Owner’s Manual
Hello from the Tone Farm Congratulations! The amplifier you have chosen is born of thoroughbred stock that carries worldwide accolades and is still setting trends with top Artists 35 years after its unveiling. The MARK FIVE: 25, like the MARK FIVE it is born from, is really a collection of iconic amplifiers. There are far too many circuits and sounds to think of it as merely an amp...
Table of Contents PRECAUTIONS OVERVIEW_____________________________________________________________________________________ 1-5 GETTING STARTED_______________________________________________________________________________ 6 HELPFUL HINTS________________________________________________________________________________ 7-8 FRONT PANEL THE CHANNELS: MODE BY MODE________________________________________________________________ 9-10 THE MODES IN DEPTH: CHANNEL 1___________________________________________________
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with dry cloth. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug.
Operating Instructions Overview: NOTE: This section appears on our website. Feel free to skip this section and go straight to “GETTING STARTED” if you have read it there or don’t need a global overview of the amplifier. It was back to the wellspring of past MARK amps for inspiration on the MARK FIVE: 25, so we once again revisited the most coveted of them all, the MARK II-C+.
Overview: Front Panel THE PREAMP CHANNEL 1 This Channel incorporates our best two Clean Modes ever, CLEAN and FAT from the MARK FIVE. These Modes offer two musically useful flavors of this sparkling low gain voice that benefit from 35 years of continuous refinement and take Clean sounds to a dynamic, new touch-sensitive plateau. A third “crossover” Mode is also showcased here in Channel 1 and again, it’s taken directly from the acclaimed MARK FIVE.
focus and searing top end of this classic 30 year-old circuit. It’s funny to think of high gain sounds as Vintage (at least for us), but as surely as the bands that used them to define their sound in the ‘80s, along with those Artists still doing so today, the C+ is a recording dream and a Road Dog... a surviving, thriving piece of Rock History. It’s urgent attack and tight midrange focus provides the perfect canvas to create, especially huge Rock and Metal sounds, with another iconic MARK feature...
the FIVE: 25 gives you a choice of two ways to utilize its shaping power. In each Channel you can decide whether you want the EQ active all the time in that Channel—EQ ON (toggle up), bypassed all the time in that Channel—EQ OFF (toggle center), or activated by the EQ button on the Footswitch—EQ FS (toggle down). There is also an Orange LED in between the switches to keep you apprised of EQ status that illuminates when the EQ is active, regardless of how it has been engaged.
Overview: Rear Panel The first feature of note starting at the far left is the Series, Fully Buffered, Tube FX LOOP. This is the interface point for outboard processing and it provides a junction between the preamp and power section. The LOOP performs well with both Rack and Pedal type outboard gear with the obvious exceptions being those effects that work better on the INPUT of an amplifier (Wah, Compression, Gain and Overdrive Pedals, Envelope Filters, etc.).
GETTING STARTED 1. Connect the A.C. Cord to a grounded (3 pin) A.C. outlet. 2. Connect your speaker cabinet of choice to the proper matching impedance SPEAKER OUTPUT on the right side of the Rear Panel. An 8 Ohm load is preferable for your first experience with the MARK FIVE: 25, as you will then be able to experience the full power (wattage) potential and best Tonal balance. 3.
HELPFUL HINTS NOTE: REDUNDANT INFORMATION: Throughout this Operating Guide you will encounter redundant information and sections that are repeated for your continued awareness and as reminders. This is done so a person can read only the sections they are interested in, and yet still get the important points they should know or NEED to know about the MARK FIVE: 25.
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.
FRONT PANEL MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 10 W M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ THE CHANNELS: MODE BY MODE CAUTION: Unplug power before servicing FX 120 V~ 60 Hz 1A HANDCRAFTED IN PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA MARK FIVE: 25™ VACUUM TUBE AMPLIFIER SPEAKERS 1.
CHANNEL 2 This Channel is the higher gain channel of the MARK FIVE:25 and is dedicated to creating the best saturated gain sounds from our fabled MARK II-C+ and our MARK IV. Though the entire channel is aimed at high gain sounds, many expressive and dynamic medium to low-gain sounds can also be found here with the GAIN control set lower (below 11:00). Again, this channel defies classification as to style and is extremely versatile for both lower and high gain, chording and single note sounds.
