WD800 vs Bass-800D

[Clark W]

the jury is still out....
View attachment 7387759 My observations so far, the BD is just more natural sounding. like a really clean tube amp that can get downright GNARLY if you crank the gain. Like, amazingly juicy tube overdrive that puts OD pedals to shame!! But yeah it more or less presents the sound of the bass neutrally, albeit with astonishing clarity, depth and as much warmth as you'd like.
The WD, to me, is just very colored if you will. like it definitely has a voicing. i've found it kind of hard to dial that out personally. While theres no bad tones in there, its less clear what its natural voice is, if that makes any sense. its fun to mess around and find different colors in there but for people like me who get overwhelmed with too many options, the BD is definitely the ticket.
If i had to choose, im definitely leaning toward the BD, especially for live use. but for now im really enjoying the WD for my personal practicing where knob tweaking isnt as distracting. plus they stack so nicely!

You got glow in the dark knobs on that WD-800?
Where did you get them?
And do they work?

I got a set for my D-800+, but could never get them energized enough to do a whole lot of good. When I contacted the manufacturer they told me, well you really need to let them sit in the sun. I told 'em don't worry about it, I'm not about to set my D-800+ outside in the sun.

They offered me free shipping on my next order instead of allowing me to return the knobs. I told em not to worry about it that I was never going to need free shipping from them, hint, hint.

 

[agedhorse]

Can’t compare any of these amps based on knob position. The gain structure and voicing options between the models is very different by design.

 

[Clark W]

Can’t compare any of these amps based on knob position. The gain structure and voicing options between the models is very different by design.

This 100%

To be honest, I'm not sure there really is a way to fairly compare them other than crank em all up and pull out a decibel meter. They're all going to be at different stages of the game as you turn knobs.

The 800D for example, flip that Gain switch to high, crank the Gain to 7, and the amp now acts like an old Fender Twin Reverb, you'll be lucky to get the Master up to 2 Drop that Gain back down to 1 and you might get the Master up to 5.

They just all work differently. But that's kind of the point of the entire Subway line, different strokes for different folks. There would be no need to have the D-350, D-800, D-800+, WD-800, TT-800, and the 800D if they all worked and sounded the same.

 

[skier 913]

There would be no need to have the D-350, D-800, D-800+, WD-800, TT-800, and the 800D if they all worked and sounded the same.

But which one is going to be used in the new subway combo ?

 

[Clark W]

But which one is going to be used in the new subway combo ?

I don't really see a need for a combo these days. Technology has gotten heads and cabs to the point that they're very manageable weight wise. My D-800+ and 800D for example are less than 7 lbs each. My 115 cabs (Markbass Traveler 151P) are 36 lbs each, and the 210 cabs (Markbass Traveler 102P) are 32 lbs each. My GK Neo IV 212 is the heaviest out of my cabs at 45 lbs.

 

[skier 913]

I don't really see a need for a combo these days. Technology has gotten heads and cabs to the point that they're very manageable weight wise. My D-800+ and 800D for example are less than 7 lbs each. My 115 cabs (Markbass Traveler 151P) are 36 lbs each, and the 210 cabs (Markbass Traveler 102P) are 32 lbs each. My GK Neo IV 212 is the heaviest out of my cabs at 45 lbs.

Yah, but it's kinda nice to have a bass case in one hand and a combo in the other for players who go to different jams often. A subway amp and sw115 is enough juice for most of those situations.
The Walkabout scout was good but a tad bit heavy..

 

[Clark W]

Yah, but it's kinda nice to have a bass case in one hand and a combo in the other for players who go to different jams often. A subway amp and sw115 is enough juice for most of those situations.
The Walkabout scout was good but a tad bit heavy..

I can sling either of my Mesa heads over my shoulder in their carry bags, throw a bass on my back in a carry bag, and throw a cab in each hand. So I just don't see combos in the same light that I used to.

 

[Geri O]

Good stuff Clark. I am so intrigued by the 800D, but I had a WD800 and it was the weakest Class D I’ve ever used. My Subway D800 cranks. Blow your pants off. If I was sure I could get that power from the 800D, I’d be in.

I’ll pile on with the “never ever heard that about the WD800”. I’ve found that a WD and a pair of Subway 115s easily fills a 40x32 stage.

Something wasn’t right there.

At all….

 

[CamJazzBass]

Wow, weakest Class D? That's crazy. I've owned many and currently own 6 Class D amps and there's nothing weak about my WD800. I don't know what to say other than maybe something was wrong with it?

