Mesa Strategy and Prodigy discontinued. Also PH cabs.

[Aladinsane1969]

This thread is about the tube amps being discontinued this month.

Last year was the mega thread about the WA and M series gone. That really should stay there.

He asked what kind of amps we'd be interested in, and my question was in context with his. I think we can put this topic to rest now, thank you

 

[Wasnex]

Is this only because of the KT88s?
With many guitar tube amp models just from Mesa, doesnt the 6L6 suffer the same tube quality issue?

From post #114 this thread (expand the quote below)...part of it is also the aggressive setup of the Strategy and Prodigy. Oddly this makes me want a Strategy .

There are some challenges like this in the guitar world, but the 6L6 is still (mostly) a well built tube, and many of the amps do not run these tubes as hard as the KT-88 (which has a unique tone and overdrive character at high voltages because of how the screen current interact with the plate current and the harmonics that this introduces. The driver topology is also quite different, actually much of the power amp circuit is quite different compared specifically to the Strategy/Prodigy.

Over the years, I have seen consistency issues (in a variety of applications) with EL-84's, much of it mechanical where after a few hundred heating/cooling cycles there is enough change in internal structure that they will make some mechanical noise. The is 100% a tube issue, as it occurs regardless of the amp the tube is used in. There is a little bit of this in the El-34 as well, but nowhere near the extent. The 6V6 is a pretty stout little tube, relatively trouble-free but like the EL-84, is limited to lower powered applications.

The Subway series was never intended to go after the same tone market as the Strategy/Prodigy, it's just a way different tone. There are plenty of players who do not care for the Stratigy/Prodigy, and who prefer the Subway, or the Walkabout, but the Strategy/Prodigy was never intended for that player to begin with. It's more like the Carbines, in your face, brash, knock you over your head with little politeness hard rock and metal amp.

Hope this helps.

 

[mikeswals]

Oddly this makes me want a Strategy .

Well its not like you wont be able to find one. Some dealers still have em for now, and just like the 400/400+ the used market will always be there.

 

[baxter_x]

The Walkabout?

I was asking for the WA. But anyway it was still interesting

Handbox R400 resolves the clean headroom challenges they faced with the Walkabout

I'll search about this amp. But about the clean headroom, it seems to match what I experienced withe the M-Pulse 600. A lack of bottom and clean headroom. Very vintage oriented tone.

 

[MarkA]

I'm sure this has already been asked, but I haven't been able to find the answer -- why was the Walkabout discontinued? And why not make a more powerful version?

I'm sure I was hoping someone could just answer me here so I didn't have to go digging but I guess that's not going to happen

I'll take stab at a short version. Folks can correct me if I misstep.

Discontinued because the market seems to be going more toward smaller, lighter, higher Wattage (and, therefore, usually class D) amps. There might be other reasons, other nuances -- I assume that if Mesa felt it to be in their long-term best interest to do so, they'd continue making the amp -- but that was the gist as I got it.

Haven't made a more powerful version because, per @agedhorse, something about how the Walkabout works makes a straightforwad "scaling up" difficult to achieve while retaining the sound and feel of the Walkabout at higher volume. This is the part that's been (and continues to be) discussed for pages and pages in the Walkabout thread.

I just bought a used Handbox R-400, and if it ends up being the answer I've been looking for, my WA will be up for sale. I love it, but I'm forced to push it as hard as possible to get the volume I need, even with a 2x12 or 4x10 cab.

I will be curious to know how that works out for you. Its approach to EQ is much different than the Walkabout's, but people seem to find some kinship between them in other respects.

 

[swarfrat]

Higher wattage tube? You could save some weight with a SMPS, but the Hammond PT-1650W output transformer is a good representative - At 280 watts, weighs about 30 lbs and retail price is around $400. That's a hefty chunk of iron and change for one component. An output transformer for a bass can't cut some of the corners on low frequency saturation that a guitar tranformer can. To double power output would require basically double the weight. And for what? I just don't see the point of a tube amp that will never be clipped.

