Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Triple Channel

I've had the amp for a year or two now I think. every one else has already done this part and chances are if you're reading this then you know what you're getting in to. Some would not rate this amp this high for versatility but with the right set of tubes in it you can really warm up the tone.

So this is why you should be reading this review. The tone on this amp is dead on for what I do. Right now I use mostly the green (clean) channel and the red (modern high gain). I'm not used to using a clean tone at high volume for the simple fact that I've spent most of my time playing in really loud metal bands so a ultra clean sound was not really needed. That has changed now and I do need a good clean tone that is balanced with my distorted tone in terms of volume. After playing around with the levels I was able to get the tone I wanted for all three channels. Before I really knew what tone I was looking for I tried this as well as the Marshall DSL100. On this amp when I'm using distortion I'm able to find usable tones from overdrive to almost fuzzy tones with out a problem. When I tried the DSL the only tone I liked was overdriven if I tried to get more distortion then that it just turned to mush and buzz. This amp really does need a tube change because Mesa purposefully biased this amp on the cold side right now I'm waiting on a set of KT88/KT66 mixed quads from Eurotubes.com along with a set of preamp tubes.

The other reason I really like this amp is the fact that it has tube rectifiers as well as diode. I like using the tube rectifiers because it warms up the tone nicely and gives a little bit of sag the I really like both for clean and distorted tones.

My main guitar is a Les Paul "The Paul" reissue that I find really fits well with my tone, it's warm and full with out sounding dull or like there is a blanket on the amp which happened when I tested a Les Paul Studio with this amp. I don't think people worry enough about the speakers that they use with their amps. Right now I'm using a mix of Vintage 30's and V12's that are again nice and warm with out being dull.

I hate metal bands that cut all the mids out of their tone, it just sounds bright and boomy and well s hitty. As strange as it may seem right now I'm running the same settings on all three channels. Bass at 1 o'clock mids at 3 and highs at 1. Pres. is at about 1 gain on the red channel is at about 4-4.5, master is about about 11 o'clock. Orange is the same save for the gain which is at about the 3 o'clock position (both channels are set to modern). The green channel again is the same for bass, mid, and treble. Master is at about noon and gain at about 10.5-11 to keep it clean unless I really hit the strings hard. I don't use the solo at all but the final output is just about at the high noon mark. In a nine piece doom/drone/noise band I'm able to cut though nicely and still not cover anyone up.

For me I give this a 10, it has the tone I've always wanted the clean is a little dull but that will change with new tubes.

I've gigged on this amp a number of times as well as my old single recto. Never had a problem with this or the single. Mesa makes great amps and now with the lifetime warr. I'm not worried at all. I'll be voiding that soon enough by putting non 6L6 or EL34 tubes in it but the fact Mesa has a lifetime warr. is enough for me.

Not had to use it. Hope not to.

Great amp. See above. It's pricey but it's made in the U.S. so I'm not worried about it. It may not cost as much as a VHT or Engl but 1300 is still a lot of money if you're a college student working your way though college and paying off student loans. There for the rating is lower then everything else.

This amp has more features than most tube amps out there! With the exception of a slim few such as the Mesa/Boogie Road King, Diezel Vh4, among others. With 3 Completely seperate channels and 5 modes, it's more than most would ever need without getting too complicated... It's 100 watts, which should be more than enough power for almost anyone. I play at some pretty good size venues and it works for me! Also, this amp is very versatile and can be used for many genre's of music. However, this is a high gain amp that sounds best for hard rock/metal... If all I were playing was classic rock & blues I'd look elsewhere...

Overall the amp sounds great for the style of music I play. Which is modern hard rock in the same neighborhood of Shinedown & Alter Bridge. I use the stock 6L6 power tubes which sound great! If you like 6L6 power tubes then there is no need to change these tubes! If your looking for a warmer sound that focuses mainly on mids and highs try EL34's, they sound great too. I use PRS Singlecut's (w/ PRS #7 pickups) and occasionally I'll use a custom 24 (w/HFS pickups). I run this amp through 1 4x12 Recto cab and 1 2x12 recto cab.

Channel 1 (modes CLEAN & PUSHED)

I use this channel in CLEAN mode and I get a warm-solid clean tone that sounds good and gets the job done. It's nothing like the tone you'd hear from a Fender Twin Reverb but get real guys this is a high gain amp! I do wish the PUSHED mode was footswichable because it sounds very cool! Anyways there are other high gain amps with better clean tones, the best cleans I've heard from a high gain amp was through the Rivera Knucklehead.

