MESA® Subway® Ultra-Lite 1x12 & 1x15 Official Cab Demo/Comparison

[@NGH99999]

Those 12's sound nice! Nice and tight, with just the right amount of punch.

[@TheBassfresh]

Bobby is an incredible bassists but it would be nice to hear these cabs played pizzicato w/ rounds and flats considering that's still how most of us play.

[@azguitar]

Agreed.

[@Jakeman90210]

Will be getting one of these soon and couldn't be more excited

[@Sean_Woodburn]

Demo by the Prince of Time. Nice!

[@neurotyrant]

I've been playing Mesa gear for a while, and I absolutely love it. My Bass400+ and 8x10 Powerhouse still turn heads. A nice, light weight Mesa rig could be just what the doctor ordered for smaller gigs. However, I am also immensely interested in a Bass Strategy amp, too.

[@mesaboogie]

Thanks, +Neuro Tyrant - Yeah - the D-800 is just what the doctor ordered for those looking for TONE & lightweight. But tube tone is hard to beat. Thanks for your interest and for the kind words! :D

[@cdthompsonmusic]

Great Demo that really shows off these excellent speaker cabs!

[@EAveryGtrBass]

Excellent sounding Cabinets!

[@mesaboogie]

Many thanks, +EAveryGtrBass ! Much appreciated. :)

[@magr80]

i am ready to dump my aguilar, genz benz and heavy old ampeg gear for one of each of these subway pieces. Looks and sounds GREAT. Has everything I need and nothing I don't in a lightweight package. Can't wait to order!

[@mesaboogie]

Look forward to having you in the family, +magr80 ! Let us know how it goes when you get it! :)

[@ziggysmalls9329]

awesome this new mesa stuff is priced nice,and at better quality then most builders these days

[@mesaboogie]

Thanks for the acknowledgement, +Dread Scott - we're proud to offer these new products and, as always, made with the finest materials we can source and built in the one-and-only Mesa shop in Petaluma, CA.

[@Sco3000]

Those 1x12 sound great, better than the 1x15 IMO.

[@bpatt6591]

Sco 115 for me all day! :-)

[@JeanV1986]

Beautiful craftsmanship, and it shows!

[@bernardf.6337]

I swear by a Mesa Boogie. I own an M9, dual rectifier, 400 power amp, Mesa 4 x 12 powerhouse, and a Mesa 4 x 10 powerhouse. I can’t wait to get a 1X15 cabinet.

[@paulsimmons5726]

The unfinished cabinets demonstrate exactly what makes Mesa cabs so efficient! I have a Walkabout 1-12 and the tone is to simply die for and that’s with the knobs all set on 12 O’clock, neutral!

[@midnightangels4074]

Thanks MESA/Boogie - for making world-class amps and cabinets that are light, compact, powerful, and more safe. We are going to be using the Subway WD-800 for both studio sessions and live gigs.

[@rickespinoza961]

Bobby vega would sound good playing through a transistor radio he is a bad man ,,digging that tone though, gonna look into it

[@leesaywha]

Good enough for Bobby V, good enough for me.

[@Terrible_Peril]

+1 Bobby is an absolute master. I was mad when they cut his pick-to-the-teeth popcorn dance portion out of this demo. everything he does is magic.

[@rmccain99]

Wow! The 12 cabs had as much depth better harmonics and clarity than the 15 cabs.

[@Jakeman90210]

you forgot to mention the most important part of the tone, which is Bobby Vega

[@mesaboogie]

We certainly agree there, +Gherkin Flout Tubanomeister - The players hands, especially in bass, makes tone happen. Thanks for your enthusiasm for Mesa products and thanks for your support! Let us know if there's anything we can help with. Cheers! :)

[@johnsfixton8857]

plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo/108663641532895298054/6570635755322794994

[@jazznw]

just put the 1x12 on stage behind the upright.....at a gig I got asked if I was amplified. that in itself is a testament to the cab.

