New Ashdown 'Little Giant' Heads

[Protium]

Thinking about a 350 as a backup/lightweight gig option. Initial reviews sound promising... Looks like all the critics on here were a bit off the mark

[bassmansky]

hope they have got the QC right on these though.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Protium' post='383248' date='Jan 17 2009, 02:09 PM']Thinking about a 350 as a backup/lightweight gig option. Initial reviews sound promising... Looks like all the critics on here were a bit off the mark [/quote]

Maybe, maybe not. Only two non gig reviews so far.
What really worried me is the volume these heads will put out. I feel that Dave,' review waslLuke warm about this.
I still doubt the LG1000 in to one 4 ohms cab like my 1212L will cut through and hold the low end down as well as my LMII even though both have the same output.
Sound wise i guess uf they are based on the MAG sound then ill get on with them but if i have to run it almost flat out i dont see me getting one.
IMHO and just based on nothing really other than gut feeling ;-)

[Machines]

So far i'm getting the same vibe dave_bass5. With a passive bass I just cannot drive the preamp to anywhere near clipping... full output into my MAG210T isn't that loud. I'm taking it to band practise tomorrow into an Ampeg 810 - we will then know if this is a real problem.

[dannybuoy]

[quote name='bassmansky' post='383229' date='Jan 17 2009, 01:52 PM']tryed the LG 1000 out this morning at pmt.first tryed it with a abm 4x10 cab using a squier cv 60's jazz.sounded good lots of different sounds to be had out of this.seemed better than my abm head imo.secondly tried it with 1x15 and 2x10 superfly cabs using a highway 1 p-bass and this sounded much better,a cleaner and clearer sound.didnt realise till i looked on ashdowns website that the superfly cabs are all 4ohms.so can you use 2x4ohm cabs with it?wont do a full review on the amp i'll leave that to someone more experienced!as has been posted earlier this amp will work best at a 4ohm load,bit quiet with one 8ohm cab imo.still they are small , light and cheap. ashdown on to a winner with these i think![/quote]

The LG1000 effectively is 2 x 500w amps, each capable of running at 4 ohms. So you can run 2 4ohm cabs with this head IF you plug them into separate outputs on the amp - this is the best way of using the amp, letting you get the full 1000w out of it. Don't daisy chain them off a single output as that would give you a 2 ohm load and probably bugger it!

[Merton]

Just spent a very enjoyable afternoon with Dave (OBBM) and Stew (Huge Hands) and we A/Bd the LG1000 and the Hartke LH500, both into Alex's Big One prototype.

I gotta say, we were all mighty impressed with the LG1000. The flat tone is very impressive, clear and authoritative with lots of bottom end still; the Shape and Deep switches are tremendous - especially coupled with the Big One's massive bass response - and the EQ seemed very flexible. The volume never strayed past about 2 or 3 and was louder than the LH500 on a similar volume control setting (tho that of course means nothing).

We used Stew's Squier J/P 5, Dave's Statusray and my Retroactive and Groove fretless. All plugged in with the input pad out (passive), we drove the input gain quite hard and the Groove was the only one which got close to clipping the input. This reminds me very much of the old Trace heads with a massive input headroom - I like this!!

The Hartke is obviously slightly warmer but there's not a lot in it sound wise (IMO - Dave or Stew may disagree). Stew preferred the LG1000 and I think is quite tempted

I have to say, I am too

[attachment=18764:DSC00233.JPG]

LG1000 on top of LH500 on top of the Big One.

[Machines]

That's interesting Merton - it may be that the LG1000 is worth the extra cash if you want it as a primary amp.

[Huge Hands]

[quote name='Merton' post='383375' date='Jan 17 2009, 05:08 PM']Stew preferred the LG1000 and I think is quite tempted [/quote]

Ha ha, always tempted!

I agree that there wasn't much in in it between the amps, but in terms of portability, and flat sound without adjustment, I think I'd have gone for the Ashdown.

TBH, I think the Ashdown with Alex's Big One (oo-er) would be a lovely lttle (very light) rig.

Mucho impressed Mr Claber. Would love to hear that cab at full tilt, without worrying about Merton's neighbours!

If only I had some spare cash!

Thanks again Merton for your hospitality, cups of tea, and the chance to try out some nice quality top end gear. Loved your all black Status, enjoyed playing the fretless, and was having a major trouser moment at the colour scheme on OBBM's Statusray!

Thoroughly enjoyable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Cheers!

Stew

[Linus27]

I've got an Ashdown MAG115 1x15 Deep Speaker Cab which has a power handling of 250 watts. I will be getting an Ashdown MAG210T 2 x 10 Deep Speaker Cab which has a power handling of 200 watts to go with it.

