discreet

Heft is a word I use to try and describe the sound of an amp, along with a lot of other words.Trying to describe the sound of an amp (or anything else) that someone else hasn't heard is really a pointless task, as both the sound and the words are open to interpretation - and in any case sound is incredibly subjective. Even a recording of a bass being played through an amp (on YouTube, for example) is also pointless as there are so many variables to take into consideration such as recording quality, type of speakers used to listen to the recording, and on and on. At the end of the day whether your gear sounds any good is most likely down to whether you can actually play the bass or not.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1464686563' post='3061352'] I believe he only makes black cables. [/quote] There is a red cable on his site, not sure if that means he does coloured cables or not. Might be an idea to ask him.

[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1464683822' post='3061320'] How does it compare with the GKMB200? [/quote] It's louder, of course. But I'd say the MB200 is smoother-sounding and more 'modern' overall, though you can get what you would call a 'vintage' sound out of it. The MiniMax I would say is more vintage than modern, though it will do modern, with a bit of work - it gets there. Generally I feel that the MiniMax is more agricultural-sounding than the MB200, which for a little amp with limited facilities is actually quite sophisticated sonically. It [i]is[/i] a G-K after all. But having gigged both I prefer the MiniMax, which sounds better live in my opinion and has more extensive features and EQ options. Ultimately my favourite Class D amp would be the G-K MB500 Fusion, which is a beast. But it's twice the price of the MiniMax and doesn't seem to have that amp's tank-like build quality. I get the feeling that the MiniMax would be the better workhorse gigging amp over time, IF it turns out to be reliable. It [i]is[/i] a Peavey, after all... If it does an Ampeg PF500-type 'magic-smoke' job on us then all bets are off, obviously.

[quote name='SICbass' timestamp='1464676013' post='3061237'] Great! And there was I, GAS free for 5 seconds. I hope your proud of yourself . [/quote]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1464681845' post='3061299'] I reckon I awwta mow in. Ahhhs roight, what we gawt in nawfuk unt'ut accordin-lie. Jollificearshuns. Just heffin' a mardle. [/quote] [size=4][font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][Dialect word(s) [b]Meaning[/b]. [b]Mardle[/b]. To gossip, or chat: Also, another name for a pond!][/font][/size] [font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]The above quote may take me some time to translate, but I'll get there in the end. [/font]

[quote name='dieseldalziel' timestamp='1464627072' post='3060953'] Great review! I got my Minimax from GAK for £289 a while ago but they don't have them listed now, just the Minimega [/quote] Thomann UK currently listing them at £288. Just my luck to have bought one during a crap fluctuation in the exchange rate.

For me nothing matches the sound of an all-valve amp. But the G-K MB500 Fusion is the lightweight amp that has so far been closest to that experience. In my opinion.

You will no doubt get lots of advice to buy your leads and cables from obbm (Dave), a member of this forum. It is good advice. I've bought all my leads and cables from him for at least six years and they are a high-end product using the best possible cable, connectors and other components - but not at a high-end price. In that time I haven't had a single cable or lead give me any problems whatsoever. He provides an excellent service with a fast turnaround and posts his products via Royal Mail First-Class Signed For. Great value, top quality, great service and I can't recommend him highly enough. You can PM directly with your requirements or go to his website, here: [url="http://bassic-bits.co.uk/"]http://bassic-bits.co.uk/[/url] Hope this helps.

[quote name='3below' timestamp='1464642517' post='3061124'] [b]Marl[/b][font=arial, sans-serif][size=4] or marlstone is a calcium carbonate or lime-rich mud or mudstone which contains variable amounts of clays and silt. The dominant carbonate mineral in most [/size][/font][b]marls[/b][font=arial, sans-serif][size=4] is calcite, but other carbonate minerals such as aragonite, dolomite, and siderite may be present. Just sayin .......[/size][/font] [/quote] That's interesting... now what about Karl??

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1464636274' post='3061054'] ...it's the Old Wiganish version of Mark, before it was bastardised by them Norman conqueror geezers... [/quote] Nice recovery, Karl.

Marl??

[quote name='skychaserhigh' timestamp='1464625912' post='3060936'] What are clown buttons by the way ? [/quote] TT Boost - Punch - Mid Shift - Bright - Psycho-Acoustics Technology See manual for an explanation of their function. I'm not saying they're not useful - just not that useful for me. ATM. [url="https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/118756_31051.pdf"]https://assets.peave...18756_31051.pdf[/url]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1464624358' post='3060914'] After considering a pair of One10s for a while it was your review that pushed me over the edge and I got a pair ordered up... I now have them and they are fantastic [/quote] You've no idea how much of a relief it is to know that! New Cab Day thread incoming??

