When I use the headphones on my D350, I have to unplug the cab otherwise sound will go through the headphones and the speaker.
No big deal for me as my cabs connectors are Speakon and they are easy to plug/unplug.
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Mesa Subway D-350!
- Thread starter mmbongo
- Start date
No big deal for me as my cabs connectors are Speakon and they are easy to plug/unplug.
You do have to disconnect Speaker with D-350; It does not Mute Cabs connected this is normal for all Mesa Subway Heads
In my WD 800 Manual [which is much better than most] it does make clear as you said don't need speaker connected but doesn't mention if you do have speaker connected it will play also along with headphones
HEADPHONE OUTPUT: The SUBWAY WD-800 includes a 1/4” (6.35mm) TRS tip-ring-sleeve headphone output jack, which will drive all common headphones and IEM ear pieces between 8 and 32 ohms (and many well above 32 ohms). It is not necessary to have a speaker connected to the amp when using headphones, it is completely safe to operate the amp without a speaker load. It’s advisable to use caution whenever sticking a sound source in your ear, as damaging volume is possible, especially with “bass player accidents”, and when volume is factored over a long period of time. This output contains additional cabinet emulation circuitry. This output should not be connected to anything but headphones or ear buds.
Al Kraft
Supporting Member
- May 2, 2016
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It's not a problem with your head. You can run both or you can simply disconnect the speaker cable. Different heads are designed different ways, but using headphones on the D-350 doesn't "automatically mute" the speaker outputs.
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- Feb 12, 2006
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- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
No, the headphone jack does not mute the speaker output. This is by design, because it’s a common failure point on competing products.
Thanks all. I kinda figured as much but it never hurts to ask.
Al Kraft
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Absolutely true....smart people always ask while others fiddle around with stuff until they break something or compound what would have been a simple fix, and then they ask.
Fascinating datapoint and good to know for troubleshooting amps.
Tangent to this thread but curious for more info on this if you’re able to share.
My guess:
For an amp's speaker output to be interrupted this way, it has to occur at the tiny headphone jack itself. The traditional phone jack design and placement makes contact surface corrosion (to air, water, beer) more likely than, say a modern Speakon design. Over time this exposure would possibly create a failure point. Relying on this small, vulnerable, cheap electrical part to interrupt high voltage to a speaker is therefore risky.
I learned a similar lesson when one of my SVT preamp out/in jacks failed for this reason.
A thought, if the D-800 has a 2 ohm setting, it will only put out 300 into an 8 ohm cab. I do that with my WD-800. It prevents over driving my speakers keeping the volume level in the sweet spot.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,963
- 5
- 220,651
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
There are several ways to accomplish the switching via the headphone jack. Each method has its own advantages and drawbacks. This is especially true with some class D topologies which are not ground referenced.
Some methods currently used do not pass the signal through the headphone jack.
Some methods currently used do not pass the signal through the headphone jack.
What happens if I don't connect any speaker and I suddenly disconnect the headphone? Would that damage the amp head? Just asking for a friend...
Al Kraft
Supporting Member
- May 2, 2016
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- Mesa Boogie beta product tester and player support
The SW heads (to include the D-350) can be used without a speaker(s) or headphones connected. You can use the head as just a "really nice" DI.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,963
- 5
- 220,651
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- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Absolutely nothing bad will happen.
Thanks, I feel better. I just received my D-350 and I couldn't find my Speakon cables, so I did give a try with headphones, but there was a time when nothing at all was plugged.
Quick comment that using a compressor having a tilt EQ (in my case a Module 4) allowed for some swift two-knob tone sweeping in conjunction with the D-350's voicing.
I broke down and got one of these recently; a decision I'm not likely to regret. Two questions to which I may know the answer already:
On the back panel of the amp there is a warning/notice which reads "Replace fuse with same type/rating only." There is no apparent external fuse access so I might assume replacing that involves a visit to a qualified tech. (?) Is there any conceivable reason to want to have a spare fuse in my gig emergence kit? (Probably not.) If so, what is the correct fuse?
