Carbine M6 vs. M9. Anyone Compare Them?

[Horny Toad]

Those cabs look like they're built like little tanks! They look heavy.

They are built like tanks. My 2nd 1x15 arrived with a damaged speaker and I took a look inside when I replaced it. Very heavy duty, and nicely braced. The 1x15's weigh about 70lbs. each. Amazing, considering the Schroeder 610L I just sold weighed less than 80lbs.

 

[Matt Dean]

Seeing all these Mesa cabs makes me wonder how they compare with Bergantino, Epifani, and Aguilar cabs. I didn't think anything else existed outside of Bergs and Epifani's.....Hmmm....? I'll have to try one with my Mesa head when I get the opportunity.

Mesa cabs are high quality stick if they have the voice you want!
Not surprisingly, they pair quite well with Mesa heads

+1 w/Chef... they are absolutely just as good as Bergantino, Epifani, and Aguilar cabs; with their own voice, which I (and many others) happen to like a lot!

 

[BadB]

Those cabs look like they're built like little tanks! They look heavy.

Yeah, the 1x15's are 70-75lbs, and the 4x12 is about 135lbs. Well worth their weight, though. Sound really tight. They are certainly not for sissies.

 

[Chef]

Mesa's removable wheels are some of the best in the biz.

 

[tombowlus]

Seeing all these Mesa cabs makes me wonder how they compare with Bergantino, Epifani, and Aguilar cabs. I didn't think anything else existed outside of Bergs and Epifani's.....Hmmm....? I'll have to try one with my Mesa head when I get the opportunity.

IME/IMHO, Mesa/Boogie cabs rank right up there with the best of them. At this level, we are talking "different flavors of great," and some folks will certain prefer some brands/models over others, but for my tone preferences, Mesa/Boogie cabs are right up there.

IME/IMHO, of course, and YMMV.

Tom.

 

[Horny Toad]

Mesa's removable wheels are some of the best in the biz.

+1 Nice and smooth and they don't pinch my delicate little fingers.

 

[Matt Dean]

Mesa Boogie love fest...

 

[Crabby]

The wheels are very nice. I actually had to replace some hardware on my 412 as I bought it as a store rental cab and it had clearly been dragged around a lot. I ordered all new corners, skidrails and wheels from Mesa and aside from scuffs in the tolex, she looks brand new. The in line skate wheels are fantastic. Tilting back the cab and walking it up to my minivan is a breeze.

I have to say that the Rhino tolex on my 115 cabs and Scout 112 is infinately more durable then the Bronco tolex on the 412. The Bronco stuff scuffs so easily. Luckily all Mesa cabs come with nice padded covers which to me is a great bonus. The cover for my 412 is $98 to order from Mesa. When I bought my used cab it was included and had clearly never been used which would have prevented most of the hardware damage.

Sound wise the M9 is a monster with the 115 stack but really pairs well with the 412. I had the 412 paired with my Big Block and with the Carbine it sounds like a totally different cabinet. The M9/412 combo is unbelievably clear deep and punchy with all the tight low end you could ever ask for.

I see why Mesa pairs the M6 with their 212 cab and the new M3 with a 112 will be unreal based on my experience with the larger setup.

I am so in love with all of this Mesa gear that my old standby Eden cabs are getting no love at all. The Mesa cabs are heavy but I can live with that for such great tone.

By the way the 115 stack with either the Walkabout head or the Big Block is the warmest thumpiest most delicious tone you could ask for. very different from the Carbine/412 setup but this stuff is all top shelf!

 

[mournblade]

Ok, I gotta quit reading this thread. Now you got me jonesing for a M9 to go with the Titan and Bass 400+.

 

[Crabby]

I have never had more then one or two amps at a time until I discovered this brand.

