Mesa/Boogie MARK 5 THIRTY-FIVE Owner's Manual page 13

• The Front Panel CHANNEL SELECT mini toggle (located between the two Mode switches at the left of the Front Panel) must be
set to the CENTER FS position for the Footswitch to select the Channels.
• The GAIN and TREBLE Controls are the most powerful tone shaping controls in each Channel and should be used with taste. They
determine much about the attack characteristic and the overall personality of the sound in all the Modes. Many of the great sounds
in all the Channels will find these two Controls in their middle ranges. Avoid setting the TREBLE high (above 2:00) when the GAIN
is to be set high as this brings about the tendency for a slightly microphonic tube to ring or squeal.
• The "normal" range of a MID control in Channel 1 appears between 0 and 5.0 in a more condensed taper than you may be used to.
Above 5.0 the BOOST feature takes over and adds incremental gain in the midrange frequencies while diminishing the effective-
ness of the Tone Controls.
• When using high GAIN settings, try the 5-Band Graphic EQ for adding extra top end as it comes later on in the signal chain and
will be less stressful on the preamp tubes in many cases.
• When applying the 5-Band Graphic EQ, remember to go back and reference the "flat" (no EQ) sound to keep a clear perspective on
what you are doing to the sound while adding EQ. It's VERY easy to get lost in the old "more, more, more" syndrome, tweak until
there's all EQ and no Tone, and wind up with an "EQ Hangover". Referencing a "flat" unaltered sound with the EQ toggle switches
or the Footswitch will help you avoid this common pitfall.
• The PRESENCE is very powerful at shaping the voicing of higher gain sounds in both Channel 1 and 2. Set low it fattens and
compresses the sound, making for a more voice-like, focused note. Higher settings "open up" the sound and allow the full spectrum
of harmonics to flow through. Use this control to fine tune your overdriven rhythm and lead sounds after you have dialed the rest
of the preamp controls to your liking.
• You will likely experience a volume increase when selecting the Channel 2 XTREME Mode from the two prior Modes in that Chan-
nel. This is normal and a result of diminished negative feedback and the resulting increased sensitivity in the power section.
• Beware of very high settings on the BASS control in Channel 2, especially when the GAIN is set high. Too much BASS will produce
a tubby, indistinct attack and slow the response. A basic rule might be this; As the GAIN goes up...the BASS should come down.
• Beware of setting the EQ SLIDERS to extremes when using the Channel 1 FAT Mode. Be especially careful of the 80Hz and 240Hz,
as these two can dump excessive amounts of low frequencies into the mix. This, combined with the high gain settings of this Mode,
can cause flub and mud in the sound and could possibly even damage some low wattage speakers if played at very high volumes.
• Speaker Impedance has a sonic effect on the sounds as the MARK FIVE: 35 power section is switched between its three different
Modes. We prefer a matching 8 Ohm speaker load connected to the 8 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT for the most balanced sound and
overall performance. A 4 Ohm Load will work fine, but will usually sound a little "softer" and more scooped with less "punch" in the
midrange frequencies.
• You can safely experiment with different load combinations in the high direction, for example an 8 Ohm Speaker Cabinet connected
to the 4 OHM SPEAKER OUTPUT jack on the MARK FIVE: 35, or a 16 Ohm Cabinet on the 8 OHM SPEAKER OUTPUT. You can't
hurt your amplifier loading it in that direction and you may discover an impedance scenario that, though a technical "mismatch",
produces a unique response that fits your needs. The only penalty might be that your power tubes may wear a bit faster with mis-
matched load conditions and you won't achieve the amplifier's maximum headroom (full power output). Do Not use an impedance
mismatch in the low direction (example: a 2 Ohm Load on a 4 Ohm SPEAKER Output) as this is very hard on the Output trans-
former and may cause damage to the amplifier.
• Because the MARK FIVE: 35 is a lower wattage amplifier, and therefore you will likely be hearing more of the power section (and
it's overdrive effect) than you might when using say a 50 or 100 watt amp, you may want to try setting the preamp GAIN Control in
the Channels a little lower than you are typically used to doing. This may help you retain more attack and fundamental punch in
the sound and keep things tight and focused. This MARK has immense preamp gain available and it may not be necessary to use
higher amounts of it all the time to achieve the best sounds and performance.
• When reaching over the top of the amplifier from the Front, the REVERB Controls are in the center of the Rear Panel with Channel
1's REVERB Mix on the left and the REVERB for Channel 2 just to the right.
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