Mesa Boogie Bass 800D

[Sean]

My 400+ is poorly and needs to visit the Amp Hospital, it's tripping out the socket circuit at home 🫣. So, it is highly unlikely it'll be ready to go to the SW Bass Bash by 12th October. 

I wonder if anyone else has a 400+ that they could take to Taunton.  Saying that, who's going to bring an 800D? 

[Bankai]

On 19/09/2025 at 09:41, Chimike said:

Deposit Paid, off to Andersons today , Just in case they manage to get these amps in as listed on time.

I have to mention, this is NOT normal for me . I seldom buy new ('cos I love old valve amps ),

But the confidence inspired by "Agedhorse's " helpful and informative attitude, and the design remit , that so reflects my requirements,

Simply too hard to resist ! I have every confidence it will sound Fabulous.

PLUS What a Looker !  Classic !

 

It’s about time that you implemented a “one in, three out” rule!

 

Edited Monday at 20:02 by Bankai

[Russ]

So I got mine yesterday.  Only just had a chance to plug it in and put it through its paces. 

 

First impressions - it does sound like a Bass 400+. In that regard, job done. It's got that little bit of inherent dirt from the valve preamp, and a very similar character in terms of the overall frequency curve (a bit middy, but in a nice, smooth, detailed and slightly furry way).

 

Here's a pic of it sitting on top of my Ashdown RM800 - you can get a good idea of its (small) size. 

 

 

Downsides? Sadly, it does seem to have a big one - it just doesn't seem very loud. My RM800 is louder when turned up to about 9:00 (see pic) than the Mesa is turned up to about 7 or 8. This is with it going into my Barefaced BTII (which can handle 1600W). Maybe I'm doing something wrong with it, but that could potentially be a dealbreaker - if I can turn it up to 8 in my house and not shake the doors off their hinges, then there's something not quite right here. The Ashdown is too loud for the house once it gets to about 11:00, with loads more volume to go. Which is weird, because they probably use the exact same ICEpower modules for their Class D power sections. 

 

I'll keep playing - will report back with more findings. 

[agedhorse]

1 hour ago, Russ said:

So I got mine yesterday.  Only just had a chance to plug it in and put it through its paces. 

 

First impressions - it does sound like a Bass 400+. In that regard, job done. It's got that little bit of inherent dirt from the valve preamp, and a very similar character in terms of the overall frequency curve (a bit middy, but in a nice, smooth, detailed and slightly furry way).

 

Here's a pic of it sitting on top of my Ashdown RM800 - you can get a good idea of its (small) size. 

 

 

Downsides? Sadly, it does seem to have a big one - it just doesn't seem very loud. My RM800 is louder when turned up to about 9:00 (see pic) than the Mesa is turned up to about 7 or 8. This is with it going into my Barefaced BTII (which can handle 1600W). Maybe I'm doing something wrong with it, but that could potentially be a dealbreaker - if I can turn it up to 8 in my house and not shake the doors off their hinges, then there's something not quite right here. The Ashdown is too loud for the house once it gets to about 11:00, with loads more volume to go. Which is weird, because they probably use the exact same ICEpower modules for their Class D power sections. 

 

I'll keep playing - will report back with more findings. 

1. Turn the gain and volume up more

 

2. Turn the eq up more, it’s based on the Fender tone stack which functions like volume controls (especially the mid band)

 

3. Use the high gain switch position. 
 

Knob position means nothing, the gain structures (and gain stage architecture) are entirely different between the two amps.

 

 

[Russ]

33 minutes ago, agedhorse said:

1. Turn the gain and volume up more

 

2. Turn the eq up more, it’s based on the Fender tone stack which functions like volume controls (especially the mid band)

 

3. Use the high gain switch position. 
 

Knob position means nothing, the gain structures (and gain stage architecture) are entirely different between the two amps.

 

 

If I use the high gain switch position, it gets very furry very quickly - can't turn the input gain above about 3 without it getting hairy. I'm using an active bass with pretty high output though. I'll keep experimenting. 

