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Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Part 10

#2,361
bumble yeti said:
WOW! I haven't seen this much activity in awhile. Oh yeah!
Good luck with that, kind sir. I'll be keeping mine as is, thank you. And so should YOU, my fellow TBers. :thumbsup:
And, agedhorse, if you guys do design something better, this mega-thread will end. Who wants that? :dead:
BTW, no one's said how wonderful the DI is in awhile. "Wonderful." There I said it. And I meant it. What an amp! :D
Click to expand...
I agree on the DI comment. I mentioned that myself, upthread about 2 weeks ago. :thumbsup:
 
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#2,362
After discovering this thread, I pulled my Walkabout out of the closet to see how it compared the the Subway, which I've been using for over a year. The Walkabout was mainly a back-up to the M-Pulse, using Powerhouse cabinets. It hasn't been on a gig in years, I needed more clean headroom for the bigger gigs.

First, I tried it with a few different Subway cabs. As someone here just mentioned, the high end of the Subway cabs doesn't sound as good with the Walkabout. I haven't tried them with the M-Pulse, and I just let go of my Strategy. On the other hand, the D800 head plays well with all kinds of different cabs (I've tried Powerhouse, Aguilar, EBS, Carvin and a couple of others). One of the best sounds was the D800 thru an Aguilar GS410.

I was thinking of selling the head, but I decided to keep the cabinet. I tried the D800+ thru the Walkabout cabinet (4 ohms) on top of an 8 ohm 1x12 (Subway 112 sounded good, but PH112 sounded warmer). Running this with the 2 ohm switch, I think I end up with 2.67 ohms. Not sure what the Walkabout cab is rated at, but caution would be advised with the volume control. First used it with a Martin acoustic bass guitar, and it sounded phenomenal. Use of the HPF and Voice control, along with the Mid-controls make the D800+ a good choice for this set-up compared with the D800. Might not take it on a gig, but not worth selling the Scout cab for a couple of hundred bucks.

I had the Walkabout on Craigslist for a couple of days, got one call from a guy who wanted to trade me his Eden head for it (Ha!). Then I set it up for a rehearsal with a PH112 and a Subway 112 stacked vertically. I went back and forth between the Walkabout head and the D800 head, and the Walkabout sounded so good thru the 2-1x12's, I took it off Craigslist. I have some drums I think I'll sell instead.

Subway:Walkabout:PH112.jpeg

300w Walkabout w:2-1x12 cabs.jpeg
 
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#2,363
staccatogrowl said:
How about this solution for a louder Walkabout experience, beloved tone fully intact, currently available to any and all:

1) Walkabout 1 sits atop two 8-ohm bass cabinets, 4-ohm total load, more efficient cabs desired

2) Walkabout 2 sits atop two additional 8-ohm bass cabinets, 4-ohm total load, more efficient cabs desired

3) Effects loop send of Walkabout 1 feeds effects loop return of Walkabout two.

In this way, a Walkabout preamp feeds Walkabout power amps, and Walkabout signal path remains pure to double the normal amount of speakers. This may not be the greatest setup in terms of portability, but if one must have more Walkabout tone, double the Walkabout gear. The setup can still be portable with a cart, which many use anyway with multiple cabs.
Click to expand...
when you run this config, is the second amp really getting the part of the WA magic of the tube driven mosfets ?
I mean, if this were so, why would the many experiments running the WA FX out into bigger power amps have proven to NOT work the way we all hoped ?

not challenging, just asking. I am one of those who has tried this with several bigger (and smaller) power sections.
 
#2,364
staccatogrowl said:
The two-Walkabout solution is directly from the Walkabout manual. Walkabout head 1 provides preamp signal for both setups. Fx send of Walkabout 1 is the output of its preamp. Fx return of Walkabout 2 is input to its power amp. Walkabout 2 is a power amp slave to Walkabout 1 preamp. So, there is one Walkabout preamp signal driving two Walkabout power amps and their speakers. The entire signal path is pure Walkabout with resulting Walkabout tone. If I am misstating the application of this idea maybe agedhorse could advise/clarify.
Click to expand...

That's probably what's going on with this set-up I saw on stage with Icelandic band Sigur Ros. The Walkabout on the right has a 1/4" into the input jack.
OSL 2012 Sigur Ros Walkabouts.jpeg
 
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#2,366
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#2,367
staccatogrowl said:
The two-Walkabout solution is directly from the Walkabout manual. Walkabout head 1 provides preamp signal for both setups. Fx send of Walkabout 1 is the output of its preamp. Fx return of Walkabout 2 is input to its power amp. Walkabout 2 is a power amp slave to Walkabout 1 preamp. So, there is one Walkabout preamp signal driving two Walkabout power amps and their speakers. The entire signal path is pure Walkabout with resulting Walkabout tone. If I am misstating the application of this idea maybe agedhorse could advise/clarify.
Click to expand...


I'm not clear on this. Basically I think you are saying to simply run a 1/4 cable from the fx send on WA #1 to the input jack of WA #2.
Is that correct?
 
#2,372
I got ALL ( & more) the clean volume I needed when I ran my ONE WA into 3 Berg 12s - running at 2.67 ohm. Huge volume increase over 2x12s ime.
I've also tried 2 WA's as described above. ..again huge amount of volume on tap.
Still. ...my favorite TONES from the WA came from 2 cabs...1 - thru the original Scout 12 cab (I've not tried the 15....would like to tho)
& 2 - thru the 4 ohm Bergantino NV215 - which wasn't as LOUD as into the 3 x 12s but sounded glorious.
 
