Mesa Boogie M9 Carbine Rackmount

The M9 is the big brother to the M6 with a few more features and more power, which is always good. This power house bass rack mountable head is a thundering and yet defined resonant sounding amplifier. You can either lay it on top of your bass cabinet or run it in your rack effects case for easy transportation.

This will be your standard hybrid bass head which most bass guitar player rely on night after night of gigging. These allows the wattage to sore up to 900 watts which this one is without putting 20 power tubes in the unit. You get a great tone either way with the preamp tube in the front.

Mesa/Boogie M9 Carbine 900-watt Rackmountable Bass Head Features:

* Handbuilt in Petaluma, California
* Rackmountable - 2U
* 900 Watts @ 4 or 2ohms (450 @ 8), Trans-Class Power with 8/4 or 2ohm Impedance Switch for optimum Power to Load Performance
* 10 Power MOSFET's, 1x12AX7
* Active/Passive Input Switch
* Vacuum Tube Preamplifier
* Controls: Gain, Active Bass w/Pull Deep, Passive Mids, 5-Position Active Mid-Voicing Switch, Active Treble and Master Volume w/Pull Mute
* Footswitchable, Assignable or Bypassable 9-Band Graphic EQ with Mid-Voice Active/Defeat Switch (Voice Active Mode combines 9-Band Graphic EQ with Selected 5-Position Active Mid-Voicing Switch EQ
* Assignable or Bypassable Compressor with Independent Threshold and Ratio Controls
* Tuner Output w/Footswitchable Amplifier Mute
* FX Loop w/Automatic Hard-Bypass to completely remove when not in use
* Balanced XLR Line Out with Pre/Post Switch & Ground Lift
* 2 Combination Speakon-1/4" Speaker Output Jacks
* Fan Cooled
* 2 Button Footswitch (EQ & Mute)

UTILIZATION

Details
Type Hybrid
Number of Channels 1
Power 900W
No Effects
Compression
EQ Bass, Mid, Treble, 5-position Voice
No Amp Modeling
Number of Tubes 1
Preamp Tubes 1 x 12AX7
No Power Tubes
Inputs 1 x Instrument
Outputs 2 x Speakon, 1 x Tuner, 1 x XLR
Footswitch I/O
Effects Loop
Height 3.5"
Width 19"
Depth 14.5"
Weight 28 lbs.

SOUNDS

This amp is a fantastic amp with the mosfet circuitry inside. You a very organic and warm bass tone that will compliment the band mix successfully. Mesa Boogie has not been known for their bass equipment like their guitars amps have been. However, they have a stellar lineup up rich harmonic low end bass units.

What ever your guitar of pleasure is it will sound amazing through this unit. I recently saw a band use this bass amplifier and I commented on how articulate and warm sounding his tone was. To my surprise I saw he was using this unit. He has a fantastic tone that filled in the rhythmic gaps of the band.

OVERALL OPINION

I only wish they put a few more preamp tubes in this unit. I think having a few more would allow for a better saturation of tube overdrive. The good thing is you never have to bias this amp because it doesn't have any power tubes in it.

At new these amps come in at around $1350, which may be high for some people. This is a professionals bass guitar amplifier and you will hear the noticeable difference when playing a GK or Beringer. The bass is extraordinarily better than any GK bass amp that I have played or heard out there.