NAD Cage Match: GK MB800F vs. Mesa Subway (audio content)

[/\/\3phist0]

Wow, I'm surprised at how similar the two sound (on my bottom of the line computer speakers).

Chef, the OP said both amps were set flat. So, I'm guessing that means all tone controls at noon?

Captain Wally, I know this recording was XLR direct. But what cabs are you/will you be using with the Mesa head?

Has anyone tried the subway cabinets yet?

@Matt Dean has a 15.

 

[kleinenenten]

All controls at noon is not necessarily flat. It varies from amp to amp. I know nothing about the Mesas, but GK amps typically have a flat setting close to this:

High: 11ish
Hi Mid: 1ish
Low Mid: 1ish
Bass: Just shy of noon
Contour off

 

[Bob Coldwell]

Understood. So, we need more info from the OP to determine whether this was a controlled experiment.

 

[bikeplate]

Groovy. My names on the first one to arrive at my local dealer

 

[svtb15]

Di out sounds good on each.. I am looking forward to hearing about how it all interfaces with the New class D Module in the Mesa...
I have a GK MBF800.. It is LOUD but it took me a real long time to dial it in the way i like ,, I always have to mess with the Highs.. It can be real bright.. .But the bottom can be huge too.. I never really bass boost on that amp.

What i like about the current sound files posted with the MESA is the that the Mids sound full and more connected to the upper and lower extremes. I think the MESA has a smoother connection.. I know those files are DI out only . So it will be interesting to play the amp thru a known cab using the Power section..
And not only SOLOED but in a band setting..
For me ( maybe im old) but the only real way that i can tell if an amp is happening for me is in a band setting...
And the Mesa with its sound files seems right now to have that "GLUE" that will hold together..

 

[winegamd]

I think the Mesa has a more true to the bass tone. The GK, when A/B'ed with the Mesa, sounds like it is processed. I think you could also get either one to sound like the other. However, I think the Mesa has a better starting point for a tone, but I like my mids.

 

[BassGreaser]

Great clips and this Mesa Subway is on my short list of new amps to buy. Thinking about mating it with a Showman tone-ring loaded with a Beta 15a

 

[Matt Dean]

Di out sounds good on each.. I am looking forward to hearing about how it all interfaces with the New class D Module in the Mesa...
I have a GK MBF800.. It is LOUD but it took me a real long time to dial it in the way i like ,, I always have to mess with the Highs.. It can be real bright.. .But the bottom can be huge too.. I never really bass boost on that amp.

What i like about the current sound files posted with the MESA is the that the Mids sound full and more connected to the upper and lower extremes. I think the MESA has a smoother connection.. I know those files are DI out only . So it will be interesting to play the amp thru a known cab using the Power section..
And not only SOLOED but in a band setting..
For me ( maybe im old) but the only real way that i can tell if an amp is happening for me is in a band setting...
And the Mesa with its sound files seems right now to have that "GLUE" that will hold together..

Glue is a good way to put it... last night when playing with headphones, all of the frequency sections felt glued together in a way that created fatness.

 

[CaptainWally]

• It's not meant to in any way be a controlled or scientific test, my droogs.
• I just slapped some clips together to get a little taste out there asap. The characters came through better than I thought they would, actually
• All knobs at noon. The way I see it, this is what the manufacturer considers to be the neutral point, so I think it's probably interesting to compare these settings
• I have been using a Berg HD112...seems to be a great fit for the Mesa.
• I heard the Subway cabs with both the GK and the Subway. They sound way better with the Subway....and make the strong mid presence even more pronounced. They are loud, light...and sound great. Maybe a little more rocking and less refined than a Berg. That's my very very cursory assessment.

 

[sratas]

I guess that in the mix the mesa could be more burpy anf barky, whereas the gk is able to deliver a great grindy aggressive tone. This gk tone is what some enginners consider to be the rock bass tone on recordings by definition. I agree, but in many other genres a flatter and middier starting point is more usable.
If those mids are meaty, dense and warm, it could be a great amp.

By the way, huge difference in recordings. I picked the gk after 3 note....

 

[tedious1]

Thanks for the clips! Defo prefer the Mesa based on those clips, and since none of the LM's in the province have one yet, that's more than I'm going to hear from it for awhile... Not quite GASsing for this yet, but defo interested.

 

[tombowlus]

Has anyone tried the subway cabinets yet?

I have tried the Subway 1x12's, and they are very, very nice! Big fan.

 

[hintz]

I'm a GK fan but that Mesa sounds damn good, and much warmer than that particular GK!! Thanks for sharing OP!!

 

[CaptainWally]

I think the Mesa has a more true to the bass tone. The GK, when A/B'ed with the Mesa, sounds like it is processed. I think you could also get either one to sound like the other. However, I think the Mesa has a better starting point for a tone, but I like my mids.

I'm a GK fan but that Mesa sounds damn good, and much warmer than that particular GK!! Thanks for sharing OP!!

And keep in mind this is probably the warmest GK model there is.

 

[hintz]

And keep in mind this is probably the warmest GK model there is.

Really!? My 400RB is the warmest GK I've played through so I'm guessing I'd probably really like this... Hopefully ill get to try one out sometime!

 

[slade]

very, very different sounding heads thru my event 20 20s. Both sound great in their own ways.
Two distinct flavors of good tone!

 

[NKBassman]

I wouldn't have been able to pick out which one was which, but amp one sounds much better to me in those clips

 

[CaptainWally]

Really!? My 400RB is the warmest GK I've played through so I'm guessing I'd probably really like this... Hopefully ill get to try one out sometime!

I don't really have experience with that one....I just assumed since the 800F has tubes it would be more warm than the RB line.

 

[hintz]

I don't really have experience with that one....I just assumed since the 800F has tubes it would be more warm than the RB line.

I've never tried the 800F, so you might be right! Both sounded good to me, but the few times I played through mesa's I was very impressed, at the time it was the price/weight that scared me off(plus I had a SVT2 non-pro the last time I got try a wide variety of bass rigs)...

Either way, it seems that class D amps are constantly getting better with tone/quality
Right now I own only one all tube monster, a fender PS300 that weight around 80lbs and 2 SS GK's that dont weigh much at all, maybe someday ill get onboard with these newer class D's

 

[JanusZarate]

As far as "warm" GK heads go, I'd say the Fusion 550, the MB Fusion models, and the 700RB-II are their "warmer" heads. I've played through a late 80's 400RB before and I didn't really think it was as warm as the other heads I mentioned.

Overall, these clips are interesting to listen to. I dig the midrange character of the Mesa.

I am definitely going to have to A/B a Mesa Subway D-800 and some Subway cabs against my GK MB Fusion and Neo 112-II stack. Time to find a shop that stocks them...