Gear Hunter

Mesa Boogie - Dual Rectifier Road King

Description

Our patented Progressive Linkage provides five different all-tube power amplifiers which you can harness in any combination to the Kings four preamp channels to create not a cyber mock-up, but the real, authentic circuits found in those classic amplifiers.

Once in a while a product comes along that redefines its genre, changing the way we think, and ushering in a new era. The Road King does just that.

This seriously over-the-top Recto offers four discreet channels that each house an incredible three modes of hyper-tuned pre-amp expression. Yet as if all this shaping power wasnt enough, the Road King goes on to revolutionize amplifier design by offering a unique dimension in channel switching: Progressive Linkage.

This simple yet powerful concept allows you to assign different power amplifiers to each pre-amp channel and footswitch between them. You can match any power amp to each channel and create your own fleet of dedicated, all-tube amplifiers from input jack to speaker, from 30 watts to 120. The Road King even lets you assign a choice of speaker cabs per channel!

Colored LEDs on the front panel keep you informed of your channel selection and power combinations. But theres more to power than wattage and tube types alone. Its all about the feel. And part of providing a perfect power response is selecting the proper rectifier. This is the device that converts high voltage AC into Direct Current for the power tubes. And two of the Road Kings eight patents cover the rectifier choices available and the way they track.

Choosing Rectifier-Tracking in any channel matches the power harness you have selected to the perfect amount of juicy rectifier sag for the number of output tubes in use.

Channel Strips, one per channel, repeat like a console so its simple to learn and easy to use. Here you assign Loops, Cabs, Rectifier Status and most important, Progressive Linkage which offers these five power choices: 2x6L6, 2xEL-34, 2x6L6 plus 2xEL-34, 4x6L6 and 4x6L6 plus 2xEL-34.
of output tubes, either 6L6s or EL-34s, Recto Tracking brings up one 5U4 rectifier tube for enhanced low power bounce. When selecting two pairs of output tubes, both 5U4 rectifier tubes are engaged to support the increased power and retain the dynamic feel. And finally, selecting all six power tubes triggers the tighter sounding, more efficient silicon diode rectifiers to produce an authoritative 120 watts of headroom. And just like the famed Dual and Triple Rectifiers, you can over-ride Recto-Tracking anytime by merely selecting the Silicon Diodes.

Imagine a bubbly Clean sound, using the incredible dynamics of a 50 watt pair of tube-rectified 6L6s. Now footswitch to the threshold-clean Brit voice on Channel 2, driving a pair of EL-34's for a chiming power clip. Or, if you need alternate clean sounds, set Channel 1 to Tweed and Channel 2 to Fat, choosing power amps for each that best suit your style.

Applying Rectifier Logic further, Channels 3 and 4 each include Raw, Vintage and Modern modes, just like the fabled Dual and Triple Rectos. But with the Road King you can combine each mode with any of five different power sections. For example, try strapping Raw to a pairing of ELs and 6Ls for a snarling harmonic spread with British attitude. Or run Vintage, through four 6L6s, to cop the Dual Rec Solo Head exactly. And if you can stand more, hit Modern through all six power tubes, diode rectified, for a new frontier in crushing gain.

These few examples offer a mere glimpse into the incredible domain ruled by the Road King with Progressive Linkage. Take the world tour of classic all-tube circuits from vintage to modern and on into the future. Understand, the Road King IS what modeling technology wants to be. Not algorithm simulations, rather combinations of the original circuits, using the real technology, to create the actual amplifiers.

What would you rather play a cyber mock-up? Or a fleet of real, hand-made, all-tube amps. The Road King is the new frontier, in authentic tube tone.

- Handbuilt in Petaluma, California
- Multi-Watt Channel Assignable Power Amp (Patent 7,602,927) with Progressive Linkage (patent 5,559,469) featuring 4x6L6 & 2xEL34, which allows you to select either 2x6L6, 2xEL34, 2x6L6+2xEL34, 4x6L6
or 4x6L6+2xEL34 for Power Ratings of 50, 100 & 120 Watts! / 6x12AX7, 2x5U4
- Fixed Bias for Consistent, Maintenance Free Performance
- 4 Fully Independent Channels with 12 Modes (Channel 1 =Clean, Fat or Tweed, Channel 2 =Clean, Fat or Brit, Channels 3 & 4=Raw, Vintage High Gain or Modern High Gain)
- Each Channel features Independent Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence, Master, All-Tube Long Spring Reverb, 5 Position Progressive Linkage Power Tube Select (choices listed above), Channel Assignable Dual Rectification with Recto Tracking (Diode or Tube Tracking Patents 5,168,438 & 7,193,458), Speaker Output Select (Speaker Out A, B or A+B), FX Loop 1 and 2 Select (2-Series Loop - On/Off Switches per Channel or Footswitch Assignable)
- Output Level Control (over all channels when activated)
- Footswitchable Solo Level Control Patent 6,724,897 (over all channels when activated)
- Bold/Spongy Variac Switch (Patent 5,091,700)
- True Hard Bypass Switch that removes FX Loop, Output - Level & Solo Level Controls from signal path
- Turner Output with Footswitchable Mute
- Slave Out w/Level Control
- Fan Cooled
- External Switching Jacks for Channels 1, 2, 3, 4, Solo, - Reverb, Loop 1, Loop 2 & Tuner Mute
- 9 Button Footswitch (Channel 1, Channel 2, Channel 3, Channel 4, Tuner Mute, Reverb, Loop 1, Loop 2 & Solo)
- Slip Cover