Will the LG1000 be too powerful for these two cabs?

Just wondering if its worth getting a LG350 as a spare head for my two cabs or get the LG1000 as my main head. No point getting the LG1000 if its to powerful for my cabs.

[Merton]

It'll be fine - you'll only be using one of the 500W amps at 4 ohms or both at 8 ohms. Use Mr Claber's rule of thumb - you can use any amp with any cab, but if it sounds bad, turn down

[obbm]

[quote name='Linus27' post='383466' date='Jan 17 2009, 06:45 PM']I've got an Ashdown MAG115 1x15 Deep Speaker Cab which has a power handling of 250 watts. I will be getting an Ashdown MAG210T 2 x 10 Deep Speaker Cab which has a power handling of 200 watts to go with it.

Will the LG1000 be too powerful for these two cabs?

Just wondering if its worth getting a LG350 as a spare head for my two cabs or get the LG1000 as my main head. No point getting the LG1000 if its to powerful for my cabs.[/quote]

I take it that both your cabs are 8-ohms. I've not had the chance to gig the LG1000 yet but will on Feb 5th at the Lion Brewery Jam in Ash where I will use it with two 8-ohm 1x12s. That should show up how it handles 2 x 8-ohm cabs instead of 2 x 4-ohm.


I estimate the LG1000 should put out about 350-375 watts into 8-ohms. As far as your cabs go you would have lots of headroom but always with the risk of overdriving. The LG350 with 350-watts into 4-ohms would be a better match to your cabs.

[Linus27]

[quote name='obbm' post='383482' date='Jan 17 2009, 07:02 PM']I take it that both your cabs are 8-ohms. I've not had the chance to gig the LG1000 yet but will on Feb 5th at the Lion Brewery Jam in Ash where I will use it with two 8-ohm 1x12s. That should show up how it handles 2 x 8-ohm cabs instead of 2 x 4-ohm.


I estimate the LG1000 should put out about 350-375 watts into 8-ohms. As far as your cabs go you would have lots of headroom but always with the risk of overdriving. The LG350 with 350-watts into 4-ohms would be a better match to your cabs.[/quote]

So your saying that as both my cabs are 8 Ohms, if I ran them through the LG1000, I could use either one of the two 500 watt amps running at 4 OHMS getting the full 500 watts (maybe to much for my cabs) or both 500 watts amps at 8ohms getting about 350-375 watts.

However, if I used the LG350 with my two 8 ohms cabs, they would run at 4 ohms giving me the full 350 watts from the LG350.

Have I got that right??

[obbm]

[quote name='Linus27' post='383509' date='Jan 17 2009, 07:37 PM']So your saying that as both my cabs are 8 Ohms, if I ran them through the LG1000, I could use either one of the two 500 watt amps running at 4 OHMS getting the full 500 watts (maybe to much for my cabs) or both 500 watts amps at 8ohms getting about 350-375 watts.

However, if I used the LG350 with my two 8 ohms cabs, they would run at 4 ohms giving me the full 350 watts from the LG350.

Have I got that right??[/quote]

Correct, but as Merton has already pointed out it all depends on how far up you wind the volume control. You have control of the power control. Just because your Elise will do 100+, it doesn't mean you go everywhere at max power and max speed. Amps are no different.

[Linus27]

[quote name='obbm' post='383511' date='Jan 17 2009, 07:42 PM']Correct, but as Merton has already pointed out it all depends on how far up you wind the volume control. You have control of the power control. Just because your Elise will do 100+, it doesn't mean you go everywhere at max power and max speed. Amps are no different.[/quote]

Sorry, I don't understand that last bit about not going max power everywhere. Am I doing it wrong, I thought the the rule was to drive like it stole it with the arse hanging out

Seriously, thanks for the help. I might get me an LG350 then as my main and use the MAG300H head as the backup. If I need more power later on which I guess I wont, then I will review the whole thing then. Thanks again.

[bassmansky]

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='383365' date='Jan 17 2009, 04:52 PM']The LG1000 effectively is 2 x 500w amps, each capable of running at 4 ohms. So you can run 2 4ohm cabs with this head IF you plug them into separate outputs on the amp - this is the best way of using the amp, letting you get the full 1000w out of it. Don't daisy chain them off a single output as that would give you a 2 ohm load and probably bugger it![/quote]
i thought perhaps it did have 2x500w amps.so with 2 x 8ohm cabs you could either daisy chain them or one into each channel but you would only get about 500w out of it either way?

