PRS MT15 vs Mesa Rectifier

[Guitarjon]

I've talked about the PRS MT15 amp here before, it's the signature amp from Mark Tremonti. I'm sure most of you here are familiar with this little amp because it's quite popular. It's 15 watts and it's affordable but it sounds like a 50 watt amp and it can absolutely compete with amps that cost 6 times as much! It's great for metal actually. The cleans are pretty good too.

Mark Tremonti is known for using a bunch of amps on stage but the Mesa Rectifier (triples mostly) has been a constant in his rigs throughout the years. I have a Dual Rectifier and an MT15 so I thought it would be fun to compare the 2 for these reasons:

-Mark Tremonti uses both
-The MT15 is 'only' 15 watts and the Recto 100 watts
-The Rectifier costs much more

Here is the comparison:



I personally think both amps are really cool. The Rectifier is really huge but scooped sounding in comparison. That's why I think the MT15 is a little bit more versatile. The mid control has much more power on that amp so you can really make it 'cut' well by boosting the mids. You can't really make the Recto 'cut' more with the basic controls but it does 'sit' very nicely in the mix with that huge sound. I will say that I actually prefer my mini Rectifier over the Dual because it has more mids. Perhaps I'll make that comparison one day as well. Anyway, I'm curious about what you guys think!

 

[vilk]

I was really surprised to see, only after putting my face an inch away because it's so hard to read the knobs, that the other guitarist in my band has the bass on this Roadster almost at 0 for practically each channel. Some channels have a little more than others, but it's never even getting close to half way or even much past a quarter. Could've fooled me, because his tone is very full and has plenty of bass, probably as much or more than my Marshal Origin with the bass knob at 10. I think that's his secret to get sorta "stoner" tones out of a Dual Rec, which I had previously not really imagined possible.

Dual Recs just have too much bass. I guess that's probably good for modern scoopy sounds. But even though you might feel kinda silly turning a bass knob that far down, I recommend giving it a try if you ever want to make a Dual Rec sound very different from the "conventional" dual rec tone.

 

[Guitarjon]

I was really surprised to see, only after putting my face an inch away because it's so hard to read the knobs, that the other guitarist in my band has the bass on this Roadster almost at 0 for practically each channel. Some channels have a little more than others, but it's never even getting close to half way or even much past a quarter. Could've fooled me, because his tone is very full and has plenty of bass, probably as much or more than my Marshal Origin with the bass knob at 10. I think that's his secret to get sorta "stoner" tones out of a Dual Rec, which I had previously not really imagined possible.

Dual Recs just have too much bass. I guess that's probably good for modern scoopy sounds. But even though you might feel kinda silly turning a bass knob that far down, I recommend giving it a try if you ever want to make a Dual Rec sound very different from the "conventional" dual rec tone.

Edit: sorry, I just realized that this video isn't even about a Dual. But they're all pretty similar, right?

It's a Dual Rectifier indeed so no worries And yes, they have a LOT of bass. I often put the bass at around 10 o clock or so. I kinda like that about the Recto, that huge low-end but I guess if you're standing in a room with a cranked 4x12 it would be different than in my recording situation. Still, if you mic'ed up that Recto, it might need a little bass back in... It's all about taste though

 

[JoeyJoJoJrShabadoo]

Ok well that MT15 sounds stupid good. Curious to how that apparent 100w version will turn out. If it somehow improves on what's already pretty sick sounds it'll be a must have.

Any plans to do the ENGL Fireball in depth, Jon?

 

[Guitarjon]

Ok well that MT15 sounds stupid good. Curious to how that apparent 100w version will turn out. If it somehow improves on what's already pretty sick sounds it'll be a must have.

Any plans to do the ENGL Fireball in depth, Jon?

Yeah it's a great little amp! I expect the 100 watt version to sound very similar but with more headroom... we'll see
ENGL Fireball in-depth is coming soon! I'm planning on it. Shouldn't take more than 2 weeks tops. I'm actually pretty stoked about it because I love that amp.

 

[Wolfhorsky]

You should try MT15 with Boss eq pedal in FX loop. Cut 800Hz a bit and You have the sound more like Mesa, but with tighter low end.

 

[Guitarjon]

You should try MT15 with Boss eq pedal in FX loop. Cut 800Hz a bit and You have the sound more like Mesa, but with tighter low end.

I see what you mean since the Dual Recto is very lacking in the mids haha. I have an MXR 10-band eq but I usually use that in front of the amp to change the tone of the guitar going into the amp. Usually I crank the mids more on the MT15 actually but to match the amp a little bit more to the Dual Recto I had to lower the mids a bit.