Channel 2 (modes RAW, VINTAGE, & MODERN)

I leave this channel set on VINTAGE at all times. I keep my PRESENCE around 5, Treble at 6 1/2, Mid at 4, bass at 5 1/2, and gain at 6. I get a warm creamy tone thats fucking killer!! I use it for slower, phrased based soloing and powerfull sustaining rhythms.

Channel 3 (modes RAW, VINTAGE, & MODERN)

I leave this channel on MODERN at all times. I keep my PRESENCE around 3 1/2, Treble at 6 to 6 1/2, Mid at 4, bass at 8, and gain at 8. I get an all out dark sustaining high gain rock sound! This is the holygrail of modern hard rock my friends... I use it as my main lead channel (quick solo runs, sweeping picking) I get tons of sustain and low end. Most of my rhythm tones come from this channel as well... Great for the drop d riffs...

The key to getting good tones from this amp is knowing how to tweak it. The presence nob is very, very, very, very important!! It can change your tone drastically. If it's to high you loose low end and sustain and if it's too low you sound like shit! So find your sweet spot! And never turn your gain all the way up. You don't need to on a recto. If you can't get a heavey enough sound with the gain at 9 then quit playing because you suck!

Very reliable. Anyone thats played Mesa knows that.

The best!

I'm 21 and I've been playing for 9 years. I'm a full time musicians, playing for a nationally touring act. I play Mesa because they provide me with truely great tones for a reasonable price. Most of all they are dependable amps, built to last! I also own a Mesa/Boogie Heartbreaker, Mesa/Boogie Stilleto, a (vintage) Fender 1965 Twin Reverb, a Bogner Ubershall, and a Rivera K-Tre. Out of all those amps this is the one I choose to use on the road because it's the best!! So check it out!

Overall features are perfect. I play a wide range of music - not just your usual Dual Rec rock/metal - and use 5 modes across the 3 channels depending on which band I'm playing with. Tons of versatility and tons of options to tweak the sound. Ch1 'pushed' can be a bit boxy but it's a nice vintagey vibe.
It did take me absolutely ages to get to grips with the EQ and get a sound I was really happy with but now I have, every gig's a winner! Bear with it...
The FX loop sucks though - switch it out permanently, forego the solo boost and welcome to proper Rectifier tone.

I'm playing a wide range of styles and this amp covers them all. I'm not specifically a rock/metal player so I don't use the top of the gain control but with the gains somewhere between 10-to and 10-past on channels 2 and 3 I can cover pretty much everything from country to indie, rock and blues. Run in 'clean' mode, the clean channel has a great quack and, of course, the high gain channels can crush.
My main guitar is a Yamaha Pacifica 812V and the HSS configuration seems to suit perfectly. I find that this amp can be a bit scooped with my Les Paul but with the Yamaha or a Strat it sits perfectly for me.
Balancing the treble and presence controls has been my biggest challenge to get the brightness I'm looking for but with a bit of perseverence (it takes time, seriously) it's in there.
There is some background noise (but boy it's loud) and there's an odd clunk sometimes when changing channels but otherwise, it's as I'd expect from this type of amp.

No problems to date (touch wood) but it seems quite heavy on valves -I changed the full set of power and rectifier tubes after 1 year of heavy gigging which isn't too bad - but I've had years from the same set of tubes in a Marshall...
Build quality is excellent and everything feels just like it should for an amp of this price.
One thing - as I'm in the UK I run at 240v and the amp doesn't like much of a voltage drop. I've done shows where the mains is at 220v-ish and the thing just dies - tinny, buzzy sound, no channel switching - disaster. And, although I haven't had a problem, I've heard the stories of twitchy transformers which makes me a bit nervy...

No problem to date, although the UK distributor (Westside) has always been very helpful

