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New MESA BOOGIE release - MESA/Boogie Bass 800D - 800W Bass Amp Head

#42
Bassiclees said:
Qs:
  1. What is the output of the "USB DEVICE PWR" jack? (500mA or 2A? or ?)
  2. Why a 12AT7 (as opposed to 12AX7)? Curious as to breakup, gain/headroom, harmonic detail/color, etc. Eden did that on WT preamp, but seems somewhat uncommon. Is that something one might want to switch and is that possible?
  3. Does Headphone jack delete Speaker output (ngl Headphone gain switch is nice if not)?
Gonna get one. Saving up and selling things. This is the apex wishlist head.
Will buy unheard if money comes before testing it out.
Basics covered- selectable impedance, tuner out, nice DI options. Sick.
Congrats to @agedhorse and the Mesa Gibson team. Looks like a total winner.
Click to expand...
Excellent questions...

USB device power is ~500mA (2.5W), it's intended to be useful for smaller devices. Things like LED lights, recording interface, tablets (to increase battery life, not for primary power), and 9V pedals using a converter cable (at 9V, the available current is reduced to ~300mA)

The 12AT7 tube has a fairly unique quality of high-ish gain when driving a heavy load. The loading of a tube affects the amount and spectrum of harmonics generated, and by using a 12AT7 combined with the loading we can achieve the desired results easily and without a lot of fuss and muss. Mesa has a long history of using 12AT7 tubes in a variety of applications. The expected tube life should be very long (between 5k and 10k hours) in this application too, even with the loading.

The headphone jack does not defeat the speaker outputs. This is because the power amp is driven and the output tube emulation circuitry is all incorporated into the headphone output, along with mild cab emulation (similar to a Subway 115 with the tweeter at about 3/4 up). Additionally, switching in speaker jacks becomes notoriously unreliable, especially in higher powered amps that use BTL type circuitry.
 
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#43
I'm so stoked for this. I'm going to take a listen to some sound demos before purchasing one, though. I was thinking I wanted to save up to get a 400+, but this would be a great space/weight saving option if it gets anywhere close! I have my TT-800 in my rack, but I would totally pick one of these up for practice, recording, and a small-gig setup. Heck, I would probably even sell my Subway Bass DI+!
 
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#46
agedhorse said:
OK, I guess that you all have figured out what I have been working on the past while...

Frankly, this project started out from a seemingly endless stream of TalkBass suggestions and requests for a more dedicated single channel, Bass 400+ inspired version of the TT-800's Boogie channel. The first player to (very strongly I might add) suggest this was Tom Bowlus (no big surprise given his fondness for the Bass 400+) but he was far from alone.

I actually asked for input from the TB community regarding a few "what if" scenarios, including such topics as importance of a graphic eq was, player preferences in trade-offs of size and weight versus feature set (our European members were understandably the most concerned about this, but not by as much as I expected), and the basic feature set itself.

The results of this TB community input were extremely helpful in shaping this amp as the most player influence designed amp in the Subway line, and some of you may see a piece of yourself in this amp. Even our old friend Chef's "bright switch" made it into the amp, he was such a champion of this feature! Because of all this input, it turned into a really fun project, and not just challenging.

There are some Beta testers out there, Tom has one and hopefully he will be able to provide his input regarding how this amp plays with different cabinets (he has the widest variety of speakers in his collection of anybody that I know). Also, Al Kraft (@Al Kraft) and Gus Kendrick (@gustobassman) are beta test players as well as helped write and edit the owner's manual for the amp. Both Al and Gus are really solid, experienced players and have extensive experience with the new amp, they will also be able to answer questions from a player perspective (remember, I'm just a mediocre keyboard player, not a bass player). Gus even sneaked his out on tour, so hopefully he can find some videos or audio clips that are real world gig based rather that the typical marketing/influencer wank-fest videos that tend to appear with every new product release.
Click to expand...
Great looking amp Andy. With you behind it, I know it will sound great, feel great and be bullet proof. Well done.
 
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#48
five7 said:
Best thing about Mesa is when they announce something it is available and ready to ship.
Can't say that about some other manufactures.
Click to expand...
This is something that every company I have been affiliated with has believed in, starting with Genz Benz and KMC. Good lessons to be learned from (many) long term industry professionals if willing to listen.
 
