Monster Subway D-800 Project

[Stylee Mousse]

Yeah, before I did something like this, I'd probably just run the Subway into the Diesel and the SVT into the 18s.

That would solve 2 problems at once, more power and being able to tailor the power to the cabs and a cure for the visual imbalance of heads to cabs.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

Do you have pics of this solution?

I couldn't get it to center on the shelf without more drilling but I'm not ocd so don't care.

This has been my main rig for the past 5 years or so.

 

[bdplaid]

Yeah, before I did something like this, I'd probably just run the Subway into the Diesel and the SVT into the 18s.

That actually sounds like a good option.

 

[agedhorse]

Be absolutely sure the screws used are not too long, that’s a potentially expensive mistake.

 

[Killing Floor]

Ladies and gentleman, this guy gets it.

That is what a rock’n’roll amp looks like.

Nicely done. Louder is better.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

Be absolutely sure the screws used are not too long, that’s a potentially expensive mistake.

I recall back in 2018 when I mounted mine based on your advice I was very careful which screws I used. Five years later it's still running fantastic and I've bounced the rack around a good deal and no problems at all.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

If deep is what you are after, see if you can find a Mesa M6 or M9 head. Serious heft.
The old Bergantino NV215s are also a good cabinet choice for deep bass.

Or a Titan V12

 

[baxter_x]

Due to multiple vendor changes to the output devices, and specs that varied from production lot to production lot, some amps suffered from reliability at 2ohms (especially at very high output levels).

These devices are no longer available by any of the original manufacturers and are now more or less discontinued There is a die repackaging company that still sells them, but after 3 different vendors, we got tired of dealing with the problems. When the devices were good they were hard to beat, but when they weren’t they were a nightmare.

I guess that's the reason why Mesa also reduced the M9 from 900W down to 600W?

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

Since you have mismatched cabs, I would wonder if there's a way to run the Mesa head preamp into the SVT 4 pro power amp and then you can have a dedicated power amp for the 18s. Maybe even better would be to get a crown power amp and run the DI out into the input of the power amp. Then control the 18s and 215 with the Mesa running the 215 at a more comfortable 4 ohms and the crown running into the 2 18s? Just an idea

One potential problem with powering one set of speakers from an amp, and sending the preamp out from that amp to another, (different type) power amp feeding another set of speakers is that the output of the slave power amp may, (depending on the circuit design) not be assured to be in phase with the output coming from the power out of the master amp.

I think that if you did this with two identical amps, you should be OK with the phase of the two amps being aligned properly.



How about a Subway DI Preamp box into a pair of these: Lab Gruppen | Product | FP 14000

From the Lab Gruppen web page description: 14kW output power, "Built to Handle Extreme Low-Frequency Loads Effortlessly..."

I have heard a story, (I don't know if it is really true), that there was a demonstration of a Lab Gruppen power amp done at a trade show where it was used to weld two pieces of sheet metal together. If this story is true, then Lab Gruppen is obviously "the best power amplifier for metal".

 

[agedhorse]

I guess that's the reason why Mesa also reduced the M9 from 900W down to 600W?

Correct.

 

[nousersleft]

I couldn't get it to center on the shelf without more drilling but I'm not ocd so don't care.

This has been my main rig for the past 5 years or so.

View attachment 5039459

So, you just ran bolts through the case into the original foot threads? And obviously removed the feet.

What type / length bolts did you use? Also, any change in heat dispersion without the feet? I know there's no ventilation on the bottom of the head, but I'd think that the void the feet creates would provide something...

 

[Callused Finger]

I the rig.

you’ll end up with something else in the future but in the meantime you can always look back and say that there was a time when you ran 2-15’s and 2-18’s.

 

[nousersleft]

I the rig.

you’ll end up with something else in the future but in the meantime you can always look back and say that there was a time when you ran 2-15’s and 2-18’s.

Exactly! The only constant is change.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

So, you just ran bolts through the case into the original foot threads? And obviously removed the feet.

What type / length bolts did you use? Also, any change in heat dispersion without the feet? I know there's no ventilation on the bottom of the head, but I'd think that the void the feet creates would provide something...

I don't recall what bolt size I used. Maybe @agedhorse might have the specs?

Five years of using the D800 racked mostly outdoors in the Florida heat sometimes over 100 degrees in direct sunlight without a hiccup. If there was a heat dispersion issue I probably would have found out by now. This amp is an absolute beast.

 

[agedhorse]

So, you just ran bolts through the case into the original foot threads? And obviously removed the feet.

What type / length bolts did you use? Also, any change in heat dispersion without the feet? I know there's no ventilation on the bottom of the head, but I'd think that the void the feet creates would provide something...

I don't recall the screw size.

No change in ventilation, the void contributes nothing to the cooling.

I repeat because I see it happen... don't create a problem by using the incorrect screw size or by using a screw that extends farther into the chassis than the original screws. The damage can be very costly if you do it wrong.

 

[Marley's Ghost]

So, you just ran bolts through the case into the original foot threads? And obviously removed the feet.

What type / length bolts did you use? Also, any change in heat dispersion without the feet? I know there's no ventilation on the bottom of the head, but I'd think that the void the feet creates would provide something...

I was thinking about it and recalled I used the same screws/bolts from the feet. The feet have a washer of some kind which was around the same thickness as the shelf.

 

[nousersleft]

Haven't updated in a bit, but I'm definitely making some positive progress with this monster.

First, thanks to those that suggested simple solutions to the head vibrating off the cab. As I mentioned previously, I applied pedal velcro strips to the feet and the top of the cab. I applied the hook tape to the feet of the head and the loop side of the tape to the Diesel. Ultimately, the hook side came off of the feet on the head pretty quickly, but by just having the loop tape on the cab, the head doesn't move at all. It's pretty amazing how little it takes to stabilize these light heads.

Also, took some of the advice shared to set the Voicing to noon on the D-800, and damn, what a difference it makes with these cabs. Thanks again for that. Really digging this set up.

 

[nousersleft]

Slightly different application of the same head tonight. I gotta say, absolutely zero buyer's remorse from my D-800 purchase. Super versatile. Little thing does it all.

 

[Fishheadjoe]

OP... that rig looks hella fun to play through!!!!
Fishheadjoe

 

[DJ Bebop]

Plus a big rack with a tiny head and some flashing light-having rack units to fill it up will look more impressive than that chicklette up there now.

also weight is plainly NOT a problem!

are the Yamahas MI grade subs like SW118s? Do you like the way they sound soloed? I usually find PA subs dull as bass cabs.

That is what you want if you are bi-amping. The idea is not to want a lot of mids from the 18s, that's the job of the other cabs. You want the 18s to act as subs not a full range speaker. If you are not running the 18s as solo cabinets.