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Mesa Boogie M9 & M6 Carbine Settings...

L.A. BASS

L.A. BASS

Jul 30, 2008
76
2
Los Angeles
#1
Hey TB,
I was just wondering how everyone else in the world was setting up their bass sounds on the M9 or M6. I would also love to know what kind of Bass Cabinet your using it with as well as what kind of Bass your playing with it. If you really want to make me happy and rock this thread, maybe you could go the extra mile and post a photo of your settings for the "I learn by seeing" kind of musician...

My control setup for my M9:
Passive Switch, Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble= All at noon...
No G.E.Q.
Compressor on, Threshold and Ratio= Both at 9 O'Clock
Voice=#2
Master= Usually 8-9 O'Clock

I run it through a Mesa Boogie Powerhouse 4x10 4ohm Bass Cabinet... I play a Music Man 4 string Stingray Bass...

Also on a close subject. I keep my Passive-Active switch on Passive even though I play an active StingRay Bass. It sounds way better to me running it this way. Any thoughts on sound and or could I cause any damage to the amp running it this way?

Thanks in advance...
 

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#2
The Stingray, although having a preamp, doesn't really put out that hot of a signal. I always played mine on the passive setting as well because it sounded better. My Bongo, on the other hand, has a very hot signal and I find that I have to use the active input.

I just bought my M9 Carbine on Boxing Day and am just learning my way around with it, so I'll post back once I have some settings to share. So far, flat EQ on it sounds wonderful!
 
#4
M9 into my HT115's

Gain: 12:00 to 1:00
Bass: Pull Deep not engaged, 10:00 to 11:00
Mids: 12:00
Treble: 10:00 to 11:00
GEQ: to balance for room, or off
Compressor: On, both set at 11:00 to 12:00
Voicing: Usually Voice 3
 
#5
Love my M9. My settings are similar to yours but usually prefer no#3 or 4 presets as they help cut through the mix a lot better. Also try goosing the input gain past noon as this really adds some nice overtones and harmonics without adding any distortion.

This is one of the most brilliant and outstanding features of the Boogie bass amps as the input gain can be pushed to add harmonic content to your tone. So many amp designs will simply end up with clipping if you crank up the input gain.
 
#6
Lots of this info in the MegaThread, but mine is as thus:
Gain - 11:00
Bass - 1:00
Mid - 10:00
Treb - 12:00
Gr EQ - off
Compression - both are set around 9:30 (forget what ratio, etc that is)
Voicing - #4
Passive Input switched

Voicing 4 has that low-mids boost that flat out rules for what we do. I used to switch on the GrEQ for slower stuff that needed more of a round, bassy sound but now I just favor the neck pickup and boost my onboard Bass from the NS-5 and it gets it pretty close.
 
#7
I have an M6 instead of an M9, running it into my Berg super mini stack (HT112ER/EX112ER/EX112ER). Handles the 2.67 ohm load no problem as long as I flip the switch on the back, but 95% of the time I never need more than two cabs with the power that the Carbine has.

My settings vary depending on style, room, etc, but here is my most commonly used setup:

Gain: 12:00-2:00
Bass: Pull Deep not engaged, anywhere from 11:30-1:30
Mids: 10:00-12:00
Treble: 10:00-11:00
Voice: Either bypass (#3) or #4. If I use #4 at higher volumes, I definitely dial back my bass control a bit closer to 10:00-11:00.

On the complete other side of the spectrum, I've found that using voice #2 and dialing back slightly on the bass control can yield some incredible results, especially for an more modern sound.

FYI, I'm running usually a Mike Lull PJ4 or a V4 (both passive) through this, occasionally a Tech 21 VT Bass and other effects in front as well.

I've also noticed this amp really lets the character of different effects/pedals to come through nicely. As much as I love my Walkabout, the Carbine just excels so much more at this, IMO. Never thought I'd be a Mesa guy, but these two amps really are incredible, for different reasons of course.
 
#8
For my M9:

Gain - 11:00
Bass - 1:00
Mid - 12:00
Treb - 12:00
Gr EQ - off
Compression - both are set around 9:00-10:00
Voicing - #4
Passive Input always... Even with active basses

I use a Sadowsky SA410 cab (Basically a Berg HS410) or a TC Electronics 210 cab and my basses are a 2011 Gibson Les Paul Oversize, a 1978 Stingray, a 1974 P, a 1969 Jazz and a EBMM Bongo 5. I mainly gig the Gibson and Stingray or Jazz....
 
#9
KsPiNeSh said:
Love my M9, and play it into my Genz Benz cabs (sig below).

Gain: noon to 1:00
Bass: Pull Deep engaged, anywhere from 11:00 to 1:00
Mids: Dimed
Treble: 2:00
GEQ: Off
Compressor: On, both set at 9:00 or so
Voicing: Usually Voice 5, sometimes Voice 4.

Great amp :)
Click to expand...


Hey KsPineSh,
Man, that sounds like some crazy hot frequencys going on in the upper mids... That takes a real man to live in that space. Congrats...
 
