Owner`s manual

O: R P

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, Compres-

sion, Gain and Overdrive Pedals, Envelope Filters, etc.). Since it is buffered, you can use multiple units in line and relatively longer

lengths of cable (25 feet or less) before hearing too much degradation in signal. Lengths longer than 25 feet may warrant including an

additional Buffer or Line Driver to preserve your Tone. Though it goes without saying, we’ll say it here anyway. The MARK FIVE: 25,

despite its tiny size, is a professional ampliﬁer. Use high quality, professional Effects Processors when interfacing to your FX LOOP

or the likelihood of diminished performance and poor sound quality will be increased.

HEADPHONES

The FIVE: 25 features a HEADPHONES Output for personal enjoyment of the ampliﬁer when it is not possible

to play through a speaker. This jack derives its “speaker simulated” signal from the included CABCLONE™ D.I. feature and delivers a

surprisingly good rendering of the FIVE: 25’s sound and feel to your headphone set of choice. The playing volume is determined by

the MASTER control and you will need to adjust the volume there as this circuit is passive and has no op-amp driven volume control.

Remember that headphones can vary greatly in both sound and efﬁciency and therefore the performance of the HEADPHONE jack

can be optimized or compromised by the headphones connected to it. We recommend trying a few sets of different types and manu-

facturers with the MARK FIVE: 25 before choosing headphones for this application. In our tests, we’ve found that lower impedance

Headphones tend to offer the best performance in terms of available output and Tone.

ALL-TUBE, SPRING REVERB

Next up is the REVERB section, which offers individual control for the REVERB MIX in each

Channel. This allows different amounts of the all-tube, short-spring analog Reverb to be dialed in for each of the FIVE: 25’s two Chan-

nels. Anything from a subtle background ambience to a fully drenched effect can be dialed according to taste and musical style and

the inclusion of this traditional analog spring Reverb further underscores the professional legitimacy of this MARK model.

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

The MARK FIVE: 25’s SPEAKER interface is also taken straight from the 6L6 MARK FIVE and offers our

time tested 1x8 Ohm and 2x4 Ohm SPEAKER OUTPUT jacks. This combination enables proper impedance matching with a wide

range of cabinet options and speaker load impedances and ensures you’ll have great performance regardless of your cabinet choices.

Introducing e CABCLONE™ D.I.

And last but DEFINITELY not least is possibly the coolest feature ever to grace a MESA

Rear Panel, the on-board CABCLONE D.I. and Cabinet Simulation feature. This built-in magic recording solution allows you to capture

a wonderful representation of the sound and feel of the MARK FIVE: 25 direct to a Console, Converter or even direct to a Recorder

without the need to mic up a speaker.

Taken directly from our acclaimed stand-alone CABCLONE™, this compensated D.I. (and HEADPHONE Output) does an incredible

job of capturing the signal from the SPEAKER OUTPUT and turning it into direct injection gold. The four elements here allow for use

with a live speaker or without, so you can blend the direct signal and a mic’d speaker cabinet if you so desire. The CABCLONE sec-

tion features switches for SPEAKER Status (ON/OFF), CABINET Style (CLOSED BACK/OPEN BACK), GROUND (LIFT/GROUND;

Pin 1 Float) and an XLR BALANCED Output. This array of controls comprises perhaps the most valuable and welcome feature set

on any MESA amp and greatly expands both the functionality and enjoyment potential in both live and recording applications. The

MARK FIVE: 25 is the ﬁrst of our ampliﬁers to include this powerful tool built right in for speedy and convenient capturing of this new

MARK’s sound without sacriﬁcing authenticity and Tone. It’s sure to increase the professional potential of this little dynamo and help

this ultra-compact MARK usher in a new era of MESA performance as well as raise the bar even further for ampliﬁers in its category

and beyond.

Now that we’ve reviewed the Features and Controls of the MARK FIVE: 25 globally, let’s take a closer look at the individual controls

to see how they interact to create the sounds YOU want to hear.

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