MASS 150 is on its way!

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:34 am

I havent tried the Line Out properly yet but I dont see it being any different from my old MASS which was great. I dont think amnything on the MASS does anything different from a typical line out. It taps a little bit of the signal strait from the output of the amp before the load. I wouldnt see how or why anyone would do it differently. With a load on the signal you would only need a small resistor and pot to acheive a line out on the raw speaker output signal despite how large it is. The only thing with the MASS 150 is you dont get a level control for it but its easy ernough to add.

With my old MASS I would just run the Line Out striat to a poweramp via effects. I would think using a speaker simulator anywhere in that chain would sound horrific. Maybe not. Im still on the fence about methods to use delay on my rig. I still have the load-lineout-poweramp method and I can still do the wet/dry method but I dont know.

Oddly enough, the amp Im having the most fun with with the 150 is the SLO. The Marshalls sound great of coarse and the SLO will never achieve the character dynamics or harmonic complexity of the old Marshalls but when dimed it has a character that was always way too bright with a HP or MASS100. I can curb the highs with the hi knob on the 150 and play with that super tight chunky rock sound. Like 800s 900s and 2000s when the gain knob is too high on the SLO it gets noisy and kind of looses it but for medium gain rock stuff its awesome. Im not much for the modern hi gain amp liek the SLO but everytime I start thinkin about possibly selling it I get a reminder of just how much of a great amp it is.

rgalpin · Post by **rgalpin** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:51 am

I'm running my line out from the 150 into a mixer (so, I lied a little in my previous post - the point I was making was I dropped the EQ from the chain when I got the 150). I just have a little single space mixer in my rack. I have a delay unit running thru the effects loop of the mixer. It sounds great - the delay and the dry signal going through the same power amp and to the same speakers adds a nice blending of the effect with the dry that is pleasing to my ear. Separating the dry and the effect into separate cabinets creates a different feel that loses some focus. I like to hear the delay and the dry interact a little tiny bit - the dry pushing the delay out of the way a little when you really dig into something. It adds a dynamic element that is cool and subtle. And most importantly - only requires one cabinet!!!

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:11 pm

So your using the mixer preamp in your signal chain. Something like Ritchie Blackmore using that tape echo minus the echo to make the sound warmer. Ive used worse though. Ive run a line out into the front end of bass and keyboard combos before and PA heads (the SS, built in mixer kind not the old marshalls). If, instead of using the mixer you ran the line out to a stereo delay or chorus or something you would get a stereo split without hauling out a mixer.

rgalpin · Post by **rgalpin** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 2:11 pm

Interesting. I never considered that the mixer was warming it up. I introduced the mixer into the chain at the same time I switched from the RedBox to the MASS. Maybe the warmth added by the mixer is what made the EQ unnecessary. ??

Prior to this setup, I was running the line out into a TC Electronics M-One XL effects unit. But I only used one side. I'm not using the mixer to get stereo. I run a mono rig. The mixer allows me more flexibility in adjusting the amount of delay on the fly than the M-One did.

Using the 150 as an attenuator, I noticed that it lets you adjust the amount of attenuation while your playing. So you can hear the adjustment in real time. The Power Break I was using before the 150 would pop the HT fuse if you adjusted the attenuation while you were playing. And the Power Break had pretty big jumps in attenuation from one giant click to the next. The 150 attenuators on the highs and the lows feel more like volume knobs - allowing you to make very fine adjustments while you listen.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:22 pm

rgalpin wrote:Interesting. I never considered that the mixer was warming it up. I introduced the mixer into the chain at the same time I switched from the RedBox to the MASS. Maybe the warmth added by the mixer is what made the EQ unnecessary. ??
.

Maybe its not? It depends on whther your plugging it into the channel strips preamp or not. It may be though.

I'm not using the mixer to get stereo. I run a mono rig. The mixer allows me more flexibility in adjusting the amount of delay on the fly than the M-One did.

