Mesa Boogie D-180 in band situation

Bunyo · #1 09-28-2011, 02:43 PM

Hi I currently have Ampeg SVT II Pro, and it is little bit overkill. We play in power trio, fast and dense sounds sorta like a Primus, but lastly finding myself that 300 tube watts are little bit too much. I mean sound guys in clubs saying its too loud, my drummer is saying its too loud and I dunno... Wonder how Mesa Boogie d-180 would work in a band, wonder if it will make it. I had year ago Mesa Boogie 400+ so I imagine how D-180 will sound, but I have no idea how loud it is, if it will be enough... I had in past also Marshall JCM800 100 watt Super Bass which I think was OK but I would need something LITTLE bit louder than it. Do you think that I would be happy with D-180? To be honest Im currently biddin on one.

anonymous02282011 · #2 09-28-2011, 02:47 PM

I'm pretty sure the SVT II Pro comes with a volume knob.

But to address your question about the D-180, I think the REAL question is whether or not sound guys and your drummer will be happy with it.

Caca de Kick · #3 09-28-2011, 02:48 PM

The D180 absolutely kicks azz. I had one for years as a backup to my Bass 400 and it certainly kept up in band situations...your cab is going to be the deciding factor in that.
The D180 is going to have a grittier/growlier tone than the 400+ did.

But for a serious question, why can't you just turn down the SVT?

Bunyo · #4 09-28-2011, 02:59 PM

I simply dont need such a power, if I dont need it why stay with it? I can change it for something smaller and save some money

Second thing is that I always wondered how D-180 sounds like. One more think, now I have old 82' G&L L1000 with MFD pickup and its loud as hell also with lots of looows, and I think that Mesas are bit more concentratetd on midrange than Ampegs, so G&L will compensate that and also volume. Thats what I think. I stiil have the same cabs which I used with 400+, I mean two Mesas 1x15 RR with EV.

Caca de Kick · #5 09-28-2011, 03:07 PM

It really sounds killer with the EV15's.

The most notable D180 player back in the day was Cliff Burton.
Really, that head and those cabs will kill inside any bar.

John Wentzien · #6 09-28-2011, 03:14 PM

I used a D-180 with a 2x15 EV cab for about 15 years....killed!!!!

chaosMK · #7 09-28-2011, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

The D180 is going to have a grittier/growlier tone than the 400+ did.

As a long time 400/400+ user, this makes me more curious about the D-180. I thought it was basically a 400 with a few less features, I didn't know it had a different voicing. Sounds cool.

I'd love to pick up one of those old Buster's too, to have all the old flavors.

mpdd · #8 09-28-2011, 04:44 PM

i'm under the impression that if you have an efficient cab, there is no way a d180 wouldn't be loud enough, i use mine with an orange obc115 and i haven't felt the need to buy a second cab yet

Gearhead17 · #9 09-28-2011, 06:00 PM

Keep using the 2 PRO will a smaller cab - are you currently using an 810?

Sartori · #10 09-28-2011, 07:37 PM

I use a D-180.

I play in several bands, including a black metal band, and a doom band.

One thing to keep in mind though, is that I don't use a very clean sound.

The D-180 is a bit different from the 400 and later 400+ because of the odd volume/master set up. For a clean sound, you set the master to 10 and control your level with the Volume 2 knob (channel 1 and its corresponding volume knob is for guitar). Setting the Master knob to anything less than 10 will result in an overdriven sound.

It might be a more prominent in the mid-high mids than an SVT, not sure. They definitely are very different sounding amps.

However, it has a Fender type tone stack, meaning that the mid knob on the regular EQ is cut-only. "Flat" is Mids at 10, with bass and treble at about 2. Luckily, mine has the graphic EQ to work around this, but it's still a little irritating and one of only two complaints I have about the head.

It gets VERY loud, especially through a big cab. How loud it gets precisely really depends on how clean a sound you want.

Still, the 2pro is a very cool amp, and I don't see much reason to switch unless you want Mesa sounds, as opposed to Ampeg sounds. One key difference, too.. the Ampeg does 4 ohms and 2 ohms, while the D-180 only does 8 ohms and 4 ohms.

pgk · #11 09-29-2011, 07:49 AM

a bud has a d190 power amp (a d180 w/o the preamp) and an alembic preamp and it is the greatest stage bass tone i've ever heard in my life. Loud. that rig is like having two fender dual showman amps in one chassis. currently running a 2-15, he's waiting on a new barefaced '69'er

Bunyo · #12 09-29-2011, 08:19 AM

Guys I won!!!

http://cgi.ebay.pl/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...84.m1439.l2649

Cant wait to check it out. There is also good thing that it runs 4 and 8 ohms, because I could use one cab for smaller gigs. My cabs are 8 ohms each and SVT 2 pro can do only 2 or 4.

Randall · #13 09-29-2011, 11:31 AM

for fun let you guitarist plug into channel 1 and carefully crank up both channels.

Caca de Kick · #14 09-29-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaosMK

As a long time 400/400+ user, this makes me more curious about the D-180. I thought it was basically a 400 with a few less features, I didn't know it had a different voicing. Sounds cool.

It's got a slightly different preamp tube arrangement; instead of four 12AX7's, it uses three 12AX7's and one 12AT7 (probably for ch1).

NecroticImbecil · #15 09-29-2011, 12:57 PM

Cool. The 15" EV cabs you have are the perfect match for that amp. They aren't good for loud, super low end (5 string, drop A, etc) but excellent otherwise. You may want to download the manual from Mesa, the last I knew it was available free as a .pdf in their "manuals" section. The preamp controls may appear simple and familiar, but they are unique as far as I know, as Sartori described.

Sartori · #16 09-29-2011, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randall

for fun let you guitarist plug into channel 1 and carefully crank up both channels.

No no, don't ever let your guitarist know that it's also a guitar head.

Sartori · #17 09-29-2011, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NecroticImbecil

Cool. The 15" EV cabs you have are the perfect match for that amp. They aren't good for loud, super low end (5 string, drop A, etc) but excellent otherwise. You may want to download the manual from Mesa, the last I knew it was available free as a .pdf in their "manuals" section. The preamp controls may appear simple and familiar, but they are unique as far as I know, as Sartori described.

Yeah, I print up a new manual every time I lose mine, ha ha.

Bunyo · #18 09-29-2011, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sartori

No no, don't ever let your guitarist know that it's also a guitar head.

I like this idea better

Randall · #19 09-29-2011, 03:35 PM

Lol if you let him use it you will have to buy two or three more to hear yourself

Bunyo · #20 09-29-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randall

Lol if you let him use it you will have to buy two or three more to hear yourself

And my guitarist already has the opinion of loudest in the city with his 100 watt Jcm800, and went down to 100 watt jcm900 being a bit quieter.