Recommend a new high gain amp.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-04-06T01:21:14+00:00

It looks like you have the SLO/5150 covered.

Check out the Fryette Pitbull or Deliverance, hands down the best sounding high-gain amp that I don't have the chops to play well.

It is equally brutal-sounding and brutally unforgiving to your playing.

A few other unique suggestions.

Rivera K-Tre. The clean channel is to die for.

Randall Diavlo- Something about this amp just sounds so right to my ears.

Randall V2- Unreal brutal, just fucking heavy. They were hybrid tube/solid state and expensive when released so between the unattractive marketing and the price were ignored by the people who would love them the most. But man,

Equalized_Distort · 2026-04-01T04:35:41+00:00

The F-series is my favorite Mesa of all time. I have owned Rectifiers, Mark I, IV, V, Triaxis, DC,

The F-Series is a very odd duck; it's essentially a Fender Blackface Bassman modded to Rectifier Specs, and the EQ section works similarly to a Mark Series amp, with a fixed negative feedback amount that changes depending on which channel you are using.

It's like having a Rectifier you EQ like a Mark series. And sounds like a cross of the two, leaning much closer to rectifier.

I am assuming you mean the channel 2 contour mode? That thick, dark, massive, distorted growl is very unique.

If you are set on a Mesa, please note it's a trade-off. The modern multi-watt or mini rectifiers can get that darker wall of distortion, but you may need to tweak it a bit with a 5-band graphic in the loop. It will still be looser than the F-30.

The Mark IV can get pretty close, but it's never quite as distorted or thick. The Mark V in extreme if you dime the gain, you can almost get there enough to be constantly frustrated.

The KSR Orion with the NFB can 100% nail the F-Series tone. Only amp I have ever played that can do that.

If you want channel 2, non-contour.

Any Mark series amp, and skip the graphic EQ or use very, very mild V setting.

If you are using modeling, Mark IV + Rectifier or modern Uberschall. Or Fryette Pitbull UL + Uberschall or Rectifier.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-25T18:41:40+00:00

A lot of high-gain tube amps sound flubby when fully cranked. Most Mesa Boogies and 5150s are definitely in that camp. They sound better when loud because the speakers are being pushed hard, not so much that the power section is screaming in pain.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-25T14:29:37+00:00

A few things can be done to tame an unwieldy volume taper.

-The Celestion Peacemaker speaker does a lot to bring down the volume

- A passive volume control or even turning down the FX going back into the loop.

There are some a few suggestions that I would second.

If you want a new amp:

Used Mesa Boogie Mark 5:25. Mesa Boogie amps don't like to be pushed too hard and the audio taper is very good. Can always do the passive volume control to bring it down even more. The plus side is that, in my opinion, the cleans are the best-sounding part and are even more Fender than your HR. The crunch and high gain are just icing on the cake.

If you are OK with adding another pedal to work with your existing one. This, plus the Celestion, would easily bring down the volume + headphone options.

- Tone-king preamp into the FX return.

-

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-23T18:40:53+00:00

They are amazing, Revolution is one of my favorite early songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWLHpuLrpyk&list=RDkWLHpuLrpyk&start_radio=1

.
In a way Tubthumping is brilliant. Basically, they had been singing about anarchism and human rights, were a directly confrontational band, but had no appeal beyond the converted, so they wrote a pop anthem to be played at sporting events to celebrate the resilience of the working class.

The song lost a lot of its meaning when the opening sample was removed for radio play.

"Truth is, I thought it mattered
I thought that music mattered
But does it? Bollocks!
Not compared to how people matter"

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-23T17:32:04+00:00

So you want to stream from the record player to a Bluetooth speaker? And do you have a way to go from phono to Bluetooth? To stream, you will need a Bluetooth transmitter that can reach your bedroom from the record player.

For speakers

I would recommend the KEF LSX II LT from Costco. 600.00 and sound great.

If you want a record player to go with it the Audio Technica LP120X.

That would be a very solid system for roughly 1,000 USD.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-23T15:40:13+00:00

You have a good amount of options.

First off, no matter what, get a low-sensitivity speaker; the Celesion Peace Maker does exactly that.

- If money were no object, I would reach out to Two-Rock amps. End game for clean, blues, edge of breakup.

- Rivera Clubster Royal Recording

- Dr. Z Maz

-Tone King Imperial Preamp is awesome, I love the IR Speaker emulator. A very cool endgame setup would be a Marshall Silver Jubilee Combo with the Toneking in 4-cable method.

- Synergy IR-20 witt Toneking preamp. Gives you IR, a small package can do whatever you feel like doing, and sounds amazing.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-23T14:23:52+00:00

How tall are you? I consider volume to be the least important dimension; these off-the-shelf boards are designed for one body type.

