WD800 vs Bass-800D

[agedhorse]

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.

Or both???

 

[five7]

I have owned all the 800's and previously several walkabouts and a carbine. 800 D is my favorite. Followed by the 800+ and then then a silverface walkabout. Last on the list would be the WA 800.
You have to try the 800D

 

[ErnieD]

Or both???

As to the BF Big Twin-T+ Big Baby ll together with my B800D. It was a thought to try in this huge warehouse sized brewery.
Just to hear it. Id prolly pull the plug on the BB ll after abit.....or not. We shall see.

 

[Chuck M]

I have owned all of the Subway heads except the 800D. The only one I did not keep was the TT-800. The D-800+, WD-800 and D-350 work better for me. A close friend bought one of the first 800D’s and we got together to do a bit of comparing our amps. Our main comparison was the 800D compared to the Genzler Kinetix.

Here was our take on the comparison:.................The 800D is more aggressive sounding but in a very musical way. The EQ system is very easy to use and works beautifully to adjust the tone of the amp. The Genzler is also easy to use as it has a similar EQ system and it is very musical and muscular sounding amp but less aggressive sounding than the 800D. I would prefer that the Kinetix have a control knob for the HPF rather than the 3 position switch, however, I have been quite happy in the venues I have played with the switch in the "lean" position.

Yes, I know the thread is about the 800D/WD800 and I am getting to my take on that. I love my WD-800 and use it quite a bit. The EQ system is extensive and takes some study to understand...but...YOUR tone is almost certainly in that head if you take the time to find it. The WD sounds cleaner to me than the 800D but it is easy to hear that each is very musical and aimed at pleasing folks with different sonic goals.

If you play mostly rock and like an edge to your tone then the 800D should be just what you want. If you want a clean tone that goes from razor sharp to warm then the WD-800 is probably a better choice for you.

By the way, I use Subway 115's most of the time. My friend Mike (Daddymactx) uses Subway 115 and 215 and also has a Bergantino 310. Mike is well versed with most techniques including slapping while I am a strictly fingerstyle player.

 

[Jeff Scott]

IYes, I know the thread is about the D800/WD800 and I am getting to my take on that.

I was under the impression this thread was about the WD800 compared to the new and amazing Bass 800D?

 

[Chuck M]

I was under the impression this thread was about the WD800 compared to the new and amazing Bass 800D?

Of course you are correct. My caffeine had not kicked in while I was typing. Thanks for correcting me.

My first post has been corrected.

 

[57pbass]

I booked a few hours at a local studio to do a true side-by-side comparison of these two excellent heads, using my 4-string Sadowsky P/J.

I’ve played countless shows with the WD-800 and am still getting familiar with the 800D, though I’ve already used it on a few gigs. With the WD-800, I typically set the gain between 1 and 3 o’clock for some tube grind, then fine-tune the remaining EQ and volume from there. All of my basses have a master volume, which plays a significant role in how the amp responds.

Since I was able to really open both amps up in the studio, I pushed the gain controls hard ( buried ) on each to hear how they behaved at the extremes. What I discovered was that the WD-800 produces a very different kind of tube distortion—plentiful, heavy, and aggressively grinding—whereas the 800D did break up, but in a noticeably milder way, with no real comparison between the two.

Because the two amps are voiced quite differently—and both sound excellent—I’ve decided they’ll each have a place in my rig, and I plan to use both throughout 2026 depending on the musical context.

 

[John D Harris]

I booked a few hours at a local studio to do a true side-by-side comparison of these two excellent heads, using my 4-string Sadowsky P/J.

I’ve played countless shows with the WD-800 and am still getting familiar with the 800D, though I’ve already used it on a few gigs. With the WD-800, I typically set the gain between 1 and 3 o’clock for some tube grind, then fine-tune the remaining EQ and volume from there. All of my basses have a master volume, which plays a significant role in how the amp responds.

Since I was able to really open both amps up in the studio, I pushed the gain controls hard ( buried ) on each to hear how they behaved at the extremes. What I discovered was that the WD-800 produces a very different kind of tube distortion—plentiful, heavy, and aggressively grinding—whereas the 800D did break up, but in a noticeably milder way, with no real comparison between the two.