THE MODES IN DEPTH: CHANNEL 1 CLEAN As discussed in the previous section, this is the lowest gain of the three Channels in the MARK FIVE: 25 and will cover all your “more-stripped”, brighter needs for clean rhythm and solo styles as well as slightly driven chording sounds. As with the Modes in each of these two MARK Channels, we start with the slimmer, tighter voice of CLEAN, move up the girth scale to FAT, and finally to the higher gain, mid-saturated architecture of CRUNCH...
FAT works great for chording and rhythmic work, but in contrast to the CLEAN Mode, FAT sings with a huge, lush voice that fills-in a mix and casts a halo of harmonic richness around the entire instrument. The sonic footprint is much wider and can carry a part such that it becomes the backbone of a song without any processing. The gain structure of FAT is tapered so that it’s more suited to threshold and clipped sounds with more gain lower, and presenting sooner on the GAIN Control.
The MODES IN DEPTH: CHANNEL 2 Channel 2 in the MARK FIVE: 25, taken directly from the MARK FIVE’s Channel 3, is a tribute to the entire line of MARK series Channel Switching amplifiers and contains three circuits from the pinnacle of that architecture. The two most sought after of these, the MARK II-C+ and the MARK IV, provided both the starting points and ultimate reference for this collection of Modes.
Hints For The Best Results With The MK IIC+ Mode • Use the Graphic EQ if you need extreme low end with high GAIN settings - this comes later in the circuit and will have less tendency to get loose and tubby than that of the rotary BASS control. • Work with the GAIN, TREBLE and PRESENCE in finite increments when searching for your ideal lead voice as these interact greatly and have a big effect on pick attack sensitivity and focus.
path at a point earlier in the preamp to get the job done correctly. This “early bass” gets amplified over and over until it turns to flub, where as the Graphic EQ comes at the end of the signal chain and adds low end to the “finished preamp sound”. IMPORTANT! A Few Words On Pickups Pickups are a huge factor and ingredient in the overall character of your Tone.
XTREME The last Mode in Channel 2 is named appropriately and is all about more! More gain, more attack, more punishing mids, more tight, huge lows and as you have probably discovered by now, more output volume. Though it’s one letter short of its forbearers’ name, it performs here in the MARK FIVE: 25 with equal fury and is by far the most radical of this mini amp’s Modes. XTREME traces its lineage back to a feature on the MARK IV that resided on the Channel 3 (LEAD) PRESENCE control of that amp.
THE CONTROLS INPUT This ¼ inch jack is the INPUT to the preamp. Connect your Instrument here using a good quality, shielded cable (grounded) of preferably no more than 12–15 feet in length. Longer cables may compromise the sound and roll off top end due to increased capacitance. MID BOOST FAT CLEAN EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W EQ ON 25 W O CRUNCH NOTE: Like every part in an electronic signal chain, cables can have a fairly dramatic effect on the sound.
begins to recede to create a round, compressed sound. Dynamics become slower with lower peaks and a more legato, creamier feel is produced. In Channel 1 the high end of the GAIN control produces some great “clipped” and overdriven clean sounds as the Input Stage gives it up and starts to saturate. These sounds are further enhanced by the 10 Watt Power Mode. Channel 2 is absolutely over the top when the GAIN is run this high.
MID/BOOST: CHANNEL 1 This is actually two controls in one, hence the two names. In addition to the power of a standard MID control, this “ganged” two-element pot endows Channel 1 with a whole region of dial-to-taste extra gain in the warm round middle frequencies and is found on this control’s upper region (5.0–10). This feature first appeared on Original MARK I models of the seventies as an ON/OFF switch.
The middle region (11:00–1:00) is where the punch and attack begin to come on with more urgency and this is where mahogany guitars really like to see the MID set for adding the cut and definition. Here the high mid and lower top end begins to creep into the mix of the MID controls’ spectrum and chording sounds start to chime and slash with a more forward and punchy character.