Is there any reason not to operate the amp sitting on its side? When we're really tight on space and the keyboard combo sits on top of my cabinet I have done that with my TCE RH450, but it is specifically designed to do so. This one I'm less sure of; there could be internal components in the D-350 that won't radiate heat properly.
Thanks in advance.
On the back panel of the amp there is a warning/notice which reads "Replace fuse with same type/rating only." There is no apparent external fuse access so I might assume replacing that involves a visit to a qualified tech. (?) Is there any conceivable reason to want to have a spare fuse in my gig emergence kit? (Probably not.) If so, what is the correct fuse?
Is there any reason not to operate the amp sitting on its side? When we're really tight on space and the keyboard combo sits on top of my cabinet I have done that with my TCE RH450, but it is specifically designed to do so. This one I'm less sure of; there could be internal components in the D-350 that won't radiate heat properly.
Thanks in advance.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,963
- 5
- 220,651
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
There is no user replaceable fuse in any Subway series amp. The fuse is internal, it will not open unless there is a catastrophic failure of the power supply. I have never seen one open without accompanying failure. Never replace an internal fuse because the original failure can cause a hazard if powered up without additional precautions that a qualified professional will understand. The back panel legend is there for international regulatory reasons.
There isn’t any problem operating the amp on its side.
Check out the D-350 featured on my band's new single!
We're playing at Knockout in San Francisco on Sunday and there will be a backline Fender Rumble 500 I can plug into. So I'm bringing my Tech 21 Para Driver and going into the effects return, because the Rumble is not my sound. So I've been working to tweak the Para Driver through my D350. The way I have it set up is:
bass > pedalboard > Radial Twin City amp switcher
Output A goes to the Para Driver and into the aux in on the back of the D350
Output B goes to the front end of the D350
I've been wondering why my sound through the aux in is almost there but not quite, and kinda flubby when both outputs are at the same perceived volume level. It occurred to me to turn down the output on the Para Driver to see if that cleaned things up, and it did.
So my question is, is the aux input not able to take as hot a signal as the front input? If that's not the case, what else might be causing it to have unwanted distortion?
FYI - I don't think this is an issue with the amp. I just think I need to run a slightly less hot signal into the aux input and turn up the master volume when I use it. I'm just looking for some confirmation.
Lastly, the Para Driver took a lot of tweaking to emulate the D350 but it's very close, at least with my settings.
Thanks!
bass > pedalboard > Radial Twin City amp switcher
Output A goes to the Para Driver and into the aux in on the back of the D350
Output B goes to the front end of the D350
I've been wondering why my sound through the aux in is almost there but not quite, and kinda flubby when both outputs are at the same perceived volume level. It occurred to me to turn down the output on the Para Driver to see if that cleaned things up, and it did.
So my question is, is the aux input not able to take as hot a signal as the front input? If that's not the case, what else might be causing it to have unwanted distortion?
FYI - I don't think this is an issue with the amp. I just think I need to run a slightly less hot signal into the aux input and turn up the master volume when I use it. I'm just looking for some confirmation.
Lastly, the Para Driver took a lot of tweaking to emulate the D350 but it's very close, at least with my settings.
Thanks!
I just joined the D350 club! Only had it a couple days, first I only had headphones and DI out to my interface. Sounds great with a Fender Jazz MIM. I received an Aguilar SL110 which seems to work very well with the amp. I am a drummer and not a “real’ bassist LOL. Using it for recording and low volume practice with the band and various friends at the home studio. I think it’s perfect for my use case as well as to help me get excited to learn to play bass a bit better!
Reading thru this thread so I can learn more about settings, etc. Anything I should be aware, recommended settings, etc? Oh the manual and gig bag were missing from the open box but I seem to have a good deal on it. I can download the manual but don't see the gig bag online anywhere…will only leave the house on occasion but nice to have.
Reading thru this thread so I can learn more about settings, etc. Anything I should be aware, recommended settings, etc? Oh the manual and gig bag were missing from the open box but I seem to have a good deal on it. I can download the manual but don't see the gig bag online anywhere…will only leave the house on occasion but nice to have.
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