 

I've got the EQ controls all pretty much centred right now at around 5, but, again, I'll play with it some more and see what I can come up with. 

 

It's still early days, basically. 

 

EDIT: I dialled down the HPF a bit and dialled up the bass and mid controls, and left the shelving switches off. Kept the input on low gain, and it's much better. It is starting to shake the doors a bit now.  

Edited 20 hours ago by Russ

[bassbora]

Very excited about this amp. I usually don’t change them often and I have been using my Subway D800 for many years and this is the first amp to make me take a note and I will be keeping an eye on this thread. 

[agedhorse]

2 hours ago, Russ said:

If I use the high gain switch position, it gets very furry very quickly - can't turn the input gain above about 3 without it getting hairy. I'm using an active bass with pretty high output though. I'll keep experimenting. 

 

I've got the EQ controls all pretty much centred right now at around 5, but, again, I'll play with it some more and see what I can come up with. 

 

It's still early days, basically. 

 

EDIT: I dialled down the HPF a bit and dialled up the bass and mid controls, and left the shelving switches off. Kept the input on low gain, and it's much better. It is starting to shake the doors a bit now.  

 

Remember that this is based on the Fender tone stack eq which can benefit with the eq controls higher than you might expect. Also, the master volume control applies gain evenly throughout its entire rotation, many master controls do 90% of their work in the first half of the rotation (which makes people THINK they are more powerful though they are not).

[Russ]

36 minutes ago, agedhorse said:

 

Remember that this is based on the Fender tone stack eq which can benefit with the eq controls higher than you might expect. Also, the master volume control applies gain evenly throughout its entire rotation, many master controls do 90% of their work in the first half of the rotation (which makes people THINK they are more powerful though they are not).

Not going to get any more time to mess with it today (kids, bedtimes, etc  ) but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. And it is sounding rather good now. 

 

Back when I had the Bass 400+ I mostly EQ'd using the graphic rather than the main tone controls, which were mostly left flat-ish - I'd adjust them for the room, plus, since I was using the 1516 which was up on casters, I'd dial in a bit of additional bottom end to compensate for the lack of coupling of the cab with the stage / floor.

[agedhorse]

Almost all of the voicing on both the 400+ and Bass 800D is done within the tone stack eq section, that’s why it’s so important to understand how it works. 

[Musicman20]

13 hours ago, agedhorse said:

 

 Also, the master volume control applies gain evenly throughout its entire rotation, many master controls do 90% of their work in the first half of the rotation (which makes people THINK they are more powerful though they are not).

That common trick! I always remember when you guys at Genz discussed this and that your volume controls are much more 'honest'.

[eude]

57 minutes ago, Musicman20 said:

That common trick! I always remember when you guys at Genz discussed this and that your volume controls are much more 'honest'.

Yeah, that's definitely a problem on a lot of amps.

GK seem to have pretty honest volume controls too.

[Beedster]

14 hours ago, agedhorse said:

Almost all of the voicing on both the 400+ and Bass 800D is done within the tone stack eq section, that’s why it’s so important to understand how it works. 

 

I struggled at first with my Bass 400+ for that very reason, i.e., I was using controls as if it were a standard hifi amp! There's a reason the amp is so iconic, and that is the eq, so I'm guessing it's well worth persisting with the tone controls on the 880D also. Of course, if anyone tries and fails, I'll be happy to take it off their hands given it's looking like a 3-month wait minimum 👍

[Steve Browning]

56 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

I struggled at first with my Bass 400+ for that very reason, i.e., I was using controls as if it were a standard hifi amp! There's a reason the amp is so iconic, and that is the eq, so I'm guessing it's well worth persisting with the tone controls on the 880D also. Of course, if anyone tries and fails, I'll be happy to take it off their hands given it's looking like a 3-month wait minimum 👍

The Bass 400 was the same. As I have said in the past, I actually gave up (shortly after getting it) and reverted to a pair of Orange 120s (I was using a pair of Diesel 2x15s at the time) until I pulled myself together and persevered. It was well worth it!!