Owner`s manual

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.
NOTE: Like every part in an electronic signal chain, cables can have a fairly dramatic effect on the sound. While we personally
don’t prefer the sound of super low capacitance or very EXPENSIVE “HI-FI” Instrument cables due to the over-abundance of
top end they impart (to our ears) on the sound, we DO recommend using good quality shielded cables by reputable brands
when connecting your Instrument.
FT SW
This Stereo ¼” jack accepts the included Stereo (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) Footswitch Cable. Connect the MARK FIVE: 25
Footswitch here and set the 3-position FS mini toggle (just to the right in the center of the Channels) to FS (center position) to use
the Footswitch to access the Channels. If you don’t want to use—or don’t have—the Footswitch, use the FS mini toggle to access the
two Channels by moving it up (upper position) to access Channel 1 and down (lower position) to select Channel 2.
NOTE: The FS mini toggle must be in the CENTER FS position for the Footswitch to select the Channels.
GAIN
This is, by far, the most powerful control in the MARK FIVE:25 and its setting determines the style and personality of all
three Modes in each of the two Channels. It meters the gain in different tube stages depending on the Channel and Mode called up
and it sets Input Stage headroom, which determines whether the sound will be clean or overdriven. It also acts as
a subtle Tone control as the tube stages’ gain is increased and decreased and imparts its own “color” on the sound.
In both the Channels, there are three regions of the GAIN control. A low gain zone between 9:00–11:30, a warmer,
more saturated zone from 12:00–2:00 and a higher gain zone from 2:30–5:30. Each of these zones can be used
for many different applications and all can be used for both chording and single note solo work. As the GAIN
control is swept throughout its range it imparts different textures and tonal characteristics.
Generally speaking, the lower end of the control (9:30–11:00) in both Channels and all Modes produces a brighter, more “open” char-
acter that has more dynamic content available. This region is great for clean, sparkling chording in Channel 1, where the maximum
headroom is available, the top end harmonics are bubbly and the attack is lightning fast. The Modes in Channel 2 are tuned to deliver
amazing threshold sounds in this zone where the gain is warm and furry, but there is still plenty of the guitar’s personality intact. This
lower zone is great for all the Channel 2 sounds when used for “threshold” chording as there is plenty of dynamics available that have
not yet been compressed by saturation. You will be pleasantly surprised that the same Modes that can sound so old-school, vintage-
approved and agile when set low, can produce the ferocious high gain sounds when the GAIN gets cranked.
The middle region of the GAIN control (11:00–2:00) is where the most balanced sounds live and you will find this region delivers
warm, full sound, detailed attack and good dynamics with the Tone controls still having a powerful effect on the signal. The Channel
1 CLEAN and FAT Modes deliver great chording response, sound richer and have more body here. Depending on pickup style and
strength you will have to watch for clipping as you are nearing the crossover point gain-wise where headroom begins to diminish in
increments from here up.
The Channel 2 Modes offer up their most iconic, focused and detailed sounds in this middle zone. As these sounds are all higher
gain than their Channel 1 counterparts, the best dynamic response and attack characteristics are at the lower end of this window.
As you approach 2:00 there will be plenty of saturation to keep chords grinding and single notes hanging and you will start noticing
increasing compression of the sound. If you aren’t getting great results in this region for your gain sounds in Channel 2, you may want
to look at trying some pickups with a bit hotter output. The Channel 2 Modes should be howling, burning and smoldering at the upper
end (12:30–2:00) of this middle region.
The highest region of the GAIN (2:00–5:30) is all about saturation. Up here the signal gets much fatter in the low end and the top end
PAGE 17
CLEAN
CRUNCH
FS
MK IIC+
MK
IV
XTREME
GAIN TREBLE
MID BOOST
MID PRESENCE MASTERBASS
EQ ON
EQ
O
O
EQ FS
SPKR
ON
CLOSED
BACK
OPEN
BACK
CabClone™
D.I.
SPKR
OFF
LIFT
GROUND
EQ ON
EQ FS
CAUTION: Unplug
power before
servicing
120 V~
60 Hz
1 A
1.25 A
SLO
BLO
AMPLIFIER
44YV
HEADPHONERETURNSEND
4 OHM 8 OHM
4 OHM
REVERB
CH 2 CH 1
MARK FIVE: 25™
VACUUM TUBE
AMPLIFIER
HANDCRAFTED
IN PETALUMA,
CALIFORNIA
80Hz 240 750 2200 6600
25 W
10 W
25 W
10 W
TUBE GUIDE
6 x 12AX7
2 x EL 84
PATENTED
7,602,927
(USE WITH TWO 8 OHM SPKRS)
FX
SPEAKERS
INPUT
FT SW
POWER
STANDBY
MARK
5
TWENTY-FIVE
™
CLEAN
CRUNCH
FS
MK IIC+
MK
IV
XTREME
GAIN
TREBLE
MID BOOST
MID PRESENCE MASTERBASS
EQ ON
EQ
O
O
EQ FS
SPKR
ON
CLOSED
BACK
OPEN
BACK
CabClone™
D.I.
SPKR
OFF
LIFT
GROUND
EQ ON
EQ FS
CAUTION: Unplug
power before
servicing
120 V~
60 Hz
1 A
1.25 A
SLO
BLO
AMPLIFIER
44YV
HEADPHONERETURNSEND
4 OHM 8 OHM
4 OHM
REVERB
CH 2 CH 1
MARK FIVE: 25™
VACUUM TUBE
AMPLIFIER
HANDCRAFTED
IN PETALUMA,
CALIFORNIA
80Hz 240 750 2200 6600
25 W
10 W
25 W
10 W
TUBE GUIDE
6 x 12AX7
2 x EL 84
PATENTED
7,602,927
(USE WITH TWO 8 OHM SPKRS)
FX
SPEAKERS
INPUT
FT SW
POWER
STANDBY
MARK
5
TWENTY-FIVE
™