Pondering power amps...

[mildmanofrock]

Hi folks, I've recently simplified set up... maybe a bit too much because I sold my Ampeg SVT 6 Pro. All I have left now is a Barefaced Big One (which works best with an amp close to 1000W of power) and a Pod X3 Live.

Money's a bit tight right now and I wondered if anyone could recommend an affordable power amp that could do the Big One justice? I'm planning on just plugging into my Pod, then plugging the Pod into the power amp.

Thanks for your anticipated advice!

Steve

[Ian Savage]

[quote name='mildmanofrock' post='984760' date='Oct 11 2010, 07:30 PM']Hi folks, I've recently simplified set up... maybe a bit too much because I sold my Ampeg SVT 6 Pro. All I have left now is a Barefaced Big One (which works best with an amp close to 1000W of power) and a Pod X3 Live.

Money's a bit tight right now and I wondered if anyone could recommend an affordable power amp that could do the Big One justice? I'm planning on just plugging into my Pod, then plugging the Pod into the power amp.

Thanks for your anticipated advice!

Steve[/quote]

I'm using a QSC USA900 for my PA tops at the minute which I quite like, 900W bridged into eight ohms if that'll suit your cab; the QSC's not light, but you can get 'em secondhand for less than a ton without too much hunting.

[mildmanofrock]

Thanks Ian, I'll look it!

[Dood]

For the amount of money they aren't, you could probably just pickup a Hartke LH1000 second hand and bridge that in to the single cab. 1000W RMS (actually Bass Gear Magazine tested them at 1100W RMS!!).

[Mr. Foxen]

Peavey power amps come up that will bridge into 8ohm for that sort of power. I had a Peavey 8.5c, 1100w into 8ohm, not light, but was about £120 or so. Got my Matamp Quasar which is 1000w into 8ohm for £145 or so. Sort of got lucky there, but they don't go for much when they rarely come up.

[mildmanofrock]

Thanks for the thoughts folks, I'll check them out.

[markstuk]

Big, heavy power amps are pretty cheap at the moment - I just sold a TOA P1060D - about 700W bridged into 8 Ohms for £36 on the bay... (and I bought it along with an 8U case, graphic EQ and active Crossover for about £60 all in)..

Mark


[quote name='mildmanofrock' post='985347' date='Oct 12 2010, 09:12 AM']Thanks for the thoughts folks, I'll check them out. [/quote]

Edited October 12, 2010 by markstuk

[cheddatom]

I read this thread the other day, then just noticed [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=106461"]this[/url] on the for sale forum.

[mildmanofrock]

Thanks for flagging this up, cheers!

Steve

[markstuk]

Only 200W per channel into 4 ohms though...

Mark

[quote name='mildmanofrock' post='987704' date='Oct 14 2010, 09:08 AM']Thanks for flagging this up, cheers!

Steve[/quote]

[cheddatom]

ooops! Still looks a good deal but not quite what you're after.

[Lfalex v1.1]

I paid £200 for a QSC PLX1202 in a Cash Converters. 1200w bridged into 4 ohms, 700 into 8 ohms. RMS! And operates in class A/B rather than D or H.
Awesome way to make a rig. Makes you wonder why people even buy "heads" in the first place...

[LawrenceH]

+ 1 to the above. Something like a QSC rmx2450 will do the job very nicely and you shold be able to pick one up for under £350. Beware cheaper amps as they can't sustain the output for anything more than a short transient, so often aren't suitable for bass-heavy applications.

EDIT: actually, looking around they are a bit more than that typically, but I got one for about £150 that was faulty and they're fairly trivial to repair for a competent amp tech unless the board has actually caught fire!

Edited October 14, 2010 by LawrenceH

[mildmanofrock]

Thanks for the QSC recommendations.

Excuse my ignorance, but what does this mean?


[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' post='988268' date='Oct 14 2010, 06:43 PM']And operates in class A/B rather than D or H.[/quote]

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='mildmanofrock' post='988480' date='Oct 14 2010, 09:52 PM']Thanks for the QSC recommendations.

Excuse my ignorance, but what does this mean?[/quote]

It is the way the amplifier works internally. Class A/B means the transistors are set up in a push/pull manner, picture a sine wave graph, each set only works for one half of the wave above or below the center line. Class D is a bit fiddlier and switches back and forth at a very high frequency kind of like the line was pixellated into steps, but you aren't close enough to notice. Dunno about class H, but I think the Crate power Block uses it and every thinks it is class D due to being small.

[mildmanofrock]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='988662' date='Oct 15 2010, 12:01 AM']It is the way the amplifier works internally. Class A/B means the transistors are set up in a push/pull manner, picture a sine wave graph, each set only works for one half of the wave above or below the center line. Class D is a bit fiddlier and switches back and forth at a very high frequency kind of like the line was pixellated into steps, but you aren't close enough to notice. Dunno about class H, but I think the Crate power Block uses it and every thinks it is class D due to being small.[/quote]

Ah... thanks for the explanation... so I'll look for class A/B then. Cheers!

[Meenie]

Flanker was selling his Chevin Power amp on the cheap, I nearly had it myself as I've got a big one too!
Might be worth sending him a message?

[mildmanofrock]

[quote name='Meenie' post='989291' date='Oct 15 2010, 03:06 PM']Flanker was selling his Chevin Power amp on the cheap, I nearly had it myself as I've got a big one too!
Might be worth sending him a message?[/quote]

Thanks for the prompt - I've messaged Flanker, cheers.

[Wil]

I use a Crown XS 700. Not the lightest power amp in the world but does 700 watts at 4ohm (1900 watts bridged - I don't use it this way as I found it had a tendancy to cut out a lot when pushed). At 700 watts it's loud as thunder and I dont have any clipping issues. With a Sansamp RBI it's the best rig I've had so far, the only thing I'd change would be the weight.

[tayste_2000]

My 400w all tube mesa boogie strategy that will be the most insane loud awesome sound you've ever heard and I'll let it go fairly cheap now

[Barefootbassplayer]

I use a Tapco J1400, Tapco are teh budget Mackie range. It's not a bass specific amp but I did a lot of research when i was looking and I have to say I love it! Plenty of power options and really provides what I think is an uncoloured tone form my pre-amp! Plus they're not bank breakers and at the end of the day why should they be!