I mostly impressed that Mesa keeps building new models without going away from their trademark features.
Some compromises are inevitable, but they keep adding more than they're stripping-away.
I'd be surprised if the preamp circuit is really much different in any of the recto series, or stiletto/crowns.
There are so many recto-mods that are geared towards these same sort of tone/response changes.
Most mods are just in the pots and cap values from what I've read on BB-forum, and tubes/biasing of course.
My series2 single with the mesa str447 (eh-EL34) takes a very noticeable step in the same direction.
(more bite and sizzle, less fizz, snarlier mids and tighter/faster lows,,,,,,,,,,not really cleaner/drier lows though)
Love the 2-channel layout! Hate those knobs lol,,,,,,,,,,,,very easily changed.
I wonder if this thing can get the same sparkly cleans as the multi-watts? Never quite could on any of the older 2-channels, especially w/EL34.