jayceofbass wrote:
I currently own the D800 and sold the TH500 when I got it. Here's my lowly opinion....
I had the TH500 for several years. It is an AMAZING amp. For the price, you'd be hard pressed to find a more articulate 500w amp. Very boutique-y, hifi and versatile for the cash. If all I was ever doing was small jazz gigs etc, I would probably never have gotten rid of it in order to get.....
The D800. As good as the Aguilar is, it lacks headroom in a serious way if you are playing at rock and roll stage volumes. I was using the TH as a back up for my tube amp. On the two occasions I had to use it in that setting, it was not really up to the task. It gets pretty ugly when pushed hard. The D800 on the other hand, can compete with my 300w tube amp as far as stage volume goes and - to my humble ears - it has a warmer sound. It may not be as hifi sounding as the TH but it's still VERY versatile and has lots tonal variety. I also have a few different 4ohm cabs around the house and this amp can run at 2ohms so I can use two of them. Couldn't do that with the TH.
Anyway. That's my 2 cents.
Thanks for the input! I remember reading your impressions here when Mesa first released the D800, and it piqued my interest. It's been on my short list ever since.
I know that I need to just get my ass into some stores and try out gear. So far I've just been watching a lot of videos trying to get an idea of what kind of sound would work for me. When I heard Tony Hall's Spector barking and growling in this vid, though, I though "Oh my God I want to do that!"
