NOAD
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 7:31 pm
After a week of sleeping on it I traded in my SVTCL and HD130 for another mesa



theavondon wrote:YOU'RE CRAZY!
But, it's cool.
Gone Fission wrote:Any thoughts on 400 vs. 400+? I remember someone having a strong preference for non plus on another forum years back but I can't remember why he went that way.
Mudfuzz wrote:With out looking it up because I don't remember... the plus is a lot louder and has more crushing lows where the 400 is more just big and tooby.. It's gritty sound is a bit more gritty.. really nice amp.. it does what the SVT did for me but not as much of a back breaker.. or as honky sounding..
Mesa 400 vs. 400+
Hi everyone.
I know there a bunch of threads going on various sites regarding this head-to-head match up...er...no pun intended.
The main reason for this post is because I once read something about these types of amps having a higher-than-average plate voltage on the output tubes as well as having a fixed bias (non adjustable) and that some tubes handle this application better than others...yet I can't find that particular post.
First, I take it that 6550 and 6L6 are fully interchangeable, yet I have my doubts. The 400 schematic says to use one or the other.
The point of the 'post' i'm in search of mentions something along the lines of "X tube can handle the higher plate voltage much better than Y tube can, hence X will have a prolonged tube life" etc etc. I generally understand the concept that military grade tubes are a number one choice (svetlana's or GE/Philips Jan). But does the high plate voltage tolerance between tube number also come into play?
Then there is the tonal difference between tubes. I'm a Leslie sucker so i'm biased and would, off the top of my head, go for the 6550's (also beceause the svt uses them). The online consensus seems to be that people like the tonal qualities of the 400 over the 400+. Does tube choice alter the overal sound characteristics by a significant amount that the average person can distinguish between?
Also, i would love to hear some input regarding the post title.
Cheers!

Haki wrote:Nice!not going to use them in stereo?
Mudfuzz wrote:Haki wrote:Nice!not going to use them in stereo?
No, in Ric-o-sound

MSUsousaphone wrote:Ampeg sucks ass.
Mesas are amazing.
You done good.
Haki wrote:Mudfuzz wrote:Haki wrote:Nice!not going to use them in stereo?
No, in Ric-o-sound
Sorry! The two Mesas were so distracting I forgot about your Rics, but that's even better!![]()
well.. in all fairness my main bass isn't RIC-o-quipped
BUT both haz slave outs, pre outs, and power amp ins so 
Mudfuzz wrote:After a week of sleeping on it I traded in my SVTCL and HD130 for another mesa![]()
