I have a D800 that I use in my main rig. I love it so much that I bought the Bass DI to used with the Worship team for church. We use IEMs so, this comes in very handy! I also plan to use it in studio as well.
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Mesa Subway Bass DI-Preamp
- Thread starter bucephylus
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- mesa mesa subway subway
This right here is why I'm Gassin' hard for a Subway DI... Absolutely love my Mesa D800, but I'm finally getting to play again at church.. going direct is just the way to go in my church.. I know I could just use the head , but the simplicity of tossing a Nano with a comp, tuner and Mesa DI on the ground, plug to the board and rock it would be a great thing
I hear you loud and clear. I play with a Casting Crowns tribute band so, I use two boards; one for the band and one that stays at church. When we went to IEMs I needed a really good preamp, while I have a Tech 21 BDDI, i just love the Subway. So, there was really no decision on my part. I did not want to constantly juggling pedals and amps around so, this works out really well. I made the board and it works great. I don't need a ton of effects for worship music. just a good compressor and a good chorus then dial in the tone on the Subway and BOOM! About the only thing I would even think about adding might be something like a TC Spark to just add a little more sparkle. But, really it's not needed. My advice... DO IT! You won't be sorry.
I use a little GK MB110 as a stage monitor, with PA support, at a small church of about 150 people and connect to the PA with the MB110's built-in DI.
I use a Subway pre-amp / DI at another venue and would like to hear your thoughts on using the Subway DI rather than the MB110's built-in DI. Would there be an improvement from a FOH perspective?
I use a Subway pre-amp / DI at another venue and would like to hear your thoughts on using the Subway DI rather than the MB110's built-in DI. Would there be an improvement from a FOH perspective?
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,035
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- 220,956
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Try it and see. You can still use the MB120, fed from the Subway's thru output.
I have no experience with the GK combo you mentioned, but have used the DI from my D800 many times.. which is the same as the Subway DI.. @agedhorse , correct me if I'm wrong... always fantastic results
Lowendtech
Happily trending in my own peculiar direction.
Well it hasn’t made me breakfast yet (I’m working on that) but otherwise, no. It’s a very versatile tool.
I'm putting together my first 'real' pedalboard (to couple with a bass upgrade...), and the Subway genuinely has me floored from what I've seen and read. I was thinking I'd wait and see if Darkglass offer an ultra version of their Alpha Omega distortion pedal, but with this on the market I see no reason to tie my preamp to the distortion other than chain length and convenience of size. I think I'll just go ahead and grab one in a week or two.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,035
- 5
- 220,956
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
The only thing i was a little surprised with is there is no switch to bypass it. Not a huge deal really though.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,035
- 5
- 220,956
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Because it's a full preamp, with a line level output in addition to a DI output, there is nothing to bypass. It's not an "effect" pedal
Understood... I've come to realize that and changed my perspective on what its role is. My intention was to just point out my initial surprise that there was not a switch. Since I was used to such things as my Tech 21 BDDI, the thought really did not occur to me that there is logic in not having a bypass switch. I've come to realize there's no issue at all when used in the right application. @agedhorse, I believe it was you a while back who addressed my question as to why there was not switch.
As Agedhorse points out, it really is a true preamp. He realigned my thinking on that a while back. So, just like the preamp in any head, it does not make a lot of sense to have it have a bypass.That's my favorite feature of this "pedal" ,hehehe
Ive owned and tried quite a few pres and this is in the top of my list especially for going ampless and in ears the only thing that has dethroned it so far for me is the Verellen meatsmoke pre and the mesa still has a few features I wish where on it. If the subway was dual channel with independant eq with tubes an overdrive and effects loop it would be litterally the end all rig at least for me.
I'm sure they are out there somewhere in some kind of bizarro world, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a BDDI as anything other than "always on".
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,035
- 5
- 220,956
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
That would end up being an awfully large "pedal", I have looked at the possibility and was quickly discouraged at how big it would have to be in order to be practical to adjust.
As far as being a preamp, one of the primary things it does is amplify an instrument level signal to line level in order to drive a power amp. Without the preamp part, it couldn't do this
lol... @monkeyland. Well in the interest of total disclosure, I have.
I find I can change the tone and texture of the Bass by combining it with other similar pedals (think Tech 21 VT Bass etc.). But, that's a topic for a different thread!