[@mesaboogie]

Ha! +Jeff Baran - subtle... and appropriate... Like you said... amazing compliment for the often tricky job of amplifying upright. And also that it sounded natural. Nice blend! Thanks for sharing. :)

[@robertrosejr1]

Mesa d350 paired with 2 subway 1x12 cabs will that give 4 ohm 350 watt live

[@theinfinatewisdom]

The New cabs sound Great!

[@mesaboogie]

Thanks very much, +theinfinatewisdom ! Glad you dig and much appreciated. :)

[@TheBassfresh]

bobby vega is one of the very best, but it would be helpful if during the demo there was some pizzicato playing as it's the way most of play.

[@kylecuppett]

OH,How I would love to hear foamed flats on that rig.

[@youtert]

That's an Eminence for the 12 and a Faital for the 15.

[@daviddesmond2143]

Looks like a Kappalite 12" 3012 Pro Audio speaker-an excellent speaker for bass guitar 450 watts RMS

[@japon8012]

Hi, I think that if you place de mic near de speaker then you lose part of the ported effect. This test works for who will mic the cab and could generate a false expectation of the tone perceived by a ear a few meters away. Despite this, its a good demo.

[@mesaboogie]

Hi Japon - You are absolutely correct when you say the port adds a significant effect to the sound. We could go full crazy science attempting to capture the true experience of what an amp or cab sounds like in a room... but the three dimensionality and impact would still not be truly experienced like it FEELS when you're in the room with a great bass rig. But we continue to try. :) In any case, thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching!

[@PatrickQT]

Is there a reason theses things are impossible to get in EU lately?

[@gordongary3903]

SL112 is rated at 250 watts and the Mesa is rated at 400 watts. Not sure of the tone though it sounded fantastic in the store. I do own the SL112 and could have bought another but I am picking up an Ultra lite 1x12 this weekend.

[@Jayyy_Wav]

So how’d it go?! I wanted an Sl112 but I’m thinking about going with the Subway112

[@pittsburghbassists9885]

@@Jayyy_Wav the Subway light is more mid focused where as the SL112 has bottom for days. Put them together and you’ve got a great sounding unit for larger gigs. I use the SL112 by itself and am happy with it, I could never use the Subway Lite by itself as it lacks bottom.

[@Jayyy_Wav]

@@pittsburghbassists9885 I’m indecisive between the Sl112 or Sl210. I won’t need more than 300-350 watts but if I grab the 112 I’d always be afraid to push it as some songs require growl and heavy B string notes.. decisions decisions

[@TylerMillsftw]

What's the crossover frequency set at on both cabs?

[@mesaboogie]

Hi +Tyler Wylie Mills - Our crossover frequency is set at 5.3Khz. It's a little higher than most but that's because our custom speakers tend to be voiced more full-range (rather than bass-specific) which allows us to use our tweeters for for more presence accentuation rather than 'needing' the tweeter for treble response. Hope this helps and thanks for your interest!

[@Orvulum]

Looks awesome! Would have been nice if the bassist played some sustained notes though... Difficult to judge tone from someone playing stoccato... Just sayin...

[@traceelliot1360]

More extreme cross bracing putting much pressure on each wall and padding would improve these quite a bit.

[@gab.lab.martins]

Maybe it's my speakers, but I don't hear much difference between them. But I usually like 1x15 (paper cone) + 4x10 (aluminium cone) for bass.

[@viliborsincic1605]

Is that a stock Eminence in SW112 or a custom? I understand in the 115 is a stock Faital 15pr400 and that's gonna be easy to replace in Europe if blown, but not sure for a eminence driver.

[@rickespinoza961]

I kno somebody said sumthin bout bass cabs, that's bobby vega right there scary bad dude wish I had those chops, seems this rig gots that tone I want one

[@marcosorto8723]

Nice 👌 just wish stuff was cheaper :(

[@emilkrasich]

Is it possible to order a 1X12 from you already setup in a vertical position? I like the space saving that it affords and a single 1X12 is all I'd really need. Just wish that the handles could be on the sides in that config.

