Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Part 10

[bigbajo60]

Very good to know!!!
Thanks for the "heads up", agedhorse!

 

[pfschim]

hmm, learned something myself. I don't use my WA without a speaker load, but given that it's a SS (mosfets) power section with an iron output tranny (torroidial), I did not know it needed a load to operate.

 

[bumble yeti]

hmm, learned something myself. I don't use my WA without a speaker load, but given that it's a SS (mosfets) power section with an iron output tranny (torroidial), I did not know it needed a load to operate.

Yeah, seriously. I'd like to hear more on that!

 

[Coolhandjjl]

hmm, learned something myself. I don't use my WA without a speaker load, but given that it's a SS (mosfets) power section with an iron output tranny (torroidial), I did not know it needed a load to operate.

It has an output transformer? I thought that big thing was the power transformer.

 

[Kukulkan61]

So if and when I peak out my WA I will happily hook this thing up to my Subways, it isn’t the WA but let me tell you

 

[Al Kraft]

Yeah, seriously. I'd like to hear more on that!

I'm a little surprised to hear this as well - of course I learn something new every day! I've never run mine without a load, but this is a really good piece of information.

I wonder if the way the DI is affected by the master has something to do with that and if there is a lesson here relative to all SS amps that have that type of set-up on the DI.

Sitting in front row, notebook open, ready for class to begin...

 

[sunbeast]

Running the Walkabout without a load was the the cause of your amplifier failure.

Curious on this- I have used my WA as a DI many times recording at home without a load without issue...

 

[bumble yeti]

Curious on this- I have used my WA as a DI many times recording at home without a load without issue...

Yessir. Me too.

 

[Al Kraft]

Could our fearless leader and electronics guru extraordinaire have meant to write that "it was not the cause"? I am truly caught a bit off-guard by this information.

Of course up until recently I thought an ascot was something a donkey slept on, so I'm not always a great source of reliable information.

 

[MarkA]

I was under the impression that, at least in general, solid-state amps, even those with a tube preamp, could be safely run without a load. I've also heard that, in some circumstances (voltage spike on power-up with the master volume fully open was the example used) it might not be as safe as having a load connected, but I don't know if there's anything to that. (I also try not to power my amps up with the volume up.)

I'll wait for clarification with the rest of you.

 

[bumble yeti]

… … … … … … …
Somebody wake me up when Andy replies. I'm on the east coast. Time for bed…

 

[agedhorse]

It has an output transformer? I thought that big thing was the power transformer.

It has a power transformer, no output transformer.

Could our fearless leader and electronics guru extraordinaire have meant to write that "it was not the cause"? I am truly caught a bit off-guard by this information.

Of course up until recently I thought an ascot was something a donkey slept on, so I'm not always a great source of reliable information.

Correct, it was not the cause.

Looks like "typo-spellcheck syndrome" gone way wrong, though I may be taking some serious naps on an ascot while on tour the next few weeks.

 

[MarkA]

… … … … … … …
Somebody wake me up when Andy replies. I'm on the east coast. Time for bed…

Wake up!

It has a power transformer, no output transformer.
Correct, it was not the cause.

Looks like "typo-spellcheck syndrome" gone way wrong, though I may be taking some serious naps on an ascot while on tour the next few weeks.

Thanks for clearing that up, Andy. Happy napping!

 

[bumble yeti]

Ahh… All is well in the universe again.

 

[bigbajo60]

Running the Walkabout without a load was NOT the cause of your amplifier failure.

[edit for meaningful typo]

(*smile of typo-corrected relief)
So, in that case...
I will experiment this weekend with using my WA as a "big, bulky DI" after all!
I'll offer up any 3rd party observations and opinions if and when I get them!

 

[mikeswals]

Last weekend we had gig at an outdoor private event by a lake. Lake house had 220v for power, and a splitter voltage box, and the owners hired a sound guy for the event. I didn't know what this soundguy was going to have, so I brought my two PH212 cabs and was intending to use my Strategy head as it would have gobs of volume. Sure enough not a very big PA at all.
at sound check it was apparent the supplied power wasn't going to be enough as weird popping sounds were happening in the PA with my big blooming notes. So I swapped heads to the Walkabout I had brought just in case there was power issues.
Sure enough, being outdoor that WA even thru two PH212 was struggling to give full sound with the band going at it.
So yeah, will always be wishin for a more powerful WA...last year I did the same gig with an Epifani (800w@4ohm) head and only one 8ohm PH212 cab, so only 550w and I had no volume problem. But also no Mesa tone.

 

[NOLA Bass]

Played my first ever country gig last night (a mix of stuff including George Strait, Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam, Kenny Chesney, Brooks n Dunn, etc.). Played my Sadowsky strung with flats into the Walkabout and my Scout 15. I came super close to selling the Scout recently, but sure am glad I hung on to it. It is both a perfect cab "in-between" my Berg 112 and 212 while producing such a solid fundamental tone perfect for a gig like last night. After a rehersal playing through my little Markbass Nanomark, it is a great reminder of just what an incredible sounding amp the Walkabout is.

 

[Al Kraft]

Played my first ever country gig last night (a mix of stuff including George Strait, Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam, Kenny Chesney, Brooks n Dunn, etc.). Played my Sadowsky strung with flats into the Walkabout and my Scout 15. I came super close to selling the Scout recently, but sure am glad I hung on to it. It is both a perfect cab "in-between" my Berg 112 and 212 while producing such a solid fundamental tone perfect for a gig like last night. After a rehersal playing through my little Markbass Nanomark, it is a great reminder of just what an incredible sounding amp the Walkabout is.

View attachment 3097863

It's almost like the WA and Scout cabs were designed for modern country and 60's rock.

 

[NOLA Bass]

It's almost like the WA and Scout cabs were designed for modern country and 60's rock.

I originally bought this rig for a project (see Spillway in signature, the ep is a free download) that played everything from Cash and Willie to New Orleans stuff to roots rock. It was the perfect rig for that too, which is not surprising as the bass is really similar in a lot of these songs too.

 

[metron]

It barely qualifies as Walkabout content, but here is a shot of my band's happy hour gig in Denver on Saturday. You can sort of see the lamp next to my forearm in the pic. Used it with a Berg CN212. Great tone with lots of grind and occasionally, distortion. It was enough for the smallish room, no pa support for bass, but it ran very hot. I also have an NV610, which has always been enough cab, but it was just too big for this stage.