I want to replace my amp.

[Powman]

Experimenting shall continue gentlemen...I might just take the 8 Ohm SWR Goliath Jr home and try it side by side with the Mesa...thats the only way to tell. I will have fun along the way...

 

[AtomicPunk]

Mesa bass stuff is killer, reliable, roadworthy and holds its value over time. If it is getting the sound you want, stick with that one. (in my opinion, and you did ask for it...) if the Mesa has a tweeter, you might want to adjust the tweeter control if you are looking for a brighter sound. Play it at stage volume for a while and let your ears adjust to it. Sometimes for me the sound I set becomes different after about 20 minutes at stage volume. (damn those drummers..)

 

[Powman]

Mesa bass stuff is killer, reliable, roadworthy and holds its value over time. If it is getting the sound you want, stick with that one. (in my opinion, and you did ask for it...) if the Mesa has a tweeter, you might want to adjust the tweeter control if you are looking for a brighter sound. Play it at stage volume for a while and let your ears adjust to it. Sometimes for me the sound I set becomes different after about 20 minutes at stage volume. (damn those drummers..)

Yup, I did ask for opinions and I welcome them! I decided to stick with the Mesa...it is working well after some tweaking of the tweeter...

But now I am worried about your ears AP...what could be happening to you is you are experiencing a TTS (Temporary Threshold Shift in you hearing). Over time these TTS events become permanent hearing loss.

I made my son some 25 dB Musicians Ear Plugs. (see Etymotic Research, Inc. - Musicians Earplugs). These provide equal amount of attenuation across all frequencies thereby preserving the quality of the sound. Regular earplugs attenuate some frequencies more than others screwing up the sound quality making the music sound bad. Musicians plugs do not do that.

Also check out out the Hear the World website. It talks about the importance of hearing and has musicians talking about the need to protect your hearing...Home-Hear the World

 

[Randy]

Yup, I did ask for opinions and I welcome them! I decided to stick with the Mesa...it is working well after some tweaking of the tweeter...

But now I am worried about your ears AP...what could be happening to you is you are experiencing a TTS (Temporary Threshold Shift in you hearing). Over time these TTS events become permanent hearing loss.

I made my son some 25 dB Musicians Ear Plugs. (see Etymotic Research, Inc. - Musicians Earplugs). These provide equal amount of attenuation across all frequencies thereby preserving the quality of the sound. Regular earplugs attenuate some frequencies more than others screwing up the sound quality making the music sound bad. Musicians plugs do not do that.

Also check out out the Hear the World website. It talks about the importance of hearing and has musicians talking about the need to protect your hearing...Home-Hear the World

Maybe Personal Monitoring System is what you're looking for. You can control an amount of volume you need + you can feel you bass rig with your body.

 

[Powman]

Good advice...but is that for me Powman or AtomicPunk?

Personally, I do use a wireless system to hear the bass. This might be long post, but I will be brief...I have no hearing left. Lost it all over 40 years but now use a cochlear implant and a hearing aid. I can't lose any more hearing (its pretty much all gone), but use the wireless receivers attached to my implant and a hearing aid so that it sounds better. The microphones on hearing aids and cochlear implants start to distort after 90 dB SPL. So...the wireless system bypasses the microphones thereby preventing distortion.

I also mic the kick drum, attach this to a mic preamp, then to a subwoofer amp, then to an Aura bass shaker. This is attached to a footstool kinda thing so I can clearly feel the kick drum to keep me in time. This is a recent addition to my gear and the other band members have remarked that I lock better with the drummer now.

Yes, normal hearing folks could also use a wireless monitoring system to help protect their ears. But I have also seen some musicians use the musicians ear plugs to protect their ears while playing.

Anyhow boys, protect your ears please!

 

[Old_Guy]

Sorry about the hearing loss, I've got some as well but not nearly as bad as you apparently -
and since you've already decided on the Mesa, it's a moot point, but the SWR does put out more in the high mids which helps it cut through better..if that's what you're trying to do.

 

[Powman]

Sorry about the hearing loss, I've got some as well but not nearly as bad as you apparently -
and since you've already decided on the Mesa, it's a moot point, but the SWR does put out more in the high mids which helps it cut through better..if that's what you're trying to do.

Weird thing is now I hear the highs really well, and have a harder time hearing the lows...part of the weird thing with a cochlear implant. Part of the reason I check with other people's opinions on the sound since I don't always trust my Borg ears.