 

[nickgray]

I think this convinced me completely that Rectos aren't my thing. Scooped, fizzy, with absurd amounts of low end. Seems like a great rock amp that you really have to tinker with to get it suitable for metal. Every time you see dialing recommendations, it's always to use a boost, to dial the lows super low, to crank it so that the fizz is gone, and so on, basically the goal is to mostly get rid of the Recto's character.

Just for fun, I tried matching the boosted MT15 tone with Helix Native's Archon model. It's surprisingly close. The character is very similar, you get that very light "choking" going on in the bass, it's bright, but not at all harsh, the mids are slightly recessed, but it's still quite middy. I'm kinda impressed with Helix here.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I think this convinced me completely that Rectos aren't my thing. Scooped, fizzy, with absurd amounts of low end. Seems like a great rock amp that you really have to tinker with to get it suitable for metal. Every time you see dialing recommendations, it's always to use a boost, to dial the lows super low, to crank it so that the fizz is gone, and so on, basically the goal is to mostly get rid of the Recto's character.

Just for fun, I tried matching the boosted MT15 tone with Helix Native's Archon model. It's surprisingly close. The character is very similar, you get that very light "choking" going on in the bass, it's bright, but not at all harsh, the mids are slightly recessed, but it's still quite middy. I'm kinda impressed with Helix here.

Yeah I own an archon, and based off my firsthand experience with the mt15 they sound quite similar. That's why I don't really get the hype for a 100w MT, it would literally just be a china made Archon with some minor tweaks, and archons are going for sub 1k usd used already.

That being said, I prefer the Mt15 in the vid. Still has thickness of the recto but not as fizzy.

 

[Guitarjon]

Yeah I own an archon, and based off my firsthand experience with the mt15 they sound quite similar. That's why I don't really get the hype for a 100w MT, it would literally just be a china made Archon with some minor tweaks, and archons are going for sub 1k usd used already.

That being said, I prefer the Mt15 in the vid. Still has thickness of the recto but not as fizzy.

I thought the Archon amps were made in Asia because of the price?

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I thought the Archon amps were made in Asia because of the price?

No they're USA made.

 

[viifox]

No they're USA made.

Actually, they're "assembled" in the USA.

 

[nickgray]

I thought the Archon amps were made in Asia because of the price?

The 100w is $2300. Mark V, for comparison, is $2550 (US prices). I reckon a ~$1200-1400 100w MT would be a pretty good deal in comparison to the Archon.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Actually, they're "assembled" in the USA.

it's basically semantics. use of usa labor means usa pricing

 

[Avedas]

MT15 sounds better to my ears. I've never got along with the Dual Rec, but you've certainly made it sound a lot better than I've ever been able to.

 

[Choop]

I prefer the rectifier--just sounds bigger and fills out the mix more. Also I just love the recto growl--the first portion in the mix nailed it. Not that the MT15 sounds bad--it sounds surprisingly great, and appears to be versatile for a lunchbox type head.

 

[viifox]

use of usa labor means usa pricing

And that isn't what i was correcting you on, because that's not what you originally said.

"Made in USA" and "Assembled in USA" have different meanings, otherwise PRS would label their amps, "Made in USA", just like Mesa does.

 

[LeftOurEyes]

I thought California started requiring things to be labeled "assembled in USA" instead of "made in USA" if too many of the parts that a product is made of are not actually manufactured in the USA.

 

[viifox]

I thought California started requiring things to be labeled "assembled in USA" instead of "made in USA" if too many of the parts that a product is made of are not actually manufactured in the USA.

"For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all" made in the U.S. The term "United States," as referred to in the Enforcement Policy Statement, includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories and possessions." - FTC

 

[KnightBrolaire]

And that isn't what i was correcting you on, because that's not what you originally said.

"Made in USA" and "Assembled in USA" have different meanings, otherwise PRS would label their amps, "Made in USA", just like Mesa does.

I haven't seen anything substantiating that it's "assembled" rather than made in the USA.

from TGP:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/tell-me-about-the-prs-archon-100-head.1779218/
"I used to work at a music store in MD who was big on PRS. We had a PRS day and they dropped one off when they just hit the market. They're all built on the Eastern Shore in MD at the PRS factory. The construction is kind of a hybrid of handwired and PCB. The dirt channel is stuuuupid good. The clean is awesome as well. The hype lives. I really want one haha."

"Made in USA, turret board build and very nice quality, awesome cleans, awesome high gain. Not sure what else to say. I don't own one, but a good friend does and I have had a blast playing."