You can think of the PRESENCE as a control that allows you to either clamp the power amp down, compressing it and darkening things, or open it up and let the full spectrum of upper harmonics come blazing through. It also has a great deal to do with how dynamic the signal is and how a sound will cut through the mix in an ensemble environment. At low settings (7:30–10:30) the sound will be warm and round with a more compressed feel and dynamic fluctuation will be somewhat limited.
The MASTER here in the FIVE: 25 is really nothing more than a variable resistor that offers an infinite range of settings possibilities and makes the amplifier many times more versatile with no sonic penalty. If you prescribe to this old school approach, then by all means, use the MASTER that way… it won’t hurt the amplifier. However, you will be severely limiting the potential sounds you can achieve by removing the nearly limitless great sounding combinations of GAIN and MASTER settings.
Each Channel is fitted with a mini-toggle just to the left of the SLIDERS to select the operational status of the 5-Band Graphic EQ and the FIVE: 25 gives you two ways to utilize its shaping power.
POWER This toggle switch delivers the A.C. power to the MARK FIVE: 25. Make sure the amplifier is grounded (all three terminals 25 W of the A.C. power cord connected) to avoid injury to the user as well as to the amplifier. Also make sure the proper voltage (117–125 Volts AC Domestic US Model) is present at the wall socket. 10 W POWER STANDBY 25 W 2200 6600 10 W Always follow the Cold Start Procedure described in the STANDBY section when powering up your amplifier.
GAIN FT SW TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 REAR PANEL M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ CAUTION: Unplug power before servicing HANDCRAFTED IN PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA MARK FIVE: 25™ VACUUM TUBE AMPLIFIER FX 120 V~ 60 Hz 1A 10 W SPEAKERS 1.
To connect your outboard processor(s) to the FX Loop: 1. Connect the SEND jack on the MARK FIVE: 25 Rear Panel to your processor’s INPUT using a high quality shielded cable of the shortest possible length. 2. Connect the RETURN jack of the MARK FIVE: 25 to your (last) processor’s OUTPUT also using a high quality shielded cable of the shortest possible length. 3.
NOTE: Introducing a bit of internal REVERB into the mix or even an outboard processor into the FX Loop set to a Delay Preset can help the HEADPHONE Output sound more alive and natural, as it helps compensate for the air and “expansion” present when using a speaker cabinet in a live room. The MARK FIVE: 25 is the first, but probably not the last, MESA amplifier to include the CABCLONE D.I. circuitry and associated HEADPHONE Output.
attack, sweet sparkling top end, and tight-tracking low end are achieved with an 8 Ohm Cabinet Load. NOTE: Repeated From HELPFUL HINTS Section; Speaker Impedance has a sonic effect on the sounds of the MARK FIVE: 25 power section (and when it is switched between its two 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.
NOTE: REMINDER! If you have everything ON... POWER, STANDBY, GAIN and MASTER (as well as Input and Output Volume Controls on any Effects in the FX Loop) and get no sound; Check the SPKR OFF/SPKR ON switch in the CabClone™ Section at the far Right of the Rear Panel (when looking at the back of the amplifier) to make sure the toggle switch is set to SPKR ON. This may have been bumped during shipping, transport or set up. CLOSED BACK/OPEN BACK The on-board CabClone™ D.I.
10 W POWER STANDBY 25 W 750 HM 2200 6600 LIFT/GROUND 5 M This switch allows you to lift the CABCLONE BALANCED D.I. Output’s XLR jack (PIN 1) GROUND, from Circuit 10 W ARK TWENTY-FIVE ™ SPKR ON CLOSED BACK SPKR OFF OPEN BACK and Chassis GROUND and in many cases (but not all) remove hum caused by a ground loop. In silent recording environments every little noise stands out and ground loops can produce one of the more common (and annoying) sources of hum and/or buzz.
