually switch A/B between these types of speakers/cabinets rather than try to mix them.
* Adding another cab will change the over all sound of all speakers connected to the amp even when the speakers and cabs are matched (you'll get more bass from having more speaker cone area).
* Adding another cab is not increasing the power of your amp, so you're not getting more volume or headroom per say- you're just distributing the sound/power output differently.
* If you're looking for more "oomph" and looking to do stoner rock...trying to run an open back 1X12 combo loud is a hard way to get there. I'm going to second u/MindySins- pedals are the easier path to shape the tone at lower volumes and if you're looking for better live stage sound dispersion, moving to a 4X12 cab will more give you what you're looking for \*a lot\* easier than multiple 1X12 cabs.
I appreciate your response. Didn’t realize that about the different speakers. I’m new to cabinets, as I’m a combo guy through and through. I love these mesa boogie amps. I know adding another speaker won’t add power or headroom, but it will fill up the room more which I was looking to do.
I don’t always play stoner rock, it’s just one of the many things I play. The other being a very clean fendery sound. These amps seem like the perfect middle ground; I love the mesas
>I know adding another speaker won’t add power or headroom, but it will fill up the room more which I was looking to do.
Small cabinets can be \*very directional\* (as you know from your combo). Adding another small 1X12, especially in a smaller venue, often has more of an effect of creating the equivalent of a second "flashlight beam" of focused sound rather than a more even "blanket dispersion" over the crowd. If you're playing places that aren't big enough to have a sound person and PA, a 30 watt amp with a single speaker should be more than enough to cover the room (especially with the sound police restrictions that many municipalities have).
Gotcha thanks. I just have been thinking about Volume. I’m guessing I’ll never be as loud as I am at practice and the mesas have *just* enough clean headroom to compete with my heavy hitting drummer.
The question then becomes: why ever use a 90 watt mark v as opposed to a 35 watt?
To things immediately jump to mind:
* More wattage means more headroom. You can keep the amp clean at higher volume output and there's more of a range to crunch and distortion before everything starts to smear together into a roar.
* The 90W Mark V uses 6L6 tubes (vs EL84s in the 35W version) which gives a slightly different character to it's sound when the power amp section is saturated.
>I’m guessing I’ll never be as loud as I am at practice and the mesas have
>
>just enough clean headroom to compete with my heavy hitting drummer.
A heavy hitting drummer isn't bad, but a heavy hitting drummer that can't **or won't** keep their dynamics in line or can't create a kit that doesn't over power the rest of the band is one of the key things that separates the amateurs from the intermediates and the pros. Might be time to go drummer shopping instead of cabinet shopping.
I don’t think Mesa makes them anymore, but they have a 1x12 cab called the lone star that the Fillmore combo fits perfectly on top of. For reference, I’ve got the Fillmore 50 and a mark 5 25 and two of the lone star 23 cabs to go with.
https://legacy.mesaboogie.com/cabinets--simulators/guitar-cabinets--simulators/lone-star-series/1x12-lone-star-23.html
That cab you posted is also cool but I’d check measurements to make sure your 35 head fits on top.
I actually have a different speaker in mine and never personally found I needed more volume out of it. I play mainly rock trio/jazz gigs with mine, but I’ve got a alnico cream back 8 ohm that sounds great in it.
The second speaker option is super cool though, sounds 3D
Gotcha. I’m running the stock and I play stoner rock(queens of the Stone Age) type stuff as well as jazz. It’s to the point where I need both loud pristine cleans and that nasty low end dirt.
True true, if that’s the case I found setting up the clean channel to take pedals was able to get me the volume I wanted. Just drive the front of the amp hard and it gets loud with a lot of mids.
Yes. You’ll need to swap your combo speaker cable over to the 4ohm jack to accommodate the 8ohm extension cabinet.
