Ashdown

[bassmansky]

the abm heads were made in the uk until march 2006 i believe.ive tryed both and must admit that the uk made one sounded better and louder they were both the evo11 model.i emailed ashdown about this and they said there should'nt be any differance.i might swap my prc one for the english model allthough its a year older!like other manufacturers they ship out to china to keep their costs down which in a way is not good for our economy,only good when youre buying one!

[redzombie]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='258132' date='Aug 8 2008, 02:14 PM']One thing i wont get is the 300watt version. I found that to be a bit on the quiet side, even compared to my MAG that was rated the same. felt i was pushing it quite a bit on a lot of gigs.[/quote]

It's actually 325 watts IIRC, not that it really makes much difference. Still you have a point. My 150-watt Peavey 1x15 combo, is a lot louder than my ABM 300 @ 8 ohms/235 watts with a single 2x10 cab. I've not compared them with Ashdown at 4 ohms, but still, either the Peavey is loud for it's rating or the Ashdown is quiet.

Saying that though, I don't feel the need to upgrade to a 500, not when I'm always mic'd/DI'd through the PA anyway. Even in rehersal it keeps up with my mate's Mesa Triple Recto guitar half stack. We cranked them both for a laugh once, light bulbs fell out, the burgular alarm went off, but it still kept up.

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='aceuggy' post='258317' date='Aug 8 2008, 04:59 PM']You can forget the Allegro and the go faster stripes, but I'll take woman off the bonnet for you. [/quote]
Given that pic was prob taken in 1975 you can have her mate!!

[Andyalfa]

Would I be right in thinking that where you stand in relation to the speaker is an important factor in how you perceive the sound? I understood that a 15 projects more into a room and sounds excellent from an audience’s listening position, but slightly woolly close up where the player stands. A 4x10 combination sounds better close up but touch thin further away.

I have an ABM 500 EvoII C115 combo and it definitely sounds better, the further I stand from it. Given that the audience are the ones you want to sound good to, maybe a 15 is the way to go?

Is there any truth in this, or am I merely in denial after choosing a C115 in the first place?

Edited December 17, 2008 by Andyalfa

[alexclaber]

[quote name='Andyalfa' post='356959' date='Dec 17 2008, 02:09 PM']Would I be right in thinking that where you stand in relation to the speaker is an important factor in how you perceive the sound? I understood that a 15 projects more into a room and sounds excellent from an audience’s listening position, but slightly woolly close up where the player stands. A 4x10 combination sounds better close up but touch thin further away.[/quote]

The position of your ears relative to any speaker has a huge effect upon the sound. The key factors determining this are the on-axis vs off-axis response, the power response (sum of all the responses at all angles on and off-axis) and the room acoustics (boundary reinforcement and cancellation). The larger the sound source the worse the off-axis response becomes as you go higher in frequency. The more similar the power response is to the on-axis response then the more similar the cab will sound when it's up close and pointed at your ears as it will when you're the other end of a venue (because you gradually hear more and more of the reflected sound and less of the direct sound as you get further away). The closer your cab is to solid rear and wide walls the more bottom you'll get both up close and out in the room.

The reason 4x10"s often sound better up close but thin at a distance is because their inherent sound is strong in the higher mids but when you stand well off-axis those higher frequencies don't reach you as strongly so you hear a nice tone. Stand further away and hear more of the true sound and it's thinner sounding. A 4x10" designed to have less high midrange would have the same pros and cons as a more typical 15" - woollier off-axis, better on-axis.

Two solutions - get a cab with tolerable off-axis response (a single 15" or vertical 2x10" is much better than a 2-way 4x10") and then point it at your ears onstage. Or get a cab with good off-axis response by virtue of using a smaller midrange speakers to disperse the higher frequencies move evenly.

One mistruth that goes round and round is that big speakers project the lows better and have more 'throw'. This is not true at all, not unless you're planning on using a 2x15' as opposed to a 2x15"!!!

Alex

[Merton]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='357006' date='Dec 17 2008, 02:39 PM']... a 2x15'...[/quote]
Now that's a speaker config you really could call the Big One!

