Mesa Boogie WD800

[gustobassman]

I use a Gator 12x12 mixer bag. It's a little deeper than the amp, so I bought some stiff foam from a local packaging company. I used a 12" square for the bottom of the bag, then cut pieces to protect the back and front panels. If you use stiff enough foam, you can cut it like I did so it slips over the knobs and fits between the handles on front. This bag/foam is probably at least 5 years old by now.

 

[kesslari]

You folks who get to gig using public transport get my utmost respect!
Of course, up here in the mountains there's no public transit to speak of, but nonetheless, it boggles my mind.
I for one use the WD-800's native carry case. It can easily go over a shoulder.

 

[Chuck M]

I have been using Mackie mixer bags for years. Unfortunately they recently have gone down in quality. New supplier I suppose. They work fine but do not provide adequate protection if dropped about 3 feet onto a hard surface.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I see some use this or similar…

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[One Two]

I use a Gator 12x12 mixer bag. It's a little deeper than the amp, so I bought some stiff foam from a local packaging company. I used a 12" square for the bottom of the bag, then cut pieces to protect the back and front panels. If you use stiff enough foam, you can cut it like I did so it slips over the knobs and fits between the handles on front. This bag/foam is probably at least 5 years old by now.

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I like this! Especially with the small D loop handles the WD800 has, you could measure the foam so it fits snugly - thank you!

 

[One Two]

You folks who get to gig using public transport get my utmost respect!
Of course, up here in the mountains there's no public transit to speak of, but nonetheless, it boggles my mind.
I for one use the WD-800's native carry case. It can easily go over a shoulder.

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Well, the good thing about also playing Upright Bass, is that it always feels easier getting around the city on public transport with my Electric rig vs. my Double Bass on wheels, and amp, cab, and pedals all in a large cajon backpack for the Upright gigs!

 

[One Two]

I see some use this or similar…

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Thank you! This looks exactly like the thing I would like for things where the gear is being packed into a van etc etc

 

[One Two]

My Good God!!!
I have just testing the WD800 DI!
It sounds AMAZING!!!! )))
I mean I have gone through many, many options for live and recording over the last few years, but the tone from this is just superb. I can't wait to use it on an album I'm due to record in June.
I'm smiling! So much can be done even just with the Input level and the Passive Mid

 

[One Two]

Also, quick questions for @agedhorse please.

1.
I can hear slightly better low end extension in the tone when I power the WD800 using the IEC cable that came supplied with it vs. other similar spec'd IEC power leads I already have at home. Is this down to any particular technical magic at Mesa's end, or is it just a quirk? (This is just me monitoring stuff through a Mackie mixer with some decent headphones).

2.
Reading through the manual at some of the suggested tone settings got me thinking about the footswitch pedal which would let me bypass the Parametric mid EQ. Just looking at the manual schematic...is it true to say that selecting PEQ BYPASS would mean the signal is being routed so it actually doesn't pass through the PEQ?

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[agedhorse]

The IEC cable shouldn’t matter one bit unless you have a defective one.

The PEQ bypass actually bypasses the eq circuitry.

 

[One Two]

@agedhorse Thank you Sir!

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

@agedhorse

I am asking this out of curiosity only.

I see from the WD manual the power requirement is stated as, Power Requirements: 100-120/220-240 VAC, 50/60Hz, 250W, auto-ranging power supply

I see my WD is marked at the power switch as: MAX AVERAGE POWER CONSUMPTION 400W

I assume the 250W rating is the input power rating of the power supply, so where does the 400W average power consumption rating come from?

Are these two different ratings made with two differing duty cycle calculation factors?

Also, I see the power consumption rating on the amplifier is stated in Watts, and not VARs.

I assume the AC power supply is a reactive load. I don't know enough about rating and marking this type of device to know if there is a point where the rating is required to be stated in VARs or is it at the discretion of the manufacturer to rate it as they see fit regardless of the actual power factor the device presents to the incoming ac power supply.