 

[Mike]

congrats, crabby. your pics are awesome.i just played with my m6 combo tonight and it was killer. great tone, projection and clarity with everything flat (bass pulled out) with my L2000 in passive strung with chromes. nothing but the greatest bass tone ever. i can't see myself using anything but Mesa form this pint fwd. it seems a few others around here feel that way too.

 

[Crabby]

Yes after 40 years in the business I think Mesa has finally tapped into the bass amp market in a big way over the past few years. They don't have a crazy number of products but the amps they offer are all unique and really good products. The cabs are all fantastic but certainly not lightweight. Even my Neo loaded 412 weighs 135 pounds but the tone is worth it!

 

[KJung]

Seeing all these Mesa cabs makes me wonder how they compare with Bergantino, Epifani, and Aguilar cabs. I didn't think anything else existed outside of Bergs and Epifani's.....Hmmm....? I'll have to try one with my Mesa head when I get the opportunity.

Wonderful sounding cabs in general, if you don't mind very large size (they are deep front to back) and ball busting weight.

 

[lomo]

Wonderful sounding cabs in general, if you don't mind very large size (they are deep front to back) and ball busting weight.

I prefer the sound of the Scout cabs to the PH series, and the Scouts are quite light (37lbs 12 and 47 lbs 15). My current horrible, miserable, near-fatal GAS is to try an M9 on an LDS 15/6.........only one way to cure that..........

 

[KJung]

I prefer the sound of the Scout cabs to the PH series, and the Scouts are quite light (37lbs 12 and 47 lbs 15). My current horrible, miserable, near-fatal GAS is to try an M9 on an LDS 15/6.........only one way to cure that..........

+1 I'm not a fan of the Scout 115... a little too bloomy and wide. However, that Scout 112 cab is among the best 112's I've ever heard, and the weight is good on that one. I was describing the larger PH cabs, which are just brutal weight and size-wise. I think the 410 is about 100 pounds and a full 20" deep!

And yes, an M9 through a 15/6 would be something to behold (I assume that Carvin B2000 would kick also)

 

[Chef]

Personally, I founf the M6 wasted on the 15/6
The M6, at 8 ohms, wasn't the best match in terms of power; and the clear, modern nature of the M6 also was not a great pairing in a cab with no horn.

IMO, YMMV, etc.

 

[KJung]

Personally, I founf the M6 wasted on the 15/6
The M6, at 8 ohms, wasn't the best match in terms of power; and the clear, modern nature of the M6 also was not a great pairing in a cab with no horn.

IMO, YMMV, etc.

He was talking about the M9. Also, the 15/6 can easily be spec'd with a tweeter.

 

[lomo]

He was talking about the M9. Also, the 15/6 can easily be spec'd with a tweeter.

So far I'm thinking no tweet but he hasn't started the box yet. I was really hoping to keep it at around 45 lbs. and the tweet adds a few more......maybe I'll just bite the bullet......

 

[KJung]

So far I'm thinking no tweet but he hasn't started the box yet. I was really hoping to keep it at around 45 lbs. and the tweet adds a few more......maybe I'll just bite the bullet......

It's all about what kind of top end you like. The 15/6 extends quite high into the lower treble, but the 'nature' to the top end is very smooth and 'paper cone' sounding.

If you do go with a tweeter, just have Don include a true 'on/off' switch as part of the attenuator circuit. Then, except for a couple of pounds, there really is no downside.

Don loves those big, sizzle Selinium tweeters. They do sound good, but quite frankly, are a bit of a 'mismatch' with the organic, smooth sound of the 15/6. If I have one of these made, I'd prefer some sort of crossover and tweeter (like maybe the kind that Schroeder uses) that would extend the top end, but in a more 'soft dome' sounding way, if that makes sense.

Sorry to the OP for the OT here.

 

[greenboy]

A good tweeter isn't just the compression driver choice. It's the choice of flare/lense used, and the crossover characteristics. One can build a crossover for HF sections that is very flexible tonally. But most bass cab manufacturers don't delve into design very far and end up with harsh uneven response.