I've been playing 18 years and this is part of a 5-amp collection. I was always a Marshall player and fancied the combination of US Rectifier sounds and 3-channel versatility. I don't use any effects -just the guitar straight into the amp.
I'm completely satisfied with this amp - it sounds great and is a thing of beauty to own. It was expensive, can be a little temperamental (mains power needs) and I spent 6 months wondering if I'd bought the right amp before I got the sound to exactly where I wanted it but now I'm there, every gig I'm grateful I've got it.
There's a lot talked about Dual Rec's only being for rock & metal but it's nonsense. Sure, there's some stuff I'm not using on the amp (mostly the top 25% of the gain control!) but it's versatile, loud and sounds sweet so for me, it's perfect.
I use it with a Boogie 2x12 Rectifier cab which is great for convenience but can get a little rough on the low end as there's tons of it coming from this. 4x12 would, I think, sound a bit smoother on the lows but the 2x12 has a great combination of bite and portability.
It's a shame the FX is useless and therefore I can't use the solo boost but the quality of sounds with them switched out is so much better I don't even think about it.
I didn't consider any other amps when I bought this as it was to add to a collection (even though it's my main amp) but I did have a need for it to do a certain thing. I checked it out in-store, reckoned it could do it, spent 6 months thinking I'd screwed up because I just couldn't get the sound right and then, after losing the FX loop, the penny dropped and now I'm there.
Unless you are mostly clean/low gain (in which case this amp is genuinely a waste for you) this will work. Don't think it's just for rock & metal and do yourself out of a great amp.
Oh, and order a custom colour - it makes every time you get it out of the flightcase even more fun...!

3 channels to do with what you please! Solo boost is a must have and problems with FX loops volumes can be sorted by just reading the manual and using it properly. This thing is DEADLY quiet until you make a move on your guitar and feedback is NO problem at all with my standard les paul even with the gain CRANKED at 3 o'clock! Plently of balls on the low end, i use a seperate EQ to pull out a little of 1K to give it a REAL chug!

I have found that keeping the individual master volumes down and cranking the OUTPUT gives it a much more natural sound which is slightly strange but who cares its sounds EVIL!

Considering how much is actually inside this amp it isnt over heavy and is built like a tank. Its also a very good size, had no trouble what-so ever just avoid turning the standby switch to ON with no load connected.

Always willing to answer and questions.

I use this head through a standard marshall 1960 4 X 12 which really does sound great. Get down to a music shop try it for yourself if your into BIG riffery this is an awesome amp.

This amp is extremely versatile. This amp is famous for the low end "chug" but it is definitely not a one trick pony. Mesa gives you several different modes to play with. However I have to mention that the effects loop is tube driven and the relabeled "MESA" tubes eat your tone and volume when you turn the FX loop on. Change the tubes (I've had luck with JJ/Eurotubes) and the is problem fixed. I also play lead guitar and the Solo button gives me the extra kick I need to cut through the rest of the band. You also have your choice on the power amp tubes (EL-34 or 6L6), rectifier tubes or solid state, and bold or spongy feel.

The sounds are amazing, however I have to say again that the "MESA" tubes(which are just relabeled Sovtec peices of Russian junk) are worthless and do yourself a favor by replacing them. I prefered the sound of 6L6s in the power tube section which makes a helluva difference compared to the EL-34's. I have always been able to get a good clean and killer/bowel rattling distortions even with the stock tubes. I couldn't get a solid lead guitar tone that had the sustain that I was looking for and almost sold the amp until I called up Bob at Eurotubes. He sold me a set up with three high-gain tubes for the first tubes and a regular EC83S and a special EC83S for the phase inverter. This may sound crazy but I have two different sets of power tubes that works really well for me. If I was to rate the sound quality with stock tubes I would give it a 7.

The damn thing is built like a tank, but if you are going to gig with it a lot, get a professionally built case for cryin out load! I would also recommend back up tubes and an extra fuse just in case.

I called them a couple of times with stupid questions and they were really helpful. I haven't had to deal with them enough to give them a 10, but maybe that goes to show the reliability of their product.

I've been playing for about eight year in a variety of rock/heavy metal bands and my main guitar is an Ibanez RG prestige. I used to use various boss and MXR pedal but have gone to a TC electronics G-major and have been satisfied for the money I have spent. If it were stolen I would buy another. You can get nicer amps, but they will cost you a lot more money. Before I bought the amp I was running through a Line6 pod, and the difference is night and day. I will never use another modeler or solid state amplifier again!!!

Paid AUD$3,600 new in Australia, sold for $3,000 almost 2 years later on Ebay with 4 brand new EL34 tubes.

Excellent features - see other review for a more detailed description. High quality build and presentation (best looking amp out there IMO).

The one feature I do (did) not really like was the fixed bias switch (EL34/6l6) although it is cool being able to choose the type of power tubes used. The rather cold bias does not bring the best out of this amp. I think it might be a bit of a con to get you to use the over priced Mesa tubes (mesa dont actually manufacture tubes but select them from other brands and put a messa logo on them). An adjustable bias would allow the amp to truly shine. If I had the time and money to install this mod I would have done so and maybe I wouldnt have sold it. BUt in the end I was just happy to get rid of it and start again (with a FRAMUS COBRA!).

