Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Pt. Tres

[lomo]

IME it really blooms with more cone area, just like pretty much any head. That sounds like a great rig.

 

[MarkusBass]

I used the WA head (taken outta it's 8 ohm scout combo) with my Bergantino NV215 the other nite.

WOW- Beautiful bouncy bubbly bassiness with a P-bass with Flats! Gorgeous!!!!!

& LOUD!!!!!!!!! WOW!!!!! HUGE sound!!!

Very nice!

 

[EatMoreCarrots]

Hi guys. I've got a question for all you WalkAbout vets.

I'm seriously considering picking one of these up. My thought process has been: Hm, I'll get the 12 combo then I can take the head out when I need to use with elsewhere. But, If i use just the head, i would want a headcase and I could always just use it on other cabs. Maybe I'll get a headcased unit and just an extension cab. But then, why not just get a single, or couple of PH 1x12's...

Boiling it down: Walkabout on 2 PH1x12's or Scout 12 combo with extension. What would be the difference? I understand the Scout cabs are tuned differently, but would there be any benefit one way or the other to go with two scouts vs 2 PH12's? ... I guess the exact same question could be posed for the 15" versions of each too. What would you do?

 

[Chef]

The Scout cabs, both in 12 and 15, are tuned substantively deeper than the PH cabs.
So, if you want a big fat blues, r&b tone, Scout cabs.
If you want a more lowmidpunch tone, PH cabs.

The Scout 15 is especially deepish.

 

[EatMoreCarrots]

Thanks Chef.
I suppose there is a reason I don't see any posts with people using the smaller PH cabs vs Scout cabs with this amp.

Follow-up question for Chef: Personally, what situations / circumstances do you judge requires your M9 vs your Walkabout?

 

[naturalkinds]

If I had to choose WA + ext cab vs. WA Scout, it'd be Scout all the way. I don't know how much those head cases weigh, but, for me, an extra 10, or so, lbs would defeat a lot of the convenience of the Scout package. Especially with there being no substantive difference in tone...

Plus, the WA is solid. Certainly doesn't require the head case for any reason other than cosmetic ones. Rack ears would arguably provide better protection, too, so I'd rack it if damage were my primary concern. Not to mention that you'd have to worry about tearing up your headcase.

I dunno. I like the look of the headcases, but it seems a little nuts to get one, especially at the price!

 

[Chef]

While I had the M3 and two PH112's for review for BassGearMagazine, I did use the Walkabout thru those cabs. And, they do sound good.
There's not a "right choice" here on principle, only based on your own personal tone goals.

I use two criteria to decide M9 v Walkabout:
They are very, very different in terms of tone;
the walkabout is very rich, with lots of harmonic content, a tame top end, and that tube thing that input gain does on that head.
the M9 is very clean in comparison, very fast and more articulate, and has tons of top end sheen.
The Walkabout, even at 2 ohms, is only 500-ish watts.
So, if I need more horsepower than Walkabout+multiple cabs/lots of cone area can provide, that's one scenario where I take the M9
If I want cleaner, clearer, faster, more articulate, or perhaps need the added eq or compressor from the M9, then, that's a second scenario for the M9.

 

[EatMoreCarrots]

Chef, so I hear you saying that the M9 is your alternative, your exception, to the Walkabout general rule. Is that about right?

Point taken Naturalkinds. I guess where I was going was thinking I'd probably my the head out of the combo just as much as in the combo so maybe it would just make sense to do the head. And if I did just the head, what cabs would I put with it for small stuff.

 

[KevinMG]

There's a cost advantage to the Scout combo. Of course you can always go used with either option, the pricing for a new Scout is a few hundred cheaper than head + cab (either Scout extn or PH112), and that's before factoring in a head case.

 

[naturalkinds]

It's really easy to get the head out of the combo. Takes less than 1 minute with all the screws in. On times where I've used it with bigger cabs regularly, I just keep the screws off the back. The lid is so tight and solid that it's never budged, not even without the screws.

Either way, you can't go wrong. This is a monster of a head.

 

[Chef]

No sir, not at all.
They meet different tone goals.
When I need more old school, more tubey, or when I'm playing upright, I use the Walkabout
----yeah, really! the WA is a great amp for DB-----
When I want cleaner, clearer, shinier, or Mega-Power, I use the M9.

I had been using the M9 pretty well exclusively since I got it, but I'm kind of back on a Walkabout kick at the moment.
If there was such a thing as "Walkabout front end with M9 powerplant" I'd use the "Walkabout9" a lot more than I use the ''Walkabout3," as there are circumstances where it just ain't got the horsepower I need.

While I had the M3 and two PH112's for review for BassGearMagazine, I did use the Walkabout thru those cabs. And, they do sound good.
There's not a "right choice" here on principle, only based on your own personal tone goals.

