Whats the most reliable (heavy duty) bass amp

[Owen]

Many variables here - but for reliability big PA amps are where it's at. Crown/QSC/Chevin/Powersoft the list goes on.

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='29120' date='Jul 9 2007, 03:10 PM']The most reliable amp is one that is running well within its limits, both in terms of power used vs max power and [b]impedance driven vs minimum impedance[/b]. I'd also say that of all the gear out there Peavey seems the most indestructible.

Alex[/quote]

I considered this when buying my 6 ohm Alex cab but couldn't find any research to indicate that running at 6 was any better for the amp than at the recommended 4 (for most amps). It makes sense that running a 6 ohm cab from an amp rated at x into 4 ohms would be less stressful than running at its limit of 4 ohms.

Do you know if it can have an effect on the tone? Assuming that an amp was running at the same volume (adjusted for the difference in resistance not the same fixed input/output) into a 4 or 6 ohm load (I'm not talking about valve amp)... does that make sense

I agree with the recommendation for Peavey's reliability, I've seen them get heaps of abuse in rehearsal rooms and just keep chugging away. Massively under-rated and cheap considering!

[JPJ]

A shop will tell you that my