[Wayne Firefly]

So..... the 1000W version has 2x500W power stages which have to be used into 2 cabs right,(no 1000W bridge) at 4 ohms each to get full power. What if this head was used with one cab with only one side of the power stage connected...would the other side blow as its got no load on it or would it sit happily not being used and be "spare" incase one side goes down, in effect carrying 2 amps....one you use and and one effectively a backup......most people I know have had reliability problems with Ashdowns thats all. Failing that, It'd be the 350W version. They may have saved some money by doing a single 500W version and the usual 1000W version by using the same power stages in both amps....I dont really care about how it looks, just how it performs and the size and portability seem ace....I'd run it with a Sansamp anyway to beef it up tonally. Also, would it need velcro-ing to the top of your cab as I imagine it might be real easy to yank it off if you overstep your lead length, amp goes crashing to the floor....God, I worry too much.

[dannybuoy]

If running 2 8ohm cabs, you should get slightly more than 500w if running them from separate outputs, as a guestimate maybe 650w. And there's no problem running the amp with no speaker connected, I think that applies to tube amps only.

[Merton]

[quote name='Wayne Firefly' post='383672' date='Jan 18 2009, 12:29 AM']So..... the 1000W version has 2x500W power stages which have to be used into 2 cabs right,(no 1000W bridge) at 4 ohms each to get full power. What if this head was used with one cab with only one side of the power stage connected...would the other side blow as its got no load on it or would it sit happily not being used and be "spare" incase one side goes down, in effect carrying 2 amps....one you use and and one effectively a backup......most people I know have had reliability problems with Ashdowns thats all. Failing that, It'd be the 350W version. They may have saved some money by doing a single 500W version and the usual 1000W version by using the same power stages in both amps....I dont really care about how it looks, just how it performs and the size and portability seem ace....I'd run it with a Sansamp anyway to beef it up tonally. Also, would it need velcro-ing to the top of your cab as I imagine it might be real easy to yank it off if you overstep your lead length, amp goes crashing to the floor....God, I worry too much.[/quote]
Being solid state means you can happily run one side with no load.

The Shuttle is a million times lighter than even the LG1000, I wouldn't worry too much about it coming off your amp!

[Machines]

Review.. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=39226"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=39226[/url]

[jim_bass]

I played one of these the other day (LG350) and thought that it sounded great. Excellent value too. Played through an Ashdown MAG 115 cabinet. It beat the pants of a MAG300 head for tone, but didn't quite compare to the tone of the ABM head (in my opinion). EQ was easy to use, despite freaking me out at first glance. The shape presets were good and gave it warmth

My one disappointment was the quality of the front panel. It all just seemed cheap plastic. I'd worry about breaking it!

Edited January 28, 2009 by jim_bass

[obbm]

I'm using my LG1000 for the first time in the house band rig at the local Jam tonight. just to tidy things up I thought I'd rack mount it in a flight case. bad idea. Firstly it is neither 1U or 2U high and the holes in the supplied brackets don't line up with the rack strip cage nuts.

Basically the rack brackets do not conform to BS5954 or IEC297 which is the "Specification for Dimensions of panels and racks for electronic equipment". Really bad design.

[Linus27]

[quote name='obbm' post='401091' date='Feb 5 2009, 02:57 PM']I'm using my LG1000 for the first time in the house band rig at the local Jam tonight. just to tidy things up I thought I'd rack mount it in a flight case. bad idea. Firstly it is neither 1U or 2U high and the holes in the supplied brackets don't line up with the rack strip cage nuts.

Basically the rack brackets do not conform to BS5954 or IEC297 which is the "Specification for Dimensions of panels and racks for electronic equipment". Really bad design.[/quote]

Am I also thinking that the fan is on top of the unit and so this would be covered if you rack mounted it????

[obbm]

[quote name='Linus27' post='401106' date='Feb 5 2009, 03:14 PM']Am I also thinking that the fan is on top of the unit and so this would be covered if you rack mounted it????[/quote]

Not necessarily. It's not a full 2U high so if it was fitted at the bottom of some 2U brackets there would be sufficient space above. I've written to Ashdown. I'm pretty certain that the bracketes conform to the EIAJ (USA and Japan) specs which is different to BSI/IEC.

[pal1972]

I'm interested ingetting the little giant 350 to replace my mag300. Ive got a 4ohm Marshall 4x10 cab, so am I right in thinking that if i ran just one output from the little giant into my cab i'd get the full 350 watts???

[escholl]

[quote name='pal1972' post='404952' date='Feb 10 2009, 12:07 AM']I'm interested ingetting the little giant 350 to replace my mag300. Ive got a 4ohm Marshall 4x10 cab, so am I right in thinking that if i ran just one output from the little giant into my cab i'd get the full 350 watts???[/quote]


yes.