Mark IV + Preamp setup.. give suggestions please

[adamcbest]

Hey guys.. right now i have a mark IV head and i have a gcx controlling whether the mark iv Pre section or my Quad preamp is running into the mark iv power section. it's a cool setup, but all channels are pretty similar. I'm thinking of pulling the quad out of the setup and putting a different preamp that is already midi controllable and maybe a midi controlled eq for more tone shaping, Then i'll still have the Mark style lead tone from the mark IV and whatever other slew of tones i get from a completely different preamp. i will still control which is selected with my GCX, but this will also eliminate the need for a second GCX to control the Quad effectively. I bought the quad thinking i could have much more tone shaping on the mark style sound, but it's just not different enough. Plus the quad is huge in my rack.

I'm thinking a JMP-1 voodoo modded to replace the quad.

So do you guys think... leave as is and get the other gcx or go with a different preamp?? and what other preamps would you guys suggest. I want it to be a tube preamp, midi controllable

[bammbamm]

What kind of sound are you going for in your rig?
It sounds to me like maybe getting a Triaxis in place of the mark IV would be the way to go. I can't tell you how versitile the triaxis is.
You'd easily be able to make enough from t he mark series to pay for the tri, ad then you filpped the quad, you'd pay for a nice power amp, like the Mesa 50/50.

You'd slim down the rig considerably, and on top of that, if you got a version 2.0 triaxis (most common) you end with every parameter that is midia assignable and contraollable via expression pedals. Mesa has a great tutorial section in their manual that demonstrates how to set a patch that goes from a clean tone to an amped up chunk with the sweep of the pedal.

Anyway, that is just my opinion, and just a drop in the bucket.
Every time I start to get bored with my tone, I poke around, reconsult the manual and look for cool sample patches that truly demonstrate the flexibility of this preamp. I'm never disappointed. If you are atweaking/ experimenting person, you'll LOVE the Triaxis, I can almost guarantee it.

Bamm

[adamcbest]

i thought about that.. but i bought a custom rack case for my mark iv head that has an 8 space rack above the head compartment. I suppose i could built a box to hold rack units (mainly power amp). and put it in the mark iv hole. and sell both the mark IV and Quad.

I wanted a very versatile sound. definitely wanted the mark sound. plus a lot of shaping capabilities, which was the reason for the quad. since they aren't that much different. i was thinking of getting that marshall sound in there. though i had a marshall TSL and didn't like it. but i've head the JMP-1s are smoother.. I'm not sure what i want yet haha. All i know is that i want more on-the-fly tonal ability than what the mark IV can give me on its own, but something smaller than the quad. More than half my rack is preamp/poweramp and switching/routing. I'd like to cut that down, but still have a lot of versatility. if that makes sense

[RSVampire]

Triaxis, nuff' said