Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier

[Guitarjon]

I compared my Mesa Dual Rectifier to my Mini Rectifier recently!
They both sound pretty different which surprised me actually.
The small one has more mids and more bite/cut while still having plenty of low end and the big one sounds a bit more 'huge' overall and has a more smooth top end.
For this comparison I tried to get them as close as I could (without going insane) but the differences are still noticeable.

I really love the sound of both honestly!
Anyway, so keep in mind that these amps are pretty different from one another.
I'm expecting the recent multi-watt Recto's to sound closer to the Mini Recto but that's just an assumption.

Would love to know your thoughts:

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier

I saw your vid this morning. Much preferred the Mini here, but it could very well be because you dialed in a tad less mids in it. I've always thought the Recto's mid knob doesn't really dial in more mids as you turn it up, just more cloudiness. I guess it could very well be centered at a lower frequency than the usual mid knob on, say, Marshalls or Peaveys.

 

[dave74]

Re: Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier

To my ears the mids on a recto depend on where the treble knob is set, at least to some degree.

 

[Guitarjon]

Re: Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier

To my ears the mids on a recto depend on where the treble knob is set, at least to some degree.

Yeah, the treble control has a lot of impact on the tone for sure.

 

[chadd]

Re: Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier

I saw your vid this morning. Much preferred the Mini here, but it could very well be because you dialed in a tad less mids in it. I've always thought the Recto's mid knob doesn't really dial in more mids as you turn it up, just more cloudiness. I guess it could very well be centered at a lower frequency than the usual mid knob on, say, Marshalls or Peaveys.

I've always looked at it as low mids, with the high being the upper mids and presence being the actual highs.

I just can't get along with most EL84 amps, especially the downsized versions of big amps

 

[JMP/HBE]

Re: Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier



Love my DR. Only really came alive when i put the right EL-34's in & they're not MESA tubes.
Was only getting around 40% bias with 6L6's. Way too cold.

Rock amps sound best with EL-34's.
Not into mini amps.

FWIW you cant really do a fair compare without a band setting.

 

[chadd]

Re: Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier

Love my DR. Only really came alive when i put the right EL-34's in & they're not MESA tubes.
Was only getting around 40% bias with 6L6's. Way too cold.

Rock amps sound best with EL-34's.
Not into mini amps.

FWIW you cant really do a fair compare without a band setting.

I have JJ E34L in my Road King and they sound fantastic

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Mesa Mini Rectifier vs Dual Rectifier

I've always preferred a Recto with 6L6's, personally. To me, that is the Rectifier sound, but I do get why some people would prefer EL34's.

And I used to be anti EL84 too, but mini amps can sound good recorded, so long as you don't turn them up too much to a point where the EL84's start sounding like EL84's, lol. In the room, there is a HUGE difference, though, especially at full band levels.