Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Part 10

[markmck79]

Hey, I have a short question. My WA12 has a 4Ohm speaker in it. I'd like to add a second cab to my rig, so can I simply swap the 4Ohm with an 8Ohm speaker?
A cab-builder told me the enclosure needs another tuning for the 8Ohm due to different installation parameters. Are there any differences in the 4 and 8 Ohm versions of the combo cab? Maybe the bass reflex tube or the insulation?
Maybe @agedhorse can bring some light on it.

You can call customer service, but I am pretty sure the parameters of the 8 ohm driver are very close to the 4 ohm driver and it's a direct swap.

I was told by customer service it was a direct swap and no modifications were needed when I switched out the drivers in my WA15 combo and extension from 4ohms to 8ohms OEM drivers.

 

[Furious_Man77]

You can call customer service, but I am pretty sure the parameters of the 8 ohm driver are very close to the 4 ohm driver and it's a direct swap.

I have done this swap before after ordering the 8 ohm speaker from the Mesa online store. Its easy and a direct swap, no cab mods necessary - sounded just fine.

 

[StayLow]

I've swapped 4 and 8 Ohm speakers (the proper OEM ones from Mesa, for what it's worth) in and out of the combo and extensions cabs many times, 12" and 15". All good.

 

[wimpy]

I finally scored an 8 ohm extension cab and I'm looking to change the driver in my combo from 4 ohm to a matching 8 ohm.

Mesa tells me this is the current 8 ohm driver for the 12" combo:
12” Ceramic 8ohm Bass Speaker (767345)

I though that was an error, but I guess not. Apparently they switched over to ceramic (though they have a lot of 4 ohms neo still in stock).

Has anyone already gone through this? I like the light weight and tone of the combo with the existing driver. I'd like to match it as best I can.

I have WA combo and WA extention originaly with neo drivers (they made different dust cap). Well I bought original Mesa/Eminece driver with ceramic magnet and I'm happy with that I think sound is a bit more natural more tight with more volume...anyway these mesa neos are realy great too! Let say little sharper...hope it helps

 

[glocke1]

this is such a great amp, I was surprised to see Mesa has it discontinued. I've got one I've had for probably 15-16 years now, and it's still going strong. I think it had to make one trip back to Mesa for something, not sure what.

I've also done some recent gigs that were recorded with the DI out, and was frankly surprised at how great it sounded. Almost sounded as good as my Demeter DI.

 

[joebar]

I looked up the owners manual on the WA and the M3 carbine. A friend of mine told me last night about the mid control on both amps was a passive/cut only system which I didn't know.
As I read about the control, it said it was a passive knob with a BOOST only... this doesn't make sense to me- perhaps it's a typo and meant to say CUT only?

 

[agedhorse]

The mid control is cut only, with some make-up gain

 

[joebar]

The mid control is cut only, with some make-up gain

This the same for the M3 carbine correct?

 

[agedhorse]

This the same for the M3 carbine correct?

I believe so, but don't have the docs. at hand to verify.

 

[joebar]

I believe so, but don't have the docs. at hand to verify.

The mid knob on the M3 has a centre detent which confuses the matter even more but it certainly sounds like a passive control.
Had no idea that these amps were based on the fender tone stack which I also only found out about yesterday.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

I read somewhere in this thread that the Walkabout controls are indeed based on a Fender tone stack; if so, then I believe 'flat' should be 2-10-2 (Bass-Mid-Treb). It is on my Alembic F -1X for sure.

Here is an older thread on that subject- Fender/Alembic/BBE Tone Stack Explained

I tried setting my WalkAbout that way and it sounded positively awful... might be better with another type of cab, but the Scout 15 combo-cab my WA currently lives in didn't like it.

 

[agedhorse]

The mid knob on the M3 has a centre detent which confuses the matter even more but it certainly sounds like a passive control.
Had no idea that these amps were based on the fender tone stack which I also only found out about yesterday.

Only a small part of the amp is based on the Fender (and others) type of tone stack. There is a whole lot more to any amp than this.

I just checked and it is a passive mid.

 

[FlyingV73]

Anybody know where I can get a 8Ohm Scout 12 Extension Cab ?
PM' me..
Thanks in advance!

 

[s_wood]

The Walkabout does not use the Fender tone stack, and 2-10-2 is not anywhere close to flat. The mid control, and where “flat” is, has generated a couple of long threads. In one of them somebody hooked the amp up to a frequency analyzer. Look here:
What's Up with the Mesa Walkabout Mid Knob?.

The general consensus is that the mid control is flat around 10 o’clock, and bass and treble are flat around noon.

Andy, care to help out this long-running mystery?

 

[agedhorse]

The Walkabout does not use the Fender tone stack, and 2-10-2 is not anywhere close to flat. The mid control, and where “flat” is, has generated a couple of long threads. In one of them somebody hooked the amp up to a frequency analyzer. Look here:
What's Up with the Mesa Walkabout Mid Knob?.

The general consensus is that the mid control is flat around 10 o’clock, and bass and treble are flat around noon.

Andy, care to help out this long-running mystery?

Well the bass and treble controls are about right, but the mid analysis neglected normalizing the surplus makeup gain. The circuit is passive and cut only. Don't forget that there are other voicing elements within the tone stack that can be manipulated in ways that work differently than assumed.

Sometimes appearances are deceiving.

 

[lomo]

It was previously (a loooong tome ago) sTated my Mesa that the WA non-parametric mid is cut only...BUT.....the inherent mid is bumped, so that 10:00 is close to flat.

 

[agedhorse]

It was previously (a loooong tome ago) sTated my Mesa that the WA non-parametric mid is cut only...BUT.....the inherent mid is bumped, so that 10:00 is close to flat.

This is closer to an accurate description, though I checked my curves and the flattest response is still with the mid all the way up. What gives the impression is that the filter Q is wide and asymmetrical, so both mids and some higher frequency spectrum come up with the mids themselves. For an impression of flatter, I would say somewhere between 10:00 and 2:00 depending on your perception.

 

[bigbajo60]

However it works... "it works"!
All I know is that all of my basses sound excellent with the Bass-Mid-Tone knobs at Noon, with subtle tweaks as needed on the Para EQ.
No other amp I've used over the years has gotten me as many compliments on my tone as the Walkabout!

 

[agedhorse]

However it works... "it works"!
All I know is that all of my basses sound excellent with the Bass-Mid-Tone knobs at Noon, with subtle tweaks as needed on the Para EQ.
No other amp I've used over the years has gotten me as many compliments on my tone as the Walkabout!

Yup, this is where perception is so important and why stating things based on internet lore can be so inaccurate in practice.

 

[s_wood]

It occurs to me that when there is lots of Internet lore about an amp it’s a sign that the amp is widely thought of as special; incredible. That’s for sure true about the Walkabout!