Proud owner of Ashdown LB30

[badboy1984]

Purchase a Ashdown LB30 today, can't resist the all valve mini bass amp. I'm downsizing after all from a full stack. So I traded half of stack which include a BH500 and 1x BC212 for a good price and got the LB30 for very small amount of money.

Currently running the LB30 with my BC212 and the tone is pretty good and plenty of volume for the stuff i play. Plug it in the shop and it rattle the place (warehouse) and the master is at 12.00 position using a cheap passive bass (very low gain ....)

Haven't have time to tried the amp with my ACG 5 string, Active fender jazz and a passive p bass with hot SDuncan pickup

Is unbelievable of what this little 30watt can get in terms of tone and decent volume.

What range of SS amp (watts) is equal to this 30watt all valve head?

Any better cab to run this head instead of my BC212 cab?

Edited August 17, 2013 by badboy1984

[BassTractor]

Can't help with the wattage question. Sorry.

There should not be a need to buy anything especially "tubey" or creamy, as that sound already comes from the LB. A good flat cab with good excursion speed and phase correctness (i.e. relatively expensive cabs) should be good.

From my limited experience, there is little wrong with the BC 212.
However, what I read on BC and other places is this: as it's a ported cab, the LB quite possibly can't control it enough. The damping factor of a valve power stage is virtually non existent. You'd probably be better off with a sealed cab.
But if you like the sound of the BC212, there is no real need to shift. Sealed cabs are not a technical requirement for valve amps.

Me, I do enjoy my Ashdown LB 112 cabs with the LB30, but those cabs are obsolete, and followed by the very expensive CL range, and to some degree by the cheaper VS range.

Enjoy the bastard!


best,
bert

[KiOgon]

I've had mine (Number 001) almost 3.5 years, it's been used just about every day & not missed a beat sounds great at home volume with LB112 + Mini 48 cabs, both ported.

Cheerz, John

[badboy1984]

My LB30 is a not a UK version but it sound good and build quality seems ok so far lol. I'm definite looking to replace the cab with a Ashdown VS212 but i need to save up some money first lol

[badboy1984]

If getting Ashdown cab. 1x VS212 or 2x VS112?

[spaners]

Im guna see if I can find somewhere to try a VS212 with my CTM 15 or maybe the 1x15. they both look cool. have to see how they sound.

[badboy1984]

I've tried the VS115 in the shop when i bought the LB30 and it does sound good actually but of course it weight more then my BC212 by 10kg. I'm defo interest on the VS212 tho.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1376779925' post='2179148']
If getting Ashdown cab. 1x VS212 or 2x VS112?
[/quote]

IMS, in another thread it was stated that soundwise they are virtually identical solutions.

That said, if it's true that the 212 is 8 Ohm like the 112, then you might prefer to combine two 112s and get 4 Ohm just in case you might use them with a solid state amp somewhere along the road.

Me, I've got two 112s: one above the amp and one below it. This may be totally wrong, unscientific and unethical of me, but that way I always have a speaker cone at ear height, regardless of whether I sit or stand. I like that.

YMM, and should, V

[franzbassist]

I had an LB30 and loved it. I ran it with a 4 ohm LB212 and it was just perfect.

There's an LB212 on eBay for a good price [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ashdown-LB-Cab-2-x12-/271259087242?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item3f284d318a"]here[/url], and a silly expensive one [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASHDOWN-LB212-100-WATT-2x-12-CAB-CABINET-/321171102640?pt=UK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL&hash=item4ac74a1bb0"]here[/url].

The alternative is a combination of the VS112, 212 or 115 cabs, but they are Chinese made, and much heavier than the UK made LB cabs.

[Mr. Foxen]

I have one and its nice, but not getting much use out of it. Works pretty good for guitar too.

[badboy1984]

2x VS112 is more portable i guess.

[franzbassist]

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1376865276' post='2180232']
2x VS112 is more portable i guess.
[/quote]

Yes, dimensions-wise, but they are pretty heavy. The build quality is also much lower, although they sound good.

[badboy1984]

I'm currently using Tc BC212. Is pretty light for a 2x12 cab, it weights 20kg. I guess the VS 212 weight 30kg so i assume the VS112 is same weight or possible less.

The only problem i got with the BC212 is size and the VS112 is much smaller and I can either use 2x VS112 or just one depend on my purpose.

The BC212 is china build as well so i say both VS112 and BC212 build around the same ........ if the VS112 sound good i will go for that instead.

[badboy1984]

I've set my eyes on to replace it with Ashdown matching cab to the LB30.

