Mesa M6 Carbine Mega-Thread Pt Deux

[Saluki]

Is arrived?

Did the tube swap...again. tried the Groove Tube 12ax7c. I did not notice much difference at all. I tied to different basses and two different cabs. The differences IMO are very subtle. I did not get out the SPL meter to measure the "hiss" but to my ear no difference between the two. The treble response may be a bit more mellow with the 12ax7c but again it is subtle. I went ahead and left the Groove Tube in just because I took the time to take the head out of my rack and then take out the 26 screws from the case.

I have to agree with Chef and some other on this: The M6 is not sensitive the preamp tube changes. Some other amps are but this one is not IMO, unless you have a substandard tube to start with.

 

[derekale]

Probably my original tube was a substandard tube

Now with treble at one I have less hiss then before with treble turned down 'til 9 o'clock!!!

I consider myself a lucky man!

 

[MrBEAR]

I have to agree with Chef and some others on this: The M6 is not sensitive to preamp tube changes. Some other amps are but this one is not IMO, unless you have a substandard tube to start with.

Agreed. About a month or so ago my Mesa dealer called to ask if I was able to bring my M6 Carbine Combo up to the shop for an audition by an interested party. I agreed but told him it would cost him one Mesa SPAX7 preamp tube. He laughed and said deal; let's set it up.

After the audition, successful as he ordered a standard black combo, we did the tube swap. Two bassists and three geetard players ears in attendance agreed that there may have been a slight difference, meaning probably had to be since we changed something, but the time to remove the grill, unbolt the head, remove the 26 screws, swap tubes and put the cover back on and retighten/re-install the grill was not worth the time, effort nor the money.

Needless to say the stock OEM tube is now labled and resting in a cabinet should it ever be needed and the SPAX7 still resides in the head.

YMMV, IMHO or if you are just bored go for it but don't expect the holy grail to appear.

Cheers,

Mr. BEAR

 

[monsterthompson]

Am I on drugs? I plugged my M6 into my Powerhouse 115 cab, then switched to my PH 212 cab and the 212 sounded quiter. I tried searching the forum for volume differences between cab/speaker combos but couldn't find the right combo of keywords (I'm sure someone has asked if there is a volume difference in cabs/speaker-combos before).

BTW - both are 8ohm.

 

[Big String]

Am I on drugs? I plugged my M6 into my Powerhouse 115 cab, then switched to my PH 212 cab and the 212 sounded quiter. I tried searching the forum for volume differences between cab/speaker combos but couldn't find the right combo of keywords (I'm sure someone has asked if there is a volume difference in cabs/speaker-combos before).

BTW - both are 8ohm.

Possibly check the phasing on the 212. Maybe there is a connection crossed as this happened to me one time. I didn't notice it so much until I a/b some cabs. Also had a 610 once with a non-functioning speaker and didn't realize that until I did the 9volt batter test and saw it was not moving... worth a try.

 

[monsterthompson]

Thanks Big String. I posted this here because I had posted a while back that my M6 didn't strike me as being as loud as I remembered it being at first. Now it looks like the issue may have been that I was running the 212 at the time, which may be the culprit.

I'd also like to update an earlier post in the thread about my thoughts that I might be overdriving the preamp with my bass (which I didn't think should happen). Turns out the 2 band EQ on my Warwick was low on battery juice. I changed out and the tone went back to crystal clear. Remember kids, check your batteries

 

[CElton]

I have the M6 Combo which is essentially a PH212 with an M6 on top. It's thunderous. Gain at 12:30, master at 9 o'clock kills small animals. Definitely look at your cab and your connections.

 

[D.A.R.K.]

hello, and welcome to being a mesa amp owner. here's your t-shirt, your haircut, and the secret handshake
have a qualified tech replace/rewire, or develop a smooth touch and tell your band mates to untangle their skirts

the 400+, 400, and d180's i've had in the past had a much more reasonable taper, but the tube amps are quite a different design.
no modding for me, i'll just deal with the beauty. my band mates absolutely love it.
getting nice feedback, even with a big muff slamming the front end
and microphonic pickups on my hagstrom/piccolo
is not easy with this amp... even with the pre amp dimed.
gonna try some different glass, but i might end up having to add a small combo with a master volume to run the piss out of.
can't beat the lows for dub and drum and bass, though...

 

[monsterthompson]

I have the M6 Combo which is essentially a PH212 with an M6 on top. It's thunderous. Gain at 12:30, master at 9 o'clock kills small animals. Definitely look at your cab and your connections.

not saying it isn't loud. saying the 115 is louder

 

[Vic]

not saying it isn't loud. saying the 115 is louder

Depending on how big of an actual diff you're talking about, it might be just an efficiency/sensitivity thing.

The below things can be the main things that affect how "loud" we perceive cabs to be, and I think this is in order of significance, given modest diffs in each between two cabs...

Radiating area
A 212 definitely has more radiating area than a 115, so the 212 should be expected to seem louder.

Sensitivity (efficiency)
This is an unknown between these two (by me, at least), but if the 115 is significantly more efficient with power utilization, it might be able to overcome the disadvantage in radiating area. This would be my question.

