Chienmortbb

Just an update, the new firmware/software on the Allen and Heatn CD range seems to work really well. On their forum, the main requests wt means, for example, my main view now consists of the 4 vocal mics, plus Guitar DCA, Drum DCA, Vocal DCA plus bass.

I agree, most modern basses have the active output level set to that of a passive bass.

In a desperate rush last year I bought a Citronic amp from Terralec. We use it for monitors but it has been excellent. https://www.terralec.co.uk/power_amplifiers/2_x_500_watt_digital_power_amplifier/39344_p.html The only drawback is fan noise if the amp is close to the action.

The original did indeed have the 700AS1 module used by Ashdown, Mesa and others. In fairness to Mesa and @agedhorse, he d beveloped a pateneted technique to squeeze more power than others form that module but even used as described as recommended by ICEPower, it is a fine power section.

To be fair, I think this is a crossover from Consumer Electronics, especially ICE, In Car Entertainment, where every watt was "Marketingized".

Ashdown have an enviable reputation for customer service in the UK and having used it I can confirm it is good. Not that any Ashdown has ever failed me ( Dave Green did a change I had requested). Get the 800 though. It has the superb 700AS1 module form ICEPower Bugera Veyron. Mine is 4 years old and correction I just found the receipt and it is close to 6 years old and has never missed a best. Forget the hype about 2000W, It does however push out in excess of 700W into 4 ohms, and about 380W into 8 Ohms. Cannot comment on Markbass. can't stand orange amps so never tried one although I would steer clear of their cabs, as @Phil Starr says, they are a bit "shouty". Avoid the Aguilar TH range as they are probably not ideal for the music you play. Next...

This old chest of mine (singalong to a Motown tune) has kept me from doing much except making the odd cable for the good folkss of Basschat. So little progress has been made. The Trussrod had been adjusted properly, by measurement rather than guesswork. A new set of Gotoh GB 350 machine heads is on its way too. I cannot abide cheap machine heads. These will be fitted to my Sire and the Hipshots on this Sire will be converted from 2x2 to 4 inline. Finally I will file down the bottom of the saddles to give a better action/ string height. I did investigate replacing the bridge pieces but most available are just as high. As it stands I would happily gig with the bass although with the higher action and wider neck than I am used to, it might be a hard slog.

THose Max SPL figures look a little high.

Having owned a Monaco and a Monza, I don't think you will find it wanting.

They say it does not work with active basses.

There is only one spot that is the sweet spot for the stereo image and if you are off to one side or back behind the sweet spot. Once you get away from the stage that also reduces.

We measured several amps amps at the South West Bass Bash a few years ago. The Ashdown RM series are flat with all EQ at noon and non of the effects engaged as are the Bugera Veyron 1001M Mosfet. There were a number of lower powered amps that also measured substantially flat but these were the only two in the 500W plus club from memory. I will check later that we did not check any other higher powered ones. Most Class D heads are flat via the line in/power amp input/ EFX return but the above amps were measured form the instrument input.

Is that Johnny Vegas to the right of the singer?

I bought a few of the cheap modules and they were invariably unreliable. I have had power supplies +\- 50V and they were +/- 70V. There is almost no technical support or documentation. I have modules from Connex that work flawlessly and I have had good support from Connex but, as with 3e, the actual cost is virtually the same as a certified ICEPowet module. A little knowledge IS a dangerous thing and whatever route you take, you must know what you are doing. These amplifiers have dangerous voltages, not only on the mains side but also at the output of the power supply. In addition, The regulations around safety and emi/rfi are also important and most enthusiastic amateurs (since retiring I must include myself in this group) do not have the knowledge or experience required.

Has anyone used the Soundmagic E10/E11 for IEM use?

I wish I thought you were joking. I wish I had a £Grand for every singer that turned up with nothing more than a smile. I could by a new TE Rig 😀

There are a number of YouTube videos showing that many caps emit magic smoke at way lower than the quoted voltage. This picture probably explains why. Another reason for probably buying an integrated amp or power amp from an established manufacturer.

The CQ20 does have multitrack recording capability and 96KHz sampling. On top of that it is so quiet. Noise wise that is. It is also much smaller than it looks and seems really robust. I chose it over the CQ18 because I wanted all my main outputs on XLR rather than TRS. On the subject of the HPF frequency, if you have an adjustable one, move it slowly up and you will be surprised at how little of your tone and sound comes below 100Hz in most forms of music.

