hubrad Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 [quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1401476034' post='2464077'] Aw man, I used to love my trace stack [url="http://s34.photobucket.com/user/gafbass02/media/band%20pics/100_0057.jpg.html"][/url] I sold it for a markbass after my keys player (who used to drive it around) had a heart attack next to me onstage at 27! I've never looked back in many ways, but I do miss the preamp and the cool green/uv stage presence. If they made a modern take of it in a small package I'd be all over it! [/QUOTE] Excellent rig.. must have been the bright box that just tipped your keys guy over the edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidlovellbass Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 I use a Trace GP11 preamp but also owned several other Trace amps. The weight was always an issue and seemed a but unneeded. Ashdown are carrying on with mildly tweaked Trace designs including digital power amp versions and doing good business so the designs can't be too outdated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 Off to pick up an AH600 SMX tomorrow. As a teenager it was the holy grail of amps for me. Don't give a **** what it sounds like or what it weighs. It's got a UV light and that's enough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu_g Posted June 7, 2014 Share Posted June 7, 2014 ive had my 300smx head from new and i wont ever sell it, i used to have a very clean sound and never tweaked the graphic much,i dont think it ever needed to go above 3 on the volume when i used to gig it. it was paired with an ampeg 1510 cab and i really used to love the sounds i could coax from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Their is something on the TE graphic EQ that make it special when I use it. It always fits well no matter what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I reckon half of TE's initial problems were due to the fact that they had too many products in the range. The newer/newest ranges are spot on IMO. 3 heads, 3 combos and 8 (I think) cab designs. Price wise they are a little bit OTT lately but the quality is still there. In terms of tonal variation and versatility a 12 band Trace is hard to beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 (edited) Trace Elliot has always been my holy grail of tone. Love my GP12SMX 1x15 combo. Kicks an immense amount of arse! punch and growl in spades and 580w to play with. Sure they are heavy, but thats not a deal breaker to me. I always find it curious that it is said they have been left behind or bettered tonally, a product of the 80's if you will, I'm only 28 and Trace has always been THE tone. Over and above the Ashdowns, Markbass, Ampegs I've played through. Edit - have to add I never use the graphic preset, it sounds awful. Just manual control of the graphic eq. Edited June 11, 2014 by 40hz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 Many people find the TE tone sucks and not so great because they use the preset in band setting and many TE users know the preset is mid cut with bass and treble boost (smiley EQ setting). I like to adjust it manually and find myself cutting the bass actually .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muziekschuur Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I own a Trace Elliot 1008C wich was once in it's lifetime a 8x10 combo. But the head was cutoff from the cabinet. And I thought I was buying a 250H head, later discovered what the 1008C ment... That very amplifier is an awesome piece of engineering. Stepped knobs, great graphic EQ and quality parts throughout.... It must have cost a fortune to build... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB280 Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I am still using my old Trace heads, a lovely old Quatravalve and a V type and I for as long as my old back will hold out there is no way I am using anything else. Nothing comes close Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I played thru a Series 5 4x10 combo at a local festival last week, it sounded great with everything set flat. Great amp, probably their finest hour along with the Series 6 and V-Type stuff! Struggling with my conscience at the moment wrt the V-Type head in the FS section at the moment.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I've got a gig on sat with a TE210 500w combo... that is all the detail I have on it and we will have decent stage monmitoring so I am not stressing too much. The load-in will be a sod which is the only reason I am contemplating it, tbh, but I might through in another 210 to go underneath, if need be. Why does a proper stage think a 210 will be enough? It will surely get a caning unless the monitoring is really sorted and in the quick change-rounds that may be the problem. Far easier for the bass player to be able to look after himself and the band and that is one less issue for the engr to sort out in the limited time available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 [quote name='spacey' timestamp='1401484963' post='2464218'] They went through a period of bad reliability, had a few and they never could keep working, shame sounded good, just did not lpike the built in smoke machine. [/quote]All manufacurers have a period of unreliability. Look at the Ampex PF500! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 [quote name='VTypeV4' timestamp='1401494048' post='2464318'] I suspect wooly thing comes from excessive bottom end boosting on the graphic allied to using the pre-shape. The pre-shape gives boost at 50Hz and 2k6 but also cuts around 400Hz (All low Q seemingly) so any boost on the graphic is adding to the already boosted low . The effect is further enhanced by that reduction in the low-mids adding to the amount of apparent bottom end. The classic deep 'smiley face' generally yeilds a poor result with a Trace as it's all boom and clank with nothing left in the middle. It might work for a certain effect but doesn't tend to work in a group mix. On 12 band models the first two / three bands are generally better as a cut - do we really need 30 and 40Hz as frequency components in our sound? On 7 band models it's a 50Hz slider with a lower Q which covers a similar range. For me it's a no so I save the speakers and headroom by reducing them in my sound. I treat them in the same way I approach PA, (afterall it's where they were developed from anyways) I'd never boost the lowest frequencies as it would murder my drivers and sap amplifier power without achieving much in terms of sound. 