[@Detownrebel1]

Still to this day bass speaker manufacturers are missing the mark in regards to transportation. Even though the cabinets are lighter, they're bulky and awkward to transport. Airport luggage manufacturers designed pull-out handles and small casters to make things very easy to transport. It would be nice to see these replicated on those mid size speaker cabinets.

[@markkarwan9360]

I loved the handle/caster system on my ampeg portabass 112 from around 2001. It was so useful. Best built-in cab transport system ever. Someone ought to manufacture and sell that two-piece system as an aftermarket upgrade to address this.

[@daviddesmond2143]

Aircraft style bracing? Copied after wooden airplanes?

[@mesaboogie]

Same concept - designed to be lightweight yet strong.

[@myidham1984]

Can we use this as passive subwoofer for dj setup?

[@KlockoFett]

I mean, I guess you could. At about $900, there are probably cheaper (and more sound appropriate) options for a DJ. These are also only rated for 400W, so you probably would want something that handles more power. These are speakers capable of full range sound, not dedicated subs. Honestly, they'd probably sound like garbage as a DJ sub.

[@gregg4164]

Well, watched every video of NAMM 2017 i could find and didnt see anyone with any new 2x15 cabs. guess i gotta build my own.

[@David13Rome]

I am looking at this rig (112) and the Aguilar TH500 with the SL112. They are close in price. Why should I pick the Mesa over Aguilar. - (Not being rude, seeking information) Thanks.

[@mesaboogie]

Hi +DavidDomeRecording - Thanks for your interest and a great question. Somewhat difficult to answer because Aguilar makes great gear and we are personally friendly with them, HOWEVER... :) First, the D800 is quite a bit more powerful and there are many bass players who believe that headroom in reserve is a precursor to great tone regardless of how loud you play overall. Sonically, you are likely to find the D800, at 'flat' settings, to be a little more true to neutral, whereas Aguilar tends to have a stronger 'built-in voice' that some people love... and some don't. Mesa also has a known voicing, and while the D800 relfects *some of that, it's much more transparent overall, allowing your instruments character and your technique to be primarily what is heard - then having tone control over that with responsive controls that do what you expect/need them to do. Many players in the (almost) year that it's been out have found it to be incredibly well voiced for all styles and particularly for gigging, and sitting perfectly in the pocket for band mixes and recording. Finally, it's been remarkably reliable and we stand behind it with one of the best ewarranties in the business - 5 years transferable. Hope this helps and feel free to reach out if you have any further questions - we'd be happy to help! :)

[@David13Rome]

I have to say the tone of those ultra-lite cabs is very impressive coming through my studio monitors. BTW, I have a 5:50 Express Plus that I totally love even over higher priced amps.

[@mesaboogie]

DavidRomeRecording Thanks for the kind words - on the express and the video. The Subway cabs are truly our best lightweight cabs, and perhaps our best cabs ever. Easily rivaling the boutique cabs for quality and durability but not the highest prices. Hope you get a chance to check em out for yourself. Many thanks for your interest. :)

[@David13Rome]

Do you have a preference between the 112 and the 115? Any noticeable tonal differences? Thanks again.

[@mesaboogie]

Hi DavidRomeRecording- there are definitely differences and the two cabs are compared in the video for you to listen. If you are planning to use just one single cab and you do any kind of gigging, we would recommend the 1x15 as it's a bigger, louder cab by a few dB. It's a bit more full in the lows as well but still very manageable. Check out the video comparison if you haven't already. The two cabs are more similar than different but bigger can be better. :)

[@charleswesly007]

Can I get it in India.. I stay in southern part of India.. Tamilnadu isn't state

[@dotnineteen.1962]

Bobby Vega is amazing

[@jaxonvictoria4345]

Nothing but respect to Mr Vega, but this isn’t the way to demo amps or cabs. This is probably how 0.5% of bassists play.

[@portwill]

I really hope it's a joke that it will be 1000EUR in the EU ... I love the idea of the D-800 especially with that price range, but am not sure the 1x15 and D-800 will be worth it in Europe.

