New mesa subway amps and cabs!

[DJ Bebop]

I have a friend using his WD800 for various Latin gigs as well as reggae... says he’s underwhelmed with what he’s getting for his reggae sound and was interested in suggestions. Does anyone have suggestions for a nice reggae tone?

What?

I use it all de time for reggae. First, what kinda cab is he using? You need to move some big air to be satisfying.
I usually start with de bass at about 1:30- 2:00, set my first two para mids to their lowest frequencies and boost them a little, the third one, however you need to poke through. Treble flat or 11 or 10:00. If it's too wooly, bring the HPF up anywhere from 9:00 to noon. But this is for my cabs, my needs YMMV

I hope others will chime in here.

 

[gustobassman]

I have a friend using his WD800 for various Latin gigs as well as reggae... says he’s underwhelmed with what he’s getting for his reggae sound and was interested in suggestions. Does anyone have suggestions for a nice reggae tone?

Paging @gustobassman

Ha! Yeah.. I have used the WD quite a few times for reggae - although I will say I have switched back to the D800+ for my reggae stuff. There are a lot of variables, the bass, the strings, the cab..

Flats are a must for Reggae with the WD in my opinion. Each time I've used a bass with rounds, it has been too edgy. I wont say you cant do it, i just haven't been able to get the right pillow with rounds. I call that amp the Angry Chameleon for a reason.

My settings are in the pic.. This was with one SW115. With two SW115's I leave the bass at noon and bring up the HPF to about 40hz. I use the "two cab" setting for sealed cabs.




After going back and forth quite a bit - my money is on the D800+ for Reggae.

I just posted this in the Sadowsky thread so I'm sure a few of you have seen it - but here's this past weekend with the D800+ and two SW115's outdoors. SO clean and thick ... Headphones or monitors sound killer.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Ha! Yeah.. I have used the WD quite a few times for reggae - although I will say I have switched back to the D800+ for my reggae stuff. There are a lot of variables, the bass, the strings, the cab..

Flats are a must for Reggae with the WD in my opinion. Each time I've used a bass with rounds, it has been too edgy. I wont say you cant do it, i just haven't been able to get the right pillow with rounds. I call that amp the Angry Chameleon for a reason.

My settings are in the pic.. This was with one SW115. With two SW115's I leave the bass at noon and bring up the HPF to about 40hz. I use the "two cab" setting for sealed cabs.

View attachment 3680407


After going back and forth quite a bit - my money is on the D800+ for Reggae.

I just posted this in the Sadowsky thread so I'm sure a few of you have seen it - but here's this past weekend with the D800+ and two SW115's outdoors. SO clean and thick ... Headphones or monitors sound killer.

That's like almost exactly the settings I just posted! Nice! Forgot the passive mids but, that's it!
I run my bass knob a little higher but, that's it brah!

 

[chupacerveza]

What's he using for a cab? - odds are, that's where the problem lies...

Pretty sure it’s an Aguilar 2x12.

 

[chupacerveza]

Ha! Yeah.. I have used the WD quite a few times for reggae - although I will say I have switched back to the D800+ for my reggae stuff. There are a lot of variables, the bass, the strings, the cab..

Flats are a must for Reggae with the WD in my opinion. Each time I've used a bass with rounds, it has been too edgy. I wont say you cant do it, i just haven't been able to get the right pillow with rounds. I call that amp the Angry Chameleon for a reason.

My settings are in the pic.. This was with one SW115. With two SW115's I leave the bass at noon and bring up the HPF to about 40hz. I use the "two cab" setting for sealed cabs.

View attachment 3680407


After going back and forth quite a bit - my money is on the D800+ for Reggae.

I just posted this in the Sadowsky thread so I'm sure a few of you have seen it - but here's this past weekend with the D800+ and two SW115's outdoors. SO clean and thick ... Headphones or monitors sound killer.

Thanks gustobassman, I would have guessed “low damping” but you seem to prefer “high damping” for reggae... is that right?

 

[DJ Bebop]

Thanks gustobassman, I would have guessed “low damping” but you seem to prefer “high damping” for reggae... is that right?

It makes the bass tighter to me. I sometimes go mid damping but mostly high, for me.

 

[gustobassman]

Thanks gustobassman, I would have guessed “low damping” but you seem to prefer “high damping” for reggae... is that right?

Yup. I agree with @DJ Bebop about "tightening" up the bass in the high damping setting. There are just so many variables though. At times I preferred the medium damping when I was using the Modern 5 for reggae. That bass is so much tighter in the low end to begin with - the medium setting added some "width" - if that makes sense?

I would suggest this - Start with the Bass flat. From there boosting slightly at 80hz and a bit more at 200hz. if you still need more lows bring up the HPF to around 40hz and boost the bass. After that dont be afraid to cut at 2.6k and the treble pretty significantly, if you see mine are at 9:00. Then "play" with the passive mid. see how much or little you need. The louder you get you may need to cut the bass slightly. IMO IME YMMV NBA NFL OPP, etc..

