Anyone Have a Badlander 25?

[dr_m]

I'd like to know if the clean channel is an improvement over the mini rectifier or just different. I think the mini rectifier has outstanding and versatile clean/crunch tones so it seems hard to beat. It does get a little compressed when pushed so if that aspect has been improved with the Badlander 25 then that's a plus. How about the drive/distortion tones, do you still prefer the classic rectifier tone or the new one?

[Top-L]

Serious question, why not get the 100 watt version? IME low watt tube heads dont have clean headroom or punch of larger amps and never feel as good. Probably doesnt matter for a blues or crunchy rock amp, but for metal amp I would go at least 50 watts.

[dr_m]

Well, a few good reasons: Because I already have Friedman and Bogner heads, want to have a good rectifier tone in a lightweight package, and because it's a few hundred $ cheaper but sounds great.

[Rex_Rocker]

Well, big part of the rectifier magic is the poweramp. It's designed in a unique way that makes it quite a bit different to other high gain amps'.

I'm sure the Mini Recto gets you there to an extent. But certainly not a full-band volumes.

Are you planning on doing just recording with it? Because then, you'll be fine. But if you plan to use it in a band, yeah. I don't think the Badlander is going to be that much better.

Honestly, I've always wondered what is it that a Badlander shares with a Rectifier for them to call them part of the Rectifier series. Because in the clips, they don't really sound like Rectifiers at all.

[Top-L]

Well, a few good reasons: Because I already have Friedman and Bogner heads, want to have a good rectifier tone in a lightweight package, and because it's a few hundred $ cheaper but sounds great.

EL84 amps are a completely different feel from 6L6 or EL34.

If you are recording or practicing, it will sound good, but not much else. It doesnt have enough clean headroom so when you turn up, it will lack punch and definition.

Spending $1500 for a recording/practice amp with EL84s is way too much IM). You could get a full size 5150iii or even a 50 watt version with two 6L6 for the same price, and it will do much more.

These "boutique" lunchbox amps need to go away.

[Rex_Rocker]

Agreed.

Even recorded, the bigger iron, bigger tube heads have something going on towards the very ends of the frequency spectrum that the EL84 amps with their tiny transformers don't.

[dr_m]

Well, big part of the rectifier magic is the poweramp. It's designed in a unique way that makes it quite a bit different to other high gain amps'.

I'm sure the Mini Recto gets you there to an extent. But certainly not a full-band volumes.

Are you planning on doing just recording with it? Because then, you'll be fine. But if you plan to use it in a band, yeah. I don't think the Badlander is going to be that much better.

Honestly, I've always wondered what is it that a Badlander shares with a Rectifier for them to call them part of the Rectifier series. Because in the clips, they don't really sound like Rectifiers at all.

Yeah, just for a little recording, home practice, and occasional jamming with a band. I've only played maybe 8 or 10 gigs in the past but don't do that anymore. It's really frustrating dealing with irresponsible band members and band issues, etc. when it's not your profession so I'm happy just recording and jamming.

I run my Amps through a Suhr RL IR, and a Focusright Clarett for my my Fractal stuff, so whether it's a 100w Friedman, a 20w Mesa Boogie, or amp model, it's really, really hard to tell any difference. I doubt anyone even could. EL84s are definitely not my preference but gear is absurdly expensive these days so just making something you really want more accessible has a wide appeal.

[Rex_Rocker]

Alright, man. If it works for you.

But yeah, I don't think the Badlander would be much different in the compression department to the Mini Recto. It's the same output tranny and power tubes. Not sure if their poweramp design is different. I'm sure it is to an extent. But a Recto's poweramp design is pretty wide-open to begin with.

So yeah, I don't think the Badlander would be what you should look at in this scenario.

I don't have first-hand experience with the Badlander 25, to be completely honest, so take that as a grain of salt. But I have tried the Badlander 50 and the Mini Recto, and I can sorta extrapolate what a Badlander would be like in a 25W presentation. I mean, after all, they're using the same output tranny and power tubes, so I bet even if it is a different poweramp design, it's not going to be a radically different one.

