Just got mine Saturday and paired it up with my Ampeg SCR DI and love it. Perfect tone and clarity for what I play. Using the powerhouse 410
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I've been using my prodigy for several months now and absolutely love it. Play through two Aguilar DB210 cabs and it sounds incredible in my hard rock/metal band... I tend to keep the setting very much "neutral" with the voice selection at 3 (middle setting) and leave the EQ neutral as well. I keep the gain at around 1:00 and adjust volume as needed. I use a Darkglass Vintage Microtubes when needed during a set...
Had another killer evening with my Prodigy. I set the amp to be relatively neutral with the gain around 1-2 o'clock and master as needed with a slight bass boost. Love the tone and punch. It's definitely not an SVT or Fender Bassman and it's not a traditional tube tone that you'd expect but it really sounds fantastic and can be quite sharp if wanted. I play passive Precisions with flats and moderate overdrive/gain heading into the amp and it's near-perfect for my needs.
I also have the D800 as my "backup". It's a wonderful amp in its own right with plenty of power and depth but it is and always will be solid state (in reference to the poster who alluded it being a comparable to the Prodigy for less money).
I also have the D800 as my "backup". It's a wonderful amp in its own right with plenty of power and depth but it is and always will be solid state (in reference to the poster who alluded it being a comparable to the Prodigy for less money).
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I stopped in at Russo Music outside of Trenton, NJ, last night, and saw the Strategy Eight:88. I had no idea these even existed, and even less idea until right now that the Prodigy Four:88 also exists. I didn't have time and didn't have my bass to check it out, but I used to own two Trace Elliot V-Type heads, and still own a V-Type 1248H cab.
It's my feeling that tube bass amps should really only be used with sealed enclosures, because tube amps just don't have the damping factor that solid-state amps have, and cone excursion (not to mention phase response) of the drivers around the tuning frequency of ported cabinets really aren't a tube amps best ally.
I'm really excited to find that Mesa is making KT88-based amps. The KT88 is a fantastic tube for a bass amp. I sold my V-Types because I just can't really lift that much weight, now that I'm approaching 50, instead of 30, as I was when the V-Type was introduced.
But, really, there is to me nothing like the sound of a big tube amp through a sealed 4x12, and had I been able to afford to keep it, the V-Type half-stack would have been a permanent fixture in my home, and my current Walkabout Scout 12 combo would do the gigging duties, unless it involved roadies.
It's my feeling that tube bass amps should really only be used with sealed enclosures, because tube amps just don't have the damping factor that solid-state amps have, and cone excursion (not to mention phase response) of the drivers around the tuning frequency of ported cabinets really aren't a tube amps best ally.
I'm really excited to find that Mesa is making KT88-based amps. The KT88 is a fantastic tube for a bass amp. I sold my V-Types because I just can't really lift that much weight, now that I'm approaching 50, instead of 30, as I was when the V-Type was introduced.
But, really, there is to me nothing like the sound of a big tube amp through a sealed 4x12, and had I been able to afford to keep it, the V-Type half-stack would have been a permanent fixture in my home, and my current Walkabout Scout 12 combo would do the gigging duties, unless it involved roadies.
No, really, I'm not. I've used my V-Type with both ported and sealed cabs. Sealed sounds better.
You're make my a broad generalization about one particular amp.
The Prodigy isn't a typical tube amp and really doesn't sound like one. Saying it and the Strategy should sound better with sealed cabs even though you've never played them? Kinda funny...
Do the Mesa bass amps have tubes and output transformers? Yes, they do, which means they are in the regard which actually matters to this conversation, exactly like every other tube bass amp ever produced.
Which means they will, like every other tube amp nin existence have a relatively low damping factor. Mesa didn't change the laws of physics, even if Randal Smith likes to make the occasional claim like classifying a 2x EL84 output stage as delivering 30 W of power (not actually possible).
A low damping factor means the amo is not going to be amazing at controlling cone excursion, and ported cabinets being what they are, can easily cause drivers to exceed their Xmax limit under conditions of resonance, if they are not well-designed. Even if they are designed never to exceed Xmax at rated power at resonance, they still get a bit uncontrolled at and near their resonant frequency, which is almost always in the audible range and still produces harmonic overtones.
So, in general, all tube amps are going to work and sound better with sealed enclosures, which have the advantage of the air in the box acting to control cone excursion. Solid-state transformerless amplifiers have a much higher damping factor and are better suited to use with ported cabinets. This is not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of scientific fact.
So yes, I do, in fact know what I am talking about. I have been doing pro sudio for 30 years, and have designed loudspeaker enclosures using response modelling software that can clearly demonstrate the concepts.
How about when the cab is rear ported? Does that make such a difference?
I have a mesa prodigy with a mesa ph210 traditional and it just doesn't sound as good as my similar orange tube amp with a ported orange 210.
The prodigy's biggest setback to me is I feel like the attack isn't as immediate. It's become my home amp setup. Which still is pretty awesome.
I have a Mesa Boogie Prodigy amp and typically play a Sadowsky Will Lee through this via a Mark Bass NY 4x6 cab which sounds truly amazing or a Trace Elliot 2x12 which sounds equally good. The tone cuts through easily while not becoming overbearing - it's a well balanced sound. I set the gain at about 1:30 and cut the mids to about 10:00 with the voice set to 3 and this combination produces a clean punchy sound with a hard edge and a ton of body. Love it.
I'm thinking of buying a Prodogy Four88 for some warm tube tone but I see they are out of production... Why? I'd love to have a tube amp that only weighs 29 lbs... I'll be running it thru 2 1x12 Hartke hydrives.. will this amp be a good replacement for my 42lb Hartke LH500 SS?
I had a Buster Bass once, and that one really sucked. A lot of boom and sizzle, and no usable tone for bass playing. I hope the Prodigy isn't like that one...
My cat helped me sell it...
My cat helped me sell it...
- Apr 3, 2003
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- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
I had a Buster Bass once, and that one really sucked. A lot of boom and sizzle, and no usable tone for bass playing. I hope the Prodigy isn't like that one...
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My cat helped me sell it...
The Prodigy is definitely its own thing, compared to the Buster, and I greatly prefer the Prodigy.
I'm a recent Prodigy convert. Almost bought a buster but night and day difference. The Prodigy is incredibly versatile. I haven't found the lack-of-mids that some other TB threads have discussed.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
I guess we all know this is a zombie thread, but is the Prodigy a zombie head, LOL? 
I use my Prodigy with a fEARful 12/6/1. I don't find there to be any problems with that cabinet and head combination. The head is clean, warm enough, reasonably powerful, and fun to play through. It's not an SVT. It's not a Marshall Major. It's not anything but a Prodigy. That's fine, IMHO.
I use my Prodigy with a fEARful 12/6/1. I don't find there to be any problems with that cabinet and head combination. The head is clean, warm enough, reasonably powerful, and fun to play through. It's not an SVT. It's not a Marshall Major. It's not anything but a Prodigy. That's fine, IMHO.
