Mesa Subway D-350!

[agedhorse]

Power is one of the most misunderstood things in the audio world. The difference between 350w and 800w is around 3 db. That's a hardly noticeable difference for a lot of people. 350w is no joke on decently sensitive drivers.
I'd like to see a 150w or 200w model, though im not sure it would be worth it to Mesa. A 150w wpukd be roughly half rhe volume of the 800s. I'd love that.

A 3dB difference is quite clearly noticeable to most players.

A 200 Watt Subway would cost about the same and be no smaller, therefore there is no benefit.

 

[BlueTalon]

The little D-350 continually impresses folks when I'm playing (if only my playing would have impressed them). People are generally amazed at the sound quality and volume that thing can deliver with a good cab. And electric guitar players are particularly baffled by how "really big" can come out of "small and light" especially in a bass rig.

IMO the D-350 ticks all the right mini-head boxes and also includes some very nice extras that while not necessarily essential for me, are nice to have.

IME this is what well thought-out, well-executed design looks like in in real life!

When I got my D-350, I had the intent of using it as a backup to my D-800. Sadly for my D-800, I've only used it one time since getting the D-350. It (D-350) is now my primary. It sounds too good and it's just too convenient.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Power is one of the most misunderstood things in the audio world. The difference between 350w and 800w is around 3 db. That's a hardly noticeable difference for a lot of people. 350w is no joke on decently sensitive drivers.
I'd like to see a 150w or 200w model, though im not sure it would be worth it to Mesa. A 150w wpukd be roughly half rhe volume of the 800s. I'd love that.

You know the D350 runs at 175 watts @8 ohms I believe.

 

[ardgedee]

Power is one of the most misunderstood things in the audio world. The difference between 350w and 800w is around 3 db. That's a hardly noticeable difference for a lot of people.

3dB is certainly a noticeable difference -- remember that deciBel is a log scale. But yes, a sound will not impress a listener as being twice as loud by being 3dB louder,* and if you're trying to solve a problem of, for example, being heard over the guitarist, you've probably got to gain more than 3dB. Or, preferably, find a way to cut the guitarist's Marshall stack by more than 3dB.

*(If anything, how the louder sound will seem to change is pretty complicated to describe. See the Fletcher-Munson curve, for example.)

 

[arepa_funk]

You know the D350 runs at 175 watts @8 ohms I believe.

My cab runs at 8ohms, so the D350 is running at 175 watts. No complaints here!

 

[Al Kraft]

I get it when folks suggest a 200 Watt head like the GK MB200 (which I own) is enough for many people. However, for my uses that 350 Watt area (175 Watts at 8 Ohms) is just perfect for a tight clean tone with a little head room when I am starting to push volume a bit with the bass EQ bumped.

My GK works nicely and is a top notch product, but everything about the D-350 makes me happier...tone/sound quality, features, reserve power, quality, etc. I would venture to say that for many bass players (as Blue Talon unexpectedly discovered) the D-350 could be a very satisfying main or only head.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Rehearsal last night with the gain around 1-2 o'clock and the master volume around 10 o'clock. It sounded awesome and the limiter light never came on once. This is probably how I should have been running it from the beginning, but I also wanted a cleaner sound with the Mustang than I'm going for now with the Starfire.

 

[amper]

My current Walkabout is rated 165 W @ 8 ohms, and I’ve never had it be not loud enough into an 8 ohm cab, so I can’t imagine I’d be any less happy with the power output of the D-350.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Rehearsal last night with the gain around 1-2 o'clock and the master volume around 10 o'clock. It sounded awesome and the limiter light never came on once. This is probably how I should have been running it from the beginning, but I also wanted a cleaner sound with the Mustang than I'm going for now with the Starfire.

I think @agedhorse has said there is still some harmonic interplay happening without hitting the limiter, I could be wrong. You are running the gain a little hotter in the front end so that is where your texture is coming from. To clean it up for the Mustang, either turn the active switch on or turn the gain down a little, master up a little.

 

[HelpImaRock]

I think @agedhorse has said there is still some harmonic interplay happening without hitting the limiter, I could be wrong. You are running the gain a little hotter in the front end so that is where your texture is coming from. To clean it up for the Mustang, either turn the active switch on or turn the gain down a little, master up a little.

I had been running the master around noon with the gain between 10-11 o'clock. The Mustang controls were around 7. The Starfire has made me revisit my amp settings. Especially as I get into the nuances of all 5 knobs plus the pickup selector.