[b]Post-Gig Review:[/b][list] [*]500 Watts RMS @ 4 ohms/300W RMS @ 8 ohms [*]DDT™ speaker protection [*]Pre-gain control with TransTube® gain boost [*]3-band EQ with Punch, Mid-shift and Bright controls [*]Psychoacoustic low end bass enhancement [*]Built-in direct output with ground lift and pre/post switch [*]1/8" aux input [*]1/8" phones output [*]Chromatic tuner with speaker and DI mute [*]Two twist-lock/combo 1/4" outputs [*]Built-in effects loop [*]Active and Passive inputs [*]Dimensions: 10.75" width x 3.25" height x 6.625" depth [*]Weight: 5.6 lbs (2.5kg) [*]Padded amp bag included [*]Price paid: £295 from Thomann [/list] Full specifications: [url="https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/118756_31051.pdf"]https://assets.peave...18756_31051.pdf[/url] I want to post my personal impressions of this amp, so haven't listed the function of every single control and button and haven't listed all the available features. Please check out the online PDF manual for full specifications and technical stuff: [url="https://assets.peavey.com/literature/manuals/118756_31051.pdf"]https://assets.peave...18756_31051.pdf[/url] ...now read on: I did two gigs over the weekend and I know there are one or two people waiting to hear if the Peavey MiniMax can do what the classic heavy-duty late 80s/early 90s TNT 1X15 combos do so well, which is basically - heft and great tone, in a reliable and bullet-proof package. I use a TNT in our rehearsal room (a damp shed) and always get a really great sound from it. With this in mind and being nothing if not conscientious in my efforts to bring BC members the Full Monty, I bought a Peavey TNT 160 from the Bay for £100, picked it up Saturday morning and gigged it that night. It had been stored unused in a glazed porch for fifteen years, being alternately frozen and cooked and providing an ideal habitat for the local insect community. A quick wipe-over with a damp cloth and it worked first time when I fired it up. You have to admire that kind of quality and longevity. The TNT was much as expected. Easy to use, easy and obvious controls, easy to get a good on-stage sound, easy to project that sound to the back of the room. Difficult to move around. The 160 weighs 77lbs (35kg), certainly more than heavy enough to cause serious injury to a clumsy oaf. I shifted it with a sack truck, but even so getting it in and out of the car on my own took a little thought and care. But it can be done, and I'm sure it would get easier if I decided to use it on a regular basis. But I'd rather not. Sunday night's gig was far less traumatic for the back and arms, as I had taken my newly-acquired Peavey MiniMax and Barefaced One10 cab, plus a Diamond Bass Compressor BCP-1 (of which more in a separate review). Total weight: around 12kg all-in, including Stagg amp stand and all cables and leads. An easy one-hand carry, then. But the question is, does the MiniMax do that thing that the TNT combos do? The answer is 'yes' - and then some. For the record, here's how to get a TNT-type sound from a MiniMax: Clown Buttons OFF. Gain: 9 o'clock. Bass: 2 o'clock. Middle: 10 o'clock. Treble: 10 o'clock. Wind up the volume. [i]Et Violin![/i] But the MiniMax/One10 combo sounds better overall than the TNT - the bass is tighter and more focussed (I'm expecting more low-end as the driver breaks-in), mids are punchier and the top-end has more presence. Better onstage sound too, especially angled at 45 degrees on a stand. I'm sure the TNT could be improved by pointing it at your ears, but try getting it up high or finding a stand that would be safe to use... The Mini/One10 rig sounded great in the mix and one may well wonder where this big bass sound comes from. The rig looks like it would just about serve as a monitor, but the bass was the only instrument (apart from the kick drum and percussion) that was not going through the PA - and the rig acquitted itself well in a large bar/restaurant with the Gain at 9 o'clock and the Master at 10 o'clock. Lots of headroom, plenty of volume. Even knowing what I now know, I keep thinking I should budget for a second One10, but that would really be gilding the lily, or over-egging the pudding. Or something. So no competition then, IMHO - apart from the outlay. TNT = around £100 used, which really is the bargain of the century, IF you don't mind coping with the considerable weight, that is. I do mind, so I paid a further £570 for the privilege of better tone and a rig that can be carried for quite some distance with one hand. If you really had to walk far with it you could fit it into a regular shopping trolley, I'm sure. Whether or not you think the extra investment is worth it is entirely subjective of course. I should probably qualify the above and say I was using a Lakland P Bass strung with La Bella 760FS flats and currently favour a clean but muscular, well-defined fingerstyle thump that blends nicely with a kick drum. If you use a different bass with different strings and a different cab and/or use a pick, you would no doubt get a different result. YMMV. So should you buy a MiniMax? Peavey have a reputation for reliability and great tone and as far as that goes it's a good, powerful amp. I can imagine it getting loud with two 8ohm cabs. As for reliability, ask me again in fifteen years. It's easy to use, easy to get a good sound with and easy to carry. The on-board tuner is the icing on the cake and means you can dispense with your floor tuner pedal or fiddly, not-always-accurate clip-on headstock tuner. Given that you [i]always [/i]need to check your tuning when you plug into an amp, I don't know why an on-board tuner isn't found on every single new bass amp as standard. I bought mine from Thomann for less than £300, which is a revolutionary price for a 300W @ 8ohms / 500W @ 4ohms Class-D amp. And if it turns out to be as reliable as Peavey's legacy equipment, then the MiniMax will be a real winner. But don't take my word for it - buy one from Thomann and if you don't like it, take advantage of their 30-day money-back no-questions-asked return policy. But if you keep it, you have the reassurance of Thomann's own 3-year warranty. I'd say if you like Peavey gear in general then I think you'd like this. The only issue is reliability and only time will answer that question. Also bear in mind I haven't used the MiniMax with a bass strung with rounds; I don't ever use onboard disto circuits, but am assuming if that's what you're into, you probably already have a good tone-shaper or preamp; and I haven't used the amp through two cabs, or any cab other than the Barefaced One10. The MiniMax is not a 'pure' amp and it will colour the sound of your bass somewhat; and the One10 will colour it a bit more. Personally I really like the combination of the two colours, it works very well for me and my band. Whether it would would work very well for you and YOUR band is for you to decide. [b]PROS[/b] Light and loud Sounds good Built like a tank Easy to use Extensive EQ options Looks great - retro vibe On-board tuner Good gigging amp Protective idiot cover for voltage selector Useful padded bag included Very competitively priced in its category [b]CONS[/b] Fan is LOUD and always on Speaker out sockets aren't Speakon, but generic 'twist-lock' sockets (combo 6.3mm jack sockets) Gain needs to be fairly low (8-9 o'clock-ish) to get truly clean sounds Tone-shaping buttons could be seen as a gimmick; I would prefer micro-switches to see which are on or off at a glance Chicken heads look good but feel a bit cheap; I would prefer nicely-weighted, rubberised rotary controls Only time will tell if the legendary Peavey reliability is built-in A decent on-board optical compressor would be great, but would no doubt increase price 'Big' for a Class-D amp. Ha!