Only merely trying to have a better understanding of how this type of thing is determined by the manufacturer.

Thanks!

 

[DJ Bebop]

The IEC cable shouldn't matter one bit unless you have a defective one.

Unless you just have money to spend for spending sake. You could go this budget route…

I say budget because you could go this direction here…

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

The AudioQuest cable is a bargain when you consider that you will "RECEIVE 100 POINTS" if you fall for...er I mean buy it.

I bought a right-angle IEC cord from St Vinnies yesterday for $0.99, and my amp not only sounds better with it compared to the original cord, my teeth look whiter today as well.

 

[agedhorse]

@agedhorse

I am asking this out of curiosity only.

I see from the WD manual the power requirement is stated as, Power Requirements: 100-120/220-240 VAC, 50/60Hz, 250W, auto-ranging power supply

I see my WD is marked at the power switch as: MAX AVERAGE POWER CONSUMPTION 400W

I assume the 250W rating is the input power rating of the power supply, so where does the 400W average power consumption rating come from?

Are these two different ratings made with two differing duty cycle calculation factors?

Also, I see the power consumption rating on the amplifier is stated in Watts, and not VARs.

I assume the AC power supply is a reactive load. I don't know enough about rating and marking this type of device to know if there is a point where the rating is required to be stated in VARs or is it at the discretion of the manufacturer to rate it as they see fit regardless of the actual power factor the device presents to the incoming ac power supply.

Only merely trying to have a better understanding of how this type of thing is determined by the manufacturer.

Thanks!

Good question - yes, the duty cycle is different.

The regulations require stating the input power as either power in watts OR current in amps. I prefer power because it’s a consistent number across all voltages and it’s simpler than providing multiple values for 100, 120, 220, 230 and 240V like we do on the guitar amp side (retains the legacy choice of current going back decades).

The input current/power is required to be stated as either at 1/8-duty cycle minimum OR higher if the manufacturer intends it to be used and suitable for higher duty cycles. At 1/8 rated power, the amp draws about 125 watts, it’s doubled to 250 watts for 1/4-rated power duty cycle in the manual and it’s about 400 watts at >1/3 duty cycle as labeled on the amp. The regulations require greater than or equal to 125 watts, the greater is at the manufacturer’s option.

VARs is not an acceptable unit of measurement for consumer electronics products even though it’s more accurate and correct. The option is either power or current, but since power is “defined in the regs” as V x A, in practice it ends up being VA which is watts for a resistive load and VAR for a reactive load.

What has changed is that legacy products use line frequency power transformers which present a much lower lagging power factor to the AC line, but the newer bass amps use SMPS that have a power factor much closer to 1, therefore VA is almost the same as watts.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

Thanks for a concise answer. Just what I was looking for.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

I am not sure what I may do with the new knowledge I have just gotten from agedhorse. Perhaps the next time I am out for a few beers I can impress some young lady with my vast knowledge of such things.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I am not sure what I may do with the new knowledge I have just gotten from agedhorse. Perhaps the next time I am out for a few beers I can impress some young lady with my vast knowledge of such things.

Talking to a 'Young Lady' about technical electronics at a Bar would go over similar to if you talked to Her about how much you miss your Ex-Wife

 

[One Two]

I am not sure what I may do with the new knowledge I have just gotten from agedhorse. Perhaps the next time I am out for a few beers I can impress some young lady with my vast knowledge of such things.

I find a speech about the values of input and output impedance normally does the trick! ;-))

 

[agedhorse]

Talking to a 'Young Lady' about technical electronics at a Bar would go over similar to if you talked to Her about how much you miss your Ex-Wife

Yet I had several highly technical women that worked for me in the touring side of things that could talk circles around me when it came to scenery automation and rigging. One went on to have a long career with Disney's touring theatrical division as a technical supervisor and department head.