Mesa M9 Carbine vs Mpulse 600 - A few questions

[lowend range]

I'm no stranger to Mesa and have done massive amounts of research. I used to own an M2000 and currently own 3 boogie cabinets.

Question about the tone of the Carbine vs the Mpulse.... do they sound similar? (or similar enough) in terms of drive and gain saturation you can get from the preamp?

Has anyone had any problems with either amp overheating or shutting down on them? Mesa amps (to me) are unusually loud (or should I say louder than amps rated at similar wattage)

The simplicity if the M9 is exactly what I'm lookin for and a whopping 900 watts of Boogie tone for $1200 sounds fine with me. Any opinions, thoughts, etc?

Thanks in advance

[Anthbass]

Originally Posted by lowend range

I'm no stranger to Mesa and have done massive amounts of research. I used to own an M2000 and currently own 3 boogie cabinets.

Question about the tone of the Carbine vs the Mpulse.... do they sound similar? (or similar enough) in terms of drive and gain saturation you can get from the preamp?

Has anyone had any problems with either amp overheating or shutting down on them? Mesa amps (to me) are unusually loud (or should I say louder than amps rated at similar wattage)

The simplicity if the M9 is exactly what I'm lookin for and a whopping 900 watts of Boogie tone for $1200 sounds fine with me. Any opinions, thoughts, etc?

Thanks in advance

Good question, and one that I have been researching, being as I want(ed)either one of those amps. To my ears, no, the M9 and M-Pulse are not inherently similar sounding, no matter how you EQ them. The M-Pulse sounds lovely: creamy, pillow-like, and authoritative. The notes just seem to hang in the air like big bubbles. The M9 is leaner and more muscular sounding, very bold, but with much less of the 'tubey' texture I hear from the M-Pulse. It is also louder than !@#$ when paired with quality speakers. I'll eventually be buying the M9, as it does all the things I currently want, without breaking a sweat. Both strike me as great amps but speak with significantly different voices, tonally. Hope this helps.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by lowend range

I'm no stranger to Mesa and have done massive amounts of research. I used to own an M2000 and currently own 3 boogie cabinets.

Question about the tone of the Carbine vs the Mpulse.... do they sound similar? (or similar enough) in terms of drive and gain saturation you can get from the preamp?

Has anyone had any problems with either amp overheating or shutting down on them? Mesa amps (to me) are unusually loud (or should I say louder than amps rated at similar wattage)

The simplicity if the M9 is exactly what I'm lookin for and a whopping 900 watts of Boogie tone for $1200 sounds fine with me. Any opinions, thoughts, etc?

Thanks in advance

+1 to the above post.


Having owned an MPulse600, and having played the M6 on quite a few occasions, these amps sound NOTHING like each other (I understand the M9 sounds virtually identical to the M6, but with a better feature set and a touch more power).

I describe the M6/M9 as 'Mesa amps for people who don't dig Mesa amps). They have a single preamp tube, and are much more solid state sounding.. super bright and sizzly, and less 'tube bloomy' down low than the MPulse600, with less complexity to the midrange.

The M6/M9 are very quick, have the least 'tube complexity' and 'give' in the Mesa line, and the most upper mid brightness and 'solid state sounding' treble response.

Killer heads. I would not consider an M6 at this point, since the size, weight and cost is not that much more with the M9, and you get the graphic EQ, which can be very useful adding some low mid punch to the tone IMO.

[mrpackerguy]

I echo the above and can speak as a current owner of an MPulse 600 and a prior owner of an M6.

M6 = more solid state sounding, more in your face, glassy on top
MPulse - tube warmth, fuller rounder sounding, and of course, more tweakable

[casio]

I own an mpulse and have played both m6 and m9 amps enough to have an opinion quite similar to the ones stated here!
Honestly, I thing the mpulse gives enough power for almost any musical setting, ant the most tweakability.
It doesnt overdrive much on its own, and that can be a minus, but you're sooner to get a solid state type sound out of the mpulse than a tubey tone from the m6/9, at least from my experience.
I rarely use the parametric eq, I find the 3 knobs are enormously tweakable on their own, i only turn it on when switching basses because they have different sounds, so its more like a 2channel thing for me (although its far from a real 2channel amp).
I think the mpulse is the most "mesa" mesa amp that they make at the moment (still crying that there's no all tube head, though there are talks about them putting one back on the market), while the others seem to be more of a compromise for them to broaden their market - which is fine by me, cause they're great!

for versatile music settings (I use it for music from straight up pop to punk and metal), nothing speeks to me like my mpulse!
but on the other hand, the m9 has great features, simplicity and a sound all its own, which may be different, but it doesnt make it bad at all!

try them out for yourself!

[lowend range]

Thanks for all the valuable info so far. If anyone has more, keep it coming!

[KJung]

Originally Posted by lowend range

Thanks for all the valuable info so far. If anyone has more, keep it coming!

To put this in context that you are familiar with, and since I owned an gigged an M2000 back in the day, the M6/9 sounds a bit like the M2000 with both pre's balanced 50% and the bright switch engaged on the tube channel, and the bass on the FET channel shifted to that lower shelving point and cranked a bit, and the mids cut on the FET channel between 300hz and 500 hz a bit with the graphic.

No amount of EQing the tube channel will result in the M2000 sounding in any way like the MPulse600.

Don't know if that's helpful or not, but again, it has some of that 'in your face punch' that you got from the FET channel of the M2000, but also that very airy, bright, top end that you could get from the tube channel with the treble boost switch engaged.

