Doug Parent, that's the same thing that happened to me when I got my D-800!!!!!!
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New mesa subway amps and cabs!
- Thread starter mexicant
- Start date
I'm starting work on a new album, have done 3 rough preproduction tracks. Normally I'd run into my MikeE, but instead I've been taking a post-EQ DI feed out of the WD800. Haven't touched the knobs from my live settings. It just works.
So it's quiet enough for a studio environment? That's something if so! Over the years I've had a few recording engineers shoot down my DI send. ...not mentioning names
.Inaugural gig w Subway 212 last night. NYE party at the high-school gym-sized community center w the 13 pc (7 band, 6 singer) group mentioned in a previous gig report, approx. 400 in attendance. Had PA support, but wouldn't have needed it if it wasn't available.
212 cab, D800 head, all knobs basically at noon, incl input gain and master, except Voicing @ 10 o clock. Used my 4 strg Warmoth 32" J/MM bass (Delano J, Norsdtrand MM, MM-clone 2 band EQ), and my Bacchus 533 5 string Jazz w Delanos and EMG EQ. The Warmoth mopped the floor with the Bacchus thru this amp/cab combo, even w dead strings. The pairing had both the guitarist and drummer giving me thumbs up and grins when using the Warmoth. I wouldn't have changed basses, except that I needed the B string on several of the songs in the last set. I will be exploring some tonal mod options w the Bacchus after this, as I love the neck on it, but for some reason, it didn't sound the way I envisioned. To be fair, the pace of the evening did not allow me to experiment w the EQ on the D800 very much, and the on-board EMG EQ on the Bacchus just seemed to add boom or hi-mid gank when boosted any at all.
I actually had to turn the bass eq all the way down on the Warmoth MM pre, or it was blowing the stage away. Fat, warm and clean, w just a hint of the MM pickup/EQ combo's famed high freq characteristics. One of my personal favorite bass sounds.
This amp/spkr combo is a true winner. Kudos all around...
212 cab, D800 head, all knobs basically at noon, incl input gain and master, except Voicing @ 10 o clock. Used my 4 strg Warmoth 32" J/MM bass (Delano J, Norsdtrand MM, MM-clone 2 band EQ), and my Bacchus 533 5 string Jazz w Delanos and EMG EQ. The Warmoth mopped the floor with the Bacchus thru this amp/cab combo, even w dead strings. The pairing had both the guitarist and drummer giving me thumbs up and grins when using the Warmoth. I wouldn't have changed basses, except that I needed the B string on several of the songs in the last set. I will be exploring some tonal mod options w the Bacchus after this, as I love the neck on it, but for some reason, it didn't sound the way I envisioned. To be fair, the pace of the evening did not allow me to experiment w the EQ on the D800 very much, and the on-board EMG EQ on the Bacchus just seemed to add boom or hi-mid gank when boosted any at all.
I actually had to turn the bass eq all the way down on the Warmoth MM pre, or it was blowing the stage away. Fat, warm and clean, w just a hint of the MM pickup/EQ combo's famed high freq characteristics. One of my personal favorite bass sounds.
This amp/spkr combo is a true winner. Kudos all around...
So it's quiet enough for a studio environment? That's something if so! Over the years I've had a few recording engineers shoot down my DI send. ...not mentioning names
Well, the producer (me) can be a pita but he doesn't mind. Once you get a few instruments into the mix any noise from the DI will be a non-issue. Since this is pre-production I'm more worried about quickly catching an idea rather than pristine audio quality. But I don't notice anything.
Al Kraft
Supporting Member
- May 2, 2016
- 10,776
- 40,458
- Disclosures
- Mesa Boogie beta product tester and player support
I too found the WD-800 to be a pretty sweet amp with most everything straight up. That unique mid circuit is a nice design feature and seamlessly integrates into a very powerful active tone stack. As for re-voicing the head to meet different tone goals, I can't think of many heads that offer you as much flexibility in so many different areas.
WD-800 and sealed cabs anyone ?
I am specifically interested in hearing about anyone's experience using the WD-800 into the sealed Berg cabs .. NV610, NV212T, HG310 or HG410. Less interested to hear about it through the NV115 as I am unlikely to grab one of those.
My current favorite cab is the stellar CN212, and I also own and occasionally gig an NV610. Before the WD-800 was announced, I had been looking closely at the the NV212T and HG310/410 cabs as a option to move away from the NV610, which is pretty much more cab than I really ever need these days. But then the WD-800 dropped and churned things up a bit.
so, sealed cabs with the WD-800 .. and specifically the Berg sealed offerings
thanks
I am specifically interested in hearing about anyone's experience using the WD-800 into the sealed Berg cabs .. NV610, NV212T, HG310 or HG410. Less interested to hear about it through the NV115 as I am unlikely to grab one of those.
