Damping Issue with Mesa?

[LiquidMidnight]

As some of you may recall, I switched out the shot preamp tubes in my 400+ the other week with a set of Mullards. All of that missing gain and tone returned to my amp.

However, I noticed on the gig this past weekend that the amp was really pushing the cones in my Hartke HyDrive 410. I had to fight not to clip on the B string, even at low volumes. I can easily push some serious watts and volume into that cab with both my solid-state and other tube gear. The cab and Mesa just really didn't seem to be working well together. I've used that cab for about a year now, often with the Mesa. I have noticed that the low D sometimes gets wolfy. I've used the head with my Aguilars too, and I never seem to get a problem with those cabs.

Is it just an issue with that cab not liking that head? Is there a damping issue. Would the new preamp tubes affect damping?

Thanks for any advice.

[billfitzmaurice]

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

Is there a damping issue.

Probably not. Read this:
http://www.diyspeakers.net/Articles/...G%20FACTOR.pdf

You may have a high-pass issue, see that thread.

[anderbass]

With that 4x10's 1000 watt rating I'd sure expect it to pair better with big ss powered amps. Your post reminded me of a thread here awhile back with kinda similar symptoms. His SVT-IIpro farted out using his ultra high watt-rated SVT-810HPC cab, but the same amp did just fine with any regular 810e he'd tried. He'd also reported this same 810HPC cab worked just fine with any high powered solid state amp he'd tried.

Could be wrong but It sure seems like both you guys were fighting a bad amp/cab pairing.

[LiquidMidnight]

Thanks for the input (no pun intended ) guys. That's really wild about the SVT and 8x10; but that sounds exactly what the issue is with my rig. I really like both the head and the cab. It's not like I am lacking other cabs that seem to pair with the head. Perhaps I'll have to pull out an Aguilar and do some nonscientific tests.

[LiquidMidnight]

Okay, used the Mesa with one of my Aguilar 410s on Friday and used it with a 410 and GS112 on Saturday. There was great tone happening on both nights and the Aguilars didn't so much as cough. That sucks that the head doesn't seem to pair well with the Hartke. I noticed, however, that it didn't pair well with my all-tube Eden either. The cab does work well, though, with another cab, perhaps since the impedance is split.