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#2,373
rodl2005 said:
I got ALL ( & more) the clean volume I needed when I ran my ONE WA into 3 Berg 12s - running at 2.67 ohm. Huge volume increase over 2x12s ime.
I've also tried 2 WA's as described above. ..again huge amount of volume on tap.
Still. ...my favorite TONES from the WA came from 2 cabs...1 - thru the original Scout 12 cab (I've not tried the 15....would like to tho)
& 2 - thru the 4 ohm Bergantino NV215 - which wasn't as LOUD as into the 3 x 12s but sounded glorious.
Click to expand...

THIS is where my mind keeps going. I have a show this Saturday, and I'm going to run my WA through my new Berg HDN212 cab. I'm going to push it and see if I can replicate the result I get with the Scout 12" cabs. Testing at home, the Berg sounds much better than the Scout cabs to my ears, as if there's more clean headroom, even with the gain at 1:00. That will dictate where I go from here, cab-wise, and amp-wise.
 
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#2,374
Hey guys, I'm going against my better judgment and posting the clip of the Titan tone to see if anyone thinks it's remotely close to the WA. This was taken off the post DI. No mic. That day the mighty Titan was sitting on top of my Dually 215.

This was an outdoor gig and our soundcheck song. See what you think...

 
#2,375
husky123 said:
Hey guys, I'm going against my better judgment and posting the clip of the Titan tone to see if anyone thinks it's remotely close to the WA. This was taken off the post DI. No mic. That day the mighty Titan was sitting on top of my Dually 215.

This was an outdoor gig and our soundcheck song. See what you think...

Click to expand...


I'm sure you can replicate that Titan tone with the WA, but it would be with the gain rolled back pretty far. Here's a video, taken on a crappy little ZOOM camera, from a gig I played in a record store a few months ago. Only one 12" Scout cab with the WA head, all EQ settings flat, gain at 1:00. I also have the bass rolled back on my on-board preamp, the treble just above flat, and the pickup blend is about 60% bridge, 40% neck. To get the (Big Black) bass tone, I kill a lot of the low end for this song, but it really brings out the buzzsaw gain of the WA.
I was closest to the camera, so it picked up my bass a TON.

 
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#2,376
Worldeeeter said:
I'm sure you can replicate that Titan tone with the WA, but it would be with the gain rolled back pretty far. Here's a video, taken on a crappy little ZOOM camera, from a gig I played in a record store a few months ago. Only one 12" Scout cab with the WA head, all EQ settings flat, gain at 1:00. I also have the bass rolled back on my on-board preamp, the treble just above flat, and the pickup blend is about 60% bridge, 40% neck. To get the (Big Black) bass tone, I kill a lot of the low end for this song, but it really brings out the buzzsaw gain of the WA.
I was closest to the camera, so it picked up my bass a TON.

Click to expand...


Crushing gnarly and nasty bass tone. No doubt WA's and Spector's are meant for each other...much like P basses and WA's.
 
#2,377
Worldeeeter said:
I'm sure you can replicate that Titan tone with the WA, but it would be with the gain rolled back pretty far. Here's a video, taken on a crappy little ZOOM camera, from a gig I played in a record store a few months ago. Only one 12" Scout cab with the WA head, all EQ settings flat, gain at 1:00. I also have the bass rolled back on my on-board preamp, the treble just above flat, and the pickup blend is about 60% bridge, 40% neck. To get the (Big Black) bass tone, I kill a lot of the low end for this song, but it really brings out the buzzsaw gain of the WA.
I was closest to the camera, so it picked up my bass a TON.

Click to expand...

heck yeah!
 
#2,378
adam montminy said:
I really like the idea of a high-sensitivity Walkabout "loud" cab. I tried the Subway cabs and while I really loved the low end (very punchy and powerful), I found the tweeter to be pretty hard on the ears when I used them with my WA and especially my Prodigy. Not surprisingly, they were a much better match with the D-800 with that amp's softer highs. A two-woofer Scout cab voiced like the originals with a couple really efficient neo drivers would be fantastic.
Click to expand...
Me too.
agedhorse, the more I think about it, the more I like what the gentleman from Northern Virginia, Al Kraft, proposed. I think what a lot of folks keep forgetting is that if features are added it won't sound like a WA anymore. A big part of the magic is the simplicity. It doesn't have a tuner out, compressor, graphic EQ, parallel effects loop, etc. It's simple, powerful and elegant. The ultimate plug 'n play - sounds good right outta the box. I don't think I've ever seen anyone here put drastic EQ on it - just season to taste.
This amp loves 12's and a high sensitivity, 4 ohm, stacked 2x12, voiced like the Scout, that ain't a back-breaker sounds like just the ticket. (Oh yeah, and put some casters and a handle on it. I wasn't kidding.)
Re: my idea of a dual power section, I think it may be too niche to seriously be considered for production. I think it'd be very cool! Practical to us WAers? Yes. But to Joe Public? Probably not.
 
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#2,380
It's hefty... I like to joke that the Scout 15 should be named the DragAbout. :roflmao:

I bought a collapsible 2-wheel dolly to move mine from car to gig. I'm pretty sure Mesa has an add-on handle and wheels that could be retro-fit to a WalkAbout/Scout combo. I know it was available on the Carbine 212 combo anyway...
 
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