Walkabout Scout vs Genz Benz Streamliner

[bass1107]

Just took delivery of Streamliner 900 and could not be more pleased. Owned the Walkabout Scout for about a year and it was the only combo I could gig a small venue (at least that I tried) and not regret not lugging a heavier head/cab. The clean tone of the Streamliner is great for my tone goals and better to my ears then even the excellent walkabout. The Streamliner specs/features are ridiculously better than the walkabout for my needs:

Walkabout Scout Streamliner
300 Watts 900 Watts
13 lbs. 6.5 lbs
Fan irritatingly loud SL whisper quiet
No Aux in for CD Aux in/great for practice
No mute switch Mute Switch
No headphone input Headphone input

I'll rarely, if ever, use the OD but you never say never. I love the fact that I can go small rig with a 8 ohm Berg HT112EX and the SL. Use the SL with my UL410 Epi for all other gigs with the exception of outdoor gigs. Keeping my Shuttle 9.0 and my whappo jr. to add to the SL and 410 (both 4 ohm cabs) in the event I ever do outdoors without PA support. Life is good.

[Humblerumble]

I used a Walkabout for years and loved it. Never tried the SL..sounds promising

[wellso74]

I'm looking forward in reading users comments on the tonal comparisons and differences between the two!

[vin*tone]

I might try one when the honeymoon wears off. The SL is the new smoking right now.

Most of the things you mention in your list don't bother me. I've swapped the fan, have other muting methods and the WA power is plenty for me. I also practice through a headphone amp.

The big question is .... How does the tone compare? To me so far - other micros are like eating tofu sandwiches compared to the WA's mega greasy burger with the lot and egg and cheese..

[babebambi]

nice... I am looking forward to seeing more WA on the classified...

OP, since you have both the 900 and 9.0
can you compare the power sections
by running pre-out of one amp into the other's power-in?

according to GB, the 900 has a "louder" power stage ...

[Jim C]

Sounds like you know longer own the WA
I for one would like to hear a comparison of the WA vs. the SL through and Epi UL410

[Kael]

Originally Posted by Jim C

Sounds like you know longer own the WA
I for one would like to hear a comparison of the WA vs. the SL through and Epi UL410

I know this is an older thread, but I am bumping it on the off chance that someone can deliver this particular comparison. I am looking at various combos/small cab head and these two heads are figuring prominently in my considerations.

[Chef]

I'm glad you like your SL900, and it just goes to show, not all things are for all people.

I had both at the same time, and kept the Walkabout for it's much more versatile eq, much richer midrange, and just overall fatter and more pleasing tone-for me.

Yeah, I wish it had more power, but it doesn't. So, I use more cabs when I need to.

The SL sounded flat and lifeless, and I had a hard time getting it to cut thru the mix; and it was a flat out fail for doublebass. I couldn't hear the new SS rounds on my Sadowsky with the SL900. That's bad, for me.
The Walkabout, to me, was much richer, more alive, and cuts right thru a live mix.
I can hear my Sadowsky, my upright sings thru it, and I use it regularly as a studio DI.

There are sure plenty of folks who prefer the SL900.
I'm not one of them.

[LarryR]

Gotta disagree with Chef on this. I walked into a gig with backline. SL through a Bergantino AE210. I never heard flat and lifeless. The rig filled a large hall with no PA support easily. Better yet was the WAY fat round tone standing in front of this tiny rig. I WAS impressed. Caveats: on stage was great separation 'tween instrumens (quartet on a big stage), plus, it was an electric jazz gig, not rock, R&B, funk etc. I can't see it for an upright. Too fat. I'd love to try an SL with my rig (in another band - hard blues, rock, punk psychobilly) to see if it'll dethrone my 30lb Ashdown ABM.

I'm going to Fender's Bass Bash in Burbank in a bit where Genz-Benz is featured. I'll get another chance to hear it, unfortch not in a performance environ. Apparently Fender owns Genz-Benz??

[Chef]

Feel free to disagree
It's a free country...your needs and preferences clearly are not the same as mine, and, that's ok too.

[LarryR]

Of course. To each his own. Nobody's wrong. I'd call Acoustic Image flat and lifeless, not the SL. Again, to my ears.

[RickenBoogie]

Well, I gotta take Chef's position on this as well. Like him, I sometimes wish the WA had a bit more headroom, but the truth is I've yet to really *need* any more headroom. And the tone is all that and then some, so I'll keep my WA, and maybe at some point consider adding something like a Streamliner to the mix, but that's it.

