TA-30 combo rumours...

[LesMesa]

Seems like they are placing this in direct competition with the Express lineup, especially the 5:25. I like how they mounted a fan in the side of the chassis - very unobtrusive.

My thoughts too. Are the Express and the TA different enough to support both amp lines? I own a 5:25 but have never played the TA. I didn't consider the TA-15 because of no loop or reverb but the TA-30 looks very capable.

Why is the TA-30 $500 odd more than the Express? Speculate away please.....

 

[>Photi G<]

Why is the TA-30 $500 odd more than the Express? Speculate away please.....

My guess is that the TA30 has tube driven reverb, while the Express 5:50 is OP driven? Someone confirm? And also, the TA30 has 4 power tubes as opposed to the 5:50 that only has 2. In other words, the Express is an entry-level amp for mesa, while the TA series is made for the gigging musician who travels light. You pay convenience.

 

[DavidE]

...
Channel 2 features: Tweed (American Clean), Hi 1 (Brit Gain) & Hi 2 (Boogie Gain) Modes with Multi-Watt Power Switch (15/30/40 Watt), FX Loop & Reverb Assignment Switch (On/Off True Bypass), Gain w/Pull Boost, Treble, Bass, Reverb & Master
...

"Gain w/Pull Boost"...

I wonder how much additional gain is available: of all the channels/modes the one that I don't particularly "get" is the H2 "Boogie Gain", to my ear it doesn't really have enough gain available in the TA-15 to really qualify as "Boogie Gain"... perhaps I've got the wrong end of the stick, but an optional gain boost sounds pretty damned useful to me.

+1

 

[BoogieJem]

Seems like they are placing this in direct competition with the Express lineup, especially the 5:25. I like how they mounted a fan in the side of the chassis - very unobtrusive.

My thoughts too. Are the Express and the TA different enough to support both amp lines? I own a 5:25 but have never played the TA. I didn't consider the TA-15 because of no loop or reverb but the TA-30 looks very capable.

Why is the TA-30 $500 odd more than the Express? Speculate away please.....

I have played both (TA-15/Express 5:25/5:50) and to me they are different enough tone and feature wise not to compete. So if you love what the TA does the price may not matter but if you love the express the TA range looks overpriced. I assume that the price difference comes from higher component costs (more valves, switches, relays etc) and the bespoke bling?

 

[Jimi D]

I've enjoyed having my 1x10" Express 5:25 combo as my grab'n'go amp for three years and a bit now, but after several demo sessions at a local Mesa dealer and a lot of soul searching, I finally decided to order a TA-15 for myself for Christmas this year, figuring that it's different enough from my Express (and certainly different than my Mark V ) to justify owning both... I'm still a couple weeks away from taking ownership of my TransAtlantic though, so hearing about the coming TA-30 gave me pause for a bit, but now that I've had a chance to read up on it, I think that the TA-15 is definitely more what I want right now - a lunchbox head for small gigs and jams with extreme portability in minde (I'm thinking guitar, cab, head and gigbag with mini-board all in one load here). The TA-30, though intriguing, really looks like more of a replacement for my 5:25, if I decided to get one - I'll certainly be interested in trying one out when they hit the stores!

 

[phyrexia]

Has anyone seen a description of what the speaker will be in the 1x12? I imagine it will be the V30 but maybe the C90?

From what I'm told they are going to try to put the new FM100 speakers in there. The Fillmore in-house Mesa speakers.

Are the Express and the TA different enough to support both amp lines? (...) Why is the TA-30 $500 odd more than the Express? Speculate away please.....

They sound pretty completely different, to me.

-express line has the slimmed down cabinets to keep weight/cost down (1/2" instead of 5/8" birch, IIRC)
-express transformers are small, like F series transformers, like all the 'entry level' boogie amps have been for a while. TA trannies seem beefier by comparison. (for example, Express 5:50 transformer is much smaller than Single Rec transformer)
-express amps are not competing with $2000 boutique amps like the TA30 will be.

the express amps have tube-driven reverb.

 

[>Photi G<]

From what I'm told they are going to try to put the new FM100 speakers in there. The Fillmore in-house Mesa speakers.

Elaborate please. I have heard a little bit about the Fillmore project, but I thought that it was abandoned due to loss of direction. Who makes the Fillmores? The same manufacturer who makes the PowerHouse bass speakers?

 

[phyrexia]

i am going to namm and i will try to get specifics (gonna talk to randy!). They are supposed to be made in house. The bass speakers are Eminence and in house. the december 2010 price list shows an alnico, a neo, and a ceramic 12" guitar speaker.

 

[>Photi G<]

i am going to namm and i will try to get specifics (gonna talk to randy!). They are supposed to be made in house. The bass speakers are Eminence and in house. the december 2010 price list shows an alnico, a neo, and a ceramic 12" guitar speaker.

Does Randy still make appearances at NAMM? I thought just the artist relations guys went, like Tien, Tim, and John.

 

[phyrexia]

News - Mesa has changed the amp a bit. They listened to what people were asking for.

The footswitch is now channel and fx loop. the reverb switching is on a single external switching jack on the back.

 

[Roddie]

Thats rather inconvenient to have two pedals. Why would they not do just one. They are able to do it on the mark series and I am sure they do it on their other amps.

Roddie

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

Thats rather inconvenient to have two pedals. Why would they not do just one. They are able to do it on the mark series and I am sure they do it on their other amps.

Roddie

Unless you use MIDI or the 7 pin cable, it doesn't seem like you can have more than 2 buttons on a footswitch, I think...

 

[DavidE]

I'd actually prefer a single foot switch to change channels and then a double for the loop and reverb since I'd never use it. I still thing the gain boost should be footswitchable and it should have a solo boost. .....