Whats the most reliable (heavy duty) bass amp

[Timface]

Ive Just been practising with my band on my ABM500 and It seemed to be loosing or diping in and out of power. So what can people advise for a really solid LOUD amp, really I need more the 500w
Ive been looking at the Ameg Cl and EV0 900? my band plays indie/alternate

thoughts?

[bass_ferret]

Not being funny - but I've just been watching yesterdays Wembly gig and very few of the bass players there had more than 500 watts. At the volume you expect for 500 watts you will have to mike the drums so you may as well go through the PA as well.

[velvetkevorkian]

For value and rugged construction I would go with Peavey.

[Timface]

[quote]Not being funny - but I've just been watching yesterdays Wembly gig and very few of the bass players there had more than 500 watts. At the volume you expect for 500 watts you will have to mike the drums so you may as well go through the PA as well[/quote]

Well maybe its bottom end then... but my ABM500 definatly is not giving me the stuff I need!!!!

And I hate Peavy!! lol

[ped]

Gotta be valve - maybe a Trace V4? I think there is one for sale somewhere on the forum? Hmmm

[MB1]

MB1.

On t.v this week, i have bassically been noticing 8x10s AMPEGS AND ASHDOWNS

[MB1]

[quote name='ped' post='28846' date='Jul 8 2007, 10:25 PM']Gotta be valve - maybe a Trace V4? I think there is one for sale somewhere on the forum? Hmmm[/quote]








MB1.

Cant say ive noticed one?

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='Timface' post='28844' date='Jul 8 2007, 10:25 PM']Well maybe its bottom end then... but my ABM500 definatly is not giving me the stuff I need!!!![/quote]

Maybe its f***ed (sorry I mean broken)

[Timface]

hehe

[Kiwi]

[quote name='MB1' post='28849' date='Jul 8 2007, 10:27 PM']On t.v this week, i have bassically been noticing 8x10s AMPEGS AND ASHDOWNS[/quote]
They're mostly hire rigs.

For a loud amp I'd suggest GK if you would like a warm, clean and aggressive sound. Otherwise a Mesa Boogie Bass 400+ is well worth considering if you can handle lugging it to a gig. Markbass are pretty loud too.

[peted]

Hartke amps are ridiculously loud for what they rate the Wattage as. My [url="http://www.soundtech.co.uk/hartke/HA3500"]350 Watt HA3500[/url] never goes above 3 out of 10 as it would cause discomfort for people in the adjoining buildings. I'd recommend giving them a try.

[MoJ]

Just got a Peavey Pro 500 to replace my TE AH500-7 and Im amazed at how loud that sounds for 350w at 4 ohms. Has some serious bottom to it too. Going by what other say about Peavey it should be heavy duty. Too early for me to say though it is rack mounted, which just makes it heavy at the moment!
Andy

[Dr.Dave]

The most reliable amp in the world is the one that hasn't let you down....yet.

It's a box of electronic witchcraft - it can go wrong , I promise you.

I could give you a list of all the 'name' brand amps that have let me down. Quicker to just say 'all of them'.

Hearing what others say is very useful - a forum like this is esp good - re. reliability of any bit of gear. Some gear has a higher build quality than others. The more functions an amp has the more bits there are to go wrong. A bit of sensible common sense maintainance or a service every so often never goes amiss.

All of those things may help.

But there's no guarantees.

[Subthumper]

Maybe its your speakers.If you need more power than that you must be playing at ridiculous volume.

[rhino]

[quote name='Timface' post='28803' date='Jul 8 2007, 09:43 PM']Ive Just been practising with my band on my ABM500 and It seemed to be loosing or diping in and out of power. So what can people advise for a really solid LOUD amp, really I need more the 500w
Ive been looking at the Ameg Cl and EV0 900? my band plays indie/alternate

thoughts?[/quote]

Have you thought of trying Matamp?

Rhino

[obbm]

[quote name='Subthumper' post='28959' date='Jul 9 2007, 08:34 AM']Maybe its your speakers.If you need more power than that you must be playing at ridiculous volume.[/quote]


That's right. You haven't given us the whole story. What speakers are you using.


