Still an easy driver to blow in that cab. Take it from personal experience.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
New mesa subway amps and cabs!
- Thread starter mexicant
- Start date
Still an easy driver to blow in that cab. Take it from personal experience.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,042
- 5
- 220,983
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
I can confirm those are 400 watt RMS drivers. I looked in my service archives and I have the full set of docs and driver specs from the mid 90's, surprised even me.
I was thinking they might have been dual spider, but it looks like they used more than 2 spiders, very interesting. Shouldn't be a problem with the Subway amp, even at 400 watts but I would run the HPF at ~9:00 or higher if driving it hard. I don't know if the replacement baskets or recone parts are even available anymore.
I was thinking they might have been dual spider, but it looks like they used more than 2 spiders, very interesting. Shouldn't be a problem with the Subway amp, even at 400 watts but I would run the HPF at ~9:00 or higher if driving it hard. I don't know if the replacement baskets or recone parts are even available anymore.
So the Hathor 212 is an amazing cab, probably the most balanced cab i've ever had. It can handle 1000 watts and gets loud as you would ever need. OD and distortion sounds great through it with the mid cones instead of a tweeter. It can cover any gig I would ever do. It stands up to the two Marshall half stacks I go against at rehearsals. It's not the most efficient cab because at one time I had a Mesa Prodigy and it distorted at a fairly low volume. I've ran an SVT through it and it sounded amazing. Seriously an awesome cab. Duke knows what he's doing. Props to Duke and Audiokinesis, his cabs are seriously awesome! The only thing it was lacking was some low end extension.
I bought the Mesa 215 because I sold my SVT and Berg nv 610t and I just wasn't getting the sound I was looking for thru that set up. That set up was awesome for a few years and with a P bass it totally killed! I picked up a new Stingray Special and didn't really like the sound I was getting from the SVT set up and thought it sounded much better through my D800+ and my Orange 4 Stroke 500.
The Mesa 215 just kills! The low end is the kind that kicks you in the chest and you feel it in your bones. The high end is not as articulate as the Hathor but you can turn the tweeter up for that. It sounds like a much bigger cab than the Hathor. I've played both my P bass and Stingray through the cab and they both sound awesome. It's a huge sounding cab. Sure I could get away with using the Hathor for everything but with the compact form factor and the weight of the cab, I'll be taking it to probably half of my gigs. If you have a need for a loud and deep cab, the 215 will fit that bill. It has replaced my nv610, which is an awesome cab in it's own right, and I have no regrets. It kills, seriously. Loud as fu*k and deep as hell.
Mind you, I play in a loud rock band, so YMMV and all that stuff.
So for now, the Hathor stays at home for practice and the Mesa lives at the studio for band rehearsals and I'll take whichever cab suites the venue we are playing at. I couldn't be more satisfied with my setup right now.
Here’s a pic of the two cabs for reference.
Nice! I have a 115 Subway. I need to find someone that can compare the 215 versus 2 x 115. Congrats on the cab!
I typically avoid blowing cab drivers, but I try not to judge others
Reminds me of a joke:
On a really hot day, a penguin takes his car to a mechanic. The penguin asks, "How long will it be?" The mechanic says, "Just a few minutes."
So the penguin decides to go get an ice cream at the grocery store across the street. When the penguin gets there, he climbs inside the big freezer door and starts to eat ice cream.
Three hours go by before the penguin looks at his watch and jumps out of the freezer and races back to the mechanic.
With ice cream all over his face and his stomach, he asks, "So how's my car?" The mechanic comes walking out wiping his hands on a rag and says, "Looks like you blew a seal." The penguin says, "No, I was just eating ice cream."
I'll be here all week - try the veal!
I am messing with a Barefaced Two10 cab along side my Hathors. I also had a Subway 1-12 for awhile as well. For playing in a loud rock band, I think the Hathor will work but it isn't the ideal beast. While the Hathor is a bit more aggressive than Duke's TC cabs, it still is towards that even/balanced side of things, and there isn't a lot of inherent thickness through the low mids. If you're trying to get a very articulate bass tone, and are in either a sparse mix or one where you have some room, the Hathor excels. I also play in a 10-piece band with a pair of Hathor 1-12s, and it covers that nicely. But it isn't the thick low-mid vibe that a lot of players crave. I can push it that way with eq, but it isn't what the cab natively does, and isn't typically what I'm looking for sonically. By contrast, the Barefaced is all about that low-mid push, and I think the Subway 15-loaded cabs also can get that thickness along with punch that most guys want in a rock situation.
