So we've got an EL-84 based amp, 2 channels with 2 'modes' assignable to the 'Clean channel' and 3 modes assignable to the
2nd "Gain Channel"
This amp is switchable between 5, 15 and 25 Watts. There's a huge volume drop between 15W and 5W, which is good for around the house, not so much difference between the 15 and 25W setting just more clean headroom and slightly tighter bass response.
I started off with the clean channel, you've got 2 modes to choose from- 'Normal' and 'Top Boost'. You've got a Volume/treble/bass/Master tone stack to play with. An interesting feature on the 'Master' control is if you leave it pushed in you have a non-master volume amp and the knob acts a 'cut' switch for rolling off the highs ala Vox. Pulled out you use it as a Master volume so you can crank the gain and keep the volume down.
The 'Normal' channel mode sounds pretty decent if you want a 'clean' clean. It's not too sterile sounding and would make a great springboard for the pedal whores. The treble and bass need to be kept under control with this head, I found that by keeping them between 10 and 2'oclock with various amounts of gain/volume and with combinations of pickups/guitar volume I was able to produce some pretty ueable tones. Trying to push this channel and mode into breakup gave pretty poor results...so it's best at 15 or 25W for maximum headroom.
The 'Top Boost' mode, as the name might imply is a great big nod to the Vox AC15/30. The treble will slice your head off if you're not careful. Again I found myself on the 15watt setting, the amp seems to come alive more if you avoid the 5Watt and open up the Master to around half way. This is a more dynamic and rounded mode, you can push the gain to breaking-up and get some great Voxy tones, using the guitar volume knob to take off the top-end brittleness I had some great blues tones using both the neck humbucker for leads and the coil split neck pickup for rhythms. Very similar to my Ac30cc, if you push the gain too far your tone turns to mush.
Mesa have done a good job here bringing you a close representation of the Vox considering I'm demo'ing this through a 1x12 cheap cab and the head has no reverb built in. Again with this mode, you have to watch your treble and bass, add gain and you have to back off the bass. Switch to single-coils and you want to back off the treble. Small adjustments can make quite a lot of difference.
More to follow when I flick the switch to the 2nd channel.
and the size was nice, though for the price, I would probably be more keen on getting something else myself. 