OK I got ya now

Its great to have the continuous control. Its like dialing in the beef then the cut. I still have yet to really get it loud, like stage volume, but Im pretty happy with it. I love the feel of wire wound pots

Its just cools. Gravely. Like I said the only thing bad I can find about it is how massive it is. I was close to getting another mass but the new kind with all the switches. Im glad I didnt. Again the thing that really sold me is trying out the Low-Mids and Hi knobs. They work exactly as I thought they would and should. Im glad their not split perfectly center. The low-mid knob goes right up through frequencies that are high enough that you could turn up only that knob with a bright amp and it will sound good with no hi-knob and it wont be just a low fog horn sound. The highs are centered around really high mids and trebles so that it dials in only the detail, cut and clarity. Kind of like what a presence was designed to try to do. Anyway Im happy.

PlexiMan · Post by **PlexiMan** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:03 am

Ok I'm sold !!..I've been itching to replace my powerbrake..A friend of mine has the old 50 watt MASS and it's much better than the powerbrake he had. I've had pretty good luck with Weber products in the past and have no reason to think any different with this product.

BB , thanks for the informative review/updates

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 6:32 pm

I still have yet to get in depth. I will soon though

GIBSON Les Paul · Post by **GIBSON Les Paul** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 1:24 am

Wait, whats the "Hi-Low Switch" on the back? Aka the the Range switch? What does it do?

I understand everything besides that. Im thinking about getting a better attenuator than my Power Brake. Its a shootout between the HotPlate and the Mass150.

Thanks.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:54 am

It just switches between a few dbs of volume. Kind of like a little boost. I really dont know what it does or even why its there? If it could be hooked up to a remote switch it could eb a great solo boost.

PlexiMan · Post by **PlexiMan** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 3:30 pm

OK finally got around to ordering a MASS 150 ! Dan , do you still like it ?
Any issues with the impedence ? I.E rated at 8 but used with a 16 ohm cab ? They claim it's a "swamped impedence" so it shouldn't be an issue

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 6:04 pm

Ive only used it with my 2x12 8 ohm cabs so far. Just like the regular MASS it gets very hot but that seems to be normal. Ive actually used it quite a bit at stage volumes now. I still like it very much but the twin attenuator knobs at hi&lo arent as midway at higher volumes. More like the Hi is an active bright control at that point. Its still my favorite attenuator for Marshalls thus far.

PlexiMan · Post by **PlexiMan** » Fri Aug 05, 2005 1:29 pm

Awesome ! Yeah i'm kinda looking forward to getting it..I got rid of my powerbrake that i wasn't crazy about so hopefully this will be the ticket. i really liked the 50 watt version a buddy of mine has and after A/Bing it with a powerbrake it was much more transparent to my ears.

rgalpin · Post by **rgalpin** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 5:17 pm

My Weber 150 gets extremely hot - so, hot that I cannot pick it up right after playing. I emailed Ted @ Weber and he said that it's fine - so... I guess HE wouild know.

But I'm just curious do you all get the same result - extreme heat?

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sun Aug 07, 2005 7:04 pm

Basically.. Yes. Its hot as a mofo

PlexiMan · Post by **PlexiMan** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 6:49 pm

Well, after a 2 -1/2 half month fiasco i finally got my MASS 150 ! i will say i like it a lot though..i probably coudn't have timed my order any worse as they had JUST run out of the big chassi that they were using. They decided to start using the newer sytle chassis that the regular MASS uses. Of course this entailed a little R&D and the boxes had to be screened (which they had to try a couple of times) as well. Long story short I really like it and the two volumes seem to make it more versatile even at relatively low volumes. I do like the newer /smaller chassis as well. Like you guys mentioned the thing does get hot. In fact when i first fired it up i could smell it a bit and actually saw a bit of haze/smoke (very light). No symptoms and it stopped so i figured it was the "burn in"

. All in all highly recommended !