Because the two amps are voiced quite differently—and both sound excellent—I’ve decided they’ll each have a place in my rig, and I plan to use both throughout 2026 depending on the musical context.

View attachment 7391390

I hope you were wearing hearing protection - those Bag Ends are really efficient cabs!

 

[ErnieD]

I booked a few hours at a local studio to do a true side-by-side comparison of these two excellent heads, using my 4-string Sadowsky P/J.

I’ve played countless shows with the WD-800 and am still getting familiar with the 800D, though I’ve already used it on a few gigs. With the WD-800, I typically set the gain between 1 and 3 o’clock for some tube grind, then fine-tune the remaining EQ and volume from there. All of my basses have a master volume, which plays a significant role in how the amp responds.

Since I was able to really open both amps up in the studio, I pushed the gain controls hard ( buried ) on each to hear how they behaved at the extremes. What I discovered was that the WD-800 produces a very different kind of tube distortion—plentiful, heavy, and aggressively grinding—whereas the 800D did break up, but in a noticeably milder way, with no real comparison between the two.

Because the two amps are voiced quite differently—and both sound excellent—I’ve decided they’ll each have a place in my rig, and I plan to use both throughout 2026 depending on the musical context.

View attachment 7391390

So glad to see this. I've only been able to try out different settings on my WD 800 and B800D into my BF Big Baby ll cab, at med low volumes in my spare bdrm.

So I'm not able to really open up both amps, volume wise. But I believe I am hearing some of what you are describing in your post.

I was thinking I'd want to return the WD I bought about 3 weeks ago for a 800+, once my B800D arrived. Just from TB descriptions Id read here. My B800D arrived last week.

I'm still trying g to dial in a great tone on the WD. I feel I've about accomplished that w the B800D already at a med sized room gig this past weekend. And at home as well. I find it is quite easier to get there on that amp.

I may try both amps with my BF Big Twin-T cab on 27th gig. To compare them at quite a bit louder, live band conditions. Should be a fun time.

 

[Chuck M]

The EQ system on the WD takes some getting use to. The effort required to understand the EQ will pay big sonic rewards. I use my WD-800 quite a lot. It is a marvelous amplifier.

The 800D, with its less extensive EQ system is more intuitive or straightforward to use. Little thought is required to get great results.

Each of the controls on every Subway head shares one trait. Every one of them does something when you turn them. Controls on some other amplifier designs do very little when used.

 

[Al Kraft]

The EQ system on the WD takes some getting use to. The effort required to understand the EQ will pay big sonic rewards. I use my WD-800 quite a lot. It is a marvelous amplifier.

The 800D, with its less extensive EQ system is more intuitive or straightforward to use. Little thought is required to get great results.

Each of the controls on every Subway head shares one trait. Every one of them does something when you turn them. Controls on some other amplifier designs do very little when used.

100% agree with this summary. For me the WD is more of a tool for sculpting the sound you want with all its various options to shape and voice what you get. Clearly it does that within its Walkabout inspired kind of way, but it is versatile.

Right out of the box the 800D is an updated Bass 400/400+ tube amp performance kind of machine. It has nice tone sculpting but it doesn't let you forget its roots. It's easy to use and hard to get a bad sound of. The WD has plentiful and versatile enough voice shaping to let you make a mess out of your sound.

While they can sound a bit similar in some ways, the control sets remind me of the difference between driving a car with an automatic transmission and one with a manual transmission.

 

[Chuck M]

While they can sound a bit similar in some ways, the controls the control sets remind me of the difference between driving a car with an automatic transmission and one with a manual transmission.

That made me laugh because it is a great analogy. Formula 1 cars have a manual transmission, don't they? "They will pry my WD-800 out of my cold, dead hands."

 

[TonH]

I own a WD-800 and if I want to simulate a Fender-style tonestack I would do the following:

• passive mid full open
• HPF at 25 Hz
• boost bass
• boost treble or neutral
• set the first PEQ at 500 Hz and cut or boost for the effect needed and/or lower the freq.
• set the 3th PEQ at +/- 3kHz and boost

I just tried it and this works for me and gets me close a Fender tonestack.

I compared it with another amp with a Fender tonestack that I have, the Hartke LH500.

