Mesa Stopped Making M9 Carbine, all Subway?

[solarfly]

I was just browsing Mesa's site, looks like the M9 Carbine isn't being made anymore. I noticed a new Subway amp, the D800+ which has a ton of tonal control. That 6 lbs sounds nice! Wondering if that thing can be adapted with rack ears to be placed into a standard rack. I love my M9 Carbine, but was considering a straight D800 as a backup amp or something more portable for smaller gigs. It would pair really nicely with the Barefaced cabinets I have.

Is Tube pre-amp losing its fan base?

 

[Wasnex]

I was just browsing Mesa's site, looks like the M9 Carbine isn't being made anymore. I noticed a new Subway amp, the D800+ which has a ton of tonal control. That 6 lbs sounds nice! Wondering if that thing can be adapted with rack ears to be placed into a standard rack. I love my M9 Carbine, but was considering a straight D800 as a backup amp or something more portable for smaller gigs. It would pair really nicely with the Barefaced cabinets I have.

Is Tube pre-amp losing its fan base?

The Carbines have been gone for awhile now, and Prodigy and Strategy tube amps and PowerHouse cabs are being discontinued now. @agedhorse has recently run multiple threads to gather input for different potential designs.

Here's a relevant thread on rack mounting the D800. Rack kit for Mesa D-800+

Given the compact size and light weight, I would figure out a solution that allows you to take advantage of the D800's light weight. For example maybe you could build some sort of padded sleeve into your rack that the amp slides in or maybe just use a rack drawer with a customizable foam insert if your rack is hug. If you want the amp wired and ready go, strap it a sliding rack shelf. This would allow you to extract the D800 relatively quickly if you get a gig where you don't want to hassle with the full rack. The amp comes with a padded carry case.

 

[s_wood]

The Carbine and Walkabout have been out for production for a couple of years now, while the D800/800+ have been in the line for about that long.

You might want to check this thread out for more details:
Mesa Strategy and Prodigy discontinued. Also PH cabs.

 

[bobcruz]

Mesa Just Killed the M6, M9, And Walkabout amps.

 

[solarfly]

The Carbines have been gone for awhile now, and Prodigy and Strategy tube amps and PowerHouse cabs are being discontinued now. @agedhorse has recently run multiple threads to gather input for different potential designs.

Here's a relevant thread on rack mounting the D800. Rack kit for Mesa D-800+

Given the compact size and light weight, I would figure out a solution that allows you to take advantage of the D800's light weight. For example maybe you could build some sort of padded sleeve into your rack that the amp slides in or maybe just use a rack drawer with a customizable foam insert if your rack is hug. If you want the amp wired and ready go, strap it a sliding rack shelf. This would allow you to extract the D800 relatively quickly if you get a gig where you don't want to hassle with the full rack. The amp comes with a padded carry case.

Thanks for bringing me up to speed Wasnex! The main features I really love on the M9 are that graphic EQ and the compressor built in. But now I'm thinking I could accomplish a lightweight substitute with a Mesa EQ pedal and a Subway D800. The 800+ looks very tempting though!

 

[Wasnex]

Thanks for bringing me up to speed Wasnex! The main features I really love on the M9 are that graphic EQ and the compressor built in. But now I'm thinking I could accomplish a lightweight substitute with a Mesa EQ pedal and a Subway D800. The 800+ looks very tempting though!

I have an M9 as well and agree it's a great amp. From the reading I have done, I would suggest you try a GK MB800 Fusion if you want a micro class-D amp that has a similar sound and feel.

I believe the Subways are voiced a bit more neutrally. Between the two Subway models I would go for the D800+. The variable HPF and extra tone shaping are worth the added size in my opinion. You might not even need the graphic.

Here's a relevant thread you might enjoy Mesa Subway 800 or GK MB fusion 800?

 

[Daniel Piper]

All Subway, All the time.

 

[s_wood]

FWIW I used to own a M9 Carbine, but I replaced it with a D800+. I agree with Wasnex’s observation above that the native voice of the D800+ is somewhat more neutral than that of the Carbine, which too my ears was a bit too aggressive in the upper mids. That said, the EQ options on the D800+ (especially the voicing knob) are very powerful and musical, and will get you very close the the Carbine’s sound. And the HPF on the D800+ is incredibly useful - so much so that I now can’t imagine gigging without one in my signal chain somewhere.