[@portwill]

I have found a site which will sell it for 668 EUR.. Thomann.de shows 999EUR.. don't really get these differences.

[@mesaboogie]

Hi +Port:Will - Best bet for accurate pricing and availability is to contact the Authorized MESA Distributor in your country. You can find that info here: www.mesaboogie.com/support/locations.html Thanks for your interest! :D

[@portwill]

+MESA/Boogie It is not yet sold here but I am soooo curious. The head is nicely priced and it is a MESA :) Not too sure how it would work with another cab. I will most probably get that for my home practicing and for jams. The 400W is with 8ohms, right?

[@mesaboogie]

Hi +Port:Will - The D-800 should work very well with nearly any cabs of reasonable design and quality. The amp is not voiced to exclusively sound good with our cabinets or vice-versa... it's an all-around good voicing for an amp. Same for our cabs... and yes - the D-800 is 400watts with an 8 ohm cab, and 800 watts with a 4 ohm cab/load. thanks again!

[@jamnikbleki5984]

łazienka w pokoju dziennym świetle obowiązującego

[@louderthangod]

I really wish they'd go back to using EV speakers. These class D amps are nice for some folks but those tiny transformers just don't have the depth of lowend and punch. Old solid state Sunn amps at 100-200 watts sound much louder than these modern 500-1000 watt class D's because the transforms were huge in those old amps.

[@mesaboogie]

Hi +louderthangod - Thanks for the comment and taking the time to share your thoughts. We must really encourage you to check these out for yourself and to avoid the tempting inclinations to loop the D800 into the standard Class D 'tonalities' without trying them. There is exceptional design and innovation that goes into the D-800 to bring the industry's leading Class D 'feel' - that's more like the amp's you describe. It's not a direct comparison, because, well - apples and oranges and vintage solid state amps don't weigh 6 lbs. and offer 800 watts. Also, our 800 watts is a true 800 watts, unlike some products that claim the number but don't 'sound' that loud. Finally, EV has made some great speakers over the years but there a lot of incredible designs and innovations happening in speaker manufacturing that, in our opinion (being fans of the old vintage EV sounds) surpass them EVs in tone, reliability, weight and value. Give em a try and play them in person. I suspect you'd be surprised and in a good way. Thanks for the comments and thanks for watching! :D

[@dezziwood555]

+louderthangod EV bass speakers are so 1970's. Eminence makes a series above what the sell advertised as bass guitar speakers. These are in the Mesa as well as my Greenboy cabinet. The cone excursion (xmas) is 3 times greater than the old EV's. Plus they are neo so they are easy to transport. One Subway is better than 3 EV's.

[@louderthangod]

dezziwood555 Maybe you're right but I'm skeptical especially when you mention Eminence. That's like saying "this new Hyundai is better than a Porsche". I've never been impressed by Eminence, they have some decent speakers and a lot of terrible sounding ones but maybe they've decided to go high end. I've got plenty of EV 12's and 15's to last me a lifetime but I'm always looking for something different if not better.

[@mesaboogie]

Hi louderthangod - Eminence is a USA company that makes (as you pointed out) a lot of speakers, both to their tastes and, to the manufacturer's taste for whom they make and sell products. Nearly all of Mesa's speakers are made custom for us (as were EV 12Ls for many years), particularly because we believe that the speaker is a HUGE component in great tone and we have very specific ideas about how that tone is achieved. EV made great speakers for many years and Mesa used those speakers with pride for as long as EV was amenable to OEM production. Sadly, EV has different ideas about supplying for different manufacturers these days and Mesa seeks excellent, long standing relationships with suppliers who appreciate our process and are willing to work with us to achieve the sonic goals we seek. Older EV speakers are referenced, in addition to many other speakers, in our R & D, as we develop today's best sounding speakers in pursuit of the best possible tone we can make in all our products. While you obviously enjoy EV speakers (and we do, too!), we would encourage you to trust that the tonal decisions we make for our products now is the same level of quality we expected back when we got speakers from EV. Because of this, we would continue to encourage you to give our newest stuff a listen as the same processes and goals were employed by us to end up with product that we think is still some of the best you can get. It's not exactly the same as a vintage EV, but we think it might actually be a little better. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and hopefully this helps. All the best! :D

[@louderthangod]

MESA/Boogie As for country, I'm an American but I couldn't care less where they're made. The US is hardly the sole sore of great manufacturing. Speakers are highly a taste thing, Mesa and many guitarists love Celestion VIntage 30's but for my style they're one of my least favorite speakers. Different Strokes.