I am sticking with the Mesa...Its good cab for a good price. When it comes time to upgrade my entire amp, I will get a good price for it since I already bought it used.

I really like the sound (and size.weight) of the Markbass heads and cabs so I am going to start to save my sheckels for that.

 

[Old_Guy]

No one believes me..but when I retired out of the service, I had a final all-day audiology test at NNMC Bethesda. My hearing loss is in the 1.2-2.5kHz range, or as the audiologist told me, "commonly the frequency range of the female voice." My wife thinks I forged the report..

 

[Powman]

Audiologist: Sorry to tell you this Old Guy, but you are going deaf in your left ear.

Later at home...

Wife: So what did the Audiologist say?

Old Guy: That you need to talk into my left ear...

 

[Mogee]

I have two students with one of those implants. IT will be good to encourage them that music is an option for them.

 

[Powman]

Indeed...with today's technology, no need to let deafness slow you down!!

Now back to the original question. I was at the guitar shop renting a Mesa Can for my son's gig on the weekend, when I started goofing around with the Markbass stuff again. I was quickly (and unfortunately) falling in love with the Markbass - CMD 121H Combo Amp. Its got a 12 inch speaker and a tweeter. Rated at 300W at 8 ohm or 500W at 4 ohm...

The thing only weighs 39.5 lbs!! And it puts out way more power than my current setup which is altogether about 100 lbs!!!

Another really really cool thing is a DI out with a separate level control.

If I sell my Ashdown, return the Mesa cab, sell my dBX compressor, sell my Ashdown practice amp, and sell my Sansamp rackmount, it would only be about $400 more for the Markbass.

Should I do it??? The wife is away for another week still, so i can sneak it inot the hous easily. Once it is in the basement sound studeio, she'll never notice.

Should I do it boys???

 

[shakinbacon]

Indeed...with today's technology, no need to let deafness slow you down!!

Now back to the original question. I was at the guitar shop renting a Mesa Can for my son's gig on the weekend, when I started goofing around with the Markbass stuff again. I was quickly (and unfortunately) falling in love with the Markbass - CMD 121H Combo Amp. Its got a 12 inch speaker and a tweeter. Rated at 300W at 8 ohm or 500W at 4 ohm...

The thing only weighs 39.5 lbs!! And it puts out way more power than my current setup which is altogether about 100 lbs!!!

Another really really cool thing is a DI out with a separate level control.

If I sell my Ashdown, return the Mesa cab, sell my dBX compressor, sell my Ashdown practice amp, and sell my Sansamp rackmount, it would only be about $400 more for the Markbass.

Should I do it??? The wife is away for another week still, so i can sneak it inot the hous easily. Once it is in the basement sound studeio, she'll never notice.

Should I do it boys???

you really have to ask?

DO IT

 

[Powman]

I think I will...but I have a tendency to be impulsive...

I am going to rent it today and bring it to band rehearsal. If they dont rent it, I am just going to buy it. If I like it, then I will trade all my other stuff in.

 

[Old_Guy]

yes, DO IT.
I have fantasies about selling my Mesa 4x10, the Avatar cabs, and getting a little Walkabout 15"...

 

[Powman]

This weekend boys...I think it will happen...

 

[Powman]

All right, got back from Long and McQuade Music. My buddy let me borrow a Markbass - CMD 121H Combo Amp for the long weekend (Canadian Thanksgiving my American cousins). Took it home, did an ABAB comparison. It's got plenty of balls for such a small package (here come the jokes).

Just as a refresher:

Old system:
Sansamp Rackmount
Ashdown Mag 300 with 15 inch 61.6 Lbs (200 W at 8 Ohms, 300 W at 4 Ohms)
Mesa Powerhouse 2X10 cab. 69 Lbs
Total Weight: 130.6 Lbs
Perceived Balls Weight: Not bad

New System
Just the Markbass. (300 W at 8 Ohms, 500 W at 4 Ohms)
Weight: 39.5 Lbs
Perceived Balls Weight: HUGE. Why? 'Cause its lets the natural sound of the Sterling shine through more....

I don't think I need to wait for the weekend to be over to close this deal...I taking my old stuff in tomorrow.

 

[T Alan]

Let us know your thoughts after you've had it for a while.