Mesa Boogie M9 & M6 Carbine Settings...

[akane3]

I keep my gain on my m6 at about 9 oclock. Anyone else do this? It seems like the amp is really brash and can be very hard on the treble and also bash you over the heads with bass if the gain is any higher than 11 oclock. I actually thinking about selling my m6 and getting something with better controls (ie.. low mids etc.)

 

[L.A. BASS]

I have not tried my setting that low for the Gain control. I like the sound of my M9's harmonic range around 12-1. It starts giving me that piano like bell tone and some pleasant growl at the same time. I think there is a lot of tone on tap in the M6. Try playing around with all your settings at noon and then start tone sculpting from there with all the knobs on your bass. See if that helps. I think the best way you can really find your perfect sound is to adjust the amp when you are playing with a band.

Bass amps always sound so different when your playing them by yourself without a band. When you take that sound into a live setting, it usually does not make the cut and tends to be to muddy. Most bass players set their amp sounds up alone and compress the sound so much and scoop the mids out and jack the bottom up which sound wonderful when your all alone. But that sound does not work when your competing against a live band with guitar players and drummers and keyboard players and who ever else is hogging up all your frequencies. And that's when that edgier sound starts to work in your favor and helps you stand out in the mix as opposed to being lost in the mix. Something to keep in mind when your tone chasing!

 

[Baird6869]

I have lately been digging the clean tones I am getting from my M9 with the gain at 9:00....

Did a gig last night and was playing with a fill in guitar player that isn't known for his distorted tone... So I played with the gain at 12:00-1:00 to compensate.

I sounded amazing except for the high end being too in your face. It was a large room with 250-300 people in the crowd, but with the gain so high, I just couldn't dial out enough high end to make me happy.

BTW... I was using a 4x10 Sadowsky cab with no FOH support and my volume was at 8:00! Tons of headroom in the M9 which I love.

I keep my gain on my m6 at about 9 oclock. Anyone else do this? It seems like the amp is really brash and can be very hard on the treble and also bash you over the heads with bass if the gain is any higher than 11 oclock. I actually thinking about selling my m6 and getting something with better controls (ie.. low mids etc.)

 

[L.A. BASS]

My wish list from Mesa Boogie would be an M6 Carbine with the same compressor they have on the M9 and a stand alone mute switch... I think that would cover my micro amp needs...

 

[Baird6869]

My wish list from Mesa Boogie would be an M6 Carbine with the same compressor they have on the M9 and a stand alone mute switch... I think that would cover my micro amp needs...

+1.

The M9 is amazing, but the power is overkill for me really.

Love the compressor on the M9, barely use the EQ and the pull out mute on the volume switch is idiotic and a P.I.T.A. IME...

 

[L.A. BASS]

We agree!!!

 

[Jim Carr]

I love everything about mine EXCEPT the way the mute is activated. However, I am glad it has a mute. I use it when I am switching basses—which I never do any more if I am in the PA. Too much potential for disaster, LOL!

I use the compressor almost all the time and the GEQ is great in small, dead, or really odd accoustics—though nothing fixes the sound of a bar with glass behind you, mirrors on the walls, and a polished concrete floor!

 

[pfchangs]

Hey guys, just got my self an M9 so this is a huge jump for me as I was using an old traynor bassmaster 400x, anyways looking at some ideas as to tone setups for active pickups on a ibanez sg pro in a more metal oriented band any help would be great cheers

 

[L.A. BASS]

Hey guys, just got my self an M9 so this is a huge jump for me as I was using an old traynor bassmaster 400x, anyways looking at some ideas as to tone setups for active pickups on a ibanez sg pro in a more metal oriented band any help would be great cheers

First of all, congratulations on your new World Class Mesa Boogie M9 Carbine... It just sounds so good to say, doesn't it!!! If you look in the back of your owners manual, you will find some generic settings to get you started in the right direction. From that point on, you can sculpt your tone as you feel it to your sound and taste. What kind of cabinet are you using with it? Are you playing with a pick or with your fingers? Whose sound do you seem to gravitate towards either on record or live from your favorite bands? Welcome to the Mesa family. I'm sure your going to love your new amp....

 

[pfchangs]

First of all, congratulations on your new World Class Mesa Boogie M9 Carbine... It just sounds so good to say, doesn't it!!! If you look in the back of your owners manual, you will find some generic settings to get you started in the right direction. From that point on, you can sculpt your tone as you feel it to your sound and taste. What kind of cabinet are you using with it? Are you playing with a pick or with your fingers? Whose sound do you seem to gravitate towards either on record or live from your favorite bands? Welcome to the Mesa family. I'm sure your going to love your new amp....

Thanks !! I use an ampeg 8x10 classic cab, use a pick and I prefer a low end sound with a lot of punch I saw the generic tones in the book and tried a few out. Need to play with it some more I guess, I also use a sansamp bass driver if that helps

 

[ricguy]

I've been using an M6 for the past year and a half. I usually keep it set like so, depending on the room and cabinet I use: Gain - 10-11 o'clock, Bass - 10-11 o'clock, Mid - 9:30-10:30, Voice - flat/#3, Treble - 10-12 o'clock, Master - 10-11 o'clock.

Currently rotating cabinets between an SWR Goliath III, an SWR Goliath Sr. and a Berg HT322 (see pic) again, depending on the room/gig.

I didn't like the M6 at all through my Epifani UL-212, Carvin LS1503 or Mesa PH410 and actually came pretty close to selling it...until I hooked it up to the Gol.Sr. Very happy with it now.

