Mesa Mark IV Combo or Orange AD30 Head

[spawnofthesith]

I know I couldn't be pitting two more different amps against each other, but here I am. These are both amps I've gassed for fairly immensely in the past. Think Imma pull the trigger on one or the other. Mark IV combo is $1450 and looks very clean. Seller profile seems slightly beige flag to me, but it would be a local deal so its probably fine. AD30 is $800. Boht good deals, both amps I want. What do?

[Lukeburke1]

I’d think the Mark IV would be easier to re-sell if it doesn’t work out for you

[ninjaraf]

I voted Mark IV, obviously, and then it showed me the results lolol.

Also $1450 for a Mark IV these days it great!! Almost back to pre-pandemic price.

[spawnofthesith]

I voted Mark IV, obviously, and then it showed me the results lolol.

Also $1450 for a Mark IV these days it great!! Almost back to pre-pandemic price.

[Beef]

I say AD30. Isn’t it more different to the stuff you already have?

[spawnofthesith]

I say AD30. Isn’t it more different to the stuff you already have?

Probably more more different than the mark lol.


That said, I feel like aside from being a high gainer, my past experiences with a mark V and III are a pretty different tone than 5153/ENGL/roadster


the 5153 has been my go to gigging amp these days. I guess both these other amps I'm looking at would each have a unique potential hangup for me for live use. Ad30 I'm not sure if it would be quite as mean as I need sometimes, but I've seen some demos getting pretty gnarly with them especially with a boost. My only concern with the Mark IV would be how it might respond with my looper pedal in the loop and how it might impact volume changes when channel switching. Roadster presented a bit of an issue in this regard (although I do have a work around that works pretty well with setting clean and high gain to different wattage levels). When I asked Mesa support about this and they explained why they did say the Mark VII was that way too. But I'd maybe hope that maybe since its an older amp and doesn't really have the modes like newer mesas that it wouldn't be the same problem. Obviously this is a hyper specific specification for myself stacking clean and high gain loops on top of eahch other

[Guitarbilly]

Mark IV easily.

The Mark IV loop is not great but it's workable. Especially when compared to the AD30, which doesn't have a loop at all.

I think if I was going with an Orange I'd go Rockerverb. The other models don't appeal much to me. Although I like the little Terrors too.

[spawnofthesith]

Mark IV easily.

The Mark IV loop is not great but it's workable. Especially when compared to the AD30, which doesn't have a loop at all.

I think if I was going with an Orange I'd go Rockerverb. The other models don't appeal much to me. Although I like the little Terrors too.

Oh snap you're right, I somehow overlooked that I guess that would kind of eliminate the orange as a gigging amp for me

Ironically the Rockerverbs have never appealed much to me. I'm really fond of the AD tones and I would mess around with another Thunderverb for sure. I like the OR stuff too


Mark does seem like a no brainer though given the price. I usually dont see them for less than $1700 at the absolute lowest these days, and having owned and loved a III and a V I've always wanted to give a 4 a spin.

[greatmutah]

I would do the Mark. I love my Rockerverb but I’m not as familiar with the AD30. No loop wouldn’t bother me but for your looper and stuff you’d need that. I like IV a lot. It’s a little more compressed on the gain than a III but more open than the V. I love that the IV still has separate gain controls to really dial in your drive sound. And the IV is proper simul-class with EL34s in the outer sockets and 6L6s in the inner if you want it to be. I mean it’s always simulclass but I loved running both htube types in that amp.

[greatmutah]

Also depending on the age of the combo it may have an EVM.