M9 vs. 2001RB

[andrew]

Has anyone compared the Mesa M9 and the G-K 2001RB? Which is louder?

[rockstarbassist]

Well the Mesa is 900W and the GK is 1080 bridged, so as far as 'wattage' goes the GK has the edge but trust me, I have the M9 and you will need to be playing stadiums before you even get close to hitting it's max volume. And even then you'd be kicked out by the time you got that loud.
They're both great amps. If I didn't have the M9 i'd probably have the 2001.

[JGR]

Power is moot - they both have plenty. It will come down to which is voiced better for your style/needs.

[RickenBoogie]

+1 to that^, and more importantly, what speaker cabs you use.

[brndn123]

As mentioned earlier, specs wise, the GK is rated a bit higher but I highly doubt volume will be a factor with either head.

You should really consider heading over to your nearest music store to try out the likes of an m6 and 1001rb to see which amp is better voiced to your preference. From there, the only difference between the models I mentioned and the ones you mentioned are output volumes.

Just a side note, I ran a 1001rb for many years at venues of all sizes and I've never had to run it past the 3 o' clock position without completely blasting my bandmates off stage. Good luck man

[andrew]

Thanks guys. I'm partially curious about this from a clinical standpoint, not a practical one.

Yes, both would probably meet my needs, but I'm simply curious how the two compare volume wise and tone wise.

For example, while the M9 is rated at 900 watts at 4 ohms and the Aguilar DB750 is rated at 750 watts at 4 ohms, the Aguilar is much more robust sounding and louder to my ears. Which is in no way a slight to the M9, that amp is awesome.

I read reviews of the 2001RB on here that said it was the loudest amp ever and others that said it's loud, but there's louder out there.

The M9 has been described as being G-K like, so it interests me to hear the opinions of those who've played both and can compare them.

[brndn123]

Have you considered this guy yet?

[JGR]

Originally Posted by brndn123

Have you considered this guy yet?

Based on the latest Bass Gear Mag tests of the 450, it would be interesting to know what the real wattage of this is - probably somewhere in the 1K range.

[JGR]

Originally Posted by andrew

Thanks guys. I'm partially curious about this from a clinical standpoint, not a practical one.

Yes, both would probably meet my needs, but I'm simply curious how the two compare volume wise and tone wise.

For example, while the M9 is rated at 900 watts at 4 ohms and the Aguilar DB750 is rated at 750 watts at 4 ohms, the Aguilar is much more robust sounding and louder to my ears. Which is in no way a slight to the M9, that amp is awesome.

I read reviews of the 2001RB on here that said it was the loudest amp ever and others that said it's loud, but there's louder out there.

The M9 has been described as being G-K like, so it interests me to hear the opinions of those who've played both and can compare them.

I've owned the 2001 and the M6, and played the M9. I can see where the comparisons would come in. I like the mono power sections of the Mesa's and their ability to run 2 ohm loads, rather than having to bridge the GK which is limited to four ohms in this mode. I always thought the GK was weak running in dual mono, so I never ran it this way. The GK is certainly one ballsy amp when bridged, and it sounded killer with my Bag Ends. The Mesas didn't sound as good with the BEs, but they were killer with all of the Berg NV's, and I like their EQ much better than the GK's. Specifically, I prefer the center points of the Mesa EQ better, and I find it to be more powerful when boosting and cutting. That was mainly based on the M6 - I'm sure it is even better with the M9's graphic. I didn't end up loving the GK's OD channel - nothing wrong with it, just not my thing as it was hard to get it to sound good without changing the EQ. So my vote goes to the M9.

[SlingBass4]

Originally Posted by brndn123

G...G...GAS!

[Chef]

I think the pricetag on that particular TC is in the $3,000 range.
No gas there for me.

[andrew]

Originally Posted by JGR

I like the mono power sections of the Mesa's and their ability to run 2 ohm loads, rather than having to bridge the GK which is limited to four ohms in this mode.

I agree, in general I prefer this.

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by Chef

I think the pricetag on that particular TC is in the $3,000 range.
No gas there for me.

It has a sale price of around $2500 at Sweetwater. I'm sure it's a great sounding head, but when I'm paying that for a bass amp, I'm expecting a handwired tube amp.

[Crabby]

Hi Andrew. I own an M9 and had a GK2001 as a loaner for a few months last year while my M9 was being retrofitted for the upgrade package at Mesa. Lets just say right off the bat that the M9 Carbine weighs in at about 25 pounds and the 2001 is well over 60! Its a pig to carry around for sure.

Although the Carbine is a tight, bright and punchy amp compared to the rest of the Mesa line, it has a lot more warmth and usable options in my opinion then the 2001. The GK amp was all raw power, but the overdrive channel did nothing for me and I found the overall tone to be a little sterile at more reasonable volumes.

The Carbines have a very well designed tube stage in the preamp and you can really push the input level. The GK just seemed like a beast to me and I could not bond with it. I owned an 800RB for years that I loved and currently own an MB500 which I think is killer so I am familiar with the GK sound.

I feel that the the Mesa is just a better deal. It costs hundreds less then the 2001, is a third of the weight, has almost the same power rating, is ungodly loud, more useful features like the compressor and eq presets, and has a fantastic 5 year warranty.

Just my 2 cents!

[JGR]

The 2001RB is 42.5 lbs.