Mesa 400+ --> Brainstorming need help.

[Tajue17]

okay I have my 400+ that i just dragged out of storage and I forget how the input jacks work,,,,,,,, well sort of I thin I remember but I have both active and passive basses and which jack is for which???? (Jacks 1 & 2)

2nd ? ,,,,, when I took the amp out I had a 1/4 splitter cable on my bass cord which allowed me to plug into BOTH inputs at the same time which I think some folks recommended but I forget if I could do this with with active or passive or both????

I'm using active stingrays and P-Basses passive ,,,, I did a search and read alot of greatness but I'm looking to get the jist of the inputs because my brains acting funny and how I should plug in both active and passive..

thanks for any info,, T

[Caca de Kick]

input 1 is listed for actives, and input 2 is listed for passives.

On mine, I have always used input 1 for only my really hot active basses.
Most everything else, my Fenders and my Musicmans I put in channel 2.

You can still download the owners manual on Mesa's site.

[RickenBoogie]

+1, active input is really not needed, even with an active bass. Unless your bass is SUPER hot output.

[Alex1984]

MusicMans do well in input 2. Even though input 1 is the one designated for active basses.

[BurningSkies]

Cut out the uncertainty and just run both channels.

[anderbass]

You can use an active or passive bass into either channel or both channels simultaneously.

If your active bass had a little (or a lot) higher output than a passive, you could simply turn the 400+ input channel knobs down a little (or a lot) to compensate for the difference.

[mikeldtl]

Always liked the sound of input 2 better. Even when using an active Musicman 5 string the voicing of input 2 sounded more alive to me. Go down to radio shack and pick up one of their 3 dollar Y cables and plug into both. I figure that while 2 sounds better, blending in input 1 for a little more defined low end never hurt.

[Caca de Kick]

Cut out the uncertainty and just run both channels.

You can use an active or passive bass into either channel or both channels simultaneously.

If your active bass had a little (or a lot) higher output than a passive, you could simply turn the 400+ input channel knobs down a little (or a lot) to compensate for the difference.

While the above statements are true, I keep separate channels set because I'll switch between passive and active or very hot active basses at gigs between songs. This way I don't have to screw volume adjustments, just plug and go and the volumes are consistant.

[themacinator]

+1 on the input 2 usage with the Musicman's. I do that now after some experimentation.

[beans-on-toast]

Everyone seems to be in agreement about how these inputs should be used.

There are two inputs on this amp. Channel 1 has more headroom and less gain and, because of that, Mesa suggests that it is better suited to an active bass. The two channels are voiced slightly differently.

I see it simply as two different channels and therefore more possibilities for tonal variation and versatility. Each channel can be adjusted to suit whatever type of bass, active or passive, that is plugged in.

The idea of a switchable A/B box is a good one since it allows tonal variation on the fly.