[@MelodylaneLou]

right there with you Gregg4164, I've been playing bass since 1973. Back when Bass sounded like a BASS Thunderstorm, not this wimpay ass Jaco mid sound with a limp right wrist......Bass players and their little 12" single boutique speakers are a joke...maybe for playing a coffee shop or nursing home. I had a powerhouse jr that weighed 100 lbs built like a military tank and sounded like it.... the 406 W acoustic cabinet I had was easier to roll out to a gig than any 410..... lean and tilt right into the back seat, van etc.... tweeters on a 15" and all speakers......I can;t wait til horns go away. Funny in 1983 i added Radio Shack Piezos to my peavey 1 18" black widow and honestly the best sounding cab I've ever had..... pussies is so Trump appropriate and true..... head nodding bass players....... I play bass and sing tenor lead so I don't get the non singing bass guys too lazy to even carry a proper amp. two Words..... DOLLY and CART....

[@rotorhead58d]

i have owned two different Ampeg SVT rigs. one was a 72 the other was a new Heritage. both had 810 cabs and both sounded awesome. I now own a D800+ and two subway 1 15 cabs and could not be happier. I play in two different bands. one is a black sabbath tribute band and the other a cover band. i waved bye bye to my SVT and have never looked back. I know it is new technology which many dinosaur bass players just can't get their heads around but if you'd try one out I think you might agree. and fwiw Jaco's tone was iconic to the world of bass. open your mind and broaden your horizons.

[@rotorhead58d]

also, take a look at the best "limp wristed" bass player on the planet Les Claypool's new rig consisting of 4 1 12 subways and 2 d-800's :D

[@MelodylaneLou]

rotorhead58d 4 the magic number...

[@rotorhead58d]

for that stage, yes. for a bar or small club...???

[@jamnikbleki5984]

Louis Sanders dobrze

[@geekguitars]

Bobby Vega is the Goddamn MAN!! 🤘👊

[@surfbug1]

tone comes from the speaker? no way!!!!!!!!!!

[@ricksalt6860]

WTF is Aircraft Style ?

[@PeterDad60]

Aircraft have special internal bracing in the body as does racing cars and now Mesa Boogie bass speaker cabs. They are saying the cabs are very strong and very light weight, that's the whole point here.

[@whamni]

What's with all this slap crap, what ever happened to playing a bass for a demo like a bass is supposed to be played !

[@Pepper-cd9yr]

quick, unrelated question. how old are you? :)

[@whamni]

@@Pepper-cd9yr Quick answer FO

[@KlockoFett]

And how exactly is a bass "supposed to be played"? I suppose it shouldn't ever be played with a pick either? Why would any player not use the tools available for a greater variety of sound? Should Jimmy Page have asked your permission before using a violin bow on his guitar?

[@GPR100]

Bobby Vega is better at bass than you are. Don't be sad - it's true for most of us...

[@kuzkasmother599]

Just pulled the trigger on a D-800 purely based on reviews and videos like these. Hope it lives up to the hype! As for cabs, I wonder if 2 1x12s and a 1x15 will be loud enough...

[@mesaboogie]

Hi +Kuzkas Mother - Thanks for your support and we think you'll be VERY pleased. The hype is for real! :) As for cabs, a 2x12 and 1x15 is a GREAT rig for this amp. Tons of punch and power and plenty of tone control to find your sound. Let us know what you think when you get it fired up!

[@charliedavis1912]

MESA/Boogie That’s the cab combo I was thinking of getting but was wondering whether the D-800 has enough power to push those speakers?