[Tee]

So i got my MAG 300 Evo II yesterday. It's going to be my backup/sharing amp to my Orange AD200 valve head. It looks pretty cool in its two tone grey/black matched with my Aguilar DB cab silver/black. With a quick bit of eq-ing i can dial in a tone similar to my Orange. Whereas on my Orange, i pretty much don't touch anything, it's that nice. Thanks to the efficient cab, i reckon it'll certainly cut it at gigs too. Loving the VU meter as well. ^_^

So now i have 'Oranguilar' and 'Maguilar' set ups

[knappymer]

Greetings everyone,

I was wondering if any of you have had the chance to try out any of Ashdown's 610 (ABM or CL), VS212, or VS412 cabs. They will most likely be pair with an ABM500 EVO III. I'm thinking about making my way back into the Ashdown herd after selling my MAG300R a few years ago (still regretting it).

Any and all of your time is much appreciated.

Cheers.

[Monckyman]

Just to add to this thread.
I have an ABM 500 115, made in UK prior to 2002 (repair/build date written inside in marker).
The original blue speaker had been replaced when I bought it, and an Eminence ME200 fitted.
This sounded ok, quite bright and punchy, but to my ears lacking warmth, though it could be corrected a little with EQ.
I recently aquired an Ampeg 250 15" in a nice deep EV bass bin so I swapped out the two.
I rather like the Ampeg in the Ashdown combo, it still gives a clear top end with a fair bit of snap, but has an added warmth in the lower frequencies that the Eminence did not.
Happily enough, the Eminence doesn`t sound half bad in the EV cab either, perhaps because of the larger cubic capacity of the box itself rather than the quite narrow ashdown box.
Wanting to try a couple of extension cabs I bought an Ashdown Mag 115 and an Ashdown Mag 410, both the "Deep" models.
I liked the 2 15"s together, very old school dubby sound, especially with my trubassed p bass, but probably a little one dimensional for work in a covers band where a few different types of sound and tone are needed.
So I tried the 4x10 and that made everything right. The combo`s 15 provided warmth and depth while the 410 gave all the snap and punch I needed and more.
I think the amp itself runs very nicely at 4ohms with the two cabs, and at 500 watts seems to have a lot of headroom to play with.
I sold the 115 within 3 days of buying it for more cash which sort of paid for the 410.
The 115`s seem to be in demand at the moment.
I think the combo on it`s own would hold up well in most pubs/bars, and adding the 410 will be great for larger venues that still don`t have that large a P.A.
All i need now is to replace the carpet with tolex.

MM

Edited April 27, 2011 by Monckyman

[dan670844]

[quote name='jakesbass' post='249149' date='Jul 27 2008, 09:35 PM']I had the unexpected pleasure of playing an Ashdown ABM 500 (?)
I did a gig at Canary wharf in the park in the middle (so outdoor stage) and the provided backline was the aforementioned Asdown combo.
In the past I have nodded and agreed with threads that have said they are wooly. Well Jeez this one wasn't, I don't know what the difference was with the last one I played but this one did great service to my Alembic, the bottom was tight and defined and the mids and highs were smooth and audible. I know a lot of it is down to the bass but it was more than just ok I thought it sounded great.
So now this adds to my headache of choosing a rig DRAT!![/quote]

I played a mag 300 210 combo the other day with a 1x15 underneath, it was great, I used it with an old jazz bass and it really brought out the detail and had a lovely solid but smooth and warm tone. I initially turned my nose up at it because it i thought it would be low rent, really a one tone wonder, but it was really nice, almost valve tone, I picked it up just to see how heavy it was and its was supprisingly light. I thought they had particle board cabs (heavy) obviously not. If I was just playing blues rock stuff I don't think you could go far wrong. I think you need the 1x15 to beef it up but thats no problem as that was pretty light too.

[dan670844]

[quote name='acidbass' post='250131' date='Jul 29 2008, 04:57 AM']Too true. My ABM 2x10 combo doesn't suffer from this at all thankfully![/quote]


Could it be because the 15's are a low range cab for low range extension? they don't really publish data though, just summising. Most of the Trace cabs were with a few exceptions and were matched to the 2x10 and 4x10 for this purpose. Laney also have this setup with their Nexus range i.e. 70Hz+ for the 4x10 and 35Hz+ for the 15" but importantly they are matched so you can mix em.

