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Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread part Four!
- Thread starter Chef
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First, I misread you, so I fixed my reply. You were talking about a separate power amp in a rack with the WA. I misread you to say move to a rackmountable package and change the power amp design. My bad. However, my point stands that using only the WA pre with a separate power amp will not get you the full WA sound, so my core point stands.
However, on your second comment here, creating a higher power WA is a LOT more than just swapping out the power transformer, so no, you can't just do it on your own. You DO have to wait for Mesa to come out with the product. Amplifier design is WAY more complex than you apparently understand.
In his defense, "yeah, you could do that."
In Mesa's defense, they've spent years and years fine tuning the interaction between the preamp, the tube driving the mosfets in the power section and the rest of the powertrain.
I'd be stunned if you "just did it" and had it come out sounding the same.
Try it though, and report back!
In Mesa's defense, they've spent years and years fine tuning the interaction between the preamp, the tube driving the mosfets in the power section and the rest of the powertrain.
I'd be stunned if you "just did it" and had it come out sounding the same.
Try it though, and report back!
Mesa could come out with a Walkabout "SA" (moniker borrowed from the Acoustic Image Focus SA) that would have inputs for the signal and speaker outputs from the full Walkabout, then employ a second Walkabout power section and bridge them. The amp should work into 4 ohms (since a Walkabout can handle 2 ohms).
Of course the size and weight (and cost) just doubled...
Of course the size and weight (and cost) just doubled...
I live in Hollywood, and all of my Mesa interactions (including my walkabout purchase) has happened at the actual Mesa Boogie store... what's interesting is that, while talking to the sales dudes, they pitch the Mpulse 600 as "sounding the same" as the Walkabout, just with more power. I went in the store knowing this not to be true, and played them both and had my existing TB-based beliefs confirmed, but the sales guys seemed oblivious. I wasn't about to argue, and they were probably just saying what they've been told to say, but I thought it was strange to say the least. Now, these guys are nice, and I know them by name -- and for anyone wondering, they've all been at that store for a long time -- I'm just guessing they're not bass players.
But I wonder if all along, someone at Mesa has been thinking to themselves: "we don't need a more powerful Walkabout, we've already got one in the Mpulse 600" and just not quite qetting it...? Who knows. At least it seems like they're finally coming around.
But I wonder if all along, someone at Mesa has been thinking to themselves: "we don't need a more powerful Walkabout, we've already got one in the Mpulse 600" and just not quite qetting it...? Who knows. At least it seems like they're finally coming around.
"not getting it cause they thought they had one already"
"told me it was"
Could be that this really is what folks there thought...i never asked that question, directly, that way.
"told me it was"
Could be that this really is what folks there thought...i never asked that question, directly, that way.
- Apr 3, 2003
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- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
No, in talking with Doug West and Dan Van Reizen, they definitely agree that the WalkAbout is something unique and special.
That makes sense, they do advertise the 600 as being the WA's "big brother", but I concur with the rest of you, they do NOT sound alike. Well, alike, but NOT the same.
Waaaait a minute. Are we talking about the same thing? Just swapping out the power transformer and expecting the same set of FETS to put out a whole bunch more power and not burn up? I know he said add a fan, but I seriously doubt that would really be all that'd be necessary... even if you didn't care about tonal change and just wanted more power. There's also other components to the power supply (as well as the power section) that I'd think would be subject to change.
I should admit, I'm also not an amp designer, but I do find this very hard to believe given most of the conversations I've overheard (and tried to follow) about amp design.
Well, truthfully, I don't know if one really could do that.
I sorta doubt one should do that.
Perhaps StayLow can do it and take pics when all the magic smoke comes out...
I sorta doubt one should do that.
Perhaps StayLow can do it and take pics when all the magic smoke comes out...
I was being a bit facetious before, but ultimately in a bigger casing it should be simple for a good amp tech or builder to safely rig up more output of the same sound using standard parts. We're not talking about tricky circuit board stuff mid-stream in the signal chain.
My core point is it really shouldn't be that hard for Boogie to do it if they really wanted to. Copy the M-Pulse 600 if need be, same but larger power section isn't it? Ask the local Boogie repair shop?
My core point is it really shouldn't be that hard for Boogie to do it if they really wanted to. Copy the M-Pulse 600 if need be, same but larger power section isn't it? Ask the local Boogie repair shop?
I would definitely agree with this... just a matter of priority. I'm pretty sure the guitar side of their business sales completely eclipses the bass side of their business, so I'm betting the bass stuff just doesn't get as high of a priority when it comes to engineering schedules.
Not surprising to me in the least, considering they still push the Walkabout 12 combo as being 300 watts into 4 Ohms, even though the driver/cab maxes out well before this and an 8 Ohm is just as loud and makes far more sense. My impression is that this is first and foremost a co. with a heritage of making custom guitar amps-they are traditionalists more than trailblazers; this has +s and -s. The sales people are not more knowledgable than average for the music biz IME, and that is to say they know rather little :-(. I reiterate that if the M3 was "progress", I'm not holding my breath for 2011. If GB succeeds in their Streamliner concept (old school in a light, portable, powerful package)then Mesa will have been effectively leapfrogged. The fact that the GB is cheaper than the WA may just end up being salt in the wound. Meanwhile the WA, for all it's warts, remains my favorite bass tone...
Surely the whole original idea of the "Walkabout" is its portability. You don't walk about with a rack - particularly in this age of lightweight micros. Also..I can't see them adding another yet another 2 space rack mount 600ish watt amp to their line-up. Something's gotta give. Sure we can hear the differences but I'd say most people couldn't. They would perceive the M-Pulse and WA600 as the same thing.
Dunno but I'd bet sales #s for the 600 and 750 are slim, and that those for the m3 are slimmer yet. I could be wrong but it looks to me like a pruning of the lineup would be a good thing.
Disagree.
I know a lot of people that auditioned-or purchased-the MP600 and not only could tell the difference, but sold it cause they didn't like it.
I know a lot of people that auditioned-or purchased-the MP600 and not only could tell the difference, but sold it cause they didn't like it.
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