Dang, I struck a nerve on the WD. Not just this reply. It did feel the weakest of the ones I’ve had, but I’ve had some good ones. Could have been an EQ thing or the inherent voicing to my ears. Frequency can make some things appear louder or not as loud. I’m glad the WD has a lot of fans out there. And not speaking bad of Mesa because I do have a D800 and it moves the air and makes the noise.

My main question should have been stated as does the new 800D sound loud like the WD or the D800 to those that have compared. The 800D intrigued because I do like a tube front end. Both my Ampeg have tube preamps and they sound great and punch really hard.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I’ll pile on with the “never ever heard that about the WD800”. I’ve found that a WD and a pair of Subway 115s easily fills a 40x32 stage.

Something wasn’t right there.

At all….

Even with owners of WD knowing better ( also Andy) and all the good reviews and opinions on WD

Most likely and unfortunately that 'Statement/opinion'
will stick most with OP(as with others considering a Subway Amp)

To address the Elephant in the room
I am reading post in the Mesa Community that when comparing B 800D to other Subway Amps the Exact same references and opinions used by the 'Vintage, Heavy Big Iron Tube/A/B' crowd in comparison to Class D in general: Didn't know so many lived in that closet

Yes other Subway amp owners get the patronizing statement from a few(to me) "Other Subways are great in their own way BUT" or " I am still keeping my 800+ etc.

Yes I may be off base and seeing it to personal BUT

I also agree with Andy's take that it is not the class of Amp or individual Amp that is better but Overall Qualty of Design,Voicing and players personal taste

Saying all that even though I am extremly content with my 'Other' Subway Amp along with liking it better than Old Big Iron owned in past and not gigging anymore still tempted by 800D

 

[squish]

I started my Mesa journey with a D-800+. Loved it until I had some reliability problems. Got spooked and sold it to a tech.
I then found a used WD. I was excited with all the tonal possibilities. But I never got along well with the mid-focused sounds - I play a jazz bass and had a hard time taming everything. I was also having trouble getting a consistent tone from stage to stage and often became frustrated with the complicated EQ. I would often kneel in front of my rig for too long during sound checks and many times had to settle with a tone that I'd describe as quacky.
Not long after, the band started flying to a lot gigs and we made the decision to move to in-ears. That's when my deep love of the Subway+ DI/Preamp began. Something about those semi-p controls worked better for me.
But I had two other less-busy bands and couldn't find a way to make the WD work with them either. So it sat while I lugged my SVT-II to gigs.
Along comes the 800D and with all the descriptions/reviews, it was clear that my next step was to sell the idle WD in favor of the new amp with its simplified EQ and big tube tone. It has been gigged twice (with a PBass which was even harder for me to tame with the WD) and now it is the perfect live amp for me. I love the way it feels. So present and powerful without having to be cranked.
If I were more engineer-minded, I'm sure I could have made the WD work for me. I don't possess the talent to identify and eliminate offending tones with three semi-p EQs. I like the way I can now make adjustments quickly.

 

[Nebadon2000]

@squish Yes WD Voice with Tone Bass and Treble set at noon and passive mid full up has presence/focus in mids especially if using FRFR type speaker like Subway 15: which I like for multiple reasons one being how mids work in mix live for out in the room

Just using passive mid in 10 to 12 oclock range changes that

Are your judgements based on what you are hearing just in front of Amp during sound check solo or at home solo?

IME I learned how to set stage sound to get what I wanted out front in mix and could get close using solo check but did a little tweaking when checking out front with band mix (this when my amp carried venue)

It is very easy with WD I don't use para EQ only if venue was so bad I needed to try to fix to at least acceptable tone

If using FOH and Amp is only stage sound or playing solo at home everything is different than when playing with even just Drum machine or in a mix

I will set passive mid in noon range maybe add a touch of bass and slight decrease in treble use less hpf but in mix that carries venue and/or at home passive mid up to 2/3 o'clock tune HPF slightly higher

You most likely wouldn't like it alone and yes it is slight compromise for me but Even on stage I always listen to how my Bass works listening to whole band not just my Amp and was always willing to adjust prefered venue setting to get stage sound that that worked for me as to not effect my playing

More than a few times I had other band members mention I sounded a little to middy until I had them go out into room and listen or stand where I was no more comments from them after that

But I respect the 800D works for you as WD works for me also WD has Musicality that pleases my ears as Original Walkabout did when I first heard one and it's overall Tubeish midrange is part of that

Yes your personal taste and preference to tone you enjoy wasn’t there with WD no matter how many knobs you turned must have been frustrating it would for me also

I enjoyed my 5 years with SVT 8x10 set up but as I changed my Ideas on type of tone I preferred the SWR, Eden and Trace Elliot Amps and Cabs worked better for me although I never owned one Genz Benz and Berg also caught my attention and now Mesa

 

[Al Kraft]

That is correct. I’ve never owned a 400+ so really have nothing to compare it to, but from everything i’ve read on here the 800D sounds very close to it.
I had a WD800 when I bought the 800D and in my opinion they are quite different.
While the WD800 has a bit of that “tube” aura and is kind of a “smooth” amp, the 800D has a lot more of that “Vintage” tube sound and is ”in your face”. This amp sounds “BIG” and punchy. It sounds a lot bigger than the WD800.
I currently have a TT800 as a backup, but that will soon be another 800D.