Totally agree, the Mesa 2x15 excels at the low mid thing for sure.
I couldn't agree more. I was extremely pleased with how easy it was to transfer the warranty on my recently purchased used Mesa D800+. I called the factory and left a message. The next business day I got a phone call from Garey telling me specifically what to do and he provided an email to send the required data. I sent it and the next day Garey sent an email telling me that everything was totally taken care of. Great follow up! Usually things like that enter a black hole and you never know if it actually happened. Very impressed with the Mesa service group both at the factory and on line on TalkBass.
From my understanding it's cost vs options vs mobility. The sound is exactly the same.
Let me rant a bit:
The overseas-pricing is weird though. I'm actually looking for Mesa-gear for a new rig-setup with 12/15-cabs and D800+, but it's really costly in the EU - way pricey than other US-brands, and you can't really understand why and cannot explain it with import-surcharges, VAT, transport, becuase you should have the same amounts/percentage for each brand. So I think it must be a kind of company policy.
Example with Sweetwater-prices:
Aguilar SL112 sells for about 799 Dollars in the US, a Mesa 1x12 Subway 749 Dollars, Mesa 1x15 is 899, Ampeg 115HLF is 879.
German prices are for SL112 777 Euros (880 Dollar), Ampeg 115HLF is 816 Euros (920 Dollar), Mesa 1x12 1049 Euros (1188 Dollar), Mesa 1x15 1149 Euros (1300 Dollar),
So you pay much more for Mesa-products in the EU - 799 (US)/880 (EU) for an Aggie 112, but 749 (US)/1188 (EU) for a Mesa 112. It's the same issue with amp-heads. But I cant't really see why I should overpay a product that much. Many people I know feel the same.
On the other hand: Well, I want Mesa becuase I want it and love it
But will have to split and get a D800+ with no-Mesa-cabs, maybe Aggie, Bergantino oder Genzler. You can see the reason why.
The overseas-pricing is weird though. I'm actually looking for Mesa-gear for a new rig-setup with 12/15-cabs and D800+, but it's really costly in the EU - way pricey than other US-brands, and you can't really understand why and cannot explain it with import-surcharges, VAT, transport, becuase you should have the same amounts/percentage for each brand. So I think it must be a kind of company policy.
Example with Sweetwater-prices:
Aguilar SL112 sells for about 799 Dollars in the US, a Mesa 1x12 Subway 749 Dollars, Mesa 1x15 is 899, Ampeg 115HLF is 879.
German prices are for SL112 777 Euros (880 Dollar), Ampeg 115HLF is 816 Euros (920 Dollar), Mesa 1x12 1049 Euros (1188 Dollar), Mesa 1x15 1149 Euros (1300 Dollar),
So you pay much more for Mesa-products in the EU - 799 (US)/880 (EU) for an Aggie 112, but 749 (US)/1188 (EU) for a Mesa 112. It's the same issue with amp-heads. But I cant't really see why I should overpay a product that much. Many people I know feel the same.
On the other hand: Well, I want Mesa becuase I want it and love it
But will have to split and get a D800+ with no-Mesa-cabs, maybe Aggie, Bergantino oder Genzler. You can see the reason why.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,042
- 5
- 220,983
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Thanks for the quick response. Very happy with my D-800! Just out of curiosity, why isn’t that bit of info printed in the owners manual?
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,042
- 5
- 220,983
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Because it's a special feature reserved for Talkbass forum members
I’m pretty close to breaking down and ordering the SW115. It’s on the gear list for this year anyway It looks like an awesome 1 cabinet solution.
It looks like an awesome 1 cabinet solution.
So, reading between the lines, is the Subway 15 a bit like a Barefaced 10 but with more punch and highs?
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,042
- 5
- 220,983
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
There's greater sensitivity low frequency extension and power handling, but the mid voicing is different. You should try both to see which one you prefer, you may like the 10's voicing better and if you don't need what the 15" brings to the table then 10" cabinet might very well be a better choice for you. The only way to know is to play both IMO.
I think the Barefaced 10-loaded cabs are their own thing. Doesn't sound like my AK, or my Subway from recollection. I didn't gig a 1-15, only played one in the shop. Did gig the 1-12, like the sound, just prefer a different form factor.