[4-string-thing]

[quote name='Tee' post='257280' date='Aug 7 2008, 03:03 PM']Has anyone played a MAG 600 EVO II head? I'm considering getting a cheaper head for gigging, but i've read reviews that they don't sound like their full wattage potential. It could just be user error i guess. The 300 is pretty popular on HC reviews and as i said above i liked the 4x10 combo (MAG 300) version i tried. I'd like the 600 as i'll be using an 8ohm 210 cab. The 300 might not cut it.[/quote]

I've got the 600 and the 300 EVO 11 heads and they both sound great through my old Acoustic 2x15, not woolly at all. The 600 is quite a bit louder, despite many people saying that I wouldn't notice the difference!

[watchman]

[quote name='knappymer' post='1212442' date='Apr 27 2011, 11:28 AM']Greetings everyone,

I was wondering if any of you have had the chance to try out any of Ashdown's 610 (ABM or CL), VS212, or VS412 cabs. They will most likely be pair with an ABM500 EVO III. I'm thinking about making my way back into the Ashdown herd after selling my MAG300R a few years ago (still regretting it).

Any and all of your time is much appreciated.

Cheers.[/quote]

I have an ashdown 610, the ABM. I use it with an Ashdown LG1000, and at home sometimes with a Peavey Mk 6 for nostalgia's sake. I like it a lot. It's a big clean sound and a lot of power handling in a package that I can just about manhandle into the back seat of my small car. Quite heavy, but there are built-in castors and a handle that make it a bit more manageable. I would criticize it on two grounds (for the money - I picked it up for £400 new, which seemed pretty good).

First, when driving it along using the wheels and handle the centre of gravity (or whatever the term is) is such that it tends to want to drop back upright. It has to be leant back quite far to comfortably balance in transit. I imagine that this is less of a problem if you're not too tall. I'm a six-footer, and it makes me stoop. Mind you, without the wheels it'd be hell to move around. Where I live I can't get a vehicle closer than about fifty yards from my house, so this is pretty important to me.

Secondly, judging by the pasting it has taken already, the vinyl covering is pretty thin and flimsy. No chucking this one around with gay abandon.

I have nothing bad to say about the sound though, although you'd need my ears to take that as a recommendation in itself

[watchman]

[quote name='dan670844' post='1213810' date='Apr 28 2011, 01:43 PM']I played a mag 300 210 combo the other day with a 1x15 underneath, it was great, I used it with an old jazz bass and it really brought out the detail and had a lovely solid but smooth and warm tone. I initially turned my nose up at it because it i thought it would be low rent, really a one tone wonder, but it was really nice, almost valve tone, I picked it up just to see how heavy it was and its was supprisingly light. I thought they had particle board cabs (heavy) obviously not. If I was just playing blues rock stuff I don't think you could go far wrong. I think you need the 1x15 to beef it up but thats no problem as that was pretty light too.[/quote]

My MAG 300 1x15" combo was definitely MDF or similar. Weighed a ton. Didn't sound all that great either, but it was cheap. Bought new for £220 five years or so back, gigged hard for two years, blew up. I sold it for £50 without the blown amp bit to a mate as a cab. The head's in my kitchen somewhere under a pile of equally u/s turntables, awaiting enough interest from me to fix it...

[knappymer]

[quote name='watchman' post='1214465' date='Apr 28 2011, 03:35 PM']I have an ashdown 610, the ABM. I use it with an Ashdown LG1000, and at home sometimes with a Peavey Mk 6 for nostalgia's sake. I like it a lot. It's a big clean sound and a lot of power handling in a package that I can just about manhandle into the back seat of my small car. Quite heavy, but there are built-in castors and a handle that make it a bit more manageable. I would criticize it on two grounds (for the money - I picked it up for £400 new, which seemed pretty good).

First, when driving it along using the wheels and handle the centre of gravity (or whatever the term is) is such that it tends to want to drop back upright. It has to be leant back quite far to comfortably balance in transit. I imagine that this is less of a problem if you're not too tall. I'm a six-footer, and it makes me stoop. Mind you, without the wheels it'd be hell to move around. Where I live I can't get a vehicle closer than about fifty yards from my house, so this is pretty important to me.

Secondly, judging by the pasting it has taken already, the vinyl covering is pretty thin and flimsy. No chucking this one around with gay abandon.

I have nothing bad to say about the sound though, although you'd need my ears to take that as a recommendation in itself [/quote]


Very much appreciated, sir. One of the main reasons I'm digging this cab is because of the lack of tweeter, can't stand 'em. And it has that old-school muscle mixed with new-school design vibe going for it. The weight isn't too much of an issue for me, my guitarist is a fan of Mesa cabs, and even for a guitar cab the thing is heavy (around 120lbs). I think I'll probably just have to pull the trigger and go buy one.

