Mesa Subway D-800+

[pigpen1]

Yes, pretty close.

Awesome thanks.

 

[bdplaid]

Yes, pretty close.

Good info.

But I have to ask, since when is 480Hz considered upper mid? Or did you want to include that VERY useful frequency and it was the only optiion for naming?

The reason I ask, in my head upper mid is around 1K or higher.

If you ask what I'd do, and you're not, I'd add a midrange control - for a total of 5. I loved my Ashdown for that reason; Bass, Low Mid, Mid, High Mid, and Treb. "Mid" was 500 Hz as I recall. You could rename the mids, "Punch," "Pop," and "Clack."

 

[agedhorse]

Good info.

But I have to ask, since when is 480Hz considered upper mid? Or did you want to include that VERY useful frequency and it was the only optiion for naming?

The reason I ask, in my head upper mid is around 1K or higher.

If you ask what I'd do, and you're not, I'd add a midrange control - for a total of 5. I loved my Ashdown for that reason; Bass, Low Mid, Mid, High Mid, and Treb. "Mid" was 500 Hz as I recall. You could rename the mids, "Punch," "Pop," and "Clack."

We let the player's panel choose the frequencies, it's a little more than an octave above the low mid control and for this product like the players found themselves focusing more on the application of the eq with where the fundamental appeared to them on their bass. When you start getting into the higher frequencies, you start looking more at how the controls act on the harmonics rather than the fundamental. This is exactly why the D-800+ includes a wider sweep range, to address for the wants/needs of a player who is looking at a different approach, or who has different goals. The names were what most of our test players agreed on.

The reason why we didn't include another eq band was for the reasons of simplicity and size. Size and simplicity of the D-800 is a very compelling feature for many players (even more that I would have thought frankly).

Hope this helps.

 

[bdplaid]

We let the player's panel choose the frequencies, it's a little more than an octave above the low mid control and for this product like the players found themselves focusing more on the application of the eq with where the fundamental appeared to them on their bass. When you start getting into the higher frequencies, you start looking more at how the controls act on the harmonics rather than the fundamental. This is exactly why the D-800+ includes a wider sweep range, to address for the wants/needs of a player who is looking at a different approach, or who has different goals. The names were what most of our test players agreed on.

The reason why we didn't include another eq band was for the reasons of simplicity and size. Size and simplicity of the D-800 is a very compelling feature for many players (even more that I would have thought frankly).

Hope this helps.

My comment it totally a semantics thing, not about the freq choice. The freq's are good. I brought it up because some amp manufacturers call it one thing, some another. And there is what my brain does to it...

 

[Al Kraft]

We let the player's panel choose the frequencies, it's a little more than an octave above the low mid control and for this product like the players found themselves focusing more on the application of the eq with where the fundamental appeared to them on their bass. When you start getting into the higher frequencies, you start looking more at how the controls act on the harmonics rather than the fundamental. This is exactly why the D-800+ includes a wider sweep range, to address for the wants/needs of a player who is looking at a different approach, or who has different goals. The names were what most of our test players agreed on.

The reason why we didn't include another eq band was for the reasons of simplicity and size. Size and simplicity of the D-800 is a very compelling feature for many players (even more that I would have thought frankly).

Hope this helps.

To this very point, I would argue that Bergantino discovered something similar when they came out with the B/Amp and then offered the quite excellent Forte to appeal to those players who liked a simpler version. Mesa just did it the other way around, with the Subway line. IMO we have two pretty clear data points indicating that there is customer demand for both ultimate versatility and functional simplicity in a bass head with the essentially the same major amplification components.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I'm resisting the D800+ Still with the D800.
I love the set n forget simplicity, and the more compact size of the D800
The tone sculpting is a draw for the Plus, primarily the HPF.
I'm completely happy with the D800, but in some rooms I'd love to apply the HPF, and /or the Bright switch.
The Mid controls on the D800 are sufficient, but having the sculpting of the Plus is interesting, but not compelling.

At the end of the day, if anyone has a Plus and is not feeling it, hit me up I'd be willing to discuss an uptrade to the Plus...
on the other hand I'm not rushing to the store to buy a Plus, had it been available at the time I made the purchase:
I'd have the plus, but in no way do I feel that I "Missed Out" at all.

 

[Low Key]

Has anyone compared the built-in DI on the D800+ vs. a standalone DI (Radial, Countryman, etc.) for live/gig applications? I don't expect that a built-in amp DI would necessarily match a high quality, dedicated DI. However, I am trying to reduce stage equipment and would like determine if the Mesa DI is in the same ballpark as the clean signal produced by my Radial JDI. I have no real way to test this right now.

 

[agedhorse]

Has anyone compared the built-in DI on the D800+ vs. a standalone DI (Radial, Countryman, etc.) for live/gig applications? I don't expect that a built-in amp DI would necessarily match a high quality, dedicated DI. However, I am trying to reduce stage equipment and would like determine if the Mesa DI is in the same ballpark as the clean signal produced by my Radial JDI. I have no real way to test this right now.

Yes, the DI on the amp was built specifically to replace outboard DIs in most applications. It was designed with audio quality and low noise in mind.

 

[Low Key]

Yes, the DI on the amp was built specifically to replace outboard DIs in most applications. It was designed with audio quality and low noise in mind.

Thanks for the quick response. Should I think of the built-in DI as active or passive? My Radial is great, but it is passive and I've had occasional issues with signal being strong enough for long cable runs. BTW - I would probably send pre-EQ.

 

[mesaplayer83]

Has anyone compared the built-in DI on the D800+ vs. a standalone DI (Radial, Countryman, etc.) for live/gig applications? I don't expect that a built-in amp DI would necessarily match a high quality, dedicated DI. However, I am trying to reduce stage equipment and would like determine if the Mesa DI is in the same ballpark as the clean signal produced by my Radial JDI. I have no real way to test this right now.

