MESA Boogie 8x10 cab

[sjl2725]

Hi. First post!

I have a David Eden WT-600 and OLD 4x10 that I got used about 6 years ago for a mere 700 bucks! Yes, for both. And I gotta say, with my Toby, its a pretty damn sweet sounding rig if you don't mind me saying. Its punchy as can be and crystal clear on the top end, and it couldn't be muddy if it tried. That being said:

The cabinet has seen its better days. The previous owner didn't have a case and the carpet wore offthe one vertical edge beside the grille, the grill was really dented, so I replaced it with expanded metal, the gold paint on the horn got some oxidation on it so removed all the paint to expose the silver metal. Basically it looks like a beat up SWR now... Here is my delimma:

I came across a good deal on a 8x10 MESA Boogie vintage powerhouse cab. Used 2 gigs, is tan vinyl with a tan jute grille cloth. I can't hardly pass it up for price versus condition. But how will it sound??? I played my Eden head through an Ampeg 8x10 once (no horn) and it sounded TERRIBLE. I will never get rid of the Eden 4x10 but I'm thinking of this Boogie for aesthics but I still want it to sound good. Anyone out there own one? Can anybody offer a comparison based on what I already own?

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the lenghy post!

Steve

[Bass Collector]

Check that the impedence of the Mesa is not 4 ohms as you can't bridge the WT-600 into anything but an 8 ohm load. If it IS 4 ohms, I wouldn't get it as you have to run it off one side of the Eden and 300w won't give you much headroom.

The Mesa 8x10's sound great btw!

[80'sRocker]

I did own one and it was GREAT, it was just a bit large for me. I never ran an Edan through it (ran a Boogie, Ampeg, Peavey), so that I don't know but I would imagine any head would sound good through it. I now own a Mesa 1x15 Powerhouse and Mesa Road Ready 4x10 and I love them, sound great, VERY sturdy cabs

[dukeisdog]

Originally Posted by Bass Collector

Check that the impedence of the Mesa is not 4 ohms as you can't bridge the WT-600 into anything but an 8 ohm load. If it IS 4 ohms, I wouldn't get it as you have to run it off one side of the Eden and 300w won't give you much headroom.

The Mesa 8x10's sound great btw!

300 watts through an 810 would still sound huge.

[georgestrings]

My main gigging cab is a PH810, and it is definitely the best cab I've ever played thru - IMO, WAY better than any Ampeg 810 I've ever played thru, and there's been plenty of those over the years... If you can handle the weight, it's a fantastic cab... Here's mine:

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by Bass Collector

Check that the impedence of the Mesa is not 4 ohms as you can't bridge the WT-600 into anything but an 8 ohm load. If it IS 4 ohms, I wouldn't get it as you have to run it off one side of the Eden and 300w won't give you much headroom.

The Mesa 8x10's sound great btw!

AFAIK, Mesa makes their 810 in both 4 ohm and 8 ohm configurations...



- georgestrings

[nukes_da_bass]

Mesa cabs leave Ampeg cabs in the dust. Match the impedance as suggested by other posters.
My current practice setup is Mesa 400+ through an ancient SLM Ampeg 115 cab- the Ampeg driver is long gone (they kept blowing up under warranty!) its been subbed out with a Peavey Black Widow for years- at some point Im gonna toss a Mesa 4 ohm driver in it so I can have two 4 ohm cabs to run my 400+ into from the 2 ohm output jacks.
IMO SLM Ampeg manufactured quality cabinets with good sound, the speakers offer decent vintage tone but do not hold up to regular gigging. The cab itself should last a century or so tho!

[rockstarbassist]

It probably is a 4 ohm cab which means right, you can't bridge that amp into 4 ohms and would just run one side. Only you'll be able to know if 300W~ is enough volume. Just don't start a thread saying that Messuh cab sucks and all if so...
I'd swap out for a WT-550 or WT-800 and kill that pig! I've owned/play/played both Eden and Mesa cabs, but never together strangely enough. Can't imagine it not sounding great though.

[Crabby]

That sounds like a custom ordered cab. If the price is right, I would buy that cab in a heartbeat and look to change your amp to something that will drive the cab better if required. I have a Mesa PH412 which is the same size as the 810 but lighter as well as a PH410 which is just gorgeous sounding. I cannot say enough about how well made and good sounding these cabs are.

[RickenBoogie]

+1 I'd snag that sweet Mesa even if you can't really use it right now. But, as stated already, 300 watts through an 810 is the gold standard, right?

[sjl2725]

I just called on this cabinet. I am (was) planning on pulling the trigger on it tomorrow. But it IS 4ohms. What a bummer... Can I wire a 4 ohm resistor into the jack in series? Or in a "special cable". Hell, Im not an electronics guy, but I know enough to be dangerous... Or can the speakers be re-wired to run 8 ohms? (Or more). I TOTALLY know the theory of speakers/impedance, but not sure about crossovers and horns, and how they fit into the equation.

...Or I could run it on half the head, 300w.

