# Mesa Dual Rectifier vs. Single Rectifier



## vontetzianos (Nov 25, 2008)

Hey

I was wondering whats the difference in sound between the Dual Rec and Single Rec? I already own the Dual rec, but the general attitude here in South Africa is 'lets not bring in kickass equipment', so I havn't tried the single. From what I can see is its just a clean and drive channel, but some are saying that because its a 50W head, the clean channel isn't exactly 'clean'. Can it still do that wall-of-sound rectifier tone?


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## loktide (Nov 25, 2008)

i've never got to AB both myself, but from what i keep reading on the net, the single seems to be a bit tighter and has less headroom as well as less bottom-end.

from a technical point of view, it's half the power, 2 channels and no tube rectifier.


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## petereanima (Nov 25, 2008)

i'm one of the few liking the single recti better than the dual, mostly because its, as loktide mentioned, tighter than the dual recti.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Nov 25, 2008)

single guy here too, i could have spent an extra 200 bucks on the dual, but the single definatly was tighter, i THINK i heard the single still clips a diode at some point while the dual is all tube, but the diode makes it tighter than a tube


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## eaeolian (Nov 25, 2008)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> single guy here too, i could have spent an extra 200 bucks on the dual, but the single definatly was tighter, i THINK i heard the single still clips a diode at some point while the dual is all tube, but the diode makes it tighter than a tube



Nope. There are no diode-clipping amps in the Mesa Recto line - it's got a silicon diode rectifier, but all Rectos do. It's just a simpler circuit, having only two channels, and it lacks a few of the bells and whistles - I don't think it has the tube rectifier available, for example...

Having said that, I like the Single. The only Recto Solo head I like the clean on is the Triple, but the Single's a good amp when crunched up.


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## Drew (Nov 25, 2008)

The one detail no one seems to have mentioned is that the three channel Duals have a third channel that's voiced a little differently - the clean channel and the 2nd channel are essentially the same (ignoring the impact of the power amp - the Dual is 100, has switchable tube/solid state rectification, and has the bold/spongy switch - the single is 50, and is sort of hard-wired to a solid state rectifier and the "bold" poweramp mode), but the third channel of a 3-channel Rectifier has a more aggressive presence sweep - 1/3 of the way up on channel 3 will give you about the full range of channel 2. 

So, if the "Recto sound" you're after involves the 3rd channel with the presence higher than maybe 10:30 o'clock, then the answer is no.


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## Distortion (Nov 25, 2008)

Speaking of cleans, I actually find that the clean channel on my dual rectifier breaks up very easily... Just kick in some volume and its already breaking up and getting a bit dirty... So I guess this is just worse on a single rectifier? it being 50w instead of 100w ?


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Nov 25, 2008)

eaeolian said:


> Nope. There are no diode-clipping amps in the Mesa Recto line - it's got a silicon diode rectifier, but all Rectos do. It's just a simpler circuit, having only two channels, and it lacks a few of the bells and whistles - I don't think it has the tube rectifier available, for example...
> 
> Having said that, I like the Single. The only Recto Solo head I like the clean on is the Triple, but the Single's a good amp when crunched up.



i stand corrected


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## budda (Nov 25, 2008)

Distortion said:


> Speaking of cleans, I actually find that the clean channel on my dual rectifier breaks up very easily... Just kick in some volume and its already breaking up and getting a bit dirty... So I guess this is just worse on a single rectifier? it being 50w instead of 100w ?



what settings do you use for your clean channel, and what pickup on your guitar? i believe there is a gain knob on the dual rec clean channel - keep it low.


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## m3ta1head (Nov 25, 2008)

budda said:


> what settings do you use for your clean channel, and what pickup on your guitar? i believe there is a gain knob on the dual rec clean channel - keep it low.



 I keep the gain on the clean channel on my triple around 7oclock.


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## vontetzianos (Nov 26, 2008)

Distortion said:


> Speaking of cleans, I actually find that the clean channel on my dual rectifier breaks up very easily... Just kick in some volume and its already breaking up and getting a bit dirty... So I guess this is just worse on a single rectifier? it being 50w instead of 100w ?


 
You really need to keep the gain low and push the output volume. Also make sure you switch to "clean" instead of "pushed". I do it and the clean channel is very usable.


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## Distortion (Nov 26, 2008)

vontetzianos said:


> You really need to keep the gain low and push the output volume. Also make sure you switch to "clean" instead of "pushed". I do it and the clean channel is very usable.



Cool i'll check that out! Thanks!
I'm used to run the gain around noon so that I don't have to push that channel volume knob but i'll try it the other way around.

As for the Single VS Dual, I actually love how the tube rectifier sounds so that's why i'd pick the Dual over the Single rectifier


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