First. This is a good amp and they CAN sound great. But it didnt suit me.BE your own judge....My opinion is based on a desire for heavy metal, TIGHT, responsive, articulate, brutal distortion.

I enjoy a variety of styles but mainly play heavy metal (i.e.death, power, speed, thrash, shred, all metal...). I use a Gibson Les Paul, EMG 81 in the bridge...and forced to use a tube screamer as a boost (also tried metal zone, + others), Boss GE7 EQ, digitech RP2000....and more. Tried the mesa cab but traded it for the oversized Marshall mode four 400 cab which sounded better to my ears + $600AUD cheaper.

Sadly, I sold the amp. IMO it is not really that good for fast, heavy, articulate metal. Great for limp bizkit, linkin park, foo fighters, papa roach, korn, punk pop, teeny bopper shit, nu metal.... but not for shadows fall, killswitch, chimaira, slayer, vai, satriani etc.(I know killswitch, metallica etc. have used them but they also used boost pedals, EQ and $$$$$ worth of gear behind it ... which at this price is totally unnacceptable to me, isnt it designed for metal? You should be able to plug in and get that sound without cheap pedals)

DISSAPOINTING. Believe me, I tried VERY hard to love this amp. It was like being with this really hot, popular chick, everyone wants her, your blinded by the beauty, status and prestege, you lust over her but when she's finally yours you realise that shes not that good and you start to look elsewhere....lol. At times I thought it sounded great and I was quite happy, but overall unsatisfied especially when considering the price, 'tricks' I had to do to boost/shape the tone etc.

I could get close to the sound I wanted by using boost pedals and graphic EQ but this created unwanted noise, and feedback at volume. I tried hush, noise gates etc but this just $ucked tone. Frustrating. Friends and other bands were using much cheaper amps (eg. 5150's) and getting a better, tighter metal tone, better harmonics etc. without ANY pedals!I was in denial at the time but can now admit being a bit jealous. I would have a go on their amps (im talking about amps now, not chicks! lol) and not want to swap back (not that I let them know)

It wasnt untill I started playing in a band that I really noticed the amps flaws and decided to sell, thankfully I got a great deal and didnt loose out too much (it cost lessthan $1 a day!). On the other hand, the guy who bought it played rock (foo fighters kinda stuff) and loved the amp... It can sound great alone, in the studio or with vocals, but throw in drums, bass etc. and its a different story.

I did everything to try and keep it, different tubes (Sovtek El34 made it sound 100% crappier!) looked into mods etc. Mods are really expensive in Australia and not many people want to touch these amps. The guys who offered to do mods didnt seem very experienced with mesa, it would have been a gamble. If I lived in the USA i would have taken it to Voodoo amps for sure.

Oh and they are right about the clean channel, dont but it for this as its not great although I personall dont mind a dirty clean sound.

The volume levels alter dramatically between modes/channels and the effects loop is absolute shit.

I give it a 3 without clean boost pedals and a 6 with pedals and EQ. If I was into rock and didnt need an tight bottom end, I might give it a 7 or 8.

Totally reliable, trustworthy amp. I did take extremely good care of it though.

* Although I did blow some fuses mysteriously, had it serviced under warranty and they found nothing wrong with the amp.It had the wrong fuse installed (fast burning). Im not sure if this was the initial problem or if the music shop had given me the wrong fuse after the first time. Anyway, they put a new fuse in(slow burning) and it never blew again. Wiered.

BUT, they are built tough.

Never dealt with mesa personally. Their Australian warranty representative was helpful but did not 'have time' to mod my amp, fair enough but disapointing. He also gave me some advice saying not to use EMG81 pickups if I want a tight bottom end. Cant really take this seriously because the 81 actually made a huge improvement over the gibson humbucker to the distortion, and how many pro metal players choose to use 81's (how many dont? lol).

Been playing for 16 years, mainly used Marshalls before the mesa, now own a Kick ass Framus COBRA, which are actually cheaper than mesa in Aust.(satisfaction at last!). If it was stolen or lost I would be very pissed off, eventually get over it, claim the insurance and buy a different amp (COBRA). In the end I sold it for AUD$3,000 (after spending $170 on new tubes the previous week) and bought a brand new COBRA for AUD$3,300. MESA realy hold their value and are quite easy to sell, theyre very popular, and not so common in Aust. due to the overly high retail price (AUD$4,595). So if you do buy one and decide to sell in Aust. it its no big deal to sell and get a decent price back (as long as you take good care of it).

