New Modified Amp Day (Triaxis)

[Jeff5]

I got my Triaxis back last week after having the "fat mod" removed from Lead 1 Red. Lead 1 Red on the Triaxis is a high gain channel with a circuit board similar to a rectifier. Mesa put a mod on later models to fatten up the sound and make it sound more like a dual recto (which it doesn't/didn't), however it mostly makes it a bloated mess. After 8 years and not being able to get a good sound out of that channel (the other channels all sound great), I had Boogie take out the mod.

Wow! Money well spent. It's like having another whole new amp to play with. (Each mode on the Triaxis IS bascially an amp) Before there was a bloat that wouldn't go away on Lead 1 Red. Now the channel is tight, focused, aggressive, with great mids and super crunch. Fantastic for hard rock or metal riffage. It was my least favorite channel for rock/metal before, and now it may be my favorite. If you have a Triaxis with the fat mod, I highly recommend getting it removed.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: New Modified Amp Day (Triaxis)

What power amp are you using with the Triaxis?

 

[Aceman]

Re: New Modified Amp Day (Triaxis)

A Triaxis and a JMP-1, and you have about all the amps you could ever want....

 

[VHTJay]

Re: New Modified Amp Day (Triaxis)

Man, I flipped my Triaxis 2 years ago BECAUSE of that stupid lead1 red. It was such a letdown, because I wanted the recto sound in the Triaxis, but with the fatmod it was literally unusable. You called it a bloated mess.....that is exactly what it was. I wish I knew you could "de-mod" the thing; I would have kept it. Really versatile rack pre! Maybe I will have to track down another. Did you send it to Mesa?

 

[Jeff5]

Re: New Modified Amp Day (Triaxis)

I'm using a 2:90 with it for power.

Yes, I just sent it to Mesa. I tried to find someone local in Chicago but couldn't. I asked around on the Boogie board and most just recommended sending it in. With shipping it was a little over $200 but WELL worth it.

I've tried my de-modded Tri side by side with a Mark V (which I'm returning) for a couple of weeks now and I honestly don't play the Mark anymore. The Mark V is a great amp and does some things better than the Tri/2:90, but overall the Tri/2:90 wins. Especially with Lead 1 Red being awesome now =).

 

[VHTJay]

Re: New Modified Amp Day (Triaxis)

I am stoked for you bro; glad it worked out awesome for you! Would you say the de-modded LD1 red still has a rectifier-ish tonality to it? I am thinking it would be like a nice and tight recto, because that is a separate circuit they put in there for that channel! That is pretty heavy saying that it beats out the Mark V; that's a killer amp! Hmmm....I may have to track another Triaxis down. Price-wise, that isn't actually that bad!

 

[Jeff5]

Re: New Modified Amp Day (Triaxis)

I'll be honest, I've never actually played a Rectifier so I really can't compare. I also wasn't going for any particular Mesa tone with my Triaxis. I just want it to sound good to my ears. Lots of complaints with the Tri/2:90 is that it doesn't sound exactly like this or that Mesa amp. I've never really cared about that.

That being said, Lead 1 Red is TIGHT and punchy now. It also takes bass really well. You probably know that Mesa's are by nature fairly bassy amps, and dialing in too much bass makes them flab city. Not so with Lead 1 Red. The more bass you dial in, the more monstrous it gets but still tight. Very cool. (This is without the fat mod. With it, it was just flabby no matter what I did)

The Mark V is a wonderful amp, no doubt about it. It probably does cleans a bit better and the Mark I tones are better too. Or maybe just easier to dial in. I can get close to the Mark V's clean tones and Mark I tones with the Rhythm channels and Lead 1 Green and Yellow with the Tri/2:90, but its more work.

For me though, those are nice to haves as most of my time is spent in the higher gain areas which the Tri/2:90 simply excels at. I will say that nothing is quite like the Mark V's "Extreme" mode. However, EQ'd right, I can get Lead 1 Red close.

Another thing I have to keep in mind is that the Mark V I'm playing with has stock Mesa 6L6s and stock Mesa preamp tubes. My 2:90 has a mix of Ruby 6L6 and EL34s and my Triaxis has a mix of different preamp tubes for each input. So it's not a total apples to apples comparison.