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#52
I have to say that I prefer the look of the other Subway heads but this looks like a great amp feature and specs-wise. I love that the Deep switch (for me this switch is more useful than the Bright switch) and the variable HPF made it on. I also love the fact that Andy took the trouble to survey us bassists and take our suggestions into consideration. These are the kinds of touches that go a long way in keeping me loyal to a brand. :thumbsup:
 
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#53
bass12 said:
I have to say that I prefer the look of the other Subway heads but this looks like a great amp feature and specs-wise. I love that the Deep switch (for me this switch is more useful than the Bright switch) and the (indispensable) variable HPF made it on. I also love the fact that Andy took the trouble to survey us bassists and take our suggestions into consideration. These are the kinds of touches that go a long way in keeping me loyal to a brand. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
I personally love that the design aesthetic is a throwback to the D-180/400/400+ graphics, knobs, etc. ... really adds to the overall vibe and makes it clear as to who this amp is for. Really, really nice touch, in my opinion.
 
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#54
Addison said:
I personally love that the design aesthetic is a throwback to the D-180/400/400+ graphics, knobs, etc. ... really adds to the overall vibe and makes it clear as to who this amp is for. Really, really nice touch, in my opinion.
Click to expand...
ditto!! I love it, and I really love the Mesa/Boogie logo instead of the other one. Really classic looking amp
 
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#55
Or a wireless such as a Line 6 Relay G10, right?

agedhorse said:
USB device power is ~500mA (2.5W), it's intended to be useful for smaller devices. Things like LED lights, recording interface, tablets (to increase battery life, not for primary power), and 9V pedals using a converter cable (at 9V, the available current is reduced to ~300mA)
Click to expand...
 
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#56
Bassiclees said:
Qs:
  1. What is the output of the "USB DEVICE PWR" jack? (500mA or 2A? or ?)
  2. Why a 12AT7 (as opposed to 12AX7)? Curious as to breakup, gain/headroom, harmonic detail/color, etc. Eden did that on WT preamp, but seems somewhat uncommon. Is that something one might want to switch and is that possible?
  3. Does Headphone jack delete Speaker output (ngl Headphone gain switch is nice if not)?
Gonna get one. Saving up and selling things. This is the apex wishlist head.
Will buy unheard if money comes before testing it out.
Basics covered- selectable impedance, tuner out, nice DI options. Sick.
Congrats to @agedhorse and the Mesa Gibson team. Looks like a total winner.
Click to expand...
The USB port follows the PC USB 2.0 standard, is rated at 500 mA maximum current, and conforms to the Apple USB charge current control standard. It can be used to drive any number of USB devices, including power converters that provide 9-volt pedal power. Because pedal power devices step up the voltage from 5 to 9 volts, the available current decreases to ~300 mA at 9V.

The headphone jack is not a switching jack and does not defeat the the speaker outputs. That said, it is perfectly safe to use with or without speakers connected...and please note that when using headphones only (no speakers attached), the position of the impedance selector doesn't matter.

From the manual regarding the tube question:

"Generally, a 12AT7 is the preferred tube for this position because it tends to overdrive a little bit earlier and has a bit looser feel to the overdrive. If you prefer a cleaner, punchier, less colored tone when driven hard, a 12AU7 may be a better choice,but the difference is generally pretty small. In our experience, a 12AX7 tube type produces inferior results in this position because it doesn’t have sufficient current to drive the tone stack with the necessary authority. The amplifier ships from the factory with a 12AT7 in this position. This tube uses an adjustable bias feature to accommodate the wider tolerances found in modern tubes. By being able to set the operating point on the tube’s load line (rather than letting it fall where it may), optimum amplifier performance can be maintained while accommodating the wider variation in manufacturing tolerances seen in tubes produced today. It’s not that today’s tubes are bad, just that the earlier era tubes were (generally) more strictly screened/graded to provide consistently tighter tolerance parts."
 
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#58
fishdude101101 said:
Tone post-solo in Badfish is sick. Before that it seemed more mid heavy, did you change something?
Click to expand...
Nope, not a thing. Might just be from the camera guy moving around and how it's picking up the sound.

or its my digits.. they have a mind of their own 🤣
 
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