• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Mesa D800+ worth extra cost over D800?

#22
Personally, it was a no brainer. If I had purchased the D800, I would have been settling just because I didn't want to spend the extra money. However, spending just a few bucks more to get the tonal flexibility offered in the + was more than worth it. Granted, will I ever truly NEED the sweepable mids? Probably not. But I'd rather have and not need it than need it and not have it. Plus, that HPF have already proven itself invaluable. Good luck and let us know what you decided.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop and Nodak Savage
#23
agedhorse said:
If size is more important, than the D-800 wins in that department. For some players, size is a critical feature.
Click to expand...
+1 on the size. For me putting it in the gig bag is important on some gigs, I use a snark tuner and mostly run flat. If you can take a bigger box and need the outputs, the extra shaping is worth it. $100 is a no brainer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Al Kraft
#24
Al Kraft said:
I learned a simple lesson back in the 90's with my SWR SM-400S. Having a ton of flexibility to shape sound is often great in the studio, but on stage, a well voiced amp with simple controls that lets you make safe, effective changes on the fly is hard to beat.

My SWR had flexibility that couldn't be beat at the time, but unless you were an expert at manipulating those controls you could easily get your self into a big mess very quickly. Tweaking on fly with semi-parametric controls is not often as easy as making simple adjustments with a 3 or 4 well placed and musically interactive EQ/voicing controls.

There is room for both in my world, but when it comes to working on stage, I prefer simple, well chosen EQ points in a "musically integrated" tone stack. The D-800 gives me exactly that!
Click to expand...

^^THAT^^!!
It took me a while before I could understand "why the f**ck my fantastic dialed sound at home was sounding like sh*t at best onstage!!??"
And the funny thing is I faced the same issue with my SWR SM-400. Not that the amp is bad in any ways. But if It's just for home or studio, an amp with lots of features is nice. But onstage, you just need to sit in the mix and have the most simple and efficient gear.
That's what Ilike about the DB750/751 Aguilar amps. Even if, I didn't really like the sound produced when I tried one (check my signature for the big amp shootout ;) )
 
  • Like
Reactions: xav_paris and Al Kraft
#27
Never played the 800 - but was immediately interested when the 800+ came out. For an extra $100 you get tuner 0ut, second mid-sweep with overlap in a useful region (big plus, IMO), and that HPF. For me, the HPF has been a genuine revelation - a lot of mileage from a little twist - who knew? Yes, it's larger, and I can see urban attack bassists wanting to optimize for size, but it fits OK in the old computer backpack I use for Class D amps, cables, etc. No doubt that the 800+ provides great value.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop, BaltBass5, eff-clef and 4 others
#28
Joebone said:
Never played the 800 - but was immediately interested when the 800+ came out. For an extra $100 you get tuner 0ut, second mid-sweep with overlap in a useful region (big plus, IMO), and that HPF. For me, the HPF has been a genuine revelation - a lot of mileage from a little twist - who knew? Yes, it's larger, and I can see urban attack bassists wanting to optimize for size, but it fits OK in the old computer backpack I use for Class D amps, cables, etc. No doubt that the 800+ provides great value.
Click to expand...

+1!
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop and Al Kraft
#29
For someone using various cabs with different sonic profiles, various basses with different pickup wiring and positions, and various strings with different material and winding types, the flexible mid controls on the + are a big plus--and still relatively simple (my current amp features a 7-band with knobs and sliders :nailbiting:).

But that extra 13 oz...oof!
 
  • Like
Reactions: tbz and Al Kraft
#30
I haven't played the D-800+, but I've been playing a D-800 for well over a year now, and I don't want/need anything else. That said, if I got another amp, I'd get a + since the extra features it offers are exactly the ones I would want. IMO it's a fairly simple decision - since it is otherwise the same amp, are the bright switch, hpf, parametric mids, tuner out and effects loop worth $100 to you? Listing them out like that, it seems that from a sheer dollars/features perspective, it's totally worth the $100 more. But the question is, as others have stated with less verbosity, whether you like and will use those features.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fig, Ewo, Oneud and 2 others
#31
agedhorse said:
The headphone output is for headphones only.

You can always use the features built into your StroboRack to achieve exactly the same thing... go into the input on the tuner, then loop through from the output on the StroboRack into the D-800. You then can use a mute footswitch with the StroboRack to achieve exactly the same functionality as with the D-800+. (Ie. the tuner out feature on the D-800+ is already built into your StroboRack combined with the D-800.)
Click to expand...

Seems like a perfect solution to me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: agedhorse
#32
I'm like some of you who bought into the 800 before the 800+ was out. In some ways I've been GAS-ing for the 800+ but a lot more of my playing is done through FOH only than through cab(s). I'm actually considering just doing the Pre-amp / DI version. I'd still keep the 800, but the practical side of me would rather carry that DI to gigs than an amp which I'm not really utilizing as an amp most of the time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: tbz and Al Kraft
#35
I just picked up a new D800+ on Saturday. This thing is unbelievable!! I play upright, so the onboard HPF and tone shaping capabilities are dynamite. I spent about an hour at home "dialing" it in and off to a gig we went. Got tons of compliments from some of our followers (the ones who listen) and band members. If it matters, I have been playing through a TC RH-750 and Greenboy F-115. It is worth it!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikeyjm2
#36
rmayer said:
As the title implies, I'm interested in the D800s. I like the D800 but would really like a tuner out. The D800+ has one. Is it worth the extra $100 for that, because the other features don't matter that much to me? Also, is it possible to run a tuner out (to a Peterson Strobo Rack) from the headphone out or DI on the back of the D800?
Click to expand...

The dual parametric mids are absolutely worth $100.
 
#37
The variable HPF was present on some of the Genz amps and I am glad to see it on the 800+ because I bet it'd save some headroom. And of course it's a very useful tool. Actually, I interpret a variable hpf as a commitment - Mesa head is completely confident about the power rating at 4 and 2 ohms. I appreciate such a commitment. I'd agree that the 800+ is well worth the extra bucks for the other features too.
Before the 800+ came out, I demoed the 800 in a music store with my own cab and bass. I could only turn it up for about 2 minutes before I needed to turn it down. It was a quiet afternoon in the store but I went easy on the employees with the Spl level. (It's nice to be able to walk into a true music store and be able to test bass gear at performance levels - loud.) I did not buy the amp that day.
I gig a fEARful 1515/66 which is 4 ohms. I need strictly a clean tone. Near as I could estimate, the Mesa has enough power to fill up my cab with power for headroom. I'd like to de-throne my rack as much as I like it. I'd use the mid bands on the + model to shape the mids.
I'm going to keep monitoring for guys using either Mesa head with 2 fEARful 15's.
 
  • Like
Reactions: VerryBerry

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back