lol! not really. i like lpd and i totally respect his choice of the walkabout. but let's face it...he's grossly exaggerating. chernobyl levels of heat? tubes that aren't made anymore? constant and expensive maintenance? none of it is true.
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Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Pt. Tres
- Thread starter Chef
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I don't have any experience with the B-15 (unfortunately), but after watching the last couple of pages of this thread, I've been waiting a for B-15 VS. Walkabout explosion!
Thought it might add some excitement to my incredibly boring work day.
Now, wouldn't that be fun!
Are the newest walkabouts more reliable than the older models that people seem to have troubles with? Did they upgrade anything besides the input jack?
At this point I've put in many hours on 2 different WA heads and some miles on a 3rd-2 new blackface and one older redface-never had any issues with any of them other than the loudish fan I have come to love, esp. when flogging it at the end of the night and it's still making me smile.
Then you'll probably like this pic...
Seriously they are two different sounding amps, like anything else that's two differen't brands.
Seriously they are two different sounding amps, like anything else that's two differen't brands.
Yeah I'm really thinking about taking the plunge and picking one of these bad boys up to go with my berg 2x112 stack and rs210 stack.
I wouldn't wait. This amp -- and I've owned a lot of them over the past two years -- has been the best surprise I've experienced. The Walkabout has an unbelievable amount of character, and, as I suggested earlier, one of the best DIs for bass I ever heard. Gooey, thick, warm. Just great. Makes my DB900 seem sterile in comparison.
Given considerations of price, weight and tone, I don't think there's anything better out there for someone who loves a kind of bouncy, warm, old-school tone. There are other amps that are perhaps better than it in a single one of those dimensions, but the Walkabout has them all going for it.
I mean, gosh, Little Mark II or this? Pff. No comparison. I'd take this every day.
I speak from the experience of owning a B15N for about 25 years. Yes, sometimes I exaggerate for dramatic effect, just as many Ampeg fans exaggerate the virtues of their beloved jalopies, I mean amplifiers. But when I say I wouldn't take one back for a gift, believe it. In the old days, it was pretty good. These days, it's pretty pathetic. I wouldn't gig with one any more than I would gig with a Mister Mike.
It ain't just the peculiar tubes (OK, depending on the year), it's the practically irreplaceable transformers, the '50s I-don't-need-no-education design vibe, and the overall inadequacy to any modern task.
To compare the Ampeg B15N with the Mesa/Boogie Walkabout Scout is to compare a '53 Ford sedan to a Porsche. To be sure, lots of people adore the '53 Ford because they, or their family, or their grandfather, owned one, but I live in the real world, and I expect a lot more return on my dollar investment than the Ampeg gives me.
Oh yeah, and not to forget my manners: thank you, JimmyM.
It ain't just the peculiar tubes (OK, depending on the year), it's the practically irreplaceable transformers, the '50s I-don't-need-no-education design vibe, and the overall inadequacy to any modern task.
To compare the Ampeg B15N with the Mesa/Boogie Walkabout Scout is to compare a '53 Ford sedan to a Porsche. To be sure, lots of people adore the '53 Ford because they, or their family, or their grandfather, owned one, but I live in the real world, and I expect a lot more return on my dollar investment than the Ampeg gives me.
Oh yeah, and not to forget my manners: thank you, JimmyM.
For me, personally, I'd still use a B15 in the studio if that's what was right, but, I'd sure never gig one no-mo.
The walkabout, with the right cab, set clean, does a decent B15 dance.
The walkabout, with the right cab, set clean, does a decent B15 dance.
Can anyone with the older, 2 input Walkabout head confirm whether or not both inputs can be used at the same time?
Specifically, a bass in the passive input, and a drum machine in the active input. I know this works fine with a couple of SWR heads I've had, but I also know with some heads you'll lose volume, or cancel one input out.
Thanks.
Specifically, a bass in the passive input, and a drum machine in the active input. I know this works fine with a couple of SWR heads I've had, but I also know with some heads you'll lose volume, or cancel one input out.
Thanks.
Today I played on a Walkabout 112 and 115, for the first time, and I was really impressed with the character, and features wrapped up into a nice lightweight package. I am still on the fence between the 112 and the 115. decisions, decisions. either way, i know i will be making the right decision if i buy a walkabout.
Although it's possible, simultaneous use of the 2nd input changes the volume of the 1st input and getting both to balance is tricky. It's not ideal at all IME. I use a Korg Pandora when practicing with my WA to run aux in signal.
I have been doing some critical listening lately with all my gear. I have a Little Mark III and an Epifani UL410 that I quite like but doesn't get used much. Today for the first time, I plugged the Walkabout head into the UL410 and was reminded of how glorious this little amp sounds. Compared to the LMIII, the Walkabout has this rich articulate three dimensional sound that cannot be replicated in any way by the LMIII.
In switching back and forth between these two amps using the UL410, I started to really dislike the tone of the Markbass head as I could not dial in any of the qualities that were pleasing me so much with the Walkabout.
I decided to push both amps through this 1000 watt 4 ohm cabinet and despite the LMIII having a lot of power and volume, the wide frequency responds tends to get away from you and the speakers sound stressed whereas the Walkabout just sounds better and better the harder its pushed.
I don't think I would be happy with the LMIII at higher volumes without a compressor to real in the lows. I like the LMIII's tone a lot better with the mids boosted and the highs attenuated but the Walkabout sounds incredible to my ears no matter how its set. There are no bad tones in this amp.
Although the LMIII is lighter, smaller, uses speakons and is a highly regarded amp, I honestly can't imagine anyone preferring its tone over the Walkabout when hearing a direct comparison unless that person specifically wants a flat, neutral tone.
I love my Scout combo but am thinking I need another Walkabout head to power my other cabs. Between my Carbine and Walkabout my amp GAS is gone.
In switching back and forth between these two amps using the UL410, I started to really dislike the tone of the Markbass head as I could not dial in any of the qualities that were pleasing me so much with the Walkabout.
I decided to push both amps through this 1000 watt 4 ohm cabinet and despite the LMIII having a lot of power and volume, the wide frequency responds tends to get away from you and the speakers sound stressed whereas the Walkabout just sounds better and better the harder its pushed.
I don't think I would be happy with the LMIII at higher volumes without a compressor to real in the lows. I like the LMIII's tone a lot better with the mids boosted and the highs attenuated but the Walkabout sounds incredible to my ears no matter how its set. There are no bad tones in this amp.
Although the LMIII is lighter, smaller, uses speakons and is a highly regarded amp, I honestly can't imagine anyone preferring its tone over the Walkabout when hearing a direct comparison unless that person specifically wants a flat, neutral tone.
I love my Scout combo but am thinking I need another Walkabout head to power my other cabs. Between my Carbine and Walkabout my amp GAS is gone.
I bought the Walkabout and was looking for a lightweight single cab solution. . .
But then I saw an NV412 for sale at an unbelievable price.
I love this combination. LOVE.
I will eventually pick up a big head for when I need the extra muscle (a DB750 or DB751 perhaps) and I still would like a lightweight 4 ohm cab for when I don't want to haul the Berg around, but the pairing sounds absolutely fantastic.
I use my Walkabout through an NV610 often these days, and it is an amazing pairing- I'd bet the 412 would be great to get a little more booty out of it, but I get a pretty surprising amount as it is! I keep my Walkabout rackmounted though, or else it looks a little lonely atop such a big cabinet!
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