Tempted by an Ashdown Mi Bass 550..........Close.

[weepaul]

Heard that Ashdown was (kind of) an offshoot from Trace Elliot. Are these wee amps capable of getting close to the sound ? Or should I look for another light weight head ?

[Moos3h]

I'm not an Ashdown basher, but to me they don't have the Trace sound I love, no.

The MiBass was very disappointing for me too, totally gutless - LOUD, yes but when subjected to a gig level beating, it ran out of steam. It's not alone in this as I've found digital amps to often suffer from this in a way that old-skool, back pain-inducing amps never seem to.

I've currently got a Fender BXR head - incredibly unfashionable but it can destroy small towns.

[weepaul]

I've got 2 old Traces. Love 'em,but , HEAVY. So the tones a bit lacking in these wee heads ?

[Moos3h]

It's not so much the tone, more the headroom - given an easy life, a MiBass is a nice sounding setup but if you're expecting that, for want of a better word, brutality you get from old school gear, I'm not sure it'll cut it.

[Musicman20]

If you crave the very modern and quite bright Trace tone, I would opt for a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.2/9.2 or Max 9.2

I have a Max 9.2 and it can get that Trace tone and many more. It can do a very tight, bright, aggressive tone, to a more subdued, fat, warm but clear tone with grit.

I used to own a Trace GP12400SMX and the Shuttlemax is incredibly light, well designed, fairly small, and very very flexible.

[BassTractor]

From what I seem to understand from reading about them , and I don't know what one can do with the EQ, but a MiBass initially seems to not resemble the classic in-your-face TE sound. Dunno about newer TEs.
From what I read, the MiBass is a lot less alive than that. Deader, one might state.


That said, I think you could push the higher mids and probably the lower mids, and I have a slight feeling some compression on that band could help too. Better brains than mine will now hasten to correct me, and you [i][b]will[/b][/i] get your answer.
I'm shrewd, I am.


best,
bert

Edited July 22, 2013 by BassTractor

[Merton]

Small and light and sounding like a TE? the Gallien Krueger MB200 does that IMHO. Only with more bass and more top end zing too.

[Stan_da_man]

Peavey now own TE so just buy that micro head Peavey have bought out.

*ducks*

[weepaul]

Any views on the Ampeg PF 500 ? Heard some rumours they can be unreliable. In a fight,which one would win ? Mi bass 550 or PF 500 ?

[RandomBass]

[quote name='weepaul' timestamp='1374596002' post='2150696']
Any views on the Ampeg PF 500 ? Heard some rumours they can be unreliable. In a fight,which one would win ? Mi bass 550 or PF 500 ?
[/quote]
I've owned and gigged both. The PF wins on power and has a great compressor , and there's an 800watt version out now at a fab price.

[njr911]

Buy my MiBass off me for a bargain and find out

[BassTractor]

The estimated Mr. Neil Bargen-Sellers means this one:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/199611-trade-ashdown-mibass-550-for-obt"]http://basschat.co.u...ass-550-for-obt[/url]

Don't buy it from him though. He doesn't know yet that he needs both his MiBass 550 AND his Terror Bass.

b,
b

Edited July 24, 2013 by BassTractor

[gjones]

[quote name='weepaul' timestamp='1374596002' post='2150696']
Any views on the Ampeg PF 500 ? Heard some rumours they can be unreliable. In a fight,which one would win ? Mi bass 550 or PF 500 ?
[/quote]

I like my MiBass (the original 550 with semi parametic EQ). But I regularly also play through a PF500 and Ampeg Classic 410 and it also gets a great sound. I don't think you can go wrong with either of them. I recently recorded with an all valve SVT Pro and the little PF500 gets very close to that Ampeg rock sound.

[The Dark Lord]

[quote name='Moos3h' timestamp='1374417929' post='2148482']
I'm not an Ashdown basher, but to me they don't have the Trace sound I love, no.

The MiBass was very disappointing for me too, totally gutless - LOUD, yes but when subjected to a gig level beating, it ran out of steam. It's not alone in this as I've found digital amps to often suffer from this in a way that old-skool, back pain-inducing amps never seem to.

I've currently got a Fender BXR head - incredibly unfashionable but it can destroy small towns.
[/quote]

This is not my experience. I luuuuurve my MiBass 550. I could never play it more than half way - or the drummer would pass out. And I only play it through one cab which is 8 Ohms. I don't play on BIG stages, but can't imagine needing much more volume if I did. If so, I'd add a Midget to my Compact and run it as 4 Ohms.

Get a MiBass.

[grenadilla]

I was tempted by the MiBass 550 until it was discontinued for the simple Version 2.0. Three tone controls. Less power. Give me more knobs,sliders,watts,and meters! More colored lights and speaker jacks. So I got another MAG 600.

[Musicman20]

I have a feeling the MiBass hasn't been a massive hit. I've no idea why they stripped down for version 2.0.

[njr911]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1374842563' post='2153937']
I have a feeling the MiBass hasn't been a massive hit. I've no idea why they stripped down for version 2.0.
[/quote]

To make it simpler. I've got no clue how any of the knobs and sliders work on my MiBass

[RandomBass]

[quote name='grenadilla' timestamp='1374837957' post='2153843']
I was tempted by the MiBass 550 until it was discontinued for the simple Version 2.0. Three tone controls. Less power. Give me more knobs,sliders,watts,and meters! More colored lights and speaker jacks. So I got another MAG 600.
[/quote]
Slight thread hijack but how do you find the mag600? I had one a while back and loved it. Have you got the new evo 3 version?

[grenadilla]

I just got the Evo3 and I have had the Evo 1 for several years. For a long time the meter barely moved. Then I cranked a few E.Q. knobs and the amp "came alive". It still won't sound like The Who- Live At Leeds but it would be great for Tommy (original studio version). I don't know if it really pumps 575 watts @4ohms. Probably it does fine with enough speakers. I might try the Gallien Krueger 1001RB if I need more watts. The Ashdown with a lot of sliders might be better but costs more...

[Stealth]

Dont do it !