Here are my choices in terms of price:

- 1x Ashdown VS115
- 1x Ashdown VS212
- 2x Ashdown VS112

I take it the VS112 and VS212 is same? The VS115 sound good in the shop but unsure about the volume i will get when pair with LB30. Looking to use the head to do pub gigs.

[Bigwan]

I'm using an lb30 and (walbassist's old) lb212. Sounds lush, but the 2*12 is still pretty heavy - although the Ashdown website quotes something silly like 14kg, the cab weighs significantly more. This one is closer to 23. BUT there were only something like 20 of these made so they're, for all intents and purposes, prototypes and the quoted 14kg was probably calculated rather than measured. And it's still lighter than the vs212. Just thought that might be useful.

Tried the lb30 with several cabs, including my tech soundsystems 4*12 and an aggie 1*12, and it always sounded good.

[spaners]

I got myself an Ashdown VS112 today from Acadamy of sound in stoke. Ex artist (second hand) as new for £99 to go with my CTM 15. Sounds very sweat with it, better than it dose with my TC RS112. Not as loud n a lot heavyer! Around 20kg I would gess. So now I'm looking for another. HIGHLY recommended

[badboy1984]

What output do you use if you connect 2x ohm cabs? the 4ohm output or the 8ohm output?

[spaners]

[sup][font=verdana,geneva,sans-serif][size=4]2 x 8ohm cabs will give you a 4ohm load so you link the head from the 4 ohm jack to the first cab n the first cab to the second cab[/size][/font][/sup]

[badboy1984]

ah ok, i thought it would be like that but wasn't sure because the amp have a 4ohm and 8ohm output. Usually amp just have 4ohm output and you just connect the cabs yourself.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='badboy1984' timestamp='1376991384' post='2181823']
Usually amp just have 4ohm output and you just connect the cabs yourself.
[/quote]


Here's my take after reading on bc and other sites, seeing as you've not yet received a more professional response to this. The smart thing here is that if I write something that is wrong, one of the pros will not be able to sit still, and will come out and rectify.


What you describe is because usually, the amps you see have solid state power stages without an output transformer.
Such a solid state power stage only requires a minimum impedance to function (we're not talking about sound here, just the requirements for the amp to not break), and does not require cabs to be connected at all, as "no cab" equals a virtually infinite impedance. Solid state power stages love this situation of doing nothing and not getting warm. They rather lie in a hammock watching their neighbour pleasure herself than actually doing her. Solid state power stages do not deserve our respect.


Your LB is different. Your LB is a man (it plays with a pick!).
Its valve power stage with output transformer will not function with the infinite impedance of "no cab", and does require a maximum impedance connected to the output, like for example 8 Ohm. In other words, it requires a minimum load.
However, with these output transformers you're somewhat more limited, in that you can't just connect any load higher than the load that the 8 Ohm impedance would give, and though some flexibility exists, amp manufacturers will often provide two separate outputs, as in this case where the LB has an 8 Ohm output for one 8 Ohm or two 16 Ohm cabs, and one 4 Ohm output for one 4 Ohm or two 8 Ohm cabs.

It's not a good idea to connect one 8 Ohm cab to the 4 Ohm output. If you really are hardheaded and destined to do something wrong, then it's a better wrong idea to put a 4 Ohm cab on the 8 Ohm output. You'll notice that this is the other way round compared to the solid state amp mentioned above.
Just remember: your Little Bastard [b]will[/b] do its neighbour, rather than hanging about in a hammock.


(FWiW, I'm a man too, and I will do my neighbour, unless it's [i]my[/i] neighbour we're talking about here. She's lovely, but I don't fancy her. I do not know what this tells you about my output transformer. )

[badboy1984]

This means i can use 2x 16ohm cabs on the 8ohm output. I've got a Ashdown Perfect 10 mini stack in my friends house, the cabs are 2x 1x10 and the cab ohms is 16ohms rated at 60watt each.

[spaners]

Yea that will work fine.

[badboy1984]

I think i will go for the Ashdown VS115 to pair it along with the LB30. Thats the only cab it got in the shop where i can buy it ......... i did try the amp with that cab when i bought the LB30.

I think the volume will decrease compare to my BC212 ..... but the 15" all tube head with my P bass will sound sweet tho

Edited August 20, 2013 by badboy1984

[spaners]

Let me know how it sounds, can't find one to go n try at mo. Got the 12 n its sweat with my mustang but hankering for a pair of 15s

[badboy1984]

Will let you know on that when i tried it out or purchase it. I think if i do get the 15" i will only get a pair because the whole point for me to get the LB30 is to downsize. So one head and 1 cab will do me. The 15" seems like it will do the job most of the time.

Will the LB30 plus VS115 will sound the same as the LB30 drop head combo?