Again, thanks from a new guy to the forum.

[AttitudeCastle]

I think the "Ashdown wool" label comes from their 1x15"s and the Mag range!

Very easy to get bags of wool with the MAG 115s

BUT With some EQ they can go from Wool to deep phaat bottom with nice midds and a fair top end (no jokes ) more old school voiced but definately usable!

[thodrik]

On the ABMs I have found the best way to avoid the 'wool' is just to turn the bass knob down and not go over the top with the valve drive. Not my favourite amps, as finding the sweet spot takes a bit of work, but I can always get a decent sound out of them. The ABM 500s are also really really loud! I still prefer Trace Elliot amps hands down though and consider the Ashdown ABM amps to be a step backwards from the Series 6 or SMX range. That said some people hate Trace Elliot so it is horses for courses really.

The Ashdown valve amps look pretty cool though! Also as a whole the ABM and Mag ranges are good value for money, for both amps and cabinets.

Edited April 30, 2011 by thodrik

[AttitudeCastle]

One thing about Ashdown is they get a beautiful "Grunt" out of them! I've found it takes a good while to find the sounds that i like, though they do a nice fat warm sound with ease and with buckets to spare!

[dan670844]

[quote name='thodrik' post='1215473' date='Apr 30 2011, 02:46 AM']On the ABMs I have found the best way to avoid the 'wool' is just to turn the bass knob down and not go over the top with the valve drive. Not my favourite amps, as finding the sweet spot takes a bit of work, but I can always get a decent sound out of them. The ABM 500s are also really really loud! I still prefer Trace Elliot amps hands down though and consider the Ashdown ABM amps to be a step backwards from the Series 6 or SMX range. That said some people hate Trace Elliot so it is horses for courses really.

The Ashdown valve amps look pretty cool though! Also as a whole the ABM and Mag ranges are good value for money, for both amps and cabinets.[/quote]


Series 6 now you are talking! SMX compressor is great I still have mine that I bought in the 90's don't know how many gigs they have done, still going strong aside from a few jack plug replacements

[thodrik]

[quote name='dan670844' post='1215758' date='Apr 30 2011, 12:57 PM']Series 6 now you are talking! SMX compressor is great I still have mine that I bought in the 90's don't know how many gigs they have done, still going strong aside from a few jack plug replacements[/quote]

I have an SMX that I picked up on Ebay for peanuts. The jack plug needs replacing and the power section has been replaced, but it sounds really great. I have tried a Series 6 amp once and it was really great, especially compared with my older SM300 combo, which although was good, was nothing in comparison.

[chrismuzz]

Hi guys, recently tried my markbass f1 head through a mag 410. Wow! I'm considering making the move and getting a couple of 2x10s but I'm concerned about the power handling. They say they handle 250w at 8ohms, and my f1 is advertised as 500w... However the sticker on the side says 550w? I don't wanna risk buying a couple of cabs that I simply can't use. Anyone see a problem with this? Cheers

EDIT: No worries, had a bash in a music shop and didn't like them anyway

Edited May 27, 2011 by chrismuzz

[SirChewey]

[quote]Mind you, without the wheels it'd be hell to move around.[/quote] (ABM610)

My Neo810 also came with wheels and that is a beast at 4 1/2ft tall and 60KG... thank god for roadies lol

Edited August 12, 2011 by SirChewey

[Mikeg]

I tried out a Mag 300 head through a Markbass 2x10, and it sounded wonderful. I compared it to a Hartke Lh500 head with the same cab, and the ashdown was far better. A nice warm tone, but you can easily dial in a Hi fi slap tone. It was very versatile.

When I got back I read all the horrible things that were said about them on here, and got a bit confused
Maybe cabs change the sound more than I thought.

[AsterL]

I just got an ashdown 115 evo II off ebay for a fair price, definately not wooly, used to only play ashdown amps, but sadly this ones vavle drive doesn't work as well as the back lighton the vu. Getting a refund and switching to Eden, definately a lot more clear then the asdown.

[halfmanhalfdrum]

I'm very happy with my Ashdown rig. It does everything I need. The guitarist in the band I'm in expects the bass to have a thunderous low rumble and the Ashdown delivers in bucket loads.