Mesa 400 vs 400+

[REMUS]

I'm sure i'll kick myself once i'm told, but can someone reiterate the difference?

 

I've read somewhere it can take a single 8 Ohm cab, is this fact or fiction?

 

Anyone have a manual on file or a link as well?

[mlwarriner]

my 400+ was good from 8 down to 2 ohms, with the flick of a switch.

 

and here's a link to the 400+ manual

 

http://mesaboogie.com/manuals/Bass%20400%20Plus.pdf

[mlwarriner]

and actually, my info was faulty. the fan speed is on a switch. amp impedance is based on which plug ins you use for your speakers.

[REMUS]

It's the 400 I need to know about really, why don't they have a manual on the website

[RyCLB]

IIRC, the 400 has six 6550 power tubes while the 400+ has twelve 6L6 power tubes. I think that's the main difference.

[fealach]

The 400 has outputs for 8 or 4 Ohms. Takes 6 6550 or 6L6 tubes - I called Mesa to verify this before switching mine over to 6550s (actually used KT88s). Fixed bias point that I'd imagine isn't optimal for either type of tube. With KT88s sounded pretty much like a 400+. With 6L6s, it broke up much earlier and was a killer overdrive machine. Preamp is identical to the 400+, and there are schematics on teh interwebs for the 400. A Talkbass member has had one since it was new, Mesa tech told him at the time that it would do 2 Ohms plugged into the 4 Ohm jacks, he has run it this way since new, with no issues. I called Mesa to verify before trying it myself and was told the transformers "wouldn't like it." I've owned both, preferred the 400 for the versatility the different tube types gave it.

[REMUS]

I'm likeing the sound of the 400!

 

So how many watts is the 400 rated for with 6L6 tubes and how much would a full re-tube run with pretty good tubes?

 

I don't pretend to know much about tube amps

 

EDIT: Oh and can I run this sucker as just a power amp and use another pre?

 

Thanks for the excellent info btw bro!

[REMUS]

Hope you don't mind me posting this pm fealach, but I think it would benefit people who are interested in the future or just have a passing interest:

 

 

On wattage I'm just guessing, but it seems to have a similar power section as the D180 which also takes 6 6550 or 6L6; I think the D180 is rated around 150 watts with 6L6. I can't guess at the price - I haven't bought new tubes in like 5 years, they really don't wear out as quick as some people say. I'm not a tube expert, in my opinion Sovtek power tubes are the best "bang per buck" power tubes - maybe not the best, and not the cheapest, but a very good tube at a very good price. Check online - I've never ordered from them, but Triode Electronics answered my questions fast and seem to have good prices. Easy to use with another preamp - just plug the line out from the preamp into the Mesa's "Effects Return," it should bypass the Mesa preamp. I think the Master volume will still work, not sure - I haven't owned one in a while. I used to have a 400+. 400, D180, AND some other tube heads, all at once...sold the 400+, then the 400, but I'm keeping the D180 since it sounds like the 400 (a little less bottom maybe) but doubles as a deadly guitar amp. If you're not familiar with the "Y cable trick": Another trick you can do with the 400 - if you have an effect you like, but sucks the low end out - like a lot of guitar pedals - get a Y cord. Plug the bass in, then plug your effect into one branch of the Y, and plug that into one of the 400's 2 inputs. Plug the other branch straight in. Then you can use the input volumes to mix your effect and a "dry" bass tone. I used effects on input 1, because I liked the sound of input 2 better. Some people just like running the 2 inputs at the same time without any effects, some say it sounds better. You could also use an A/B box or A/B/Y box to get even trickier.