Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Ashdown B Social - really?


Muppet
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1424358376' post='2695519']
Out of curiosity, if it's not money that you avoid Apple for. Why is it?
[/quote]

As with most things I don't buy (except a Ferrari and such), I don't buy them because I don't like them, or the company making them, or both.
Apple products are not THAT expensive. You can get an iPhone on a similar package to my mobile one, but you won't see me going for one.
I know Apple-fans tend to think Apple-life is the life we should all naturally aspire to, but it's just not so. Enjoy your iWhatever. I'm glad there are other alternatives that work better for me.
Equally, I would never own a Rickenbacker, I don't think. It's not a cash thing. I just don't like them, unconceivable as it may seem to some.

Computing-wise, PCs are more convenient for me, and more flexible. I use dual partitions so that I sometimes use Windows and other times a flavour of Linux, depending on what I need to do. I'm very happy with my HTC phone running Android, and I have never felt "I wish it were an iPhone"...
I do not like the way Apple products seem to create unnecessary dependance on other Apple products... even things like power supplies!
It was power supplies that made me shun Sony many years ago, when I got fed up that every new Walkman I bought seemed to use yet a different adaptor plug and I had to buy their own brand adaptor. I haven't bought Sony ever since, I'm vindictive that way :P
I lie, I bought a pair of headphones once, because they sounded great. But if there is an equally good alternative available to me, I go for that one.
Same thing for Apple and me.

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1424293034' post='2694918']
at £600 an Apple user will accept this for a functional device that looks the business. Android users on the other hand tend to be more cheapskate and think Open Source means they should get stuff for less...
[/quote]

Whereas Apple users pay way over the odds for commodity hardware that can't be upgraded, and just happens to depend on a foundation of Open Source software. Mac OS-X and iOS? Based on a modified and open source Unix kernel from Carnegie-Mellon university, along with a userland mostly from various open source BSD versions of Unix.

Or you could run something like Linux where the system isn't predicated on finding ways for schmucks to part with money via iTunes, the app store, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='largo' timestamp='1424358376' post='2695519']
Out of curiosity, if it's not money that you avoid Apple for. Why is it?
[/quote]

Up until the iPhone 6 at least, it was the Steve Jobs legacy that meant small screen sizes. Even once they fixed the screen size, that still leaves the issue of not being able to install a decent web browser, as the only alternative to Apple's Safari have to use a crippled version of the same rendering engine to be able to get into the App Store. That means no advert blocker.

Then there's the recent versions of Mac OS-X, where Apple have started to ignore their own style guides for application interfaces resulting in decreased conformance with Human Interface best practices. I liked Mac OS-X up until Tiger (10.4), but ever since it's been downhill as the focus has shifted from usability towards trying to get you to buy content from iTunes or the App Store.

Then there's the lack of something like a decent package management system. Sure, if you're coming from the anarchy of Windows with its DLL hell and lack of coherent structure, then the Unix underpinnings of OS-X offer some improvement but it's pretty pisspoor compared to the package management on a typical Linux or BSD system.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1424391550' post='2695970']


Up until the iPhone 6 at least, it was the Steve Jobs legacy that meant small screen sizes. Even once they fixed the screen size, that still leaves the issue of not being able to install a decent web browser, as the only alternative to Apple's Safari have to use a crippled version of the same rendering engine to be able to get into the App Store. That means no advert blocker.
[/quote]

I really don't want to get drawn into the whole Apple vs everyone else thing, but...

The browser I'm using right now has a myriad of features, one of which is an ad blocker which works just fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1424391550' post='2695970']I liked Mac OS-X up until Tiger (10.4)[/quote]

[b]This.[/b]
I used to do Mac IT on top of my real job and previously looked after nearly 60 users over 2 sites, one of which pretty much remotely and it used to be pain free.
Now I work in a much smaller firm, with only 5 of us and I struggle to keep things running smoothly with all the bodged updates and the fact that OS X Server has been reduced to an "app".
Things limp along now and I've lost all interest in the continued firefighting, they can stay that way.

Eude

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1424414426' post='2696009']
I have no idea what package management is. Is it something I need to know?
[/quote]

Clearly you don't. So no need to worry. :)

The thing is "computers" can be used for one and a million things, so it's natural that there's a whole lot of different requirements out there for different people. Macs do what they do very well for a group of people. If you have different requirements, Macs may not be for you. Like... anything else really. I don't see why we need to fight wars over Mac vs PC :lol:
Can Mac people accept Macs are not ideal for everyone, and viceversa about PCs? Then we can go back to argue about Precision vs Jazz or something :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1424427193' post='2696128']
Yup.

Apple is great for people who just want to do stuff.

Android etc. is[b] great for people who want to do stuff with the thing they use to do stuff.[/b]

:-)
[/quote]

Ha! I love that! I'm going to keep it for future reference :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1423523162' post='2686040']
£600 and it's just sporting USB connectivity? Why no firewire (or Thunderbolt)?
[/quote]

More universal for a single connector.

USB 3and USB C are making a good move onto the market. I'm a huge, huge Thunderbolt fan (makes the video work I do so, so, so much easier!)

Apple don't ship any Firewire products anymore. They're moving entirely to Thunderbolt (and maybe USB 3? They pushed USB 2 so it's not impossible.)

I quite like the B-social, I think the "social" part of the name is a bit... forced, but I like it.

It's not a unique concept and I think it's not for everyone, but for someone who wants what it does, nothing else really satisfies those needs.

This is very similar in concept (but done in a Bass orientated and Ashdown-ified way) to the New Line 6 Amplifi (the TT comes to mind, but the line as a whole) and the Yamaha THR units, which for £150-£250 (5/10, model etc) are fantastic amps. I'm actually recording all my Guitar tracks for a demo album with a two THR units and, using one as a DI for bass to re-amp/software model.

If these sell at closer to £400, I can see these selling for the right people just fine. It's still a solid amount of money though, and it's role/need isn't great enough for me to lay down 600, when that's a new bass or amp or cab, or a months rent...

I like it, but the price means I know I won't be getting one as even if it does do what it does better than anything else out there. I can make do with rattling headphones to practise in my apartment... (He says now. Can see myself caving and buying the B-social in 18 month haha!) That or my THR actually does kick out a solid amount of low end. Wouldn't ever be able to jam with someone unless they were an acoustic player. That's something I'd really like to try, could be very, very cool!

Edit: Also, with all amp tones, horses for courses. I always seem drawn to Ashdown but never found an Ashdown tone/rig I'm 100% happy with. Been doing a lot of gigs with a friends ABM ring and it does down the meaning of grunt and thunder though! With a good grindy distortion been pretty chuffed with the tones ;) The Evo IV ABMs are something I really want to try.

I do wish the drive knobs went a couple notches higher though. But I'm a drive fiend, so what do I know?! :lol:

Edited by AttitudeCastle
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1422785453' post='2676646']
Time will tell. No offence to Ashdown, but it's years since they were thought of as a premium brand.
[/quote]


Ashdown happens to be the fourth selling brand of bass amps in the world. Some ones buying it and and the three ahead of Ashdown happens to be much larger companies and have been in the amp game longer than Ashdown has and that says a lot about a little tiny company such as Ashdown in how ther'ye able to hang with the big boys.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ashdown just cover all the bases really - cheap and cheerful practice amps, affordable rigs for the weekend warrior, up to the expensive custom shop / premium UK-built gear for the pros or people like me (more money than talent).

Some of their stuff IS premium, some of it (and the majority that we see in guitar shops!) isn't so much :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...