NAD - Mesa Boogie Subway Content Inside

[BassBlappa]

A lot of that old Motown sound was DI'd and no amp was used on some of it.

In the studio, yes, but the live performance scenario was a different ball game. For live performances, Bass players in those days used larger cabinets, such as those with 2x15’s, to ensure enough volume and presence on stage.

2x10 & 1x15 is a killer combo. Tight and punchy with a rich deep low end. Tonal flexibility!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Haven't seen anyone pair these 2 yet, but I'd bet a great sound could be dialed with the D-350 head into the 2x10 cab.

Ask over here:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/of...y-series-club.1181245/page-2381#post-28232123

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I have been a 4x10 guy for many years and and own quite a few different amps but recently decided I wanted to try something new. The Mesa Boogie Subway series of options peaked my interest and so over the last several weeks I purchased all the gear pictured below separately; a Mesa Boogie D800+ bass amp, a Subway 1x15, and the Subway 2x10.

For about a week I just had the D800+ and the 1x15 and I didn’t love it. In fact, I have never been a big fan of playing through a single 8 ohm cab (a single 4 ohm cab is a different story).

I thought about selling both as it just wasn’t for me, but decided I would see my original scheme to its conclusion lol.

Last night I was able to pick up the Subway 2x10 that I found locally. I put it on top of the 15”, daisy chained the 2 cabs together, plugged in, and sort of crossed my fingers.

Instantly I understood what all the hype was about as sweet succulent bass goodness projected out from the stacked cans and washed all over me. Damn…that little rig hits in all the right ways…fat, punchy, warm, articulate, deep, clear, and transparent.

This little rig transparently amplifies each bass I plugged in which almost lends an artificial feeling of playing through a different amp each time as this head doesn’t seem to color the tone like many other amps I have played through do. My old P Bass with flats had the perfect vintage thump while the individual charactar of my various passive and active J Basses (single coils and splits) and MM’s really stepped forward and shined.

The D800+ really allows for some serious tone shaping capabilities between the Deep and Bright switches, the Voicing knob, the HPF, Parametric Low and High mids. Small twists of the EQ knobs yield immediate response.

I do love the vertical height of this little stack because getting that 2x10 elevated really helps when it comes to hearing tonal articulation and getting sound dispersion above knee height.

I haven’t gigged this yet so I won’t really know how I feel about it compared to my trusty Bergantino 4x10 that I absolutely love until then, but so far I am pretty impressed…and honestly, that is hard to do these days.

What are your thoughts on these?
View attachment 5363635

I get the same effect out of 2 210. Other out of 2 12s, or 2 15s.

You know huge difference in tone standing beside a cab as opposed to standing in front of it? You get the same effect when a cab is pointed at your knees only not as much. By placing a second cab with the speakers closer to your ears, while you lower cab is producing is producing that nice low end, you get the tight presence of the upper cab being on axis.

This is the same principle that has made the SVT Fridge cab so popular. I’ll let the engineers explain the physics behind this experience, but I’m not surprised to hear of your experience.

I’ll just add that it doesn’t matter so much if the speakers are the same size or like in your case two different ones. The principle will still work regardless of speaker size, but the effect can be more or less intense based on the design of the specific cabs used and the speaker(s) inside.

 

[faulknersj]

So into a Mesa head and SW115 should work fine!

I’m not getting the oomph I want from that configuration but sounds like it works great for others…

 

[DJ Bebop]

In the studio, yes, but the live performance scenario was a different ball game. For live performances, Bass players in those days used larger cabinets, such as those with 2x15-inch speakers, to ensure enough volume and presence on stage.

2x10 & 1x15 is a killer combo. Tight and punchy with a rich deep low end. Tonal flexibility!

Yes James had a Kustom amp and a 2x15 cabinet.l he would gig with. Here he is playing a Fender amp and 2x15 or maybe that goofy 4x12 cabinet...



Here with some big Fender amp behind Martha.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I’m not getting the oomph I want from that configuration but sounds like it works great for others…

I guess I have a different need.

I don't need to be loud or have that kind of presence in my combo or venues. I get where more cabinets get a different presence and volume or oomph. Still, I think the tone is still there in the single 115 just not the oomph you are looking for. I'm using mine like the original B-15 was used only with a little more oomph than the original. 400 watts vs 25-30 watts of the originals.

Like some guitarists play through Fender Champs other Marshall stacks. It all depends on what you need.

 

[SemiDriven]

I’m not getting the oomph I want from that configuration but sounds like it works great for others…

Try turning the "oomph" control up a few notches.

 

[faulknersj]

Try turning the "oomph" control up a few notches.

