AMP SHOOTOUT: Mesa Walkabout VS. Aguilar TH500 VS. Orange TB500

[KJung]

Originally Posted by dukeorock

So many folks just love the WA's tone, but can't work with the low wattage, I've always wondered two things;

Does anyone use it as a pre with a power amp?

Why hasn't Mesa made one with more power?

Even more than most all-in-one bass amps, the Walkabout's tone is based on the total package. For example, there is a tube that drives the final input stage of the preamp, post master volume. I have never seen anyone post that they get the Walkabout tone by using it as a pre (even though it probably sounds good).

And, strangely enough, Mesa believes they have made a higher powered Walkabout, called the MPulse600, and it is how they market/describe that amp. However, as one who THOUGHT he was buying a 'higher powered Walkabout', when I got mine, it really sounds nothing like it.

Quite a few believe that with the right EQ and gain settings, the Big Block sounds a bit like a Walkabout. I never could get mine anywhere close, and at 4ohms, it wasn't really much more powerful.

Something in that entire Walkabout package that works together to provide a unique tone. Luckily, I wasn't as blown away by the tone as many others, but did dig the amp.

[speyer]

Originally Posted by dukeorock

So many folks just love the WA's tone, but can't work with the low wattage, I've always wondered two things;

Does anyone use it as a pre with a power amp?

Why hasn't Mesa made one with more power?

People have tried the WA (and posted up somewhere) with higher powered amps. from what I remember, the 'magic' gets lost because apparently much of the tone comes from is MOSFET power section... and the Preamp/mosfet relationship within the head!? something like that.

Why they haven't made another one with more power is beyond me.

[Jim C]

Spent time using the WA pre to drive other amps; sounded good but not like a WA.
The amp is sensitive to tube rolling. had the best results witha used Telefunken in V1 and an Amperex as the driver tube; both long plates as I recall.
I'm so done with wanting a high power WA now that I have the TH
Also not too excited about Mesa's reliability these days as shown with the M6 and the M9

[speyer]

OKAY FOLKS!

Below, is a link to a basic audio clip and an image of the amps front panels after I recorded the track. (and then spent an hour trying to figure out how to get it on the internet, LOL) In the track, I switch between heads after every riff. Can you tell which is which? The WA is totally flat, and I adjusted the TH500 to suit. They both sound pretty good and shockingly similar to me

https://soundcloud.com/fbassist/walkabout-th500

[PauBass]

Listening to the clip I have to say I like them both. I'm gonna take a gues and say:
1st the Tone Hammer and 2nd the Mesa?

[rodl2005]

Damn, damn & double damn! I ain't got use/time on a pc till tomorrow, no point listening on me phone:banghead:

[GMSweet]

Just because I like these sort of things, I'm going to say the WA is #1 and the TH is #2. The TH DI pedal I'm playing with seems to be permanently "compressed" in a good punchy way and has a roundness in the upper bass that I thought sounded similar to #2.

However, without the back and forth switching and solo'd track, I couldn't tell the difference. The differences I did hear, could be just differences in performance. I'm looking forward to the results.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by KJung

I have never seen anyone post that they get the Walkabout tone by using it as a pre (even though it probably sounds good).

You won't get WA tone at higher SPL into the WA combo cab, b/c the cab is the bottleneck. But if you like the sound of your WA into more robust cabs, amplify the DI out signal as if your rig were a PA.

BTW, adding more cabs also gives you more useable range on the volume pots. Whether the 8 or 4 ohm version, the 12" WA cab is giving about all it has w/ gain and master at ~ noon-1:00, so pushing the pots past noon doesn't get you much except more squashed tone. Into an efficient and loud cab (or cabs), you'll not only get more volume overall, but you can hear volume gains past noon.

[CElton]

Originally Posted by Jim C

Rod and others: sounds like the Orange Terror 500 can do clean but just realized they make a 1,000 watt head. I've got to think that 1 kW could equal very clean with plenty of headroom but may loose some of the touch sensitivity and tonal characteristics at sane volumes.

Overall, I'm glad the WA went to a user that doesn't need as much power and I'm very happy with the TH. I can definitely see selling some gear to have the Orange around too.

I couldn't bring myself to buy any used micro other than Mark bass and Aguilar due to reliability issues. Is the Orange a bad idea on the used market? There are B model (open box / returned) amps on eBay at good pricing.

Keep in mind that the Orange has a switchable impedance so it spec'd to do 500 watts at 8 OR 4 ohms. Pretty cool.

[GRoberts]

The interesting thing with the sound clip comparison is that the high frequency information is all there on both clips for the most part. Guys complain that the TH500 is somewhat lacking in the highs, but to my ears, both clips sound great and have plenty highs.

I won't even guess which is which because both really do sound similar. Very cool! PS: I would love to add the Orange to that little sound clip and identify which is which so we could characterize. That would be very interesting!

[NWB]

Originally Posted by GRoberts

I won't even guess which is which because both really do sound similar.

Given the similarities in sound, it may be instructive to look at the differences in price between those heads. Particularly when you consider both are MIA.

[vin*tone]

Thanks for posting the clips. Very similar. I kind of got put off both the Aggy and Orange bc of the over-driven demos everywhere. Those clips have got me interested again.

.... And THIS clip....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XftabV9S2z0

....has got me interested in the Orange Terror again. TB500 --> RE20.

[dukeorock]

Though I haven't posted much I have been watching this thread with great interest...thanks everyone!

[KJung]

Originally Posted by speyer

OKAY FOLKS!

Below, is a link to a basic audio clip and an image of the amps front panels after I recorded the track. (and then spent an hour trying to figure out how to get it on the internet, LOL) In the track, I switch between heads after every riff. Can you tell which is which? The WA is totally flat, and I adjusted the TH500 to suit. They both sound pretty good and shockingly similar to me

https://soundcloud.com/fbassist/walkabout-th500

Sounds GREAT. Both similar and both very nice! I have no idea which is which!

[Jim C]

I think the second clip is slightly brighter than the first but believe that either amp could achieve that tone.
I do like the first clip better and detect very little grind; I'm going WA for the first clips

PS - The low action doesn't help much!

[Mr. Majestic]

To me #2 sounds a bit warmer....so I'm going to call it the Mesa Walkabout.

[speyer]

Did I not say these amps sounded similar? I got almost everybody clueless.. HAHA ! And don't try to blame your confusion on my sloppy chops.

[speyer]

This:

Originally Posted by GMSweet

Just because I like these sort of things, I'm going to say the WA is #1 and the TH is #2. The TH DI pedal I'm playing with seems to be permanently "compressed" in a good punchy way and has a roundness in the upper bass that I thought sounded similar to #2.

And This:

Originally Posted by Jim C

I do like the first clip better and detect very little grind; I'm going WA for the first clips

PS - The low action doesn't help much!

When I listen to the clip... I hear the WA (1st and alternating) being slightly more present, cleaner an full. Kinda sounds like its closer to the mic and fills the room more than the TH500. Other than that, the TH500 is set to sound pretty darn similar to the WA IMO!

[freedomryder]

I knew it.


Funny thing is, I've never played either of these but I've read a lot about them both on TB and that was going to be my guess. It's amazing the depth some of you guys can describe tone!

And they both sound great (and very similar).

[rodl2005]

Darn it. I couldn't listen to it on any halfway decent speakers till now. I probly would've said WA 1st ( who knows in hindsight ) as I hear it as a li'l fuller & rounder, the TH500 is crunchy in the mids & this seems to present itself a li'l here too.

Both sound good to me. Glad I got both!!