I pretty much agree with most of what has already been said, and I've commented on this elsewhere, but I'll throw a few more cents in.

First off, as intended, the WD-800 is very reminiscent of the WalkAbout, both in terms of how it sounds and also how I use it. Meaning, the tone controls are laid out in similar fashion, and I tend to do approach the tone tweaking in similar fashion, with similar results. The WD-800 does bring some more options to the table, which is great, IME/IMHO. The WalkAbout does still "feel" a little different to me, but again, the WD-800 is clearly an evolution of the WalkAbout.

Also very much as intended, the Bass-800D is very reminiscent of the Bass 400/400+, again, not only in terms of how it sounds, but also how to use it. Like the WD/WalkAbout dynamic, I approach tone tweaking on the 800D very much as I would on my Bass 400, but I once again want to say how much I love the HPF on the 800D. I am also extremely impressed with how close Andy was able to get the inherent sounds of the 800D to the Bass 400/400+. It is also interesting to me how well this "simple" tone stack works, even in this world of more precise control. While I really do love and appreciate the three bands of semi-parametric mids on the WD-800/WalkAbout, it is amazing how well you can dial things in with three bands, an HPF, and a couple of switches.

So, as for how they compare, it largely is like comparing a WalkAbout to a Bass 400/400+. The WalkAbout is a bit more smooth, and you have a lot of fine-tuning options, and the Bass 400/400+ sounds a bit "bigger" and more "lively," with more of that "3D sonic texture" I really love from great tube gear. The sense of fullness, with clarity and excitement, was what initially attracted me to the Bass 400/400+ (and D-180), and Andy has done a wonderful job of capturing this in the 800D.

If you made me pick just one, right at this moment, I'd go with the 800D, and I have been a pretty big WD-800 for a while. That being said, if you told me that I could only play through a WD-800 for the rest of my life, I'd die a happy man.

I have a significant amount of time on both the WD and Bass 800D. These two posts (early in the thread) are what I think most people would conclude after comparing them.

These two amps are modern interpretations of classic heads which didn't sound same to start with. I have no idea how to answer the question of which is better, a Walkabout or a Bass 400/400+. Obviously the choice comes down to player preference...and the same is true for choosing between the WD and Bass 800D.

As someone already mentioned, the SW line offers lots of choices, all of which were designed around what players have asked for. They all sell well and therein lies the answer to which one is best...it's the one that best fits a players needs in terms of sound and features.

 

[agedhorse]

Neither are better or worse, just different.

 

[Jens Telemark]

But which one is going to be used in the new subway combo ?

If only a forward thinking designer could up with some sort of simple bracket thingy to mount existing heads to existing cabs you’d have the best of both worlds.

 

[ErnieD]

I'd been over at the big B800D thread while waiting for that new Mesa amp to be delivered.
It was delivered last week.

While waiting for new amp I was going thru many Mesa threads researching a brand I'd not owned before but was very familiar with it from reading about it on TB.

I kept coming back to threads about the WD 800. The features it offered peaked my interest, so I ordered a new one.
I was still learning to dial in the WD after about 3 weeks owning it.
Once the B800D arrived I've only spent time with that amp now.

I did a couple bands rehearsals and headphone home practice. It did seem it was abit easier to quickly dial in my tone than with the WD. At my bar gig this past Sat, into a BF Big Baby ll, it was fantastic. So much huge and nice tight lows from this amp n BF cab.

I'm still learning both amps so too soon for me to determine if I should send the WD back for the 800+ which I feel might be a better, different backup to use when I won't use the B800D.
Although the B800D has just moved into the #1 spot for my next few rehearsals and last couple gigs this year.

The little BF Big Baby ll cab is just awesome with either of these Mesa amps. I just happened to find it on my local CL a week ago..

I am thinking to use my BF Big Twin-T cab w/B800D for a huge warehouse sized venue on 27th. I rarely get to use that Big Twin anymore. I may or may not have PA support. But don't think I'll even need it. I'll be lurking this thread now to help me determine my new Mesa amps' needs/wants.