I wonder why this is. The audience never get a real stereo experience but maybe the volume makes it more immersive?

Not much if at all. It is a bit quieter on spec but it is plenty loud enough and will take whatever you through at it. I have played venues that needed less bass and others that needed more. I set my amp up fairly flat at the start and just tweak a little after sound check. I have never felt the need for another cabinet although I do sometimes think I would like a stack, I know one BCer has two but in pubs and clubs, it is more than enough. The difference in bass response is hardly noticeable and as I have said before, some venues I have to trim the bass. It is all I need maybe I will change my mind when the IMOLA is released. That is a joke, as far as I know there is nothing called the IMOLA on the Horizon. Sorry to cause you trouble @stevie.

As with @Phil Starr, I hope to be considered a friend of @stevie and although that might seem to suggest a bias, it also means that both Phil and I have a lot of insight into the cabinets that @steviedesigns. The controlled low end on his cabinets come from careful design and the use of expensive, high quality drivers. Many bass cabinets are designed to be “voiced”, that is have a dialed in response, often with a peak were a DB is itself resonant. You only have to pay some music through the cabs to hear that there are no nasty peaks or troughs and I would gladly use two Monza or Monaco cabs for HiFi. Of course, being a perfectionist, @steviewould say they are not designed for that… It is a shame that you are so far away as you could have borrowed mine. I am not gigging for a while as my guitarist had a heart attack last week. I should also add that I had a Monaco before but as I am having years and loosing muscle quit rapidly, I traded my Monaco with another basschatter for the Monza.

Phil is right that the published specifications for the TI chips are really theoretical and cannot be achieved in a real world situation. This tree for a pedalboard app where you do not want a large heat sink and a fan. The best of these amps are built by a company called 3E audio. They are based in China but they seem to build to a better standard and have a very good reputation. However, quality does not come cheap and the 3E boards are several times more expensive than the low-cost AliExpress, eBay or Banggood modules. The lower cost boards have components of questionable quality and are much more likely to burn out quite quickly. Even with the three boards, a good power supply is essential and again these do not come cheap. In fact in my opinion you need to spend as much on one of these TI modules and power supplies as you would buying an 300 W model from ICEPower. The 300AS/1 is an ideal paddleboard amp and the whole module which includes the mains power supply will set you back between 100 and £150. With the ICEPower modules, You have the added knowledge you are meeting all the required standards and that the unit has been tested in a proper manner as quality components and is almost ready to go. Be aware though that with the ICEPower modules you need to be aware of how to connect the mains so as not to affect the safety or integrity of the module with respect to conducted and radiated interference. If you do decide to go the TI module route, remember that the powers quoted are often at much higher voltages and currents than you can get easily from a laptop brick type power supply. Even if you did have the high voltages available that many of the modules sold will not stand the higher voltages. For example, many of the TPA3255 modules, are only guaranteed to work at 36V dc. If you do use a power supply of 48-50 volts, you may find you run out of current before getting anywhere near the quoted power. As @Phil Starrsays, heatsinking/thermal management is also an issue. The size of the heartsick needed to achieve really high powers is quite large, especially if you are trying to dissipate the heat without the help of a fan. It is also true that the maximum efficiency of a class D amp is close to its maximum power output power. So you cannot scale back the size of the heat sink as much as you might think at lower powers.

We should have been at our favourite venue last night but… our rhythm guitarist had a heart attack two days before. He had a stent fitted and was sent home yesterday and is convinced he will be able to play next Friday.

Ashdown use custom Sica drivers so they are perfectly fine. although perhaps not state of the art as far as drivers are concerned.

Do not get me started on these amps. Oops you already have. Many of them are based as is said earlier on chips amps like the TPA3255 and the TPA3116. These are single supply rail amps often driven by a laptop style "brick". The amps can go loud under the right conditions. For example the TPA3255 can reach high powers however you need to run them with a 48V+ power supply AND at low impedances. Under those conditions, the heatsink fitted is almost totally inadequate. In addition te headline powers quoted are at 10% distortion. This is unusable IMHO for bass.