 

[xjbebop]

When I got my D-350, I had the intent of using it as a backup to my D-800. Sadly for my D-800, I've only used it one time since getting the D-350. It (D-350) is now my primary. It sounds too good and it's just too convenient.

Same thing here. Bought a D800+ first... love it! Soon after got a great deal on a D350 for back up... love it more!
My band gigs about once a month, and I've only used the D350 so far...
It's really fun to hand it to someone you trust, who knows at least a little about gear, and watch the look on their face when they find out just how tiny & light it really is... They always say something like "Holy craaap...!!"

 

[agedhorse]

I think @agedhorse has said there is still some harmonic interplay happening without hitting the limiter, I could be wrong. You are running the gain a little hotter in the front end so that is where your texture is coming from. To clean it up for the Mustang, either turn the active switch on or turn the gain down a little, master up a little.

There is harmonics generation based on both the actual signal levels as well as the position of the controls, there are multiple circuit elements that control this entire complex mechanism.

 

[DJ Bebop]

There is harmonics generation based on both the actual signal levels as well as the position of the controls, there are multiple circuit elements that control this entire complex mechanism.

I knew you’d make it clear!

 

[mikeswals]

My current Walkabout is rated 165 W @ 8 ohms, and I’ve never had it be not loud enough into an 8 ohm cab, so I can’t imagine I’d be any less happy with the power output of the D-350.

I have. I loved my Walkabout heads, had 6 or 7 over the years but I always had to use enough speaker area (read as two small cabs=4 ohm, or one big 4 ohm cab) to make any of its volume useful. I also love gigging with one PH212 (8ohm) but those WA's would just run out of steam thru one 212, so I bought a dedicated pair of PH210's and that rig would just sing, until the head broke down a 2nd time on me.

Anyway, nowadays I do use my D350 with one PH212 all the time and have not run out of volume with that. I don't believe you'll be disappointed at all.

 

[HelpImaRock]

Thoughts on pairing the D350 with smaller cabs?

I'm looking for a cabinet to pair with my Mesa D350 at home. I had been playing through a Rumble 40 at home but I sold it because I hated the sound. Live I play through a GK Neo 115. I really only need something small that can handle the 175 watts of the Mesa.

I'm looking at the PJB C2 & C4, TE Elf 110, and Ampeg SVT210. But I have no experience with any of them. I really don't want to spend $300 without some kind of informed opinion. The Mesa cabs are way out of my price range.

 

[ImTheOnlyOne]

Thoughts on pairing the D350 with smaller cabs?

I'm looking for a cabinet to pair with my Mesa D350 at home. I had been playing through a Rumble 40 at home but I sold it because I hated the sound. Live I play through a GK Neo 115. I really only need something small that can handle the 175 watts of the Mesa.

I'm looking at the PJB C2 & C4, TE Elf 110, and Ampeg SVT210. But I have no experience with any of them. I really don't want to spend $300 without some kind of informed opinion. The Mesa cabs are way out of my price range.

I bet a Barefaced Super Compact or Super Mini would work great. Their 12s, not their 10s, based on playing my D-350 into a Two10ST.
A Genzler 10-2 Series 2 also, I imagine, but I may be projecting

 

[HelpImaRock]

I bet a Barefaced Super Compact or Super Mini would work great. Their 12s, not their 10s, based on playing my D-350 into a Two10ST.
A Genzler 10-2 Series 2 also, I imagine, but I may be projecting

If you can find me those under $400, I'd be very impressed. Otherwise, they're well out of my price range.

 

[ImTheOnlyOne]

If you can find me those under $400, I'd be very impressed. Otherwise, they're well out of my price range.

A GK Neo II 112 maybe?

 

[amper]

I'm looking for a cabinet to pair with my Mesa D350 at home.

For home use, you can use any number of older used cabs that will be well within your budget. Checking local music stores for used gear is your best bet. I have seen world class amps and cabs from the 1990s going for pennies on the dollar, because no one wants to move big heavy amps anymore. If you are leaving it at home, then size and weight is much less of a problem.

 

[mikeswals]

I have both the mini CL Ampeg and the mini Acoustic stacks and those cabs sound just fine for home use and ten times better than the tone of a Rumble.

Theres nothing magical required, it's just an amp....just go hit some stores, pawnshop or craigs and find something you like the tone of.