M-Bass-M Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I've just acquired an old-school Trace Elliot pre-amp, which I'll need to hook up with a power amp if I'm to get any use from it. Years ago, you used to be able to get TE power amps, and Ashdown also used to make some. These days, however, it seems that none of the amp makers do a dedicated power amp. So, other than watching eBay for an old PPA-300 to come up, does anybody have any suggestions as other non-bass specific power amps I could use instead? Cheers Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I've been using [url="http://www.soundindustry.co.uk/acatalog/W-Audio-1100W-1U-Amplifier-Horizon1100-47.html"]http://www.soundindustry.co.uk/acatalog/W-Audio-1100W-1U-Amplifier-Horizon1100-47.html[/url] Very happy with it, and good value for the money. The 1U range goes from a 300W unit to a 1300W unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-Bass-M Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 Thanks, 1U too! Gives me another 1U for another piece of gratuitous bass hardware! Happy 5,000th post, btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 QSC PLX1804 without a doubt the best power amp for bass you can buy.... for me it beats all other contenders. The PLX2502 if you want the option to bridge. QSC RMX line if you are on a budget and don't mind the weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-Bass-M Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 I guess most of the power amps available will be of the heavy kind, but are there any lightweight power amps on the market, and are they any good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I got a W-Audio Horizon 600 on the cheap a few months back, and whilst I never intended it to be used for bass (I'd got it to make a basic rack for our hard-of-gear rhythm guitarist!) I tested it out with a bass and found it to be pretty nifty but rather quiet for its rating. Sadly it doesn't bridge at 4ohms, but if you over-spec and run at 8ohms, I can see it being handy. I should be getting a very lightweight new 2U power amp that was bought for bass use tomorrow, though; a Crown XLS1500 Drivecore which goes down to 4ohms bridged and should knock out 1500W doing it. Got rave reviews elsewhere but seems not to have been talked about much on BC from what I could find. I'll let anybody interested know how it goes when I've had it a couple of weeks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 [quote name='M-Bass-M' timestamp='1327925816' post='1518767'] Thanks, 1U too! Gives me another 1U for another piece of gratuitous bass hardware! Happy 5,000th post, btw [/quote] Bwahahahahaha! Good spot mate, and thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-Bass-M Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 [quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1327926529' post='1518789'] I should be getting a very lightweight new 2U power amp that was bought for bass use tomorrow, though; a Crown XLS1500 Drivecore which goes down to 4ohms bridged and should knock out 1500W doing it. [/quote] Hmmm, liking the look of that a lot. Variable crossover too, allowing for some mental Entwistle-esque frequency manipulation. I'd be very interested to hear how it works out for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 [quote name='M-Bass-M' timestamp='1327927370' post='1518814'] Hmmm, liking the look of that a lot. Variable crossover too, allowing for some mental Entwistle-esque frequency manipulation. I'd be very interested to hear how it works out for you. [/quote] Yeah, it looked like about the best features/price and power/weight ratio bit of kit I could hunt down, and from a semi-respected name, too. I'll be sure to post back when I've had it for long enough to formulate some opinions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 Personally i would go for a Peavey IPR. The ones with DSP still aren't available (As far as i know) but the standard power amps are. Cheap, light, and do exactly what they say on the tin. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I racked my brains, but, for me at least, the only 'musician recognisable' type companies that spring to mind for standalone power amps these days are Yamaha and Peavey... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 The old Trace ones come up fairly often on evilbay....and are pretty cheap. They are also heavy and usually in a pretty "well used" state. The power ratings look low (compared to modern stuff) but I don't think you could ever consider them underpowered in use. I sometimes use an old SWR Stereo 800 with my Trace GP11 and it works very well, but any decent modern PA type power amp should be fine. Don't forget that you can also use most modern amp heads as power amps too, if you plug the Trace into the effects return socket...sometimes the levels don't match too well, but the Trace has an output level control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-Bass-M Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='BassBod' timestamp='1328002480' post='1520013'] Don't forget that you can also use most modern amp heads as power amps too, if you plug the Trace into the effects return socket...sometimes the levels don't match too well, but the Trace has an output level control. [/quote] I had wondered about that. In the first instance I could route my preamp through my Shuttle 6.0, but I'm unsure as to whether I could guarantee that I wasn't adding any colour to the sound - even if you did run it through the fx loop, you'd still have the signal flowing through the gain stage of the Shuttle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Well, my XLS just turned up. Provided it's all working as it should when I get it home, it'll be interesting to see what 1550W* does for a Super 12 [size=1]*who knows, I might get it to '2' before the neighbours are all congregated outside with pitchforks...[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 See my previous post, the QSC PLX series is light, Crown has lightweight options as does Crest. You are okay with any of these 3 makes, the rest will most probably leave you wanting for something better. [quote name='M-Bass-M' timestamp='1327926406' post='1518783'] I guess most of the power amps available will be of the heavy kind, but are there any lightweight power amps on the market, and are they any good? [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 The W Audio is lightweight. I've got a Peavey IPR1600 for our PA if you want a name brand and light weight then these are good and with a crossover for subs. The cheap PA amps are incredible value for money and I've never had any trouble from any of mine, even the Behringers which just work forever just like the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigash Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [i][size=4]Hi, I have a Trace Elliot RA 500 SX which i will be selling shortly.[/size][/i] [i][size=4]I have been trying to find roughly how much it is worth, but so far [/size][/i] [i][size=4]have not been sucessful. It is in good overall condition and works fine.[/size][/i] [i][size=4]if anyone can assist me with the price i would be grateful.[/size][/i] [i][size=4]Cheers Ash.[/size][/i] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E sharp Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 The guys over the pond still rave about the Crest CA-9 , but alas , light it ain't . Not by a long shot The "lead sled" amps seem to find more favour over there that here , for some reason . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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