 

[Aladinsane1969]

I'll take stab at a short version. Folks can correct me if I misstep.

Discontinued because the market seems to be going more toward smaller, lighter, higher Wattage (and, therefore, usually class D) amps. There might be other reasons, other nuances -- I assume that if Mesa felt it to be in their long-term best interest to do so, they'd continue making the amp -- but that was the gist as I got it.

Haven't made a more powerful version because, per @agedhorse, something about how the Walkabout works makes a straightforwad "scaling up" difficult to achieve while retaining the sound and feel of the Walkabout at higher volume. This is the part that's been (and continues to be) discussed for pages and pages in the Walkabout thread.

I will be curious to know how that works out for you. Its approach to EQ is much different than the Walkabout's, but people seem to find some kinship between them in other respects.

Thanks — I appreciate it.

 

[MarkA]

Thanks — I appreciate it.

Sure. If you're interested in exploring it in more detail, one or both of the other threads might be worth your perusal.

 

[boamedt]

You guys gotta be cooking up something great while discontinuing these heads right?

 

[baxter_x]

You guys gotta be cooking up something great while discontinuing these heads right?

Hahaha.
I do hope so too!

 

[Leo was right]

Suggestions:

A kind of ''preamp / compressor / overdrive'' small unit that can go into the effect loop of a D800+ (or D800 or any other amp) or being integrated into a D800+ ver 2.0, why not.

Just have to put back the same preamp circuit of the good old MPulse 600 and retrofit a class D power amp into it and you save 25 pounds.

I support JES on the hybrid amp idea.

Keep the big all tubes heads on a special order on a custom shop basis for the all-tubes afficionados and work on variations of class D amp for the majority of bass player who found their sound around the preamp section (like me, even if I have an old Bassman 135 in my home studio) , the preamp section of the MPulse is a killer.

Boogie rule!

 

[Leo was right]

Free idea!

Just to add a layer on this topo, look what Fender did lately with the Bassman Pro serie (Bassman 500, 800, Neo cab), They catch the classic vibes of the 70' style of Fender line (they finaly understand after releasing all sort of ugly stuff for years, Ford Mustang syndrome) .They put a Class D module at the end with a tube preamp in the front end, I didn't try yet but I bet it sound good.

Can Mesa do the same thing with their classic looking tube heads, I can easily imagine a 30 watts tube head, same format and look as let say a Mark 5 (or the Prodigy), but voiced for bass with a pair of pentodes driving a 800 watts module into the little box.

Could be a cool stuff!

 

[Leo was right]

I had the idea to throw a class D module into this broken mpulse 600, I started the project but changed my mind and did something else with the module. So I will rebuilt it as original, cause a classic is a classic.

Look at the nice space there is for a class D module into this amp.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

I had the idea to throw a class D module into this brolen mpulse 600, I started the project but changed my mind and did something else with the module. So I will rebuilt it as original, cause a classic is a classic.

YES! The world can't afford to lose an mpluse 600...one of my favourite solid-state lead sleds.

 

[agedhorse]

Ouch

 

[Leo was right]

Ouch

I don't know if you were prepared for so much love

 

[baxter_x]

Or maybe not prepared for such a crazy project

 

[Leo was right]

Or maybe not prepared for such a crazy project

I know it is looking funny but this came defect from a guy saying he cannot get some parts in the output section and I already had a Powersoft DM1000 module that fit exactly into the space so it make sense to retrofit. By the time I troubleshoot the preamp section, I need to use my module so I put it back in his box find it more convenient to use it as a slave amp by now, during that time I realise that the diagnostic of the guy was wrong and I have everything to put it back together, but it could have been a prototype for what we discuss earlier.

 

[baxter_x]

My knowledge in amps is pretty poor. But I have a feeling replacing the stock power section with some custom class D power section is a tough project. But keep us informed.

 

[agedhorse]

Repair parts for the M-Pulse amps are available to any authorized service center.

We can not help that a technician or do it yourself repair attempt was unable to do a proper diagnosis or understands how to correctly repair the amp.