Mesa WD800

[dmccombe7]

Anyone tried one of the WD800 amps yet. Better still anyone done a comparison against the D800+.

[Steve Browning]

I daren't in case I like it.

[dmccombe7]

Go on you know ya wanna.

I've listened to all the reviews and it does definitely have a warmer tone than the D800 range altho not much in it to be fair.

I like the idea of the pre-amp tube tho.

What are you gigging with at the moment Steve ?

Dave

[martthebass]

No.

I don’t need more stuff, I don’t need more stuff, I don’t need more stuff.....

[dmccombe7]

Of course you don't but it would be worth trying purely out of curiosity. 

Mmmmmmmm tasty

Edited August 5, 2019 by dmccombe7

[Al Krow]

Couple of threads which seem to have gone a bit quiet - first one focusing entirely on the WD 800, which may be worth a skim:

I think the UK price tag has pretty much snaffled demand on this side of the pond. Not sure that anyone has actually bought one yet, so you could end up being the trail blazer for us  

 

[Roger2611]

I won't be tempted, as an owner of a D-800 I am not convinced by their class D offerings, IMHO my Markbass LM3 is a better sounding head by some distance.

[dmccombe7]

That's the first time i've seen anyone say that so its interesting to hear as i got rid of my Markbass rig as it just wasn't doing it for me. I put it down to the lightweight thing rather than any specific manufacturer. I went for Mesa Mpulse and PH212 but both quite heavy.

Dave

[Al Krow]

14 hours ago, Roger2611 said:

I won't be tempted, as an owner of a D-800 I am not convinced by their class D offerings, IMHO my Markbass LM3 is a better sounding head by some distance.

That is an interesting take. I've only played the Mesa D800 briefly and wasn't particularly blown away and a fair number of folk have commented that it is quite 'dark'; there seems to be a lot more love for the D800+. The LM3 is undoubtedly a good amp (I had a sibling for 4 years in my AC Lite combo), but with some significant EQ centre point short comings. These EQ shortcomings seem to have been fully addressed in the new Marcus Limited range and then some! 

In the non D class range I have no hesitation in saying that the Mesa M6 is a truly outstanding amp.

[mcnach]

On 05/08/2019 at 16:54, dmccombe7 said:

Anyone tried one of the WD800 amps yet. Better still anyone done a comparison against the D800+.

 

I didn't, but when ordering my Sandberg at Guitar Guitar, there was a guy there trying both, switching from one to the other (same cab), and I was paying attention.

From where I was, both sounded pretty similar if not identical, but I suspect that's because this guy was going for that particular sound. They're both supposed to be different, but they clearly have a large overlap. Of course, I was there only like for 30 minutes, so I didn't get to see what he could do with different controls, especially bringing the gain up a bit etc. I did talk to him just before I left. He had been trying to decide between them, and he felt the WD800 was nicer, but he could not make up his mind.

I think it's safe to say, from that and the comments I have read elsewhere, that they both cover a lot of the same range so for a lot of people there may not be a lot of practical difference. But the WD800 is designed to get you other flavours that you don' get with the D800+, and viceversa. I'm not familiar enough with Mesa amps, but the designer was comparing them to different older ranges in that huge thread over at TB. 

Sorry, I realise that this doesn't really help much

 

[mcnach]

15 hours ago, Roger2611 said:

I won't be tempted, as an owner of a D-800 I am not convinced by their class D offerings, IMHO my Markbass LM3 is a better sounding head by some distance.

 

I own both an LM3 and a D800+. I really like both. I wish they had a baby and the result were a D800+ with a LFE and VPF controls

I find the D800+ has a bigger presence and can get a powerful but defined sound more easily than with the LM3 (the variable HPF + voicing + bass EQ interaction is magic in this amp, IMO). I can get the D800+ to sound much like the LM3, but the D800+ gives me a lot more too. For that reason the D800+ is the one I use live right now.

Before I got the D800+, I borrowed a D800 for a while and tested it side by side with a LM3 and a Streamliner 900 I had at the time. The D800 didn't impress me as much. It was good, but I didn't feel it was enough of an 'upgrade' from the LM3. The D800 had more 'body' but I found it a bit too dark. The D800+ fixed it with the bright switch (which I leave on permanently) and the semiparametric EQ comes very handy too, although all I ever need is some very minor tweaks.

[chris_b]

I briefly had the D800 and really liked it, but only wanted to keep one amp so ended up choosing my Aguilar.  I slightly preferred the tone. The WD800 might change my mind but I can't afford over a grand for an amp these days. I did a Reggae gig with the D800 and the bass boost button engaged. The band loved that sound.