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Can I use my Mesa 400+ Bass head through...

Discussion in 'Amps and Cabs [BG]' started by Ant1977, Jul 31, 2009.

  1. Jul 31, 2009 #1
    Ant1977

    Ant1977

    Sep 7, 2005
    Connecticut
  2. Jul 31, 2009 #2
    BurningSkies

    BurningSkies CRAZY BALDHEAD

    Feb 20, 2005
    Syracuse NY
    Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
    Of course.
     
  3. Aug 2, 2009 #3
    toobalicious

    toobalicious

    May 6, 2008
    triad, nc
    cab is rated for 600 watts rms. youll be lucky to get half of that out of the 400+, even moderately overdriven (and i *love* my 400+... but physics are hard to argue with). i would expect it to sound pretty awesome, really.
     
  4. Aug 2, 2009 #4
    totallybacan

    totallybacan

    Mar 30, 2009
    21804
    On the website you provided for the Mesa, it even says it "can deliver 500W transient peaks". In other words, that's what a 250w SS could do (though not sounding anywhere near as good)
     
  5. Aug 2, 2009 #5
    Ant1977

    Ant1977

    Sep 7, 2005
    Connecticut
    Thanks guys... It does, indeed, sound awesome.
    I decided to pull my 400+ out of retirement, but I sold off my big cabs a while ago.
    The head sounds brutal through the 2X12.

    I figured running the head through the cab would be no problem, but I have read too many conflicting opinions about the output of the head.

    Why is there such a debate about the 400+ power ???
     
  6. Aug 2, 2009 #6
    madmaskbass

    madmaskbass

    Apr 29, 2008
    Australia
    IMO the debate is superflous(spelling..) the 400+ is a very loud head i dont give a stuff about the wattage numbers i have never tried one with 12's though that would be killer ...the only argument i reckon should be why did you put it into retirement in the first place...
     
  7. Aug 2, 2009 #7
    totallybacan

    totallybacan

    Mar 30, 2009
    21804
    It really isn't a debate. Mesa just posted peak watts. But really it will be loud and powerful.
     
  8. Aug 2, 2009 #8
    lorenk

    lorenk

    Apr 8, 2008
    Bend, Oregon
    I have read its RMS power is around 225w or somewhere in that area...though really, the low watts doesn't seem to change it's stupidly loud awesomeness lol
     
  9. Aug 2, 2009 #9
    Ant1977

    Ant1977

    Sep 7, 2005
    Connecticut
    About two years ago, the head crapped out on me. I dropped $100.00 to have it looked at, and supposedly fixed, only to crap out again a month later. This happened a few times after giving the head to "reputable" repair shops.

    In the meantime I had purchased a Markbass head to use for gigs. Plus, I had been let down by repair guys so much that I just gave up.

    Finally, a few months ago, I was put in touch with possibly the only licensed MESA repair guy in Connecticut. He was an hour away from my home, but it was worth it. $4.00 in parts and $160.00 in labor later, my baby is back in action, sounding better than ever.
     
  10. Aug 2, 2009 #10
    TrooperFarva

    TrooperFarva

    Nov 25, 2004
    New City, NY
    Max power output of the 400+ is about 280W RMS.
     
  11. Aug 3, 2009 #11
    toobalicious

    toobalicious

    May 6, 2008
    triad, nc
    +1

    i retubed mine a few months back with a full compliment of JJ tubes (the "hotter bias than stock", as proclaimed by the eurotubes website). with a sine wave inputted into the power amp (into an 8 ohm load and oscilloscope), mine got very near to the 300 watt mark before any real clipping. that is sort of congruent with the classic supposition of 2x6L6GC = +/- 50 watts. however, with the "dirty" tendency of the preamp, i would guess that distortion would be realized at a lower power level in a "normal" application, no matter how the amp were set up. obviously, the amp will be capable of power output beyond these figures in a situation where the amp is overdriven.