NOTES
FACTORY SAMPLE SETTINGS FAT CLEAN / II-C+ LEAD MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ OPTIONAL EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 10 W M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ TIGHT CLIPPED / II-C+ BLUES LEAD MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ OPTIONAL EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+
FACTORY SAMPLE SETTINGS II-C+ CLEAN / II-C+ SOARING LEAD MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ OPTIONAL EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 10 W M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ CRUNCH SOLO / MARK IV TIGHT RHYTHM MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ M
USER SETTINGS MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 10 W M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 10 W M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ MID BOOS
USER SETTINGS MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 10 W M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ MID BOOST FAT CLEAN CRUNCH INPUT FS FT SW EQ ON 25 W EQ FS 10 W O GAIN TREBLE MID BASS PRESENCE MASTER POWER EQ STANDBY 25 W EQ ON MK IIC+ MK IV O EQ FS XTREME 80Hz 240 750 2200 6600 10 W M ARK 5 TWENTY-FIVE ™ MID BOOS
TUBE NOISE & MICROPHONICS: You may occasionally experience some form of tube noise or microphonics. Certainly no cause for alarm, this quirky behavior comes with the territory and the Tone. Much like changing a light bulb, you don’t need a technician to cure these types of minor user serviceable annoyances and in fact, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to cure tube problems...
DIAGNOSING PRE-AMP TUBE PROBLEMS: Because your amplifier is an all tube design, it is quite possible that you will at some point experience minor pre-amp tube noise. Rest assured - this is no cause for alarm and you can take care of the problem yourself in a matter of minutes by simply swapping tubes. Let us begin by saying; It is a “very good” idea to keep at least a couple of spare pre-amp tubes on hand at all times to insure uninterrupted performance.
SPEAKER IMPEDANCE MATCHING & HOOK-UP GUIDE: IMPEDANCE: Wiring up speakers to provide the most effective load and making sure that all of them are in phase will help in creating the best sound possible. This is not too difficult, as long as you understand a few things about loading and how to connect your speakers to provide an optimal resistive load. MESA/Boogie amplifiers can handle 4 and 8 ohms effectively.
SPEAKER IMPEDANCE MATCHING & HOOK-UP GUIDE: (Continued) PARALLEL: When wiring in parallel, the resistance of the speakers decreases. Two 8 ohm speakers wired in ( hooked-up ) Parallel results in a 4 ohm load. It’s easy to calculate the effect of a resistive load when all the speakers are all the same resistance. It is really not suggested to wire different resistive load values in Parallel ( 8 and 4, 16 and 8 etc.
WIRING SCHEMES...
6 WIRING SCHEMES...
WIRING SCHEMES...
WIRING SCHEMES...
BEFORE CHANGING TUBES FLIP POWER & STANDBY SWITCH TO OFF MARK FIVE: 25 HEAD TUBE REPLACEMENT 12AX7 V2 12AX7 V4 12AX7 V1 INPUT JACK 12AX7 V3 12AX7 V5 10 Watts = V7, V8 Triode 25 Watts = V7, V8 Pentode POWER TUBES 12AX7 V6 EL84 V7 V6A&B- Driver/Phase Inverter V5A- FX Loop Return V5B- 5th Gain Stage CH2 V4A- Reverb Return V4B- Reverb Send FRONT OF CHASSIS 6 x 12AX7 EL84 V8 PREAMP TUBES V1A- Input Stage CH1 & CH2 V1B- 2nd Gain Stage CH1 CLEAN & FAT 3rd Gain Stage CRUNCH 2nd Gain Stage CH2 V2A
MK IV INPUT PAGE 45 MK IV XTREME MK IIC+ FS 590149 590792 AMPLIFIER 44YV FUSE: 795630 HOLDER: 790346 EXPORT FUSE: 790125 HOLDER: 790347 DOMESTIC CAUTION: Unplug power before servicing AC SOCKET pt# 613713 1.25 A SLO BLO AMPLIFIER 44YV 120 V~ 60 Hz 1A SEND SEND TREBLE TREBLE GAIN 120 V~ 1.
MESA BOOGIE The Spirit of Art in Technology Thank you for trusting MESA/Boogie to be your amplifier company and we wish you many years of toneful enjoyment from this handbuilt all tube instrument.
The Spirit of Art in Technology (707) 778-6565 FAX NO.