I use two criteria to decide M9 v Walkabout:
They are very, very different in terms of tone;
the walkabout is very rich, with lots of harmonic content, a tame top end, and that tube thing that input gain does on that head.
the M9 is very clean in comparison, very fast and more articulate, and has tons of top end sheen.
The Walkabout, even at 2 ohms, is only 500-ish watts.
So, if I need more horsepower than Walkabout+multiple cabs/lots of cone area can provide, that's one scenario where I take the M9
If I want cleaner, clearer, faster, more articulate, or perhaps need the added eq or compressor from the M9, then, that's a second scenario for the M9.

 

[EatMoreCarrots]

Chef, you reminded me of another question all together I had on this amp. I've read all over this thread (all three parts) that people wish that there was a more powerful model. But, I gotta ask, isn't that what the MPulse 600 is? Everything I've read from mesa says it uses the same pre, driver, etc but just has more power (and some additional EQ knobs and compressor). It is of course a little larger... but what I keep hear people say they're not the same at all; that it is too clean, etc.

Q1: What is the difference between the two amps that I missed above?

Q2: If they turned the WA into a 600 watt amp, would it not get the same gripes that the MPulse 600 gets now? Are people just wanting the 600 at the size of the WA?

 

[Chef]

No sir, the MP600 is not a bigger Walkabout, at least not to my ears...and I did buy one, hoping for that.

I don't know what gripes about the MP600 you're referring to, but, my gripes were that it didn't sound the same...not as rich and tubey, and, it didn't do 2 ohms...and that matters to me, even if it did put out 6-900 watts.

 

[EatMoreCarrots]

I guess when I say "gripes", I'm referring to comments just like yours - "its not as rich and tubey". Again though, Mesa's literatures state that its the same pre, etc. I guess I was hoping someone had some more technical specifics as to their difference. I definitely believe they're different - I was just curious as to how (physically/technically) and your comments about a more powerful WA reminded me to ask. Thanks for all your input, Chef.

Regarding the 600 not doing 2ohms - what exactly do you mean? You mean it's not officially supported (like the WA) or do you mean that the amp would just not make a sound if you gave it a 2ohm load?

 

[Chef]

The Walkabout manual used to say 2 ohms was ok, and i use mine like that 75% of the time. So do many other guys here. I'm on my third (bought a new one each time they came out...not failures related!) and I've used them all this way.
The MP600 says "don't" IIRC, and, it sure didn't like it
It got real hot and shut down.

 

[CElton]

While I had the M3 and two PH112's for review for BassGearMagazine, I did use the Walkabout thru those cabs. And, they do sound good.
There's not a "right choice" here on principle, only based on your own personal tone goals.

I use two criteria to decide M9 v Walkabout:
They are very, very different in terms of tone;
the walkabout is very rich, with lots of harmonic content, a tame top end, and that tube thing that input gain does on that head.
the M9 is very clean in comparison, very fast and more articulate, and has tons of top end sheen.
The Walkabout, even at 2 ohms, is only 500-ish watts.
So, if I need more horsepower than Walkabout+multiple cabs/lots of cone area can provide, that's one scenario where I take the M9
If I want cleaner, clearer, faster, more articulate, or perhaps need the added eq or compressor from the M9, then, that's a second scenario for the M9.

+1...this is the same scenario I use when deciding between WA or M6. If going to an unknown situation, the M6 will generally get the call because of the horsepower available. All things being equal, I prefer the WA tone.

 

[Chef]

Again, in Hypothetical Dream World:

I'd have the Walkabout front end, and the M9 powerplant...with the high band para eq control able to somehow impart that M6/9 top end sheen...or, knock it off.

Then I really could live happily ever after with one amp.

 

[sunbeast]

The MP600 has the same power section (apart from the tube driver aspect) as the M6 Carbine- On the M6, they made it so you had to flip a switch on the back to make it 2 ohm compatible and you don't gain any extra wattage over 4 ohms when you do it. So apparently that power amp is officially not 2 ohm capable without some sort of attenuation.

I've also tried the two amps next to each other in a store, and found them to not respond all that similar- the Walkabout has this certain warm harmonic texture that reminds me of a tube amp even before you overdrive the preamp, wheras the MP600 just sounded clean, deep, and a little flat to my ears and didn't seem to get a very pleasing overdrive at all even with the preamp gain cranked. I remember reading about how someone tried plugging the pre from the Walkabout into the power amp of the MP600 and vice-versa, and it was surmised that it was actually the power amp in the Walkabout that seemed to make the mojo happen IIRC (so the two preamps sounded very similar). Perhaps the tube driver circuitry in the power amp of the Walkabout is different than in the Mpulse?

 

[CElton]

Chef, you're preaching to the choir here.

Unless it's an IEM gig, I always run my WA at 2 ohms with a 12" ext cab. It's "generally" plenty. Never had a problem with 2 ohm operation. I'm on the lookout for a lightweight 410 just for change up vs. the 12's and a little more cone area.

At IEM gigs, I run the WA Scout around my feet for some thump, and that sweet DI for my IEM signal. Perfect.

 

[Qvist]

Man I envy you guys...