I have - I have a Countryman 85 and a Radial JDI, and the DI's on my D800, Streamliner 900, and Shuttlemax 12.0 are all comparable to those 2 well known DIs...

 

[Al Kraft]

Has anyone compared the built-in DI on the D800+ vs. a standalone DI (Radial, Countryman, etc.) for live/gig applications? I don't expect that a built-in amp DI would necessarily match a high quality, dedicated DI. However, I am trying to reduce stage equipment and would like determine if the Mesa DI is in the same ballpark as the clean signal produced by my Radial JDI. I have no real way to test this right now.

As a long time Countryman 85 and Radial JDI user, I will tell you sound techs love my D-800 DI send as much or more as any standalone they've used (their words not mine).

 

[mesaplayer83]

Thanks for the quick response. Should I think of the built-in DI as active or passive? My Radial is great, but it is passive and I've had occasional issues with signal being strong enough for long cable runs. BTW - I would probably send pre-EQ.

I would say it's an active DI - it acts very much like my Countryman...

 

[agedhorse]

Thanks for the quick response. Should I think of the built-in DI as active or passive? My Radial is great, but it is passive and I've had occasional issues with signal being strong enough for long cable runs. BTW - I would probably send pre-EQ.

It would function exactly like an active DI, the input buffer on the amp handles this function.

As a long time touring PA guy, I know my DI technology well, especially how it functions in the field and what it takes to be sound guy friendly

 

[mesaplayer83]

It would function exactly like an active DI, the input buffer on the amp handles this function.

As a long time touring PA guy, I know my DI technology well, especially how it functions in the field and what it takes to be sound guy friendly

I have to say that every amp of "yours" that I've played all had great DIs...

 

[pfschim]

OK, so I just sent my hard earned $$ to a fellow TBer to buy his (lightly) used D800+
Looking forward to getting it in hand and giving it a run around my various cabs.

I am a huge (y-uge?) Walkabout fan and keep coming back to that sweet sounding amp after trying various others.

I also typically like tube amps for their harmonic "depth" and "warmth" (not technical terms ).

Do any of you D800/D800+ users put any tube devices in front of your amps, or do the 800/800+ have enough of that warm, somewhat compressed, harmonically rich goodness to them that such additions are not necessary ?

Also, on my pedalboard, I currently use some light compression (going in and heading out), and am also quite attached to my VT Deluxe pedal. I suspect that I will run my FX right into the front of the amp rather than the FX loop as I have never really got useful results using FX loops and my current FX all seem to work just fine into the front of most amps I have used.

Anyone using a tube pre/pedal, or a VT/VT Deluxe want to comment on how those work for you with the D800+ ?

It'll be about 10 days before I have the amp in hand, and I know hands/ears on is only real way to understand these things about new gear, but I thought I would as anyway.

thanks

 

[MultiScaleMale]

OK, so I just sent my hard earned $$ to a fellow TBer to buy his (lightly) used D800+
Looking forward to getting it in hand and giving it a run around my various cabs.

I am a huge (y-uge?) Walkabout fan and keep coming back to that sweet sounding amp after trying various others.

I also typically like tube amps for their harmonic "depth" and "warmth" (not technical terms ).

Do any of you D800/D800+ users put any tube devices in front of your amps, or do the 800/800+ have enough of that warm, somewhat compressed, harmonically rich goodness to them that such additions are not necessary ?

Also, on my pedalboard, I currently use some light compression (going in and heading out), and am also quite attached to my VT Deluxe pedal. I suspect that I will run my FX right into the front of the amp rather than the FX loop as I have never really got useful results using FX loops and my current FX all seem to work just fine into the front of most amps I have used.

Anyone using a tube pre/pedal, or a VT/VT Deluxe want to comment on how those work for you with the D800+ ?

It'll be about 10 days before I have the amp in hand, and I know hands/ears on is only real way to understand these things about new gear, but I thought I would as anyway.

thanks

I don't think it needs a tube in front of it. Turn up the gain until you get the grit you want and then set the volume appropriately.

 

[Fat Freddy]

I don't think it needs a tube in front of it. Turn up the gain until you get the grit you want and then set the volume appropriately.

Yep!

 

[pfschim]

ok, I'll definitely twist the knobs when I have it in hand.
But, what I seek from tubes is not "grit", distortion, "dirt" or "hair", or whatever other terms we use. What I seek from tubes is that sweet spot where they begin to saturate and compress a bit just before much audible "grit" gets going. The Walkabout does this so easily, that big, warm weight it puts behind notes, I'm hoping that the D800+ is capable of it as well - whatever the amp design.

anyone using a VT/VTD pedal with their D800+ ?

 

[MultiScaleMale]

ok, I'll definitely twist the knobs when I have it in hand.
But, what I seek from tubes is not "grit", distortion, "dirt" or "hair", or whatever other terms we use. What I seek from tubes is that sweet spot where they begin to saturate and compress a bit just before much audible "grit" gets going. The Walkabout does this so easily, that big, warm weight it puts behind notes, I'm hoping that the D800+ is capable of it as well - whatever the amp design.

anyone using a VT/VTD pedal with their D800+ ?

I’ve used a VTDI pedal with the 800+. It sounds good, but you don’t really need it to get warmth.

 

[pfschim]

got it. I use the VTD for a variety of reasons. One of the things I am pretty much addicted to with it is the speaker sim ... it just brings a flavor (air, depth .. not totally sure) to any amp I use it with that I never gig without it. I have been known to put the VTD in front of a Blue Line SVT with a flat back cab in a backline rig.

I have no doubts about the D800+ sounding good. We'll see if it cures me of my VTD addiction.