I really wish it had what I was after, I tried, but in the end simply had to move on. If the distortion was tighter (without having to use pedals) I would have been very satisfied, everything else was fine.

If your thinking of buying one, try it out. And I dont mean in a music shop. Borrow or hire one and play it over the weekend. Let the novelty, beauty, and hype wear off, then decide if its really what you want. You will either love it or decide to move on as I did (it just took me a couple of years to face facts).

Dont get me wrong, its a great amp in many ways (construction, versatility, rock/soft metal tone, # of features) but not for everyone.

It has more buttons and knobs than the starship enterprise! But is capable of soooo many sounds and levels of gain! Only had it a few months so i haven't really tapped into what it can really do ( FX loop settings and all that). 100 watts of pure power!

I use Gibson Les Paul's with Gibson dirty-finger pickups and tune down to C. My band Stand-up Guy play really slow doomy metal like ISIS and Neurosis, and this amp makes my riffs sound like a bag of bulldozers! The cleans are crystal but you can add some dirt if you want a more gritty sound! Channel 2 while not being my most used of the 3 channels has a great vintage warmth to it, like an old Marshall Plexi, and is great for subtle mood changes!! Plus you could play the Blues on this baby all night!

Channel 3 is pure aggression baby!! So much gain its scary at times! I put the gain at about half way and thats more than enough. The bass can be a bit overpowering sometimes tho, so i use a Ibanez tube screamer set clean to boost my pickups and suck the muddy low end out! Outstanding clarity! Just have to wait on my Recto Traditional 4x12 getting here and i'm set for world domination!!

Never had a problem with it yet! The 6L6 tubes sound so alive and have a great 3D character! Got a custom built flight case for it to preserve the beauty!

Haven't really needed to call them! But i hear they are awesome!

I've been playing for 16 years and have played and owned alot of great amps including a 5150 and various Marshalls, but honestly this amp is the best i've ever bought! You may think 'everybody says that' but in my opinion this amp rocks! I live in Northern Ireland and amps like this are hard to come buy, i'll never sell it.

you know the features....no effects....i gig twice a week and plenty of power....my style is like Thrice/Killswitch engage...you can however tweak your distortion alot so i gave it an 8.

ok im mostly aiming at channel3 my kind of music is melodic/hardcore/metal if thats not your thing dont read my comment.....now look this amp is only for sick distortion.....dont buy this amp if you like clean w/ added effects.....as far as distortion goes its best bang for your buck....you can get such a strong metal sound and it only gets better at higher volumes i mean you can cut through the band so clear its insane.....Dont however go by what im saying go into the store and try it out.....most places will not let you crank it 50% but when they walk away do it! do it to 75% and you'll see even at high volumes its so clear....channel 2 is good for some steady cords or what not but for some melodic stuff keep on 3 as far as clean channel.....i dont even touch that channel....i just went with a blackface fender and some pedals for my cleans....main reason i got the triple instead of dual....triple seems to handle low tuning better i play at cgcfad .11's and it rocks.
one more thing this is NOT a lead guitarists amp......but is the best for a rhythm....im rhythm in the band and my lead guitarist uses a framus dragon but i dont got 3k for a head so i stuck with the next best thing.....

ive had it for about a year and this shit is solid....but then again i baby it lol....

never dealt with hope not to....

ive been playing guitar for 8years and the only reason im rhythm is because i have to sing....i got a black face and a vox if i ever...EVER need some cleans.....if it was stolen id prolly save for something better like framus/bogner....i love the pure tone of the channel3 on high volumes...not as good as the framus but it keeps up....i do hate that its only a distortion amp kinda like a one trick pony...but im rhythm so lead takes care of the rest.....as far as comparing it....ive tried the marshall jcm800/tsl2000,line6 vettaII, crate bvh120, and peavey5150. now they all had good sounds....well actually the bv crate sucked @ss....then i'd say the its 5150, then tsl2000 which had the more playing w/ distortion, and then the jcm which i think was just like the mesa as far as being just for distortion....just mesa has death metal sound and marshall has more acdc/megadeath sound....also the mesa was like the jcm and tsl in one....you get the pure distortion and alot to play with....as far as the line6 vettaII i care about my sound/tone and im sorry but yes solidstate can cut it for the crowd but not for me....also the million effects on the thing is what makes it even close to be looked at...in the end i'd say if you gotta get a head and you need a good distortion for cheap get a used jcm for about 800 or a 5150 new for about same price.....what i see it that every amp has its own sound and theres never going to be one that can do it all!....so i keep it mesa for my distortion and fender/vox for cleans nuff said.

