Mesas are usually darker/bassier as opposed to Marshall that is more stabbing/punching sound.
That’s a generalization of course, but listen in on Youtube JCM2000 vs say Mesa Dual Rectifier.
That’s a pretty good breakdown between the 2. I would tend to agree!
Ah. I see what you guys are saying. I never made that connection, probably because of the particular types of Mesas and Marshall’s I’ve played the most. When I had a JCM2000 running next to Dual Rec, I tended to dial them in with similar settings, paying particular attention to how the high end and presence controls on each. As one thing I was always cognizant of not having excessive fizz or brightness.
I also found that Dual Rec to be darker until you wired to a different cab. Then all bets were off. My favorite combination was probably the Dual Rec through the oversized 1960TV closed back cab.
Thinking back on it, I would agree that original Mark 2 and the C+ were a bit darker by nature than the JMPs and Bluesbreakers. But I wouldn’t say the same about the Nomad, Stiletto, or Maverick. I will say that I think the 2B and C+ record much better than any of the other 3. They’re both really incredible amps. I love 'em to death!
This is a pretty goofy demo, but you do get to hear the amp. You can hear the reminiscence of the fender mods in the 2B’s. As you may know, Randall Smith built the Mesa reputation in the 70’s by modding Fender Princetons.
These are really great amps, and they relatively cheap. But I wouldn’t recommend it as a first choice to someone who can only afford one amp. They’re better as supplemental or secondary amps for recording purposes. They’re also way unreasonably heavy for their size, and are a pain the ass to gig with. They need to be cranked too, and can easily cause your stage volume to get out of control.