Mesa Boogie M9 Megathread: Pt II

[andrew]

Originally Posted by Chef

mine is 574, so, i'd presume so (safe)

Chef, does your amp have the extra cooling fan and venting the most current version of the M9 has?

[Chef]

Yes.
I sold it some time ago.

[JGR]

I really liked my M6 and sold it with the intent to get an M9. That was several years ago, but I'm glad I waited - I'm thinking they got the bugs worked out by now? From what I gather, they added a second fan, new top with increased ventillation, and went to a different type of MOSFET - is this correct, and anything other changes I'm missing?

[Chef]

As I understand it, the mosfet thing was a supply line thing, and not a "failure" thing.

[svtb15]

I have an M9 coming my way

[jnumme]

Originally Posted by svtb15

I have an M9 coming my way

You won't regret it

[Chef]

Kirk: report back!
What cabs you gonna roll with?

[svtb15]

Thank you.. Yes. I Love my Genz Benz Uber 115s. I have fallen in love with these cabs. no doubt.
So that is what im going with.. I use my Streamliner most of the time and all fly dates, for obvious reasons.. But ive been looking for a lead sled, that is not sluggish, and this i think will do it.. I had an M6 when it was called the Fathom for Eval back then.. and I loved it... Thinking the M9 will only be more of that....

[Chef]

truth.

[svtb15]

I had an Mpulse600 a few years ago... It was my first GAS attack courtesy of TB.. lol
It was great. I KNOW this amp is the Anti Mpulse.. And that is what i want.. But i did like the compressor on that Mpulse.. and i think this compressor will be similar only with a much quicker punchier amp ...

[Chef]

fwiw: I always had comp on, with settings both at 9 oclock.
I always had the GEQ on, with the two lowest bands trimmed.
I always used either voice 3, with mids cut, and treble and bass boosted, or
Voice 2, with mids pushed and bass and treble trimmed.

ymmv of course.

[svtb15]

When i had the M6 i ran similar settings.. Minus the GEQ of course.. lol But i liked the #2 for most stuff....then goose the mids a little...

[Chef]

Yessir, #2 was my fave too.

[masmasbasso]

Originally Posted by svtb15

I have an M9 coming my way

Cool Kirk, I finally got to spend sometime with mine yesterday with my in-ears off and the new replacement speaker. I'm really digging it. I'm using either the 3 (flat) 4 (370 boost) or 5 (170 boost) setting. It just depends on the room. The 5 setting feels real nice with the PH412 behind me. It kind of "feels" like my SVT but more manageable. I run a Aguilar tone hammer in front of it with a little bit of the AGS on for a little grit and getting my other effects to pop a little more. I need to post a picture of it. I got the m9 and vintage PH412 rig in British Tan Bronco.

[svtb15]

Yes John. I was on the fence for an M6 or the M9.. You helped me make the leap. .Thanks..John post a pic of it on the Letterman show stage... That would be cool.. .And get a sneak pic of Wills rig while you are at it.. Hahaha

[svtb15]

That sounds dirty...

Originally Posted by Chef

Yessir, #2 was my fave too.

[Chef]

It is if you're using it right.






Wait...what?

[JGR]

I should have one of these puppies by the end of the week. And I WILL find out if the heat issues have been solved.... should take about 10 minutes in the sound lab.

[JGR]

This thread needs "Carbine" in the title so we can actually find it in a search, just sayin....

So, I just took delivery of a new M9, serial # in the 1000's so up to current spec. I had one of the first Fathoms a few years back and really dug it - sold it to get an M9 but it took me a while to get back to it. Anyway, some thoughts...

Construction:
The case is much nicer/heavier than the Fathom I had - I actually complained on my warranty card back in the day that the Fathom's was way too flimsy. Don't know if the current M6 is better, but the M9 feels nice and solid. I don't notice any noise/hum from the amp - nice and quiet, and the fans are fine as well. Ventilation is great - the amp stayed nice and cool during a good hour of max power pounding at 4 and 2 ohms. It behaves well even with master all the way up (running gain around noon) - it doesn't get any louder past noon, just dirtier, but it doesn't clip nasty or loose control of the damping at the limits. Also, the power light doesn't dim on transients like my M6 did. Running it at 2 ohms, the tone is a bit dirtier and there isn't any more power, maybe at bit less. Unscientific, but I was able to get it to pull about 4.5 amps max in 4 ohm mode, at bit below 4 in 2 ohm. It's cool to have the ability to run into lower impedances if you have multiple cabs.

Output:
As someone who likes to play way too loud, I find the unit has ample volume - gain and master at noon on this head puts me about where I like to be volume-wise. I remember the old M6 being very loud - this head is certainly beefy, but max output doesn't seem as impressive (to me) because I've been playing though a bridged CA9 and now PLX 3602 for the last several years, and my reference point is admittedly way skewed... taper on the master is much less abrupt than the M6 I had.

Tone:
It doesn't seem as bright as I remember the M6 - the standard flat voicing works very well with the rest of my gear. I like positions 2, 3, and 5 on the mid selector. The subtle mid scoop on position 2 gives a nice, deep, round sound; position 3 is a nice neutral voice, especially if you are using the graphic EQ, and position 5 gives a nice low mid push for some cool rock tones. The graphic EQ works great, and is nice feature to have though I can get where I want to go without it. I briefly played with the compressor and it's not my thing, so can't really comment - I will likely leave it off.

Love the tone through my JGR 15/8's, and both the Berg NV412 and 610. The 610 especially benefits from the native voicing of the head IMO. Should also kill through my 1810 when I get it back together.

Here's a video:
http://youtu.be/Pk08vBGHYkQ

Here's proof of life:

[Chef]

"master all the way up, input at noon"

dang, I totally can't imagine that.