#00214
The 800D is a great amp - and like others have said, you have to really try to get a bad sound out of it.
It's another great design from Andy and the team at Mesa.
I've owned the 800+, WD-800, and now 800D - they have all functioned perfectly, with intuitive well-laid-out controls.
The 800D is my favorite of the bunch - it's direct and raw sounding.
Since it's also one of the lowest-priced Subway amps, IMO it's the best deal in the Subway line.
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Regarding comparisons to the Bass 400+, I can't reliably comment.
It's been over 20 years since I last owned a 400+ and almost 30 years since I last gigged a 400+
Added to that, I only have one of the basses - and none of the cabinets - that I owned back then, so I have no direct basis for comparison.
With those caveats out of the way...
My feeling is that the 800D shares the fundamental "organic" quality of the 400+.
But the 800D EQ seems more precise and the power section definitely seems cleaner, with less sag and compression.
When I had the 400+ running in the "sweet spot" it was glorious.
But it was the mid 90s and things often got LOUD on stage.
When things got too loud, the 400+ would compress and overdrive rather than punching hard.
The 800D seems more linear and capable of much higher clean volume.
IMO that would make it an easier amp to get consistent results on a gig.