I bought this 3 channel dual rec back in 2001 new from guitar center. After playing the amp at 3to 4 gigs a month for the last several years I think I have as good a grasp of the amp as I can get. I left a review of this amp several months afetr I bought it. I think now is a good time to revisit what this amp is about.

Ohh the subjectiveness of tone. Here's my spin.....take it or leave it. I have been playing for 20 years and I love instrumental guitar music. I play mainly in cover bands doing current modern rock a la disturbed, tool, creed, etc. My passion is eric Johnson/Neil Zaza melodic guitar playing.

Clean Sound : absolutely difficult to use. This amp has no reverb. I have struggled to get volumes to match the clean channel when switching channels. The clean channel is just too quiet when playing at club level. My experience has been rough at best with playing clean on this amp.

Channel 2: I use this channel most of the time. Great for rhythym work but weak for lead tones. I use Analogman modded Boss sd-1 overdrive and Analogman modded Ts-9 to drive this channel. I have never been satisfied with this channel for several reasons. The channel just lacks a nice creamy lead sound. Adding compression just makes this channel a noise monster and adding an overdrive pedal helps the tone/sustain for leads but I was never able to nail a lead sound I could live with.

Channel 3 : Rarely if ever use this channel. This channel is ultra bright and the presense can be a bit overbearing. Better for lead sounds but too bright for a lot of rhythm work. This channel is noisy and using a noise suppressor helps but kills the lead sound/sustain. Never ended up using this channel often

This amp never died on me. It does not need to be rebiased so changing tubes is a snap. The amp will " pop" when you turn the standby on when the tubes start to go awry so just pop in some new ones and have at it. I never used a backup and always had spare tubes about. This amp has lasted the tests of the local circuit and is its best selling point in my opinion.

n/a

I have been playing for 20 years and I have owned a lot of gear. I currently own a Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, Les Paul Custom 1960's neck, Prs Singlecut, EVH Wolfgang, Music Man Axis Super Sport, Ibanez Prestige Rg3200 and an old Jackson. I am working on an instumental Cd and have been lucky enough to have Neil Zaza ( neilzaza.com) to help me out with the whole process.

This amp is perfect for the brutal rhythym work of Nu metal and current radio trends. However, I have come to terms with the fact that I will not find the lead sound I am looking for for lead playing with this amp. The distortion is overkill for my purposes and the noise is unbearable if you use compression. An overdrive pedal is a must for sustain as the straight distortion sound is not warm enough and lacks sustain for lead playing.

This is not a bad amp by any means. It has served me well over the past 3 years. It is dangerously close to a 1 trick pony but It is versatile enough that I won't say that it is. I personally would never buy this amp again only because it has a lousy clean sound and does not contain the lead sound I want. This should suprise no one....how many lead players do you know that play Mesa/Boogie? Know what you want before you buy this amp. My focus has changed and this amp is not versatile enough for the next part of the journey.

Read OTher Reviews. The features on my head are exactly the same. The two Reviewed here were a 2003 and 2004 model.

I have tried, Strats, Les Pauls, Cheap Guitars, Expensive guitars,...they all sound like crap. I have played on Three or Four different triple-rec-triple-channels, and they all have this horrid wraspy-grainy-transistorish distortion sound. I can see why most people would love this amp because it gives you an amazing amount of pre-gain with a relatively smooth power-amp master control. But for being a tub amp I think it just has too many knobs and too much circuitry. My band members have an Orange AD30TC Head which blows it away, a Laney Pro Tube Lead AOR Head which blows it away, and a Hiwatt DR103 Head which blows it away. I have noticed that more basic tube amps give you an incredibly better musical tone rather than the Mesa. Overall I would not consider ever getting one again. Mesa has a little combo amp call something like "Subway Rocket" that I have played on and it sounds a ton better then the Triple-Rec.

My band members have own one Dual-Channel Triple Rectifier, and Two Dual-Rectifier-Triple-Channels. Both of the Triple-channels had issues with the footswitches being sketchy half the time and all three of them had issues with volume pots cutting out at certain rotary positions. A pain in the neck all around.

No Clue...Who Cares... I wouldn't want to support people with this amp anyways.

It sucks.