Phase cancellation (multi-driver cabs only)
I think this is very dependent on where you are standing, so if you move around and nothing seems to change much, this is probably not the issue unless you're literally talking about a miswired cab, but you can find that out VERY easily. Take a speaker wire, plug one end into the cab, leave the other end out (1/4" plug, or pick a speaker wire that's bare wire on one end), and tap a 9V battery on/off the contacts while you watch which direction the cones move. You should see both cones move the same direction with power applied, and then return back to center when you remove it.

Cab design
I think this one would be HIGHLY dependent on cab tuning, EQ, and such, so I'd think this would be more about being louder or softer only with certain frequencies. In other words, I'd think this would be more of a "tonal" perception and not an overall "loudness" perception.

Bottom line: I suspect Sensitivity/Efficiency diffs is the answer if everything is working and wired properly.

 

[Chef]

Do not expect changing the lone preamp tube in the M6 to make much, or, any difference, in anything.

the 400+, 400, and d180's i've had in the past had a much more reasonable taper, but the tube amps are quite a different design.
no modding for me, i'll just deal with the beauty. my band mates absolutely love it.
getting nice feedback, even with a big muff slamming the front end
and microphonic pickups on my hagstrom/piccolo
is not easy with this amp... even with the pre amp dimed.
gonna try some different glass, but i might end up having to add a small combo with a master volume to run the piss out of.
can't beat the lows for dub and drum and bass, though...

 

[D.A.R.K.]

i understand there is little difference with new tubes via the info in this thread, but i was going to try a couple of really old, roached and very microphonic tubes i have lying around to see what happens...
i'll make a report when i get the chance.
cheers

 

[Vic]

i understand there is little difference with new tubes via the info in this thread, but i was going to try a couple of really old, roached and very microphonic tubes i have lying around to see what happens...
i'll make a report when i get the chance.
cheers

What would be your goal? I can't imagine ever wanting worn out and especially highly microphonic tubes in anything... especially a bass amp. ????

 

[D.A.R.K.]

What would be your goal? I can't imagine ever wanting worn out and especially highly microphonic tubes in anything... especially a bass amp. ????

i play piccolo basses in odd tunings primarily with this rig.
experimental music with tons of ambient sound and lots of looping and layers. extreme dynamics, from very quiet to gut shaking. for this, i like the amp to be a very active, "living" part of the sound.
and just as an experiment, really...
i'll most likely end up adding a second amp, as the carbine will also need to be used for arco eub...
i really just want to see if the tube does much of anything, as well...

 

[dponbass]

Am I on drugs? I plugged my M6 into my Powerhouse 115 cab, then switched to my PH 212 cab and the 212 sounded quiter. I tried searching the forum for volume differences between cab/speaker combos but couldn't find the right combo of keywords (I'm sure someone has asked if there is a volume difference in cabs/speaker-combos before).

BTW - both are 8ohm.

I have a PH212 8 ohm and a 15 8 ohm cab and the 15 does feel louder. I do think it's design and sensitivity, and in general I find PH212's to be "quiet". Any other cab I've played with, a single 15 included, they all have seem louder.

 

[monsterthompson]

Good to know others have found similar results. It doesn't upset me, as long as that is the nature of the beast. I can adjust.

 

[Bjazzman]

so yeah,

i had some trouble with my carbine today. i've never had an amp fail on me especially on the gig.

here's what happened:

During soundcheck i plug my bass into my pedalboard then to my amp and i get some sound but then the soundguy uses the di on the back and then i get no sound. At this point i have no idea. When i unplug his line it starts to work again but then it starts cutting in and out. So i start to trouble shoot and they are asking me what's going on. At this point i have no time anyway. Then i just unplug from my pedalboard and go straight into my amp and it does the same thing where it cuts in and out of me playing and at some points just doesn't have any sound at all. So then i say screw it and just go into their di. Finally, that works fine. So i can go back to my pedalboard and go to their di.

One guy working sound looked in the back of my amp and apparently the fuse holder was loose. Could this be the problem?

How embarrassing! ah well, at least it didn't sound too bad going direct and apparently it sounded good out in the audience.

 

[D.A.R.K.]

hey, am having a similar problem with my carbine...
at a gig on sat, the amp just shut off on me twice, for no apparent reason.
fist time, when i first powered up. hit my big muff, it just shut off(no power at all, indicator light is off)).
i check the fuse, re-seat the power cable, it comes right back on.
ok... about 1/3rd the way into the set, it does the same thing. indicator light off.
i check the fuse again, etc... comes right back on.
i'm contacting mesa about it today, will post if i get any info...
maybe a bad run of fuse holders?
we shall see....

 

[D.A.R.K.]

ok, spoke to rich from mesa today,
apparently there have been some problems with a few intermittent fuse holders, 790347 is the part number for the carbine.
it might just be the fuse cap, not the whole assembly...
at any rate, rich was awesome, he is sending me the entire fuse assembly. i am going to try just the new cap (my choice),
if the problem continues i'll take it to the local authorized shop for replacement.
now that's what i call proper customer service!

 

[CElton]

Thanks for the follow up. The only "problem" I've had was a dirty volume pot, but it has gone away. Nothing but big, fat, wonderful, juicy tone. I love this amp.