Mesa D-800 vs Genzler Magellan 800

[Turn Em Loose]

Have you tried your Full Circle directly into the D-800?

You know....I have not. Just ASSumed. I'll try tomorrow.

And the MG 800, too.

 

[Bassworship1]

I have to say for the first time in my life I have no desires or Gas for another bass amp or bass rig. My Genzler 800 and 3 of the Bass Arrays have surpassed what I thought possible for my tonal needs.

 

[Jeff Genzler]

Thanks for the continued praise. Nice "heavenly" rig.

 

[Bassworship1]

@Jeff Genzler

I assure you that my words of praise fail in comparison to what your products have done to transform my tone and confidence in my playing. I no longer worry about what I sound like now in the audience and can just let loose and passionately play the instrument I love more than anything.

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Have you tried your Full Circle directly into the D-800?

OK. I have to admit that both amps are pretty friendly with my URB.

But I do prefer the EQ section on the Felix and its higher input impedance.

 

[agedhorse]

OK. I have to admit that both amps are pretty friendly with my URB.

But I do prefer the EQ section on the Felix and its higher input impedance.

How do you know the higher input impedance actually does anything to your tone? Could it be that the entirely different preamp might have something to do with it? I'm just suggesting that you might be attributing any difference to something different than impedance.

(I have done a fair amount of testing with a bench rig that has a continuously adjustable input impedance, and for most pickups the point of diminishing returns is between 750k and 1Meg, though noise floor increases as impedance increases)

 

[Turn Em Loose]

How do you know the higher input impedance actually does anything to your tone? Could it be that the entirely different preamp might have something to do with it? I'm just suggesting that you might be attributing any difference to something different than impedance.

(I have done a fair amount of testing with a bench rig that has a continuously adjustable input impedance, and for most pickups the point of diminishing returns is between 750k and 1Meg, though noise floor increases as impedance increases)

I ASSume!!

I can only speak from personal experience. But I have no proof other than that. Higher impedance inputs have sounded "smoother" through the mids.

The Felix is made for acoustic instruments. So your point is solid. But even it with its selectable input impedances I can hear a diff. Above 5 Meg the differences are more subtle.

I never try to speak in absolutes. Every one of my opinions should have the "IMO, YMMV" disclaimer.

 

[agedhorse]

I ASSume!!

I can only speak from personal experience. But I have no proof other than that. Higher impedance inputs have sounded "smoother" through the mids.

The Felix is made for acoustic instruments. So your point is slid. But even it with its selectable input impedances I can hear a diff. Above 5 Meg the differences are more subtle.

I never try to speak in absolutes. Every one of my opinions should have the "IMO, YMMV" disclaimer.

Agreed, it does depend. Just trying to encourage thinking things through because there is so many things that are often attributed to features that the industry markets heavily.

When designing products, it's easy to hear things that aren't really there, or to be quick to attribute a performance issue to something that has nothing to do with it. That's why we try to be so careful in the way we conduct out tests and experiments. Nothing worse than spending a week troubleshooting something only to discover that it was an interface problem rather than the assumed circuit problem. Easy to do... very easy

 

[Turn Em Loose]

When designing products, it's easy to hear things that aren't really there, or to be quick to attribute a performance issue to something that has nothing to do with it. That's why we try to be so careful in the way we conduct out tests and experiments. Nothing worse than spending a week troubleshooting something only to discover that it was an interface problem rather than the assumed circuit problem. Easy to do... very easy

I'm definitley guilty of the highlighted part! Get something in my head and it's hard to get off the blinders.

Glad you guys are doing all the grunt work for us gear-a-holics!!

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Can I just add that: How cool is it that @agedhorse and @Jeff Genzler are here with us to discuss their products? I get the feeling that they are both taking notes and have already started thinking about the next gen of bass amplification.

Plus, I get to ruffle my own feathers and say "Well, I've personally talked to the makers of the D800 and MG800....."