 

[mesaplayer83]

Pretty sure it’s an Aguilar 2x12.

I'm sure that's a nice cab, but obviously isn't working for his current situation - probably too mid present without enough low end...

 

[chupacerveza]

I'm sure that's a nice cab, but obviously isn't working for his current situation - probably too mid present without enough low end...

That’s a possibility, but it’s fine with the Aguilar head (on reggae), and I don’t think he’ll be inclined to replace it since he does love that cab (I like it too). He’s using the WD800 as his “portable” rig—and it certainly is portable, especially next to the monstrous Aguilar head he has.

Thanks @DJ_Bebop and @gustobassman, very helpful insights!

 

[DJ Bebop]

Pretty sure it’s an Aguilar 2x12.

Do you know what model? They make SL, DB, and the old discontinued GS which would be great for Reggae IMO.

 

[chupacerveza]

Do you know what model? They make SL, DB, and the old discontinued GS which would be great for Reggae IMO.

It’s green, so I think it’s the DB. Could it be a 1x12...? Possibly.

 

[DJ Bebop]

It’s green, so I think it’s the DB. Could it be a 1x12...? Possibly.

If it's a 1x12 oh dear, that's not enough

DB® SERIES
The DB® cabinets have the aggressive midrange to punch through a loud band while maintaining the full-range, musical sound that is the Aguilar signature. Employing 13-ply Baltic Birch, custom Eminence drivers, and Aguilar’s custom horn and crossover, the DB® cabinets have a clear, focused midrange and extended lows and highs. These cabinets are the first Aguilar cabinets to feature a classic rock look with five distinctive color combinations.

 

[chupacerveza]

It’s green, so I think it’s the DB. Could it be a 1x12...? Possibly.

You know what, it must be the 1x12, I’m looking at their models and that’s the right size and shape. So a 700W 4 Ohm cabinet.

 

[DJ Bebop]

You know what, it must be the 1x12, I’m looking at their models and that’s the right size and shape. So a 700W 4 Ohm cabinet.

I use an Aguilar GS 1x12 but, I back it up with a 1x18 cabinet as well when doin' the reggae thang.

 

[chupacerveza]

If it's a 1x12 oh dear, that's not enough

DB® SERIES
The DB® cabinets have the aggressive midrange to punch through a loud band while maintaining the full-range, musical sound that is the Aguilar signature. Employing 13-ply Baltic Birch, custom Eminence drivers, and Aguilar’s custom horn and crossover, the DB® cabinets have a clear, focused midrange and extended lows and highs. These cabinets are the first Aguilar cabinets to feature a classic rock look with five distinctive color combinations.

I’ve seen and heard him gig with this cabinet in a variety of styles and venues. He does bring a 15” as well on louder gigs though. Hmmm, we’ll have to revisit the discussion over a cold beer.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I’ve seen and heard him gig with this cabinet in a variety of styles and venues. He does bring a 15” as well on louder gigs though. Hmmm, we’ll have to revisit the discussion over a cold beer.

The GS, the first line of cabinets was very mid-scooped. As they went forward, I think each variation was less mid-scooped, more mid-forward.

 

[Lex P.]

I tried gustobassman’ reggae settings with my newly acquired WD800 into two REF210 cabs playing my Sadowsky P Bass. The Berg cabs are definitely reggae-able!

 

[agedhorse]

You know what, it must be the 1x12, I’m looking at their models and that’s the right size and shape. So a 700W 4 Ohm cabinet.

I would not recommend any single 12" cabinet for reggae, and since the amp can drive 800 watts (RMS) into a 4 ohm, load, that would be well into power compression on ANY 12" driver available for the bass guitar market. I don't know where you got that information that the cabinet is 700 watts (RMS), because Aguilar rates it at 300 watts (RMS).

I think that the cabinet is not the right tool for the expectations, and driving it with 800 watts is not doing it any long term reliability favors either IME.

 

[chupacerveza]

I would not recommend any single 12" cabinet for reggae, and since the amp can drive 800 watts (RMS) into a 4 ohm, load, that would be well into power compression on ANY 12" driver available for the bass guitar market. I don't know where you got that information that the cabinet is 700 watts (RMS), because Aguilar rates it at 300 watts (RMS).

I think that the cabinet is not the right tool for the expectations, and driving it with 800 watts is not doing it any long term reliability favors either IME.

Thanks Andy, we’ll have that talk.

 

[9mmMike]

I would not recommend any single 12" cabinet for reggae, and since the amp can drive 800 watts (RMS) into a 4 ohm, load, that would be well into power compression on ANY 12" driver available for the bass guitar market. I don't know where you got that information that the cabinet is 700 watts (RMS), because Aguilar rates it at 300 watts (RMS).

I think that the cabinet is not the right tool for the expectations, and driving it with 800 watts is not doing it any long term reliability favors either IME.

My DB112's were 8 ohm. I guess they made 4 as well but I always ran a pair in the cover band.