[mrpackerguy]

Also, if you are looking to get a tube overdrive or more grit, I found you just can't really get that with the M6. However, with the Mpulse 600, the gain control kind of acts like the drive knob does on a Carvin B1500, it really changes the overall tone and you can really get good tube overdrive with the Mpulse's gain past 3:00, or get a much cleaner, faster tone with the gain knob under 11:00.

[lowend range]

Originally Posted by KJung

To put this in context that you are familiar with, and since I owned an gigged an M2000 back in the day, the M6/9 sounds a bit like the M2000 with both pre's balanced 50% and the bright switch engaged on the tube channel, and the bass on the FET channel shifted to that lower shelving point and cranked a bit, and the mids cut on the FET channel between 300hz and 500 hz a bit with the graphic.

No amount of EQing the tube channel will result in the M2000 sounding in any way like the MPulse600.

Don't know if that's helpful or not, but again, it has some of that 'in your face punch' that you got from the FET channel of the M2000, but also that very airy, bright, top end that you could get from the tube channel with the treble boost switch engaged.

This is extremely helpful and precise. Thank you

I love the sound of both the Mpulse and the M6 that I've tried, so I'm weighing both amps and it might just come down to a roll of the dice. I would definitely get the M9 over the M6
just because I'm a power monster and I know that it would be CRUSHING.

[lowend range]

Originally Posted by mrpackerguy

Also, if you are looking to get a tube overdrive or more grit, I found you just can't really get that with the M6. However, with the Mpulse 600, the gain control kind of acts like the drive knob does on a Carvin B1500, it really changes the overall tone and you can really get good tube overdrive with the Mpulse's gain past 3:00, or get a much cleaner, faster tone with the gain knob under 11:00.

Gotcha. Everyone seems to be in agreement that the Mpulse and M9 are two totally different animals. I wonder if a large part of that has to do with the M9 only having one preamp tube as oppopsed to the Mpulse having two?

[KJung]

Originally Posted by lowend range

Gotcha. Everyone seems to be in agreement that the Mpulse and M9 are two totally different animals. I wonder if a large part of that has to do with the M9 only having one preamp tube as oppopsed to the Mpulse having two?

That's part of it I'm sure, but I think it is just a purposeful design difference all the way around. The M6 is Mesa's attempt at a clean, modern, quick, bright solid state amp. To me, it sounds better than anything else they've made, but I hate all tube amps and like it quick and clean!

[RickenBoogie]

+1, they were designed to sound different. And, the 2nd tube in the MPulse is used as the driver stage for the poweramp. That might be why the MPulse has such a "tubey" sound. I've never played with an M2000, but own a Buster, and a Walkabout, and have played with (extensively) the MPulse 600, Big Block 750, Titan, M6 and M9. Haven't checked out the M3 yet, either, though there's one nearby in the 1x12 combo form. To make your decision easier, just choose between A) quick, sharp and modern, vs. B) smooth warm and vintage. Either will be plenty loud.

[air_leech]

sorry for hitchiking but would you say the Titan is more related to the BB750 or is it a completely different beast?

how does the M-Pulse 600 compares to the Titan and BB750?

thanks.

[Matt Dean]

I've owned two M-Pulse 600s in the recent past... and now own the Carbine. While I'm still learning the Carbine, I have a few gigs under my belt with it and I think the Carbine cuts and sits in the mix better than the M-Pulse.

I was always twiddling with the EQ trying to get a sound that cut through enough that I didn't have to play loud(er) than necessary to hear and be heard in the live mix (guitar partner plays through a Marshall half stack) and never really being satisfied.

So far, I think I like the Carbine better... at least for performing.

[lomo]

I agree with Matt Dean. My Walkabout has a more pleasing tone than the M9 for quiet situations and sounds great with the band, but the M9 cuts better and I prefer it with the band. Less pillow, more knife, but still thick. YMMV.

[KsPiNeSh]

Having owned an M-Pulse 600 in the past and now owning an M6 and M9, I completely agree with the above assessments. You can tell that the M9 has tubes somewhere in its ancestry, but it's definitely a clean animal that is basically Mesa's take on the SS sound.

[MysticMichael]

Question for all: While the M9 must surely be a great rock amp, how versatile is it for many other genres, i.e. funk/pop/jazz, etc.

How would it compare/contrast with, say a Thunderfunk 750 or a GK 1001RB, for example?

MM

[RickenBoogie]

In fact, any amp can work in any genre of music. The Mesa M9 is great for anyone who wants a loud, clean, punchy bass tone, no matter the musical style.

[Jim Carr]

Of the two amps under consideration, I have only used the M9, and agree with what has been said about it. I would add that when I compare it to any of my other heads, I find it has more tight low end and low mids than the others. Yes, you can get treble, but I find the clarity of the head extends all the way down to the bottom fundamentals of my 5-string.

Last night, outdoors under the stars at Pistol Creek Ranch, it kick serious behinder from atop two hay wagons at a late evening wedding reception. I drove a 4 ohm 410 Epifani UL1 and an ohm Epifani UL1 210. I was also in the PA a tad. The sound guy was ecstatic about my tone, which was really a nice surprise. I was a sub for BackSeat Molly (awesome band), and the event reassured me about the ability of my M9 to handle 2.67 ohms.

[SCT1422]

Anybody ever tried the two amps side by side.. I've been using the M-9 with an HT-322 for larger gigs, but I love the sound/tone of my Scout 15 which is what I use for most of my gigs.. Now I know that the M-Pulse 600 is different than the Scout amp, but I had a M-Pulse 600 combo a few years back and remember loving the sound/tone...