 

[Jeff Genzler]

Can I just add that: How cool is it that @agedhorse and @Jeff Genzler are here with us to discuss their products? I get the feeling that they are both taking notes and have already started thinking aobut the next gen of bass amplification.

Plus, I get to ruffle my own feathers and say "Well, I've personally talked to the makers of the D800 and MG800....."

Andy and I remain very close and I will say it is a testament to professionalism that we can keep our work projects completely separate.
We do laugh that it is a little scary that we are blindly developing products that ultimately do end up dramatically different.
I'm proud to have kept such a great friendship through all that we've been through the past few years.

 

[Ricardo basso]

There are several players doubling with the MG 800. Ed Friedland and Mike Frost being a couple.
The input impedance is 1 Meg so while it may be suitable for some pick-ups a buffer may be needed depending upon your setup.

How about the David Gage copper head?

 

[Turn Em Loose]

Just an update for those of you that care, I'm going to keep the D800. In the end I like the ability to use two inputs at once (Input and Aux In) and.....This is going to sound stupid....I like the learning curve with the D800. It's throwing me into waters that are unfamiliar. The MG800 is more plug-n-play and more familiar to what I'm used to. The D800 is not familiar. It's making me try new things and hear things and hear things in a different way. I like that! When it comes time to practice I've been reaching for the D800.

But both of these amps are amazing. The tone and price and useable/practical features of these things is appreciated!

Anyway. Just another two cents from the peanut gallery.

Great thread, BTW! It's great to read up on something that doesn't turn into bashing!

 

[mikeyjm2]

It's great to read up on something that doesn't turn into bashing!

Amen! I've only tried (own) the D800 but this thread has me seriously interested in the MG800.

 

[Jeff Genzler]

How about the David Gage copper head?

I had the chance last week to hear the Realist Copper Head with the Magellan head and it sounded excellent. I was visiting our dealer, Gollihur Music, upright specialists, and they have been very impressed with how this pick up performs with the input of the Magellan head.

 

[Mark Gollihur]

I had the chance last week to hear the Realist Copper Head with the Magellan head and it sounded excellent. I was visiting our dealer, Gollihur Music, upright specialists, and they have been very impressed with how this pick up performs with the input of the Magellan head.

Yep - we had a 2008 Czech-Ease laminated (!) bass playing through it, and it worked quite well; we pretty much just ran it flat. Sounded great! No preamp needed.

 

[Texan]

Just an update for those of you that care, I'm going to keep the D800. In the end I like the ability to use two inputs at once (Input and Aux In) and.....This is going to sound stupid....I like the learning curve with the D800. It's throwing me into waters that are unfamiliar. The MG800 is more plug-n-play and more familiar to what I'm used to. The D800 is not familiar. It's making me try new things and hear things and hear things in a different way. I like that! When it comes time to practice I've been reaching for the D800.

But both of these amps are amazing. The tone and price and useable/practical features of these things is appreciated!

Anyway. Just another two cents from the peanut gallery.

Great thread, BTW! It's great to read up on something that doesn't turn into bashing!

 

[taylor16]

Andy and I remain very close and I will say it is a testament to professionalism that we can keep our work projects completely separate.
We do laugh that it is a little scary that we are blindly developing products that ultimately do end up dramatically different.
I'm proud to have kept such a great friendship through all that we've been through the past few years.

Right on, brother.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Andy and I remain very close and I will say it is a testament to professionalism that we can keep our work projects completely separate.
We do laugh that it is a little scary that we are blindly developing products that ultimately do end up dramatically different.
I'm proud to have kept such a great friendship through all that we've been through the past few years.

Andy is a great guy and a top notch engineer, and so are you. I have been impressed with both of you guys from the day I met you down in AZ when you brought your GBE series products to the School of Bass, put on by the Dude Pit (Man, was that really nearly ten years ago??!!). I am not the least bit surprised that you guys remain great friends. Bidness doesn't get in the way of personal relationships when good people are involved.

 

[RBASS930]

I kept both (for now). It's only money, right?