I’ve played dozens and dozens of amp & cab configurations over the last 30 years in every conceivable venue size and range of PA support from stadiums to a single speaker PA lol. I play every style of music sometimes in the same night (Funk, latin, rock, jazz, soul, Neo Soul, RnB, Funk, Blues, Afrobeat, Reggae, etc) and have a pretty good idea what I want from a rig…

I have many amps and cabs that provide a lot of options…

if I was to use a single Mesa Boogie Subway cab it would definitely be the 2x10 for my preferences.

Telling me something that doesn’t work for me will work for me doesn’t work for me…you dig lol!

 

[faulknersj]

I guess I have a different need.

I don't need to be loud or have that kind of presence in my combo or venues. I get where more cabinets get a different presence and volume or oomph. Still, I think the tone is still there in the single 115 just not the oomph you are looking for.

Boom. You nailed it!

 

[SemiDriven]

I’ve played dozens and dozens of amp & cab configurations over the last 30 years…

Telling me something that doesn’t work for me will work for me doesn’t work for me…you dig?

Totally dig (I figured as much).

Sorry for trying to inject some humor into the conversation.

 

[faulknersj]

Totally dig (I figured as much).

Sorry for trying to inject some humor into the conversation.

Ha Ha! I got you lol! Volume knobs and some EQ can do wonders to bass tone lol

 

[DJ Bebop]

Try turning the "oomph" control up a few notches.

The next iteration of Mesa bass amps will have an Oomph control maybe.
@agedhorse?

 

[rotero]

I’ve played dozens and dozens of amp & cab configurations over the last 30 years in every conceivable venue size and range of PA support from stadiums to a single speaker PA lol. I play every style of music sometimes in the same night (Funk, latin, rock, jazz, soul, Neo Soul, RnB, Funk, Blues, Afrobeat, Reggae, etc) and have a pretty good idea what I want from a rig…

I have many amps and cabs that provide a lot of options…

if I was to use a single Mesa Boogie Subway cab it would definitely be the 2x10 for my preferences.

Telling me something that doesn’t work for me will work for me doesn’t work for me…you dig lol!

I've got the 115 and the 210 and there's definitely a difference with a single cab. The 210 pushes more low end and has more clarity out top. I love them both. I like the 115 solo when I want to mimic the limits of the old tube amp. The 210 is a cab that handled everything my Modulus Q6 could give it so I consider it a very broad-band reference cab. I kept up with live drums just fine on its own. I can see how it would put a bigger smile on your face with the variety of styles you play. Both together are incredible.

 

[rotero]

I know it’s still just pushing & pulling air at your calves and so headroom will be limited by that and by it only being one speaker, but I gotta laugh in a bit of disbelief and a bit of assuming you’re kinda joking about an amp with 26 times the wattage only having a little more headroom.

Yes. Kind of joking but when I'm going for that old tube amp sound from the WD I'm doing everything to make it compress and sag: push the preamp to a growl, 2ohm power limit, low damping, EQ it to bloom a bit in the lows and low mids. So yeah. it has gobs more headroom overall but in this use case I'm wanting to hear it squish a bit. The B-15 just falls apart if you push it just a hair too much, so this one gets me the sound and feel but I can keep going with the linear volume control. Much like the initial idea to create a Walkabout with more headroom. Your comment was right on. Made me laugh!

 

[Geri O]

I’ve played dozens and dozens of amp & cab configurations over the last 30 years in every conceivable venue size and range of PA support from stadiums to a single speaker PA lol. I play every style of music sometimes in the same night (Funk, latin, rock, jazz, soul, Neo Soul, RnB, Funk, Blues, Afrobeat, Reggae, etc) and have a pretty good idea what I want from a rig…

I have many amps and cabs that provide a lot of options…

if I was to use a single Mesa Boogie Subway cab it would definitely be the 2x10 for my preferences.

Telling me something that doesn’t work for me will work for me doesn’t work for me…you dig lol!

Sounded like a joke….

 

[faulknersj]

Sounded like a joke….

You dig?

Ya I missed it because I had been getting my balls busted for not loving the 1x15” by itself so def my bad there ha ha!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Ya I missed it because I had been getting my balls busted for not loving the 1x15” by itself so def my bad there ha ha!

You like what you like, nothing wrong with that!

Oh I get it, my WD sounds 'nice' with it's single 8 ohm 115. But when I put a second or third 8 ohm cabinet with it, oh man things began to happen!!! It's just the folks I play with wouldn't want that much fire power on stage with us. If it was a different situation, I'd have at least a second 15.

 

[Geri O]

Ya I missed it because I had been getting my balls busted for not loving the 1x15” by itself so def my bad there ha ha!

And I hate that (what you said….) is happening. It shouldn’t.