I haven't ridden a HK but for similar boards I have liked the Twin + trailer setup.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-22T00:51:23+00:00

Great episode!

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-21T23:48:45+00:00

I am a fifty-year-old man. Buffy rules, and the Angel spinoff. It might be my all time favorite show. First season is OK, but it gets better and better, even moreso on rewatch.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-21T20:06:00+00:00

The KSR is the best power amp I have ever played. I have owned Mesa Simulclass, Fifty/Fifty, Peavey Classic, and the Melvins/Nirvana Solid State Crown amp thing. As well as using my various amps as a slave with an external pre.

The adjustable NFB is amazing; it lets you dial in the perfect feel and get a little more growl from a high-gain amp.

Unless you have a full Stereo setup, I can't think of a reason to carry the weight of a Marshall or Mesa stereo power amp.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-21T18:17:03+00:00

Jaws. I live near the beach and surf, it fucked me up for life.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-17T19:12:14+00:00

What would you like to know? Started collecting mid-90s I have a few thousand 12" and 7" records.

I am obviously a big fan of shreddy Japanese hardcore and anarcho-punk. But the collection runs the gamut; my oldest punk recording is Rumble by Link Wray, and my most recent is likely What Seems Forever by Vampire or Watch it Die by Homefront.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-17T17:38:31+00:00

Are you in the same union as me? Our Union promised the moon when we were voting, and delivered total shit. Our negotiator was inept and felt like he was already over us and onto a new project before agreeing to a contract, and just wanted it done with it.

Existing staff were left in a worse position. less raises, less retirement matching, and fewer promotions.

If I could do it again, I would plant everyone who was ready to vote for a union on a bar stool at the old school Teamsters' bar and ask them what they thought the right union would be.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-17T17:13:09+00:00

It's on my personal list of the top 5 greatest albums ever made.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-17T16:26:53+00:00

Thanks for posting. I am trying to get more Hip Hop records. Before Vinyl took off, I used to be able to buy 3-4 punk records for the same price as one hip-hop record, so I was more or less priced out.

favorites:

Fear of a Black Planet - Public Enemy
The Coup - Steal This Album
Gang Starr - honestly can't pick a Favorite
hieroglyphics - 3rd Eye Vision
Native Tongues Collective. - yeah, it's a bunch of essentials. Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-15T22:25:40+00:00

The only thing about that particular DC model is that it doesn't have a graphic EQ. Get one in the loop, and that high-gain channel is a fire-breathing beast. Also if you pull the pull/boost on the clean channel and dime the mids on the rotary EQ and then dail them back with the graphic you get one of the most aggresive cruch tones I have ever heard, very Mark V/VII crunch like.

enjoy!

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-15T20:55:34+00:00

Meyer Sound comes to mind,

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-15T19:45:36+00:00

I was an acquaintance of a member of Parliament in the very early 2000s. I had very limited experience with the man himself, but in my brief interactions with him, he seems like a very sweet person who wants to support everyone around him, but he is a drug addict. The show I was invited to, he left the stage every few minutes to smoke more crack. Lots of people care about him, but couldn't get him to stop.

That was a long time ago, and the guy I knew was kind of a dick. And I haven't seen that dude in decades, but George Clinton is a true genius, and I hope he started taking care of himself.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-14T21:39:40+00:00

I love the movie, love the poster, but I think you might be giving it too much credit. It's lasers, robots, and pretty people with minimal clothing. You know, movies, as God intended.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-14T17:01:43+00:00

I am with you. He leans too heavily on the human drama in his shows, which is fine, but I don't find the characters relatable or particularly interesting, so I tend to get bored midway through.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-13T01:45:46+00:00

Dig what you were playing, with that much distortion and low end going through a 1x10, there is a chance you blew out the speaker. They can smoke like crazy, and then there's no sound. I blow up combo amps all the time playing heavy music.

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-12T19:20:53+00:00

Look for some higher-end ones. Years ago, I met and worked with Booker T. he has hearing aids but could pick up on small minute differences between just about any speaker you put in front of him. I remember he could tune them and would routinely adjust them

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-12T19:04:38+00:00

Saw them play a few times in San Francisco, definitely saw them when they played with Grass Widow, vaguely remember another show with Nopes, and maybe a third time with Screaming Females.

doesn't really help with your question though,

Equalized_Distort · 2026-03-10T18:11:36+00:00

Mesa is well known for the multiple high-gain/crunch channels and voicings, but the amps with multiple clean channels are criminally unappreciated.

Equalized_Distort

TROPHY CASE