 

[agedhorse]

I own a WD-800 and if I want to simulate a Fender-style tonestack I would do the following:

• passive mid full open
• HPF at 25 Hz
• boost bass
• boost treble or neutral
• set the first PEQ at 500 Hz and cut or boost for the effect needed and/or lower the freq.
• set the 3th PEQ at +/- 3kHz and boost

I just tried it and this works for me and gets me close a Fender tonestack.

I compared it with another amp with a Fender tonestack that I have, the Hartke LH500.

The passive mid is already part of a semi-adjustable Fender (type) tone stack!

 

[TonH]

The passive mid is already part of a semi-adjustable Fender (type) tone stack!

Indeed. The passive mid is a dip at 250hz, but if I want that dip a little bit higher, like 300 to 400Hz, I use the PEQ to experiment.
Or can you use both for a wider scoop?

 

[agedhorse]

Indeed. The passive mid is a dip at 250hz, but if I want that dip a little bit higher, like 300 to 400Hz, I use the PEQ to experiment.
Or can you use both for a wider scoop?

If you wish I suppose. The tone stack is set up to be better for bass.

 

[TonH]

If you wish I suppose. The tone stack is set up to be better for bass.

Thanks!

I did some more testing with a Squier Rascal with 2 humbuckers tonight.
With both pickups and the PEQ at 400HZ creating a dip, this bass sounds more like a Jazz with both single coils at 100%.
Buth with just the bridge humbucker it sounds better when turning the passive mid back.
That's what so great about the WD-800, you can adapt your sound to the bass you are using.

I als have a Stingray bass with a 3 EQ preamp that has a peak at 4 kHZ, and with the WD-800 I can reduce that peak to taste.

 

[Goatrope]

I own a WD-800 and if I want to simulate a Fender-style tonestack I would do the following:

• passive mid full open
• HPF at 25 Hz
• boost bass
• boost treble or neutral
• set the first PEQ at 500 Hz and cut or boost for the effect needed and/or lower the freq.
• set the 3th PEQ at +/- 3kHz and boost

I just tried it and this works for me and gets me close a Fender tonestack.

I compared it with another amp with a Fender tonestack that I have, the Hartke LH500.

Nice. That's what I really love about my WD. It really can flex and adapt to a wide variety of tones. I agree with your observations with the settings you described.

I was lugging around a 68 pound Fender Super Bassman 300 before the WD. And with the WD's damping control, It really gets that big tube amp vibe too. Probably wasn't the intended use, but it works for me.

I've got 4 different settings marked with different colored paint pens so I can remember them. So much fun!

Now if only I could save those presets and switch them via MIDI. Maybe I'll build myself a "Whizzer".

 

[Matt Power]

So I noticed the D800+ isn't on the Mesa website, but listed under "legacy". Did they stop production on the D800+, and why? I have a WD800 I am.aboit to trade for a D800+.

Andy/Agedhorse... do you know the skinny? If I missed the answer to this alreay in a different rhread, I apologize..

 

[agedhorse]

Nice. That's what I really love about my WD. It really can flex and adapt to a wide variety of tones. I agree with your observations with the settings you described.

I was lugging around a 68 pound Fender Super Bassman 300 before the WD. And with the WD's damping control, It really gets that big tube amp vibe too. Probably wasn't the intended use, but it works for me.

I've got 4 different settings marked with different colored paint pens so I can remember them. So much fun!

Now if only I could save those presets and switch them via MIDI. Maybe I'll build myself a "Whizzer".

That’s mostly the intent of the damping switch, the Walkabout did this too in a different way but was in practice lower than the low setting on the WD. In hindsight, if the Walkabout was closer to medium, it would have eliminated one of the main complaints about the Walkabout but the original architecture wouldn’t allow that.

So I noticed the D800+ isn't on the Mesa website, but listed under "legacy". Did they stop production on the D800+, and why? I have a WD800 I am.aboit to trade for a D800+.

Andy/Agedhorse... do you know the skinny? If I missed the answer to this alreay in a different rhread, I apologize..

I saw some being built yesterday, I haven’t heard anything about any of the Subway line being discontinued in any of my meetings.

It’s likely a website issue, the website can be frustrating to navigate successfully… even for me!

Ok, you have to use the drop down menu and select amplifiers, then bass. Otherwise all you see are skinny string products. Not ideal for sure.