SUggestions soon, please... A grand is a good chunk of dough, even if it IS a good deal!
Thanks
Steve-O

[Bass_Pounder]

Originally Posted by sjl2725

I just called on this cabinet. I am (was) planning on pulling the trigger on it tomorrow. But it IS 4ohms. What a bummer... Can I wire a 4 ohm resistor into the jack in series? Or in a "special cable". Hell, Im not an electronics guy, but I know enough to be dangerous... Or can the speakers be re-wired to run 8 ohms? (Or more). I TOTALLY know the theory of speakers/impedance, but not sure about crossovers and horns, and how they fit into the equation.

...Or I could run it on half the head, 300w.

SUggestions soon, please... A grand is a good chunk of dough, even if it IS a good deal!
Thanks
Steve-O

Ummmm.................NO !

A 4 ohm cab can not be re-wired to be an 8 ohm cab

[zachoff]

300W into an 810 is plenty. I run 300W into an 810 against two 100W half stacks and I'm not even at half volume.

[georgestrings]

Originally Posted by Bass_Pounder

Ummmm.................NO !

A 4 ohm cab can not be re-wired to be an 8 ohm cab

+1...

My PH810 is also 4 ohms, which *most* would prefer as a stand alone cab - and truth is, I can't imagine using another cab with my 810, as it can get loud enough to overpower most PAs... I'm powering mine with an M-pulse 600, which is 625 watts @ 4ohms, and before that it was a BB750 - which is 550 watts @ 4 ohms, and really never needed to push either amp very much at all to be just fine at very loud gigging volumes in 2 guitar bands...

I'm pretty sure 300 watts thru one of those cabs would get plenty loud enough - and they do sound phenominal...



- georgestrings

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by nukes_da_bass

Mesa cabs leave Ampeg cabs in the dust. Match the impedance as suggested by other posters.
My current practice setup is Mesa 400+ through an ancient SLM Ampeg 115 cab- the Ampeg driver is long gone (they kept blowing up under warranty!) its been subbed out with a Peavey Black Widow for years- at some point Im gonna toss a Mesa 4 ohm driver in it so I can have two 4 ohm cabs to run my 400+ into from the 2 ohm output jacks.
IMO SLM Ampeg manufactured quality cabinets with good sound, the speakers offer decent vintage tone but do not hold up to regular gigging. The cab itself should last a century or so tho!

To be fair, the Ampeg 115 IS only rated for 200 watts. I'm careful with mine even though my head supposedly doesn't put out that much wattage (it almost certainly does overdriven, though, which is how I prefer playing).

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by sjl2725

I just called on this cabinet. I am (was) planning on pulling the trigger on it tomorrow. But it IS 4ohms. What a bummer... Can I wire a 4 ohm resistor into the jack in series? Or in a "special cable". Hell, Im not an electronics guy, but I know enough to be dangerous... Or can the speakers be re-wired to run 8 ohms? (Or more). I TOTALLY know the theory of speakers/impedance, but not sure about crossovers and horns, and how they fit into the equation.

...Or I could run it on half the head, 300w.

SUggestions soon, please... A grand is a good chunk of dough, even if it IS a good deal!
Thanks
Steve-O

A 4 ohm cab can be rewired to 16 ohms, but not to 8, if I recall correctly.

Even with 300 watts.... it's an 810, should be pretty damn loud.

[Ryan L.]

I owned (and gigged) a Mesa VPH810 a couple years ago. It was probably THE best sounding cabinet I've ever owned. It was just too damn heavy and a pain to load in and out of my Expedition by myself, so I ended up selling it.

[sjl2725]

I didn't buy the cabinet... Yes, it was a custom order and valued at close to 2 grand. But for the same price ($999) I ended up buying a brand new 4x10 (vintage) which was 8 ohms, and will be compatible with my Eden amp.

Downside is this, I set the beat up old eden cabinet next to the new mesa, used an a/b switch and went between the 2... Mesa doesn't hold a candle to the Eden... messed with the crossover points and levels, and still can't get it close. Well, maybe "close" but not "there"... I D.I. to a big system and the cab is just a monitor anyhow. At least my rig looks pretty now!

going to attach a pic of the 810 I DIDNT buy, and my old eden cab and new mesa cab... Yes, it is actually an Eden...

[rockstarbassist]

FWIW I really don't like their PH410 cab. If I had to have any Mesa 10"-equipped design, it'd be the 610 more than likely. I'm a 12's guy myself and have their PH212 and love it and always am looking for another locally. But give it some time as those are going to be pretty to very different sounding cabs. Also remember in a band context is where it really matters. I can see how you think solo'd just in front of the cab the Eden sounds sweeter/better but let 'em both breathe and crank A/B with everyone else playing and see how it does. There's the real test.

Also if you've had that same Eden rig for 6+ years, anything non-Eden is going to sound "off" to you at first since your ears are adjusted and honed in on "that" tone.

[Caca de Kick]

That's one great looking tan 810. I'm kinda gassing for a new(er) cab, and may just go straight to their 810.