Mesa Mark IV vs Triaxis models

Mark IV

Member
I'm a huge fan of the Mark IV amp (if that wasn't obvious lol) and every now and then I try to dial up the Triaxis "USA Pre LD2 Green" models since that is based around a Mark IV sound. I'm not sure if there's a huge user base for these models, but hoping someone can help. (@2112 and @FractalAudio if either of you have the time to chime in)

I'm currently running into a PowerStage 700. (Speaker imp. curve on recto 2x12 as that's the real cab I'm using and output mode set to SS pwr amp + cab)

I think I just need clarification on user error or not. When dialing them both up generally the same, the Triaxis model has low end that seems overwhelmingly muddy, even set to 0. I have to go in and adjust the low cut frequency quite high to clean it up and play with the transformer/impedance knobs as well to let everything breathe more. This strikes me as odd, because I'm assuming you wouldn't have a way to (or probably want to) do that with the real Triaxis set up. I'm just not educated very well in this regard, so I'm maybe I'm doing something incorrect or is that pretty standard when dialing in?

When I run through a real tube power amp and turn off power amp modeling, none of that has to be done and it sounds great. When I switch back to solid state though (the PowerStage) the Triaxis model takes a bit of work, but Mark IV model still sounds great with no advanced tweaks. I know the Triaxis models all switched over to a Mark IV power amp section in Quantum 7 instead of a VHT and that makes me even more curious to the big differences.
 
I have to go in and adjust the low cut frequency quite high to clean it up and play with the transformer/impedance knobs as well to let everything breathe more

reset all that stuff back to normal, then first thing turn speaker LF resonance all the way down, then bring it back up to taste.

i usually drop the LF freq down to ~75 Hz too and it's brutal af. when they measure those cab curves I think it's all done with solid state stuff, my only proof of concept is LF freq sounds obscenely real dropped down well below 90Hz
 
What are you setting the Master Volume to?
4.0 on both
reset all that stuff back to normal, then first thing turn speaker LF resonance all the way down, then bring it back up to taste.

i usually drop the LF freq down to ~75 Hz too and it's brutal af. when they measure those cab curves I think it's all done with solid state stuff, my only proof of concept is LF freq sounds obscenely real dropped down well below 90Hz
I tried that and the curve that comes preset as the 2x12 recto actually is giving the best results right now. (Makes sense, since I'm using the real one) I'll still experiment with this in the future though!

I think I might've discovered my issue here. Of course user error as I expected. The Triaxis seems to not like having the first drive control set too far beyond noon with this set up. Anything beyond that gets pretty squashed. On the Mark IV model, I can set it pretty much to max and everything is still super tight. Just still interesting considering I had them both running through a tube power amp and I wasn't having to dial them in much different, but that changes a lot with solid state and power amp modeling.
 
I use the cut switch and in the power amp section I turn presence shift on. I have clean low end then.
 
I use the cut switch and in the power amp section I turn presence shift on. I have clean low end then.
That just helped out tremendously. I don't often find myself using controls outside of the authentic tab, which is why I was questioning my choices here. This combined with lowering the first drive control just nailed it for me. Thank you!
 
The triaxis in the axe is like you said .
It’s quickly muddy and it don’t have the metal tone you expect (thinking of petrucci or Metallica in their old rig) .
you have less surprises with The mark 4
Hard to find a good tone with the triaxis
 
Use the Input EQ's Low cut to tame the low end from your guitar and the TriAxis models tighten right up great. There's a few different revisions of the TriAxis as well, so it might be that Cliff's unit is a different version. The one I had years ago was the 2.0 Fat Mod version.
 
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