[chris lykins]

Also agree with Chef on this one. Theres lots to niggle about with the WA and if Mesa was smart they'd make some simple upgrades and that thing would sell like hotcakes or at least like the SL. But few complain of the tone if youre going for tubey and warm. I found the streamliner to have a really blurry and meh midrange as well and if you changed the eq to compensate for it, it lost its warm/fat character that makes it different than the other GB products. It always sounded like there was a sheet over my speaker cab and I use some pretty clear cabs! Theres lots that love the SL so its clearly a good product!
Oh and it didnt dethrone my Ashdown, its grind I found really unpleasant and I have yet to find an amp that puts out natural sounding drive better than an old ABM.

[LarryR]

Thanks for the input you guys. My response to Chef had to do with flat/lifeless which I didn't agree with. That said, I did play a GB rig yesterday at Fender's bass bash. Met Tony Franklin, other bassists, Jeff Genzler etc.. SL > Uber Quad > 115. Didn't sound like a blanket on top. Nice rig! It oughtta be for what, $ 2500? In my band? Who knows if it would cut it. I'm guessing, hell ya. All that talk about the WA does make me wonder. Drag is I had one. Lost the gig I was to use it on. Sold it. Fwiw, re: Ashdown grind, I have found a great tube that brings the drive to life. Happy!

[chris lykins]

Now Im interested, which one?

[GregC]

I would like to try the Streamliner. That said, based on what I've read, I'm not sure I'd like it better than my Walkabout. As for features, the extra power would be cool. But the fan doesn't bother me, I use a headphone amp at home with multiple inputs and level controls, and the weight difference is negligible to me. (A mute switch would be nice.)

[LarryR]

Originally Posted by chris lykins

Now Im interested, which one?

NOS RFT made in (E.?) Germany. Bought several years ago on a tip from a guy. To my ears, they sound better than the stock Electro-Harmonix and/or Mesa Boogie 12AX7 I once used. I can now turn the drive up all the way up (i don't as I use a B:assmaster too) and it still sounds good. Couldn't do that with the aforementioned. Maybe they were going bad? In any case, I'm happy. Yet, I'm still thinkin of an SL or GK Fusion (Based on Chef's recommendation) to dethrone ABM for my rock gig.
Here's the RFT: 12AX7/ECC83 RFT Matched pr.
note: just a pic, not an endorsement (good/bad) of this site.
Finally, would a JJ sound as good/better? Maybe. Haven't tried 'em. One day...

[rodl2005]

I tried the STL 600 thru a MB 104HF 410 cab & compared to the WA thru the same amp I t DIDN"T flaot my boat at ALL!! Souded incredidibly scooped. Where the WA sounded PRESENT. Sure I could adjust the STL to get MOST of that out- but it didn't leave ANY room for ADDING mids- they were on FULL!!!
Also the OD on the WA absolutly smokes the STL-(ALL these opinions/findings hewre are in MY opinion only).
When the band at the rehearsal room played along I found the STL PLENTY loud enough(@ 4 ohms) but so was the WA. & also I coul;dn't get the STL to 'cut thru' at all. I mean - really I spent more time TRYING to adjust the STL to GET IT to CUT thru than I have with ANY amp.
And as far as it -
"SOUNDING MORE LIKE A TUBE AMP than a TUBE amp"... I've played tube amps ALL my life & I couldn't DISAGREE more re this.
I did also try BOTH these amps thru the Berg HS410 also.
Just my 50c

[Chef]

You can turn your input gain on a Walkabout --all the way up, and it holds together without breaking up---???

Originally Posted by LarryR

NOS RFT made in (E.?) Germany. Bought several years ago on a tip from a guy. To my ears, they sound better than the stock Electro-Harmonix and/or Mesa Boogie 12AX7 I once used. I can now turn the drive up all the way up (i don't as I use a B:assmaster too) and it still sounds good. Couldn't do that with the aforementioned. Maybe they were going bad? In any case, I'm happy. Yet, I'm still thinkin of an SL or GK Fusion (Based on Chef's recommendation) to dethrone ABM for my rock gig.
Here's the RFT: 12AX7/ECC83 RFT Matched pr.
note: just a pic, not an endorsement (good/bad) of this site.
Finally, would a JJ sound as good/better? Maybe. Haven't tried 'em. One day...

[LarryR]

Originally Posted by Chef

You can turn your input gain on a Walkabout --all the way up, and it holds together without breaking up---???

No, my Ashdown ABM. It breaks up nicely, versus the other tubes.