 

[blastoff]

Looks like I need A/B it and send you the same picture. One question.... One of the biggest things I love about the WD, WB and mpulse I have, is the fact is that I can cut through the mix with slight touches on the eq. Do you have any cutting through the mix issues with the BD?

ive only gigged the BD a couple times so far, and in pretty intimate settings so... no problems cutting there! sounds awesome. it's certainly very well behaved for lower volume stuff as well.
to your question, i personally don't often feel "lost in the mix" for the stuff i do (P-bass/ flats and garagy surfy jazzy country psychedelic pub rock, and not so much death thrash doom sludge arena reggae.. )
I reckon if you were consistently finding yourself fine tuning mids on the WD to stay clear of stage mud, you might find the BD less agile.
but i kinda doubt it. its got plenty of brawn and with the sculptability (sure) of the low freq, i doubt anyone is losing track of you.

You got glow in the dark knobs on that WD-800?
Where did you get them?
And do they work?

I got a set for my D-800+, but could never get them energized enough to do a whole lot of good. When I contacted the manufacturer they told me, well you really need to let them sit in the sun. I told 'em don't worry about it, I'm not about to set my D-800+ outside in the sun.

They offered me free shipping on my next order instead of allowing me to return the knobs. I told em not to worry about it that I was never going to need free shipping from them, hint, hint.

those are just the stock ones with a bit of yellow paint pen . id love to find a supplier of quality knobs in glow in the dark, or other fun bright colors. modern tech has pushed "big knob" to the fringe unfortunately.

 

[John D Harris]

I'd been over at the big B800D thread while waiting for that new Mesa amp to be delivered.
It was delivered last week.

While waiting for new amp I was going thru many Mesa threads researching a brand I'd not owned before but was very familiar with it from reading about it on TB.

I kept coming back to threads about the WD 800. The features it offered peaked my interest, so I ordered a new one.
I was still learning to dial in the WD after about 3 weeks owning it.
Once the B800D arrived I've only spent time with that amp now.

I did a couple bands rehearsals and headphone home practice. It did seem it was abit easier to quickly dial in my tone than with the WD. At my bar gig this past Sat, into a BF Big Baby ll, it was fantastic. So much huge and nice tight lows from this amp n BF cab.

I'm still learning both amps so too soon for me to determine if I should send the WD back for the 800+ which I feel might be a better, different backup to use when I won't use the B800D.
Although the B800D has just moved into the #1 spot for my next few rehearsals and last couple gigs this year.

The little BF Big Baby ll cab is just awesome with either of these Mesa amps. I just happened to find it on my local CL a week ago..

I am thinking to use my BF Big Twin-T cab w/B800D for a huge warehouse sized venue on 27th. I rarely get to use that Big Twin anymore. I may or may not have PA support. But don't think I'll even need it. I'll be lurking this thread now to help me determine my new Mesa amps' needs/wants.

Dude, if I owned a Big Baby, a Big Twin, and an 800D, there's no way I wouldn't be taking the BT to a large venue where you may not have PA support.

Not because I thought the BB wouldn't cover it, but BECAUSE of shaking the planet powering the BT with the 800D.

 

[DJ Bebop]

ive only gigged the BD a couple times so far, and in pretty intimate settings so... no problems cutting there! sounds awesome. it's certainly very well behaved for lower volume stuff as well.
to your question, i personally don't often feel "lost in the mix" for the stuff i do (P-bass/ flats and garagy surfy jazzy country psychedelic pub rock, and not so much death thrash doom sludge arena reggae.. )
I reckon if you were consistently finding yourself fine tuning mids on the WD to stay clear of stage mud, you might find the BD less agile.
but i kinda doubt it. its got plenty of brawn and with the sculptability (sure) of the low freq, i doubt anyone is losing track of you.

those are just the stock ones with a bit of yellow paint pen . id love to find a supplier of quality knobs in glow in the dark, or other fun bright colors. modern tech has pushed "big knob" to the fringe unfortunately.

I use my WD for Dub Thrash Reggae

 

[ErnieD]

Dude, if I owned a Big Baby, a Big Twin, and an 800D, there's no way I wouldn't be taking the BT to a large venue where you may not have PA support.

Not because I thought the BB wouldn't cover it, but BECAUSE of shaking the planet powering the BT with the 800D.

Haha..I am kinda looking fwd to using the new Mesa into that Big Twin cab.
I won't be able to test that rig out before that show. So I'll have the BB ll sitting on the sidelines in case I need less....yeah, I doubt that'll happen.