20, 25, and 31Hz are moot on my FOH graphic anyway as my HPF is in at just below 40Hz but a trace doesn't have an HPF. I believe this is where things go wrong as folk assume the left side of the graphic 'must mean bass' rather than looking at the numbers, understanding where and how those frequency components fit into their sound. I'm not trying to defend Trace here, put simply their products don't work for everyone in every situation but I do believe a little investgaton and an open mind goes a long way.. [/quote] Finally some sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1409213476' post='2537452'] I've got a gig on sat with a TE210 500w combo... that is all the detail I have on it and we will have decent stage monmitoring so I am not stressing too much. The load-in will be a sod which is the only reason I am contemplating it, tbh, but I might through in another 210 to go underneath, if need be. Why does a proper stage think a 210 will be enough? It will surely get a caning unless the monitoring is really sorted and in the quick change-rounds that may be the problem. Far easier for the bass player to be able to look after himself and the band and that is one less issue for the engr to sort out in the limited time available. [/quote]Take the low sliders down rather than up and take the 2x10 with you and you will be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 I used to have a BLX130 what a little beast that was. Always wanted the extension cab but never found one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 [quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1409240125' post='2537887'] Take the low sliders down rather than up and take the 2x10 with you and you will be fine. [/quote] I'm wondering why the person supplying this amp wants to run the risk of it running hard into a 210. If the amp does around 300 into 8ohms, those 10's need to be pretty good and TE weren't noted for using great chassis, IME. If it were me lending/hiring it out, I add another 210 just for insurance. The reason I wont take my rig is because I don't know how close I can get the car ... I might not use much bass, if the monitors are good, but we haven't used this stage before so..?? I am pretty sure someone will give it a caning though and all those faders will be used as flat out volume..!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Sounds like it's one of the new TE combos so they'll be 200W Celestion drivers I think, and in my (albeit limited) experience their new cabs are better than the mid 90s stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Good that you say that, as I recall the old TE as being functional..albeit, good for the time, but more importantly, bombproof. If the new drivers are better, then that is good, but I still have a historic fear of blowing up speakers so I always take power ratings with a pinch of salt especially where bass is concerned... We will see. I'll pack a 210 and go from there. Parking and access being the main key to me using it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 How did it go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chienmortbb Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Just thinking about this further it seems that companies that are predominantly selling bass amplification find it difficult to survive. Small music shops will tend to specialse in a single manufacturers and so the solus bass companies findit hard to get the beginners. For example Guitar Mania in Poole sell only Marshall Group products so Marshall and Eden. Eden would not have got into GM if they were not part of Marshall. Of course the internet may give small companies (Barfaced) the chance to bypass traditional channels and thrive. On another matter, weight. I spoke to an ex Trace employee when I had my BLX130. He said that Trace's designers thought that MDF had the best Sonic properties and so tended to make speaker cabinets from MDF, not for low cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Used a TE rig last night. Was a 7-band graphic head, think the AH300, with an 810 cab. Was rather nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted September 2, 2014 Share Posted September 2, 2014 The TE stuff is nice if you don't have to move it lol. My was a 11 band EQ TE head and it is pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacey Posted September 4, 2014 Share Posted September 4, 2014 They were amps that sounded great on their own but walk down the room and very little audible bass got down the room unless you turned them up to loud. What sounds good on stage on its own, never sounds good out front in a band for some reason. The less EQ and knobs amps have the better the band sound to me. Look at things like Mark bass, plug it in, turn it up and they sound the knees without messing with anything. Slightly wooly valve tone from the off , but in a band situation it fills the sound right out, just wish I could afford one. Tried a TC bg500 and it sounded very trace to me, great on stage, pants out front. Agree they are a brand that lost its way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB280 Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Still using a Quatravalve and no way will i part with my V type either, am carrying a streamliner as back up but just no comparison to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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