Unconventional amp set up, what are peoples opinions?

[Biaeothanata-Bassist]

Hey guys and girls

Since selling my Hartke LH500, i've been looking at different heads and totally settled on the Ampeg B2-RE, i've used one at band practise many times and i get my perfect tone out of it. Only problem is though, I can't find one for £180 (that's what I got for the Hartke LH500) so i've been considering a different option.

I was thinking of going for a rack mount 2x15 equaliser and feeding that out to a power amp, either that or going for the Ampeg SVT Pre amp and getting a separate power amp but again, I can't find one of those pre amps for anywhere near my budget.

The equaliser I was thinking of going for was the DBX 215 so I can have one side set up for the EQ i use with my main band and one for the small project i've got going (in which my amps eq would be the complete opposite of the main tone one). Obviously I then need to keep an eye out for some kind of rack mount power amp which i'd say needs to be a minimum of 250w per side to power 2 speaker cabs (a 4x10 and a 1x15 or an 8x10 on it's own) and cut through loud "metal" guitars.

Do you guys think it's worth going down this route? do you know of a rack mount equaliser that has 1 parametric channel and 1 graphic channel? Or should i just hold out for a B2-RE and try to get some more cash in to put towards it?

Cheers folks

[Lozz196]

If you`ve found an amp with a sound you love, get the dosh from somewhere, then get the amp.

[xgsjx]

+1
Save your pennies a little longer.
As for cabs, either go for the 8x10 or 2 4x10s. For loud guitar bands, you'd be better with 2 2x10s or 2x12s stacked vertically (better dispersion & easier to carry).

[dincz]

Plugging a passive bass directly into the DBX won't work well. The input impedance is way too low (20KΩ) and will load your pickups and kill the top end. You'd probably get away with it with an active.

[mrtcat]

Forget the idea with the rack eq. Either save on for the head you want or for the pre / power amp combination. Seems to me like an ampeg sound is what you want so a sansamp pedal or even the bargain Behringer bdi21 and any decent powered head should do it and that would give you a good sound to pass to an engineer at bigger gigs.

[brensabre79]

Get more cash and then get the amp you want, there's no substituting with bits and bobs - otherwise we'd all be at it!

in the meantime, the Behringer pedal mrtcat mentions is pretty darn good, very cheap, and if you find a used one you'll probably get your money back when you come to sell it.

Currently saving for the amp of my dreams too

[4 Strings]

For what it's worth, I'm with everyone here, save some more for what you want, even if it's s/h (they're over £500 new, right?), one will crop up. They seem a lot cheaper if you're prepared to import yourself.

I would doubt you'd match your Ampeg sound with just a bank of eq. Bit like trying to match the complexities of taste in Whisky with a bank of artificial flavouring. Might get close to tasting like Whiskey but you're looking for Laphroaig.

Why not ask the rehearsal studio of they're willing to sell?

[Biaeothanata-Bassist]

The general opinion seems to be that i should keep the money back which i think is a fair point and what i think i'll do. Especially with the point that Dincz raised about the input ohm of the rack EQ, i didn't quite realise it would be that low. I guessed a pre amp of some kind like a mic pre amp would be needed but that's more equipment i'd have to buy so it definitely makes sense to save up for the amp head like Lozz196 has said.

As for cabs xgsjx, i would love to eventually have 2 4x10s and 2 1x15s but for now, i'll be getting a 1x15 cab to go with it next then look at eventually getting the 2nd stack.

Also, i keep hearing so many good things about the Behringer BDI21 so i think i might get one of those whatever happens, especially if i can pick one up for £20. Thanks for the recommendation Brensabre79 and Mrtcat!

Finally, what you've said about dubbing i'd match the ampeg sound with an EQ is definitely a good point "4 Strings", I would ask the people who run the rehearsal studio if they'd sell one of them but i'll be honest, i've only seen them there once as they have other people over see the place for the evening stints when we're there. I'll keep my eye out for them though and have a word.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Biaeothanata-Bassist

[dincz]

Another option is a used channel strip which would give you a mic/instrument preamp, EQ and probably a compressor as well - all in a 1RU box. Very clean sound but a BDI21 would fix that. This is exactly what I use and it works well.

[Biaeothanata-Bassist]

I did consider getting a 1u channel strip but i haven't seen any within my price range (or there abouts) and haven't seen any with a graphic EQ on it. I definitely need to have a graphic EQ for the way i shape my tone.

Definitely going to get a BDI21 though so again thanks for the tip on that

[dincz]

[quote name='Biaeothanata-Bassist' timestamp='1406997168' post='2516561']
I did consider getting a 1u channel strip but i haven't seen any within my price range (or there abouts) and haven't seen any with a graphic EQ on it. I definitely need to have a graphic EQ for the way i shape my tone.

Definitely going to get a BDI21 though so again thanks for the tip on that
[/quote]

No, I don't remember seeing any with graphic EQ but in my experience parametric EQ is much more flexible although it takes some getting used to after a graphic.