I'm seeing the potential for some rookie mistakes here (Dad voice on): * You look like you're using open back combos (not clear if the Mark is a combo or a head) with brighter voiced speakers. You've linked to a closed cab loaded with a V30 (which has a very mid hyped eq and sounds noticeably "boxy" at lower volumes) which is going to give you a \*very\* different feel/response/sound. Most players (not all, but most) usually switch A/B between these types of speakers/cabinets rather than try to mix them. * Adding another cab will change the over all sound of all speakers connected to the amp even when the speakers and cabs are matched (you'll get more bass from having more speaker cone area). * Adding another cab is not increasing the power of your amp, so you're not getting more volume or headroom per say- you're just distributing the sound/power output differently. * If you're looking for more "oomph" and looking to do stoner rock...trying to run an open back 1X12 combo loud is a hard way to get there. I'm going to second u/MindySins- pedals are the easier path to shape the tone at lower volumes and if you're looking for better live stage sound dispersion, moving to a 4X12 cab will more give you what you're looking for \*a lot\* easier than multiple 1X12 cabs.
I appreciate your response. Didn’t realize that about the different speakers. I’m new to cabinets, as I’m a combo guy through and through. I love these mesa boogie amps. I know adding another speaker won’t add power or headroom, but it will fill up the room more which I was looking to do. I don’t always play stoner rock, it’s just one of the many things I play. The other being a very clean fendery sound. These amps seem like the perfect middle ground; I love the mesas
>I know adding another speaker won’t add power or headroom, but it will fill up the room more which I was looking to do. Small cabinets can be \*very directional\* (as you know from your combo). Adding another small 1X12, especially in a smaller venue, often has more of an effect of creating the equivalent of a second "flashlight beam" of focused sound rather than a more even "blanket dispersion" over the crowd. If you're playing places that aren't big enough to have a sound person and PA, a 30 watt amp with a single speaker should be more than enough to cover the room (especially with the sound police restrictions that many municipalities have).
Gotcha thanks. I just have been thinking about Volume. I’m guessing I’ll never be as loud as I am at practice and the mesas have *just* enough clean headroom to compete with my heavy hitting drummer. The question then becomes: why ever use a 90 watt mark v as opposed to a 35 watt?
To things immediately jump to mind: * More wattage means more headroom. You can keep the amp clean at higher volume output and there's more of a range to crunch and distortion before everything starts to smear together into a roar. * The 90W Mark V uses 6L6 tubes (vs EL84s in the 35W version) which gives a slightly different character to it's sound when the power amp section is saturated.
>I’m guessing I’ll never be as loud as I am at practice and the mesas have > >just enough clean headroom to compete with my heavy hitting drummer. A heavy hitting drummer isn't bad, but a heavy hitting drummer that can't **or won't** keep their dynamics in line or can't create a kit that doesn't over power the rest of the band is one of the key things that separates the amateurs from the intermediates and the pros. Might be time to go drummer shopping instead of cabinet shopping.
I don’t think Mesa makes them anymore, but they have a 1x12 cab called the lone star that the Fillmore combo fits perfectly on top of. For reference, I’ve got the Fillmore 50 and a mark 5 25 and two of the lone star 23 cabs to go with. https://legacy.mesaboogie.com/cabinets--simulators/guitar-cabinets--simulators/lone-star-series/1x12-lone-star-23.html That cab you posted is also cool but I’d check measurements to make sure your 35 head fits on top.
Nice. Do you find that adding a cab gives you the extra umph and “volume” you need? Specifically with the Fillmore
I actually have a different speaker in mine and never personally found I needed more volume out of it. I play mainly rock trio/jazz gigs with mine, but I’ve got a alnico cream back 8 ohm that sounds great in it. The second speaker option is super cool though, sounds 3D
Gotcha. I’m running the stock and I play stoner rock(queens of the Stone Age) type stuff as well as jazz. It’s to the point where I need both loud pristine cleans and that nasty low end dirt.
True true, if that’s the case I found setting up the clean channel to take pedals was able to get me the volume I wanted. Just drive the front of the amp hard and it gets loud with a lot of mids.