Mesa/Boogie Adds New Amp, Cabs, and Preamp Pedal to Subway Series
Mesa/Boogie has expanded on their Subway series of bass amplification with the Subway WD-800 head, three new cabinets, and the new Subway+ DI preamp pedal. The products are built in their Petaluma, California shop.
The WD-800 is an 800-watt head that brings together a two-stage tube preamp with a powerful class-D power section. “The Subway WD-800 is a direct response to player feedback and the longstanding demand for a more powerful version of our classic WalkAbout Bass Head We’ve combined the warm, soulful sounding magic of the WalkAbout tube preamp with the musical Class D Output Power used in our Subway D-800 and D-800+, to create the ultimate lightweight hybrid standalone head.” It also utilizes the WalkAbout’s rotary Tone and semi-parametric EQ controls while pulling the high pass filter from the D-800.
A new Power Amp Damping control allows for tuning and mixing of the sub-low frequencies, effectively letting you tailor the tracking and feel of the power section. Setting it to Low produces a looser feel like a tube amp, while High tightens the low end for punch and accuracy in tracking. Medium blends both settings to meet in the middle.
The new Ultra-Lite bass cabs in the Subway Series include an 800-watt 2×12, an 800-watt 2×15, and a 1,200-watt 4×10. Each of the models is built in a vertical format out of lightweight Italian poplar and fitted with Mesa/Boogie’s Subway Neodymium speakers. As a result, their weights range just 52 pounds for the 2×12 to 60 pounds for the 2×15.
Finally, the Subway+ DI-Preamp takes the elements of the Subway D-800+ amplifier and put it at your feet. “The new DI-Preamp draws on the design elements from the popular Subway D-800+ amplifier, virtually all gain and level control, tone shaping, 2-band semi-parametric EQ and interface potential all wrapped in a compact DI box that’s hand-built in MESA’s shop.” It also has plenty of connectivity with an XLR balanced preamp output, a 1/4-inch unbalanced preamp output, and a balanced direct output with a pre/post switch and a ground lift.
The new Mesa/Boogie Subway products will be shipping soon and are available for pre-order. The WD-800 has a street price of $999. The cabs are priced at $1,199 for the 2×12 and $1,499 for the 2×15 and 4×10. The Subway+ DI-Preamp will go for $379.
Mesa/Boogie Subway WD-800 Bass Head Features:
| Made in Petaluma, California |
| 800 Watts @ 4 or 2 Ohms / 400 Watts @ 8 Ohms |
| Light-Weight Class D Power Amp & 8/4 or 2 Ohm Impedance Switch & Variable Damping Control |
| Active/Passive Input Switch |
| Play/Mute Switch |
| Input Gain with Clip Indicator (O/D LED) |
| Variable High-Pass Filter (25Hz-125Hz) |
| Fully Active 5-Band EQ (+/- 12dB) featuring Bass, Treble and a selectable/bypassable 3-Band Semi-Parametric EQ Sweepable from 80Hz-1KHz, 150Hz-2.5KHz & 300Hz-5KHz respectively |
| Passive Mid Control |
| Master Volume |
| POWER DAMPING choices enable you to tailor the tracking and feel of the power amp. (Low, High, and Medium) |
| Balanced XLR Mic Level (DI) Out with Pre/Post, Line/Mic & Ground Lift Switches |
| Fully Buffered Series FX Loop |
| Tuner Output (back panel) with Play/Mute Switch (front panel) |
| External Footswitch Jack for Tuner/Mute & Parametric EQ (footswitch sold separately) |
| Headphone Output |
| Auxiliary Input |
| USB Power Outlet |
| Protection, Limit & 2 ohm LED Indicators |
| 2 Speakon Speaker Output Jacks |
| Fan Cooled |
| Gig Bag w/Strap |
| 2 Rack Spaces (optional Rack Ears available) |
| Dimensions: 4″ H x 12″ W x 11.375″ D |
| Weight: 7 lbs. |
Mesa/Boogie Subway Ultra-Lite 2×12 Bass Cabinet Features:
| 800 Watts RMS |
| 4 ohms |
| Custom Subway Neodymium Speakers & High-Frequency Horn w/Premium Attenuator |
| Tuned Front Ported Tri-Port Porting with Aviation style bracing (superior strength/reduced weight) |
| Lightweight Italian Poplar Cabinets – Legendary Mesa Quality Construction |
| Combination Speakon & 1?4″ Input and Parallel Output |
| Recessed Metal Handles |
| Black Bronco Vinyl with Black Metal Grille |
| Lexan Corners |
| Slip Cover |
| Weight: 52 lbs. |
Mesa/Boogie Subway Ultra-Lite 2×15 Bass Cabinet Features:
| 800 Watts RMS |
| 4 ohms |
| Custom Subway Neodymium Speakers & High-Frequency Horn w/Premium Attenuator |
| Tuned Front Ported Tri-Port Porting with Aviation style bracing (superior strength/reduced weight) |
| Lightweight Italian Poplar Cabinets – Legendary Mesa Quality Construction |
| Combination Speakon & 1?4” Input and Parallel Output |
| Recessed Metal Handles |
| Black Bronco Vinyl with Black Metal Grille |
| Lexan Corners |
| Tilt & RollÔ Casters |
| Slip Cover |
| Weight: 60 lbs. |
Mesa/Boogie Subway Ultra-Lite 4×10 Bass Cabinet Features:
| 1200 Watts RMS |
| 4 ohms |
| Custom Subway Neodymium Speakers & High-Frequency Horn w/Premium Attenuator |
| Tuned Front Ported Tri-Port Porting with Aviation style bracing (superior strength/reduced weight) |
| Lightweight Italian Poplar Cabinets – Legendary Mesa Quality Construction |
| Combination Speakon & 1?4″ Input and Parallel Output |
| Recessed Metal Handles |
| Black Bronco Vinyl with Black Metal Grille |
| Lexan Corners |
| Track-Loc Casters |
| Slip Cover |
| Weight: 55 lbs. |
Mesa/Boogie Subway+ Bass DI-Preamp Pedal Features:
| Preamp derived from the renowned Subway D-800- Bass Amp |
| Input Gain |
| Footswitchable Variable Boost |
| Variable High-Pass Filter (30Hz - 125Hz) |
| Variable Voicing (Flat to Vintage Scoop), Fully Active 4-Band EQ (+/- 12dB of Bass, Low-Mid, High-Mid, Treble) with Sweepable (variable) Low-Mid (150Hz - 1800Hz) & High-Mid (300Hz-5000Hz) Frequency Controls |
| Deep Switch (for enhanced low-end) |
| Bright Switch (for enhanced top-end) |
| Master Volume |
| Mute/Tuner Footswitch |
| Tuner Output |
| Balanced XLR Direct Mic Level Out with Pre/Post & Ground Lift Switches |
| Line Level Preamp Outputs - Unbalanced & Balanced with Ground Lift Switch (drives any power amp) |
| Instrument-Thru Output |
| Powered by AC or Battery, auto-switches to battery if AC fails |
| Dimensions: 2″ H x 8″ W x 5.5″ D |
| Weight: 2 lbs. |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