My current favorite cab is the stellar CN212, and I also own and occasionally gig an NV610. Before the WD-800 was announced, I had been looking closely at the the NV212T and HG310/410 cabs as a option to move away from the NV610, which is pretty much more cab than I really ever need these days. But then the WD-800 dropped and churned things up a bit.
so, sealed cabs with the WD-800 .. and specifically the Berg sealed offerings
thanks
Al Kraft
Supporting Member
- May 2, 2016
- 10,776
- 40,458
- Disclosures
- Mesa Boogie beta product tester and player support
I know it's not what you are looking for, but when I played the WD-800 into a sealed AK C112T it sounded really good! I also found that changes in the damping control setting seemed to make a much more obvious difference with the cab in the sealed mode (all ports plugged) - not sure if it was just that cab or would apply to all sealed cabs.
That makes intuitive sense and seems like it might apply to any sealed vs. ported cab comparison using the damping control. It will be interesting to hear feedback on that topic from our panel of experts.
thanks Al
I have no experience with Duke's Audio Kinesis stuff, so while I'm sure they are great cabs from reading reviews here on TB, I have no personal reference point to my Berg cabs .. and further, I have only ever used/gigged the NV610 (tried out an NV115), so even that experience does not help me with the smaller format NV212t or HG310/410 cabs.
Guys I’m a beginner-intermediate Bass player who has never owned a rig. I have a couple of nice Fender Basses, 1 am pro Jazz and Am std Jaguar that deserve a lovely rig as does my studio. I’ve done a shed load of research on a couple of my favourite brands ie Mesa Ampeg, Aguilar and the new Mesa WD800 is my pick. I’m confident with a great cab, I’ll be able to pull any sound out of it that I need ranging from rock country jazz funk and more or less anything in between. I’ve always been about Ampeg Bass gear but the fact it’s all made in China turns me right off. I’m not paying 6K AUD (Both head and cab) for an American icon made in China. My bro has an Ampeg DB 600 Bass amp made in China, it rattles and loose fanbelts(expression). So to bring me to my question and the help I need from you guys, I would either go the Mesa 4 x 10 or the 2 x 15 subway series. What I’m looking for is a tight yet the roundest and fullest tone possible. Which would you guys suggest gets me closer to that, the 4 x 10 or the 2 x 15? Any knowledge or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Thank you.
To follow up on my previous post I played my last few gigs with the WD through a pair of DB112s. It further confirmed my initial thoughts after playing gigs through some Subway cabs, that the WD is a great head. It has the feel and tonal character I like in an amp. And actually, I prefer the DB112s to the Subway cabs. The subways do sound great tho and covered my gigs in fine fashion. The Aguilars have naturally wider, stronger bass than the subways and less upper mids, but have that strong middle mid presence that really makes them punch. Not to go down another rabbit hole, but every neo driver cab I've played through, which admittedly isn't a ton, have a fairly strong crunchy upper mid voicing that I'm just not in love with.
Anyways, I continue to really like the WD. I even did a studio demo using its post eq DI with a Hofner Club bass. Everyone, including the engineer really loved the sound.
I'd say the Subway 2-15 cab, or a pair of 1-15 cabs
DB112 is a cab I really like except for the weight and form factor (I prefer a shallower box). Not surprised it sounds great with the WD800, and you probably can get away with just messing with the passive mid to get some interesting tones out of the combo.
Have you tried any Neo cabs that didn't have a tweeter? One reason I gig Duke's Hathor cabs is the 3" paper cone driver instead of a horn/tweeter. Upper mids present differently. Genzler uses a similar approach.
Yeah, I sort of think of the DBs as sounding like they look and feel. They are heavy and stout both ways.
I don't think I've done a tweeterless neo cab, tho I always turn the tweeter off if it's defeatable. I've had interest in Duke's cabs but I can't deny a little vanity with my cab choices and I can't get into the look.
The Genzler non array cab looks nice, sort of modern classic. Not familiar with its woofer/tweeter setup tho.
I don't like the waffle grill on Duke's cabs, but they are light and sound fantastic so I just close my eyes when I play
The array cabs are the ones with the paper cone drivers. Turning the tweeter off doesn't quite do it, as the crossover is still in the circuit (I assume), and some of the 12" neos can get crunchy up top. But I've had ceramics that didn't float my boat as well so depends on the driver and the execution of the box. For instance I never liked the GS, but do like the DB. Go figure...