I did an outdoor thing recently using an ABM-500EVO, Trace 1152 (1x15) and a Trace 2103 (2x10). It was loud. The volume never above 10 O'clock all day.


BTW I'm looking for a Trace 2102 to partner the 1152.

Edited July 9, 2007 by obbm

[Toasted]

I play with circa 700 watts into a 3x10. That's plenty loud for me. It doesn't stop me wanting a 6x10 tho

[Dood]

[quote name='Toasted' post='29021' date='Jul 9 2007, 11:41 AM']I play with circa 700 watts into a 3x10. That's plenty loud for me. It doesn't stop me wanting a 6x10 tho [/quote]

I play with circa 1000 watts into a 6x10. That's plenty loud for me. It doesn't stop me wanting a 12x10 tho
then..
I play with circa 2000 watts into a 12x10. That's plenty loud for me. It doesn't stop me wanting a 24x10 tho

see what I did there? lol! I'm a big kid who loves toys!

[bass_ferret]

[quote name='dood' post='29044' date='Jul 9 2007, 12:48 PM']I play with circa 1000 watts into a 6x10. That's plenty loud for me. It doesn't stop me wanting a 12x10 tho
then..
I play with circa 2000 watts into a 12x10. That's plenty loud for me. It doesn't stop me wanting a 24x10 tho

see what I did there? lol! I'm a big kid who loves toys![/quote]

The Cure did a song called Never Enough. I'm sure its dedicated to bass players. I've got more power than the PA but it does not stop me wanting more.

[Marcus]

Hi,

First of all, In big stadium gigs everyone goes IEM so what amp / cab is being used is totally incidental cos nobody gets to hear it....... !! Not the Artist and Not the Audience because mostly they'll be using a top class DI to drive the FOH

Anyway..... back to reality !!!

Ampeg SVT's sound great and are Loud into the right cab, however...... in my experience reliability is an issue....


Ashdown's never been my thing but I respect the ABM 900's abilility to provide masses of volume and crunching tone, can't comment on long term reliability but I did use one while my SVT's were in the shop (which was quite often)

Had Eden do down on me (ooer !) their WT800 goes seriously loud into a pair of 410XLT's - possibly the loudest rig i've ever used until I got my MarkBass set-up (currently for sale) that's rediculously loud for 450 watts !!

However...... If I wanted a bomb proof reliable, seriously loud tone monster i'd buy an Aguilar DB750 and a pair of 4ohm cabs @ 2ohms it's pushing out close to 1000w



Mark

[Dood]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='29051' date='Jul 9 2007, 12:55 PM']The Cure did a song called Never Enough. I'm sure its dedicated to bass players. I've got more power than the PA but it does not stop me wanting more.[/quote]


lol.. ain't d'at da troof. Nuthing like the trouser flapping bottom end from a huge stack!

[carlosfandango]

i agree the aguliar 750 is a great amp..... works really well with schroeder cabs as well....*seems to be jorg's favourite amp btw). paired with a schro 21012....no lack of bottom end there! ampeg SVT 4Pro is also a VERY loud and great sounding amp IMHO...I used one with a schro 410 for really large outdoor gigs and never ran out of juice (monobridged in 1600w!).
c

[woolleydick]

Lets be fair, the sound guy never puts you high enough in the mix and you have to have a few hundred watts in reserve so you can turn up a bit and hear yourself onstage after it has all started!

Seriously though, efficient speakers are more impressive and effective than megawatts of power, if you really must take up even more stage area then buty a power amp and some pa speakers of your own and slave away!

[alexclaber]

The most reliable amp is one that is running well within its limits, both in terms of power used vs max power and impedance driven vs minimum impedance. I'd also say that of all the gear out there Peavey seems the most indestructible.

Alex

[gypsymoth]

I was going to suggest a Hiwatt 400 from the thread title, but after reading the power requirements it is out of contention. wimpy little thing that it is .