• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Mesa Subway D-800+

#461
I kept switching back and forth between my Heritage head and the D800+ last night and I'm going with the Mesa for tonights gig at a local watering hole. an 810 and the Mesa in a small room should be interesting. the boys are breaking out the big 412's tonight and we are using a new digital faceless board also. should be a pretty cool gig.
 
#463
PolkaHero said:
Just curious what settings do you change on the Mesa to get close to the Tone Hammer sound? Boost mids?
Click to expand...
Start here.

Mesa-TH500-settings.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: bass nitro, Al Kraft, Fred312b and 1 other person
#464
IMG_2824.JPG

Put this in one of the other threads, but there is some overlap so...


Well the Cubs tried to ruin my night, but I had this to look forward to. Initial impressions are good- the cabs blend together well (almost like they were designed to ;)), and it's nice and portable.

Individually, I prefer the 15, but it is a really good cab. The 210 is tighter, but the 15 speaks to me better (I am not a slapper or tapper, fwiw).

Waiting for the house to myself so I can put it through some more paces, but overall this is pretty sweet, and quite a formidable rig.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: sludgetail, tomydacat, Green Lantern and 5 others
#466
Is anyone using the D-800 or D-800+ with a Markbass NY122 or a TC Electronics RS212? Results? I've read up on these cabs but cannot try them anywhere near me. I want a portable, loud 2x12 but can't afford a boutique brand at the moment. I will likely get a used cab to pair with the D-800+.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Avalon5
#467
Low Key said:
Is anyone using the D-800 or D-800+ with a Markbass NY122 or a TC Electronics RS212? Results? I've read up on these cabs but cannot try them anywhere near me. I want a portable, loud 2x12 but can't afford a boutique brand at the moment. I will likely get a used cab to pair with the D-800+.
Click to expand...
You may want to consider adding a GK Neo 212 to your short list. I actually use two GK Neo 112's as one of my lightweight, modular set-ups and I think the 212 would be as good or better.

In terms of comparison I have a Berg CN212 and while it's very nice, my GK cabs do not embarrass themselves next to it. The real differences (most notably the upper end smoothness of the Berg) are probably lost on most people in a band mix, especially rock and roll. We all listen for different things, but that's my take on it. I hope that's helpful.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fred312b, donahue and Low Key
#468
Al Kraft said:
You may want to consider adding a GK Neo 212 to your short list. I actually use two GK Neo 112's as one of my lightweight, modular set-ups and I think the 212 would be as good or better.

In terms of comparison I have a Berg CN212 and while it's very nice, my GK cabs do not embarrass themselves next to it. The real differences (most notably the upper end smoothness of the Berg) are probably lost on most people in a band mix, especially rock and roll. We all listen for different things, but that's my take on it. I hope that's helpful.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments. I actually have the earlier version of the GK MB500/212 Neo combo and love it to death. My thought with a cab like the Markbass is that it would be a bit smaller to move around due to smaller dimensions, but I do like GK. If anyone has compared the Markbass to the GK or TC Electronic (all 2x12 models) I'd love to hear about it. Again, I'm most interested in how they mate with the Subway D-800+.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Al Kraft
#469
My band played at a Halloween party last night and I used my 800+ for the first time. I really cut through the mix with this head, especially on the high end. There was plenty of bass and the deep switch stayed off the entire time. I had to adjust the EQ very little to get a great tone and just used the controls on the bass to dial in my tone for different songs. We do classic/hard rock covers mostly but we dabble in Clapton and some other laid back tunes also. I have to admit the 810 was a bit much for the room I was in but I just kept the volume low and it worked out well. The sound guy was very happy with the D.I. signal and barely had me in the mix. So far I'm very happy with Mesa and the job they did with this head, even with all the extra EQ settings it was very easy to get a great tone very quickly. The gain control seemed kind of touchy and would get a lot louder with just the slightest adjustment but the master seemed more forgiving and I used it to turn up or down instead. I'm looking forward to getting a couple of the 1 15's from the Subway series in the near future. Still in disbelief that this small head can get as loud as my SVT and sound great while doing it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: munkeyfish and /\/\3phist0
#472
Fortunately for me, I was able to keep my GAS for a Subway amp in check for over a year. But with the release of the D-800+ I realized, finally, that my “resistance was futile.” So I have now purchased one—and after just a few days with it, I am a very happy camper.

For the last 5 or 6 years I have been mostly using a GB Shuttle 9 at gigs—an amp I greatly appreciate and respect but never quite fell in love with. (It always sounded just a bit sterile to me.) The 800+ includes almost the entire feature set of that amp (except for the preamp tube, which I never found to be particularly noticeable), adds in several more features that I have already found to be incredibly useful, has an inherently warmer sound, and makes me want to give it a great big hug.

I usually gig with an Epi UL410, a cab I really like, but which has a slight low-mid dip—so a parametric low-mid control has always been useful for smoothing that out. But with the addition of that second mid sweep control on the 800+, I’m able to also dial in (or out) string brightness and attack in a way that most high-mid or treble controls I’ve had just don’t seem effect very much. And having never really used an HPF before, I’m kind of amazed at how well it can tame the bottom end (which is huge on the UL410) without feeling like I’m losing bass response. I also like how the voicing control works. It reminds me a bit of the VPF on Markbass amps, which is a feature I’m fond of.

My only very minor quibble with the amp so far is that I find the input (gain) knob a bit hard to control at the lower end. It seems to go from quiet to loud a little too quickly. (Gotta say something not great about it!)

And I guess this is a question for AgedHorse: Is there some sort of approximate guide chart for where on the dial the various frequencies are for the two sweep controls? I remember seeing one somewhere a while back for the Shuttles, which was very helpful. I know you said in an earlier reply that they “will appear linear.” Does that mean noon on the low dial would be just under 1K Hz, and on the other about 2650 Hz?

Anyway, kudos to you and Mesa for a very well thought out and great sounding product.
 
#474
I know we are sound like a broken record, but here I go...

I recently added a MIM P bass Deluxe Active to my arsenal and I finally got to try it out with my D800/Eden D112XLT rig Sunday and then today with my Barefaced cabs. The Fender kills through the Mesa. I recorded Sunday through the DI and what a sound.

I realize there are a lot of other great amps out there, but the Mesa/Fender matchup is astounding.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jim Carr, Green Lantern and lermgalieu
#475
1954bassman said:
I know we are sound like a broken record, but here I go...

I recently added a MIM P bass Deluxe Active to my arsenal and I finally got to try it out with my D800/Eden D112XLT rig Sunday and then today with my Barefaced cabs. The Fender kills through the Mesa. I recorded Sunday through the DI and what a sound.

I realize there are a lot of other great amps out there, but the Mesa/Fender matchup is astounding.
Click to expand...

While my Fender is a different animal (MIA passive P), I couldn't agree more. Special sauce. I'm digging my Stingray through the D800 more and more but holy moly the P bass just gets into the zone with zero knob twiddling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jwindham, Dp1363, tomydacat and 1 other person
#478
socialleper said:
For a hundred bucks more, you are certainly getting a lot of upgrades. I don't know if I'd like the bigger foot print.
If I didn't already have a D-800 I'd definitely think about the plus.
Click to expand...
They are "upgrades" only if you want them. There are plenty of players that feel the additional features are a big turn-off. Really, you can't win worth losing on this one ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: dukeorock, Ewo, Dougie44 and 2 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back