BassAdder60

I agree .. probably one of the quietest amps with a fan I’ve heard Definitely use it in the studio it’s that whisper quiet

I agree the RM500 / 800 drive is ok but not brilliant and more of an overdrive sound unless on very low settings The ABM600 drive from on to about half way is a warmer ( also slightly boosted volume) tone with a tiny bit of grit. As you crank it further it sounds more fuzz / overdrive

My RM800 has a fan but it’s so quiet you would really struggle to hear it

I would say the RM800 is equally as good sounding with slightly less EQ adjustments. The ABM600 does have a bit more weight to the sound and warmth with the tube drive but it’s probably not that noticeable in most situations My RM800 is whisper quiet, the ABM has a bit more fan noise from its dual fans but nothing crazy Both are great choices of amp The RM500 is a good amp too

I would look at the Ashdown ABM 210H Pro Neo cabs which go for around £390 They are very light and compact too Full sounding cab and very nice bit of kit

Used my Ashdown rig with ABM600 and ABM210H Pro Neo cab for band practice this weekend The amp / cab performed really well, punchy and yet full sound and articulate too Ran with my new found sound setup using SHAPE Feature ON with bass reduced slightly and mids boosted Sat really well in the band mix and really sounded full yet not boomy at all

I thought this and ignored it but there is a tone in there that you cannot get with just the EQ Trust me I’ve tried and it doesn’t quite get close Granted on its own it’s way too boomy but dial in some mids and 1.5khz and back off the bass slightly and you have a great full sound

The 210 cabs ( I’ve got two ) are really nice and so light I would imagine the 115 cabs would sound good and be like the 210 with the horn off ( I don’t use the horn )

Home settings so will need tweeking live Also setup my RM800 the same

I’ve tried it and adding some missing mids and dialling back the bass gives a full deep yet clear sound I cannot reproduce the same tone if it’s set as flat and using only the EQ to boost bass and treble and backing off mids It seems to be a full tone if used with care and not too much added bass I think I like it and perhaps in a band with just one guitarist this would fill the sound out better as less competing instruments and frequencies ( rock band ) I would imagine folk who try it without making further EQ adjustments would dislike it as it’s very mid empty It’s in truth SHAPE + add back some mids when using the EQ with it = good sound

Curious who actually uses the Shape Feature on their Ashdown amp This is the feature that creates the smiley face shape EQ Sounds lovely in isolation and low volume but who uses it when gigging and why ? For clarity this would be the Not Flat sound but the Shape sound with bass boosted, mids cut and treble boosted There was a similar topic on here some years back with people asking about the Ultra Low / High on the Ampeg and many voted they use the Ultra Low ON ! Naturally you can run both and add Mids etc so that’s an extra possibility or run it and back off some bass too

A bit like adjusting your bass amp settings at home only to hate that at band practice! Cant see why anyone would want to use the Shape Feature.. The position where it creates a smiley face EQ At home on low volume it sounds great but turn it up and it’s horrible !

I went through this exercise recently and added the ABM600 to my gear and it’s a superb amp It’s a hard amp to beat as a good does what you need head. Plus the service Ashdown provide to new or second hand amps is superb and often with little or no charge. It looks the part too on top of any cab

Also ... I’ve spent ages on learning about the RM EQ and other controls and it’s nice having the ABM600 as a comparison head. Since Ive changed to pick playing and for the first time felt the tone is exactly what I want from my PBass .. I’ve had to change my EQ settings to reflect this and also turn my bass tone to about 3/4 fully on to get a really full warm and punchy sound. With fingers it was always a bit lacking however I tried adjusting the EQ and at times I thought it was the small cab size playing a part but it was the Amp EQ mostly and pick playing that really made it for me

Remember too it will sound different in a band context .. suddenly those mids are your friends and may sound great ?

Also did you try it on the deck or raised off as in the pic ? Put it on the deck and try it

Not tried the RM cabs but the ABM is a similar sized small 210 cab and I find it has plenty of bass and warm punch I think the RM heads need the 240hz control turned down a fair bit to lose the honk .. I don’t have this need on the ABM600 so both are voiced differently I think. A simple test is turn off your EQ and push in the shape button .. what does it sound like ? It will or should sound deep and full but a little boomy perhaps and seriously lacking mids ... Might show what the cab can do or not ?

Just ordered two sets 45-105 of Legacy strings from Strings Direct I believe Rotosound make them ? A lot cheaper than Daddario which I was planning on getting

Now leaning towards pick as my chosen method.. it just seems to get me the sound I prefer Using Jim Dunlop Triangle Toretex 1mm

My new pick playing settings 👍

Very good advice

For speaker use they are carrying more current. You will find modern amps especially higher wattage heads use Speakon as it’s safer I use mine with 2.5mm cable and Neutrik connectors

Very true

Can’t say I’ve seen many amateur bands with a crowd like that !! But again can you imagine how naff it would look if he kept looking down to the floor trying to read lyrics !

Indeed that’s very true ... every band starts off as amateur and some are lucky to have success .. even so I still think it looks a bit school band !! ( nothing against school bands as many are fantastic)