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Mesa M6 Carbine Mega Thread part 3:
- Thread starter Thor
- Start date
I've decided I have to have an M6 Carbine. Just don't think I need the M9 nor will I truly use the EQ or compressor.
My M6 GAS is based on gig experience in a bad/boomy room. The Mesa M6 was that incredible!
I decided however that I'm not quite ready to give up on my LMII. What I hear from my LMII in contrast to the M6 as kind of squishy or chewy in the lows and mids can also be construed as "organic," which it really is. The LMII has a bit of tube-ish sag that is not necessarily bad. Just different.
I just got home from a gig with my LMII/AE410. With my recollection of the M6, when I when hit a low note on my LMII, I am wanting an iron curtain of low-end punch (and it's decent), but I hear some 'give' in the note. That does NOT happen with the M6 as you guys know. I find the 'slam and punch' very seductive. I think the immediacy and headroom of the M6 may very well have spoiled me! Just sayin'. Have to find out. ...Don't I?
My M6 GAS is based on gig experience in a bad/boomy room. The Mesa M6 was that incredible!
I decided however that I'm not quite ready to give up on my LMII. What I hear from my LMII in contrast to the M6 as kind of squishy or chewy in the lows and mids can also be construed as "organic," which it really is. The LMII has a bit of tube-ish sag that is not necessarily bad. Just different.
I just got home from a gig with my LMII/AE410. With my recollection of the M6, when I when hit a low note on my LMII, I am wanting an iron curtain of low-end punch (and it's decent), but I hear some 'give' in the note. That does NOT happen with the M6 as you guys know. I find the 'slam and punch' very seductive. I think the immediacy and headroom of the M6 may very well have spoiled me! Just sayin'. Have to find out. ...Don't I?
Gary,
Just a big IMO here but what you here as organic I heard as wooly and next to my M6 it just couldn't hang. Haven't looked back at all. Used the M6/AE410 last night at rehearsal and it slammed.
Just a big IMO here but what you here as organic I heard as wooly and next to my M6 it just couldn't hang. Haven't looked back at all. Used the M6/AE410 last night at rehearsal and it slammed.
I've decided I have to have an M6 Carbine. Just don't think I need the M9 nor will I truly use the EQ or compressor.
My M6 GAS is based on gig experience in a bad/boomy room. The Mesa M6 was that incredible!
I decided however that I'm not quite ready to give up on my LMII. What I hear from my LMII in contrast to the M6 as kind of squishy or chewy in the lows and mids can also be construed as "organic," which it really is. The LMII has a bit of tube-ish sag that is not necessarily bad. Just different.
I just got home from a gig with my LMII/AE410. With my recollection of the M6, when I when hit a low note on my LMII, I am wanting an iron curtain of low-end punch (and it's decent), but I hear some 'give' in the note. That does NOT happen with the M6 as you guys know. I find the 'slam and punch' very seductive. I think the immediacy and headroom of the M6 may very well have spoiled me! Just sayin'. Have to find out. ...Don't I?
Chef
In Memoriam
Once I got my M6, I never could stand my MB F1.
I never did like the LM.
I did and will keep the Walkabout for tube flavor.
I never did like the LM.
I did and will keep the Walkabout for tube flavor.
I am fairly confident that will happen to me as well. But thought it wise to keep the LMII and gig a few times with the M6 before making a decision to flip what has been a very very reliable amp.
As you know Chef, I also have a Mesa Walkabout Scout. I may be mirroring your experience in the 'very near future.' ...Still sort of have the M9 with the graphic in my head, but absolutely know I will never need more power than the M6. Why? I never needed more power than the LMII ..and I've gigged that amp on countless stages in various band configurations.
Chef
In Memoriam
Very different tone, I agree. If you like it deep and wide down low and also super sizzly up top, the M6/M9 are quite amazing.
well....I got it. I plugged it into my PH1000 and the tone was incredible, and the power...good gawd. Now...I play LOUD. really Loud. and the head room on this thing is absurd. I guess this is what 600 watts is supposed to sound like. I can t imagine the M9. I do have one question.. when I have the gain knob at 1:00...The master volume knob is super super sensitive, like on .5 its loud even with the input on active. When I turn it to "1" its at live volume. Is this normal or am I looking at some kind of pot upgrade? I can tame it if I reduce the gain. ps...Its already had the cover update....
Chef
In Memoriam
That's normal.
fwiw, I never use the active setting, even with my hottest basses. I find it does things I don't care for to the tone, darkening it some and making it less lively overall.
As I never used anything like all the power of the M6, I don't notice the M9 as having more power, though I guess it does.
fwiw, I never use the active setting, even with my hottest basses. I find it does things I don't care for to the tone, darkening it some and making it less lively overall.
As I never used anything like all the power of the M6, I don't notice the M9 as having more power, though I guess it does.
Chef
In Memoriam
When i gigged with my friends M6, I kept the input gain around 11 o'clock and was able to set the Master at maybe 2 on a 1-10 scale. That was gig volume for a rock-blues band with hard hitting drummer, keys, 2 guitars and Sax. Yeah, the M6 has Headroom and power to spare. Made my Bergantino AE410 come alive and jump for joy. Talk about Punchy bottom. (which never sounded bloated or overly deep. Just big, phat, tight and punchy. I've wanted one of these since I played it. Still have my eye out for a deal on a used one since I'm a bit cash poor lately.
Nature of the beast. I tried some lower gain preamp tubes and not really that different either. It is just loud at 0.5. I run my gain about 12-1 oclock and volume has never been above 9 oclock ever. Well not on anyway. You can control your volume a bit more with your bass or you can use the gain but that does affect the tone.
Yeah you can. From a pure SPL and how "loud" it seems to humans perspective, it's not that different, really.
And, there are very, very few cabs that can truly mechanical handle more than 600 watts anyway (regardless of the thermal rating of the cab), so even pumping more wattage into a 410 or whatever won't really result in anything particularly noticable. The 600 watts of the M6, to my ear, is on the high end of output of any amp I've ever tried.
IMO, the reason to get the 9 (as Chef points out) is EQ control.
Two 410's or an 810 or whatever, you might notice the difference though, if you are in a very loud gigging situation.
Chef
In Memoriam
Personally, I can't imagine ever needing all the horsepower the M6 has.
I'd quit before I played in a band that loud, for real.
The M6 and two UL410's was way, way more than my ears can handle.
I'd quit before I played in a band that loud, for real.
The M6 and two UL410's was way, way more than my ears can handle.
I still remember being at Gravity strings in St. Louis and trying a bunch of the Mesa stuff... BB750 through a Mesa 410, Walkabout 12's and 15's, etc. I then plugged into the M6 and the Mesa 610 and it was like another universe of low end, power, punch and very present bright upper mids and upper treble... totally 'un Mesa like' in tone, and totally over the top regarding absolute volume. Really impressive!