Honestly, if you're looking for gear that's more accessible, I don't think Mesa Boogie would be the answer, LOL. Especially if you're going for an uncompressed tone, because it looks like with Mesa, you're stuck with the 25W heads.

[dr_m]

I appreciate the exhortatory but I've been playing and building guitars, fiddling with amps, and trading gear for 2 decades so I think I can navigate these things with prudence. I was actually just asking after first-hand experience rather than critiques on the amp, amps of it's kind, or suggestions on the use thereof.

Like I said in the previous post, I have Friedman, Bogner, Mesa Boogie 100w, 50w, and 35w amps already so all that's covered in spades. I have played a 50w Badlander and find it to be quite good so it seems logical to have the same expectation since Mesa has done a great job of replicating their rectifier and Mark amps on a smaller scale.

As for the compression, I wouldn't expect EL84s to have gobs of headroom and open distortion. However, considering the inherently brighter nature of the Badlander, that would lend to better cleans and more articulate distortion. Like with 100w amps, there are trade-offs so everyone finds success in their individual setups.

I'm aware the transformers are the same and don't have any expectation beyond a different sound and variation on feel. However, it's not like the difference between the mini rectifier and mini Rectoverb so I was curious to know how people who've used it have received the new lineup.

[Top-L]

This forum has about 25 active users so its not a great place to "google" for specific gear advice, but the user base here are all of a high experience level.

I would try TGP to get actual anecdotes regarding the mini badlander, but many of the respondents might be zoomers or blooze lawyers.

[chadd]

Try one of the Mesa groups on Facebook, there are people with actual experience using the amps there. This one has been pretty decent https://www.facebook.com/groups/912575898774711/ .

[dr_m]

This forum has about 25 active users so its not a great place to "google" for specific gear advice, but the user base here are all of a high experience level.

I would try TGP to get actual anecdotes regarding the mini badlander, but many of the respondents might be zoomers or blooze lawyers.

Indeed, I appreciate a lot of the knowledge and also the music from people on this forum. I can't stand TGP, however, because their moderators are the worst. I've seen them ban people for disagreeing about certain amps, pickups, etc. Oh yeah, and don't mention JHS or Mesa Boogie as there seems to be some sort of aversion there.

From all indication, the Badlander has a lot to offer and sits really well within the range - though I hope Mesa has no plan to replace the Dual Rectifier. I can understand why Mesa put it in the rectifier range instead of creating a new line, and that's good because Mesa Boogie has a penchant for discontinuing great amps way before their time.

Try one of the Mesa groups on Facebook, there are people with actual experience using the amps there. This one has been pretty decent https://www.facebook.com/groups/912575898774711/ .

I don't know anything about Facebook but will look into that. Thanks. Yeah, I guess I sort of just assumed SD forum would be like some other forums where people seem to have endless financial reaources to buy and sell high dollar gear every week. However, there appears to be some level of down-to-earthness about this forum and I kind of like that because I don't care for much pretentiousness. Anyway, thanks for the guidance.

[Mincer]

Yeah, I guess I sort of just assumed SD forum would be like some other forums where people seem to have endless financial reaources to buy and sell high dollar gear every week. However, there appears to be some level of down-to-earthness about this forum and I kind of like that because I don't care for much pretentiousness. Anyway, thanks for the guidance.

Lots of people here are working musicians who can't really go out and buy everything they want immediately. We also like to keep it real here and not play the 'my gear is better than yours' game.

[Demanic]

As a friend of mine once said, "Learn to make crap sound good."

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

[Rex_Rocker]

Oh, the Mesa 25W's do sound good! And they record beautifully a medium-ish volumes. But it's just the nature of all 15-25W 2xEL34 amps to sound narrow and compressed when they're at band-level volumes. Mesa, EVH, Orange, or any, for that matter.