Mesa Powerhouse Failure?!

Thasher4001 · #1 10-26-2010, 08:28 PM

Hey Everyone! Today i am shaking in my boots at the thought that my new mesa powerhouse 2 x 12's horn is dead. I am getting nothing but static out of it. the more i turn the dial in the back it will just increase the static. it has a push to set horn protect on the back but i push it and it doesn't really seem to do anything.

I just got this thing a week and a half ago (new)!

carlos840 · #2 10-27-2010, 05:54 AM

I did an experiment with the horns on both my mesa cabs yesterday and my conclusion is that you dont get much out of them...
The only way i could get some proper sound to come out of them was by playing my 6 string bass's high C with the treble boosted on my amp and the tweeter control maxed!
On a jazz bass with half dead rounds all i got was a bit of sheen and clang when slapping or picking but nothing that was really life changing especially when playing fingerstyle with a normal EQ (without pushing the highs to stupid levels)...
Even then, its not really sound you hear putting you ear in front of the tweeter, it just makes your overall sound brighter when listening to it a few feet away...

I would say those horns are designed not to do much and dont worry about it!

I just set mine to 5k normal mode, cut the tweeter 2db just as a way to protect it from blowing if i push the cab hard (not even sure it makes a difference but i always read about people blowing tweeters so i thought id try my best not to do it!) and get on with it...

Thasher4001 · #3 10-27-2010, 03:35 PM

oh ok thanks! but what about the static?

carlos840 · #4 10-27-2010, 03:57 PM

All the tweeters are going to have some static/hum...
If you boost highs your always going to add some hiss to your sound, from both the speakers and tweeters. you just hear it more from the tweeter cause it has more highs!

RCCollins · #5 10-27-2010, 04:02 PM

those cabs sound best with the horn rolled way back or completely off.

gravesbass · #6 10-27-2010, 04:05 PM

Is there static before and after it warms up? If it occurs only when it warms up, that could be a blown diaphragm or the seal is cracked. I have had this issue several times with my backup Aguilar GS412 tweeter.

Thasher4001 · #7 10-27-2010, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gravesbass

Is there static before and after it warms up? If it occurs only when it warms up, that could be a blown diaphragm or the seal is cracked. I have had this issue several times with my backup Aguilar GS412 tweeter.

it kicks in about 5 seconds after i turn it on. theres a little click sound and my bass volume rolls in. When I turn the dial (l pad) on the back the treble really increases as well as the hum in the horn. Does the dial control the horn only, or speakers, or both?

Bass_Pounder · #8 10-27-2010, 04:23 PM

The L-Pad only controls the output of the horn.

Do you play with distortion/overdrive ?

That really seems to effect horns badly - may be blown.

cableguy · #9 10-27-2010, 04:26 PM

Contact Mesa if the cab is that new. Could be a warranty issue.

gravesbass · #10 10-27-2010, 04:34 PM

L-Pad controls the horn "only". I would contact Mea Support on your issue. THey would have a better answer. Sounds blown to me tho. Good Luck!

tekhedd · #11 10-27-2010, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RCCollins

those cabs sound best with the horn rolled way back or completely off.

I dunno, I like mine in the flat position. I like that it doesn't have a super high gain, so it actually sounds like a natural high frequency extension instead of a high frequency presence peak.