#10
I have the M6 and decided to put a Mesa V1 Bottle Rocket OD pedal in front of it and like the results so far.(I was looking for something a little different without buying another amp) I'm using it to push the front end of the amp,very low gain with a higher output setting on the pedal,Mesa calls it "Pushing the host". It gives the amp a bit more of a tube feel but still retains the quickness the M6 is known for.I haven't had a chance to use it this way in a band setting yet but I'll be trying it out at practice next week. I use the Mesa Powerhouse 4x12 or the 2x12 combo the amp came with.
Gain:11-2
Bass: Deep not engaged,10-1
Mid:11
Mid Voice:#2 or #4
Treble:11
 
#11
I have a M6 combo (4ohms) and find it incredibly versatile, yet lately Ive been having some EQ issues with my sound in a live mix (higher volumes, little loose?)...my Jazz gigs sound incredible though. My settings can vary quite a bit:
Gain: 11 oclock
Bass:2 oclock
Mid: 12
R Switch: either 2/3/4 depending on gig..never the extremes...too extreme for my tastes
treble: 1
MV: Jazz 7-8 / Rock 2-3 oclock
I dont know if the combo is a different animal..(sound wise)...but Im looking at a new cab just for rock gigs...leaning towards a Berg NV610...some of the guys here on TB love this combo... I have had to replace one preamp tube already... no biggy...I still need to call Mesa to see if my head requires an update...
 
#12
onegunguitar said:
I have the M6 and decided to put a Mesa V1 Bottle Rocket OD pedal in front of it and like the results so far.(I was looking for something a little different without buying another amp) I'm using it to push the front end of the amp,very low gain with a higher output setting on the pedal,Mesa calls it "Pushing the host". It gives the amp a bit more of a tube feel but still retains the quickness the M6 is known for.I haven't had a chance to use it this way in a band setting yet but I'll be trying it out at practice next week. I use the Mesa Powerhouse 4x12 or the 2x12 combo the amp came with.
Gain:11-2
Bass: Deep not engaged,10-1
Mid:11
Mid Voice:#2 or #4
Treble:11
Click to expand...

Hey onegunguitar,
That sounds like a great rock tone! Just a little more edge and grit to the overall tone. Keep us updated on that...
 
#13
L.A. BASS said:
Hey onegunguitar,
That sounds like a great rock tone! Just a little more edge and grit to the overall tone. Keep us updated on that...
Click to expand...
We'll do!! Yea,I was reading some posts about the Bottle Rocket on here and Crabby seemed to like it with the amp he was using at the time,can't remember what amp tho,haha. I grabbed one on ebay for a little more than I wanted to pay but it was bought brand new and only used like 10 hours-it came in mint condition with the factory box. The way I have it set right now just gives it a subtle difference in tone(at lower volumes),to my ears it's more round and tubey but still M6 quick. I think we have practice Tuesday so we'll see how it goes.:D
 
#16
Randyt said:
...but Im looking at a new cab just for rock gigs...leaning towards a Berg NV610...some of the guys here on TB love this combo... I have had to replace one preamp tube already... no biggy...I still need to call Mesa to see if my head requires an update...
Click to expand...

I run my M9 with a Sadowsky 410 cab (basically a Berg HS410) and it sounds incredible!

Also, if you have a low serial # M6, get it fixed. My original M9 was an older version and Mesa told me it would be ok and not to bother fixing it..... BS... It completely crapped out on a gig and ruined the show.

If you bought it at L&M, get them to return it for repairs and lend you another amp for the month it takes to fix.

If it hasn't been upgraded, it will almost certainly eventually die.
 
#17
Baird6869...Thanks for the input...I will definetly check out that seiral number and contact Mesa. On another note...and extremely juvenille at that...how many speakon cables do you run from you M9/M6 into the back of your Berg 410..the reason I ask there is two at back of my M6 head and there is two connections at back of HD410? (does it give stereo?)
sorry for the silly question...
 
#18
Baird6869 said:
I run my M9 with a Sadowsky 410 cab (basically a Berg HS410) and it sounds incredible!

Also, if you have a low serial # M6, get it fixed. My original M9 was an older version and Mesa told me it would be ok and not to bother fixing it..... BS... It completely crapped out on a gig and ruined the show.

If you bought it at L&M, get them to return it for repairs and lend you another amp for the month it takes to fix.

If it hasn't been upgraded, it will almost certainly eventually die.
Click to expand...

Do you know what the upgrade consists of?...is it a major repair?

Thanks again
 
#19
Randyt said:
Baird6869...Thanks for the input...I will definetly check out that seiral number and contact Mesa. On another note...and extremely juvenille at that...how many speakon cables do you run from you M9/M6 into the back of your Berg 410..the reason I ask there is two at back of my M6 head and there is two connections at back of HD410? (does it give stereo?)
sorry for the silly question...
Click to expand...

As far as I know, you never want to plug two cables running from an amp into the same cab. Those extra inputs are for daisy chaining (or hooking up an amp with only 1 speaker out) to two cabs.
 
#20
Randyt said:
Baird6869...Thanks for the input...I will definetly check out that seiral number and contact Mesa. On another note...and extremely juvenille at that...how many speakon cables do you run from you M9/M6 into the back of your Berg 410..the reason I ask there is two at back of my M6 head and there is two connections at back of HD410? (does it give stereo?)
sorry for the silly question...
Click to expand...

Hey Randyt,
WARNING... NEVER, EVER, Hook 2 to cables from the back of your amp's speaker output's to your one speaker cabinet... You will definitely blow up your speakers and possibly seriously harm your amp as well... Rule of thumb, one cable per cabinet... That will always save you and your gear from a hellish nightmare...
 

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