I play a 5-string Bacchus Universe Series jazz-style bass. It's passive w/Hanson single coils.

 

[L.A. BASS]

I guess the passive single coil pups explain how you can run the master so high.. I can't run my master past 8:00 unless I want to hurt people.

 

[Baird6869]

I guess the passive single coil pups explain how you can run the master so high.. I can't run my master past 8:00 unless I want to hurt people.

+1

I have been running my M9 at 12:00 for gain to get some grit, but with a 4x10 cab with no FOH support, I have never had my master near 9:00 unless it is a big outdoor show.... Even then..... Master just under 12:00..... That is friggin' crazy!

P.S. I am playing passive Fenders mainly too....

 

[ricguy]

I probably should have noted that I do not keep the volume controls on my bass wide-open. Usually a little more than half-way on the volumes allows me to adjust for a pretty wide range of tones, and volume, w/o touching the amp. 'Cause we all know how sensitive the Master is on the Carbine series.

+1

I have been running my M9 at 12:00 for gain to get some grit, but with a 4x10 cab with no FOH support, I have never had my master near 9:00 unless it is a big outdoor show.... Even then..... Master just under 12:00..... That is friggin' crazy!

P.S. I am playing passive Fenders mainly too....

 

[husky123]

Wow this M9 is continuing to blow me away. Here's my setting so far with my Spector basses:

Gain - 11 o'clock (passive)
Bass - 12
Mid - 12
Treble - 12
EQ - off
Compression - On and both about 9 o'clock
Voice - 4 (beast mode)

I really like how this amp can change it's personality with the twist of one knob. Setting 4 is one of those deals that sounds a little "much" for me alone in my practice room but once the band lights up....holy cow, it's on! For what we do it's such a mid forward, yet pleasant tone. It doesn't get crazy out of hand with honking, irritable mids.

Best amp I've ever owned........so far.

 

[Scott McArron]

IME, this amp will never cease to amaze you. It's simply incredible!

 

[Baird6869]

IME, this amp will never cease to amaze you. It's simply incredible!

Group hug?



I seriously love the M9. I am a gear freak and change amps all the time, but this one is here to stay. I even bough a brand new M9 immediately after my first (used and older version) M9 died. Normally, if an amp dies on a gig, the brand would be dead to me forever... but the M9 just sounds so damned good, I had to get another. BTW, it has performed flawlessly since I bought it a few months ago (I play and gig a lot).

My bandmembers LOVE the amp also, but HATE me always talking about how good it is! "So... enough about my Mesa M9.... let's talk about my Mesa M9"!

P.S. A/B it against other heads if you can for fun. In the last few months, I A/Bed the M9 and an Ampeg SVT-II Pro (sold the SVT immediately) and a TC RH450 (no contest... the TC was on Craigslist the next day).

 

[Baird6869]

All,

I am running almost exactly how Husky is...

Question for those of you using the amp flat-ish.... for a bit of boost or even for a completely different tone, how are you setting your GEQ? I love the GEQ, but I am having problems dialing in just a boost or a tone I can use for slap to change from the flat settings on the amp on the fly.

Any ideas?

Thx!

Wow this M9 is continuing to blow me away. Here's my setting so far with my Spector basses:

Gain - 11 o'clock (passive)
Bass - 12
Mid - 12
Treble - 12
EQ - off
Compression - On and both about 9 o'clock
Voice - 4 (beast mode)

 

[chubfarm2001]

Group hug?



I seriously love the M9. I am a gear freak and change amps all the time, but this one is here to stay. I even bough a brand new M9 immediately after my first (used and older version) M9 died. Normally, if an amp dies on a gig, the brand would be dead to me forever... but the M9 just sounds so damned good, I had to get another. BTW, it has performed flawlessly since I bought it a few months ago (I play and gig a lot).

My bandmembers LOVE the amp also, but HATE me always talking about how good it is! "So... enough about my Mesa M9.... let's talk about my Mesa M9"!

P.S. A/B it against other heads if you can for fun. In the last few months, I A/Bed the M9 and an Ampeg SVT-II Pro (sold the SVT immediately) and a TC RH450 (no contest... the TC was on Craigslist the next day).

What about A/B with an ampeg SVT4PRO? I have had my Ampeg for about 6 years now and think its time for the M9. But I have yet to play one. From What I can tell, it would be a no-brainer, but I am concerned about the headroom. My Ampeg is 1600 watts and the M9 is 900. Im running through a 2011 Mesa 810 for bigger gigs. Your thoughts?

 

[Baird6869]

Chub,

I have not played a 4Pro in a couple of years so no direct A/B experience with the M9.

Having said that, I have been playing medium sized gigs with the M9 and a 8ohm Mesa PH410 OR a 4ohm Sadowsky (Bergantino) 410 cab. I like to run my gain at 11:00-12:00 (4-5/10) for some grit and I have found that I am too loud if my master volume is even close to 9:00. This is with no FOH support(most of the time) and a loud drummer and 2 guitarists.

I found the M9 to be MUCH louder than the SVT-II in any case.

The M9 has crazy headroom IME. With a Mesa 810? Bring earplugs for you, the band, the crowd and anyone outside the bar within 100 yards!

I forsee no issue with me doing large outdoor gigs with a single 410 and this head.

What about A/B with an ampeg SVT4PRO? I have had my Ampeg for about 6 years now and think its time for the M9. But I have yet to play one. From What I can tell, it would be a no-brainer, but I am concerned about the headroom. My Ampeg is 1600 watts and the M9 is 900. Im running through a 2011 Mesa 810 for bigger gigs. Your thoughts?