Amp Listening Challenge 1

#63
oZZma said:
When I tried the "deep" lows on the M9 I found they need some EQ tweaking and a little bit more gain to get tight, but with the right settings that amp is sharp like a blade even with the "deep" on! IMO :)
(And that's what I absolutely loved about it!!)
Click to expand...

I don't notice the gain changing the low end any. However, the gain effects how hard you hit the compressor, which definitely has an impact on the low end. I don't normally run compression with bass, but I find the built in compressor essential on this amp.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oZZma
#64
Wasnex said:
I don't notice the gain changing the low end any. However, the gain effects how hard you hit the compressor, which definitely has an impact on the low end. I don't normally run compression with bass, but I find the built in compressor essential on this amp.
Click to expand...
There is some gain compensation circuitry incorporated within the deep function.
 
  • Like
Reactions: oZZma
#68
JimmyM said:
I think this thread illustrated perfectly well why amps have tone knobs and why we should use them instead of nooning them :D
Click to expand...
Given, but I was trying to show the natural state of the amps. If you tweak them to all sound the same, it makes the "guess which is which" almost impossible. I did that once with basses to see if people could figure out which was a split single coil pickup and where were imitators with an EQ and people lost their minds.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimmyM
#69
socialleper said:
Given, but I was trying to show the natural state of the amps. If you tweak them to all sound the same, it makes the "guess which is which" almost impossible.
Click to expand...

In which case, why not just buy the cheapest or coolest looking one and call it a day?
Yel_wink.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimmyM and agedhorse
#70
socialleper said:
Given, but I was trying to show the natural state of the amps. If you tweak them to all sound the same, it makes the "guess which is which" almost impossible. I did that once with basses to see if people could figure out which was a split single coil pickup and where were imitators with an EQ and people lost their minds.
Click to expand...

I previously recommended dialing the amps to sound ideal, rather than trying to make them all sound the same. Setting the knobs to 12:00 does not guarantee flat response and is rarely where I set any of my amps, with exception of my Sadowsky SA200.

The best way to judge an amp is under real world operating conditions. At the very least, adjust the tone controls so the amp sounds as close to the way you want it to as possible.

That being said, I don't think the D800 or DB751 can be dialed in to sound like the M9. I have made suggestion for other amps that may get closer to your tonal goals. But I think your best course of action is to hunt down an updated M9.

Guitar Center Used currently lists three M9s. https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/?Ntt=m9 mesa&Ns=r

Reverb lists seven M9s. "mesa m9" Gear

Ebay lists four M9. mesa m9 | eBay
 
  • Like
Reactions: Passinwind
#71
Wasnex said:
I previously recommended dialing the amps to sound ideal, rather than trying to make them all sound the same. Setting the knobs to 12:00 does not guarantee flat response and is rarely where I set any of my amps, with exception of my Sadowsky SA200.

The best way to judge an amp is under real world operating conditions. At the very least, adjust the tone controls so the amp sounds as close to the way you want it to as possible.

That being said, I don't think the D800 or DB751 can be dialed in to sound like the M9. I have made suggestion for other amps that may get closer to your tonal goals. But I think your best course of action is to hunt down an updated M9.

Guitar Center Used currently lists three M9s. https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/?Ntt=m9 mesa&Ns=r

Reverb lists seven M9s. "mesa m9" Gear

Ebay lists four M9. mesa m9 | eBay
Click to expand...
I looked at the one's on Reverb. They look newer, but couldn't verify the SNs with Mesa.
I'm over it.

What I learned is that amps sound completely different after mastering and compressing to MP3. Also, throwing money at a problem doesn't necessarily fix it.
Also, returning gear stinks. It is like kicking a puppy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: metron, oZZma, Passinwind and 1 other person
#74
Passinwind said:
As I'm sure you know, I consider play feel to be an extremely important factor. And recordings often just don't tell you that much about it, unfortunately.
Click to expand...
Agreed Charlie, this is an area that both DSP and analog modeler engineers have focused a lot of effort and resources at recently. The algorithms themselves are getting more and more refined, though I still prefer the analog user interface a lot more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimmyM and Passinwind
#75
Wasnex said:
@socialleper I suggest you try GK RB series... I have a 700RB and I know these amps do bright and aggressive very well.
Click to expand...

agedhorse said:
I would certainly recommend trying some of the GK amps, they do have the bright thing down well.
Click to expand...
My #1 amp was a Mesa M6 when I "discovered" GK -- I was in a store that had an M6, and I was checking out basses through it because it was a known-quantity.
I noticed the store had a used 700RB-II for $299, so I checked it out and was able to directly compare it to the M6.

It took me a while to get the gain-staging right for the GK, but once I did, I liked what I was hearing VERY much -- it was just as fast and "in your face" as the Mesa, but the high end wasn't quite as overwhelming.

By the time I sold my M6 and went back for that 700RB-II, it was long gone, but I found another for not much more $$ -- that was 5 years ago, and my #1 is still a 700RB-II...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wasnex, socialleper and oZZma
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back