*IMPORTANT INFO* For Mesa Walkabout users.

Bummer, I guess the many times I've run mine for whole shows like that didn't really happen.

And certainly this guy-who was employed at Mesa at the time this was written-is probably wrong too.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1577087&postcount=4

Mesa has people of varying grades of knowledge answering the C/S phone calls. Friendly, always call back, sometimes don't have what appears to be the most accurate info:
the last set of C/S and tech people I talked to had no idea what tubes were supposed to be in a Bass 400.

 

I have several Mesa amps, one being the Scout. I've had to call Mesa over the last year a few times about different issues, and I made a point each time to ask if it was OK to run the Scout at two ohms, and each time they didn't hesitate to say absolutely not. I think the fact that you did it and got away with it says a lot about the quality of the product.

 

If you look at the link I posted, you can see where Ben says the M-Pulse 600 shouldn't run at 2 ohms.
Yet the back is clearly labeled 2 ohms, and the manual clearly states it's doable. I've run my 600 at both 2.67 and 2 ohms.

The back of the Walkabout is labeled 4 ohms, yet the post clearly indicates it was factory tested and approved for 2 ohms. Again, I've run it at both 2.67 and 2, with no issues.

There are plenty of guys here with the same real world experience, and in fact, I've heard of no instances of thermal protect shutdown or failure with either amp at 2.67 or 2 ohms.

 

I have run mine many times and it never even got hot. Now I will say that I don't push the volume because I never needed to. I don't think I have ever had the master volume over 1:00 (gain at 1:00 as well) and then it was without the extension.

 

OK, but if Joe Blow does a County Fair gig where his amp is in direct sun for several hours and then fails, Mesa can say "we told you not to do that". There's a difference between it being able to do the job, and Mesa wanting the liability associated with extreme cases. In order for them to comfortably state it can do 2 ohms, they'd need to be confident that it is over-engineered beyond the point of normal use. As it is, the amp is over-engineered beyond the stated capability of 4 ohms, which means you can work it harder, but only (presumably) at the outer edge of its ability.

 

I did read your link, but there is a big difference between his post on TB and a factory approval.

 

I've done it too with no problem whatsoever. But, again, I didn't push it past halfway on either input gain or master volume. Recently aquired a more powerful head, so I won't be doing it anymore, but I think it's safe to say that the Walkabout will outperform it's rated specs as long as the user doesn't do anything stupid. But they will.

 

Always good to be careful Fenderhutz and I appreciate the heads up! When I was looking at the Scout I called Mesa several times because I knew that I would be using the combo by itself about 80% of the time so I didn't want the 8ohm combo. The techs said they pushed the crap out of the things at 2 ohms and had no problems whatsoever. Again that was when they first came out so maybe they have had more issues since then. But after hearing my situation they told me to go with the 4ohm and extension and not to worry about it.

 

As previously noted, I've never had issues with either the WA or 600, at 2.67 or 2 ohms.

But, like HumbleRumble, I don't push mine hard.
Input at 3, master at 5 is pretty typical for me.

 

4ohm Walkabout 12 + 4 ohm Scout 15 .. pre=11 master=12, 4 hours of steady playing (45min on, 15 min off) in 102-107 degree heat (unfortunately).

I did this 3 times last year with NO PROBLEMS

The WA did get warm, but not hot and did certainly did not thermally fail or sag at all.

As otherwise reported, I have also used this 2ohm set-up in many other less stressful environments with no issues at all for the past year. Like Chef, I have also used the WA in a 2.67ohm arrangement with no issues either.

Mesa is covering themselves for liability on this 2ohm issue, and that's appropriate. They did not say they built a 2ohm amp. Conversations with the design engineers and real world evidence shows it works fine. It's users choice.

If you are not comfortable with that, that's fine too. Then you should not do it.

America, it's great to be free to choose.

 

Nothing much to add here except that I have run my walkabout @ 2 ohms for several hours with pretty much everything at 12:00 on the pre/eq/master.

No issues. Stock tube if that matters.

 

sorry brother, did not mean to get all patriotic .. or exclude the great nation of Canada from my freedom statement

it would be a shame if those crazy politcos in Ottawa made running the old Walkabout a crime ... eh?