Yes, it must be a recent one.

When I had one it was neck on full, bridge on full (then backed-off about 1/8th turn), tone on full. Then fart about trying to play that pencil-thin neck like a big fairy gay then rush straight back to a P-Bass, which is the bass of choice for proper men.

A Scooby-Doo luggage trolley. Now my life is complete.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1464529689' post='3060095'] It would fit, but I think you'd want one where the strap webbing goes down the sides and under the bottom. [/quote] +1. I've got this one - a perfect fit. I've got about an inch of foam in the bottom. Carries a One10, a MiniMax (in its own padded bag), a compressor pedal, leads and cables. [url="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiger-INC40-BK-Padded-Cajon-Bag/dp/B00IK9Z1TS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464532740&sr=8-1&keywords=tiger+padded+cajon+bag"]https://www.amazon.c...added+cajon+bag[/url]

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1464527434' post='3060075'] I used my One Ten under a Puma 500 with my double bass at an Oxford college garden party yesterday. Normally I'd take at least a twelve but this just killed it with plenty to spare. I'm going to use this for most of the gigs in future.[/quote] I keep thinking I'll buy a second One10 (just to be on the safe side) but it's looking very much like I won't need it. [quote name='bassace' timestamp='1464527434' post='3060075']I met Sir Roger Bannister, a hero of mine, at the gig. [/quote] What, he of the first four-minute mile??

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1464520072' post='3060009'] Just get a Hiscox! Why spend hundreds on basses to then put them in a case which a paper cup could damage... [/quote][quote name='NJE' timestamp='1463756254' post='3053895'] I have an issue with my Hiscox case. If I bump the case I can hear the strings of the bass vibrate which to me makes me think that any impact on the case is actually being transferred to my bass which I don't like. So I have given up on Hiscox until I need something heavy duty. [/quote]

I have no idea. Our PA is mysterious, arcane and esoteric. I have enough to think about as it is.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1464500481' post='3059821'] Imagine for a moment that you were the owner of the company who made a Fender-like range of basses. Maybe you are John Shuker, for example (sorry John, your basses are better than Fender I'm sure). One night you go to a gig and see a bass You made there on stage. You're thrilled at the tone, the sublime sound, the colour the finishing and how it looks, except you notice something changed.. The owner has taken your name off the head and it's now advertising Fender! All YOUR work is now being used to make the biggest competitor look good! Even if the original supplier was Gear4Music or Rockburn surely credit should be given to the true maker? [/quote] Personally I wouldn't change a Shuker logo (I think it has more cachet than the F-decal and anyway Shukers don't have the appropriate headstock shape, so it's moot), but if I were J. Shuker at a gig looking at my work with a Fender logo on it I might be a bit bemused, but in the end the bass is the property of its owner and therefore is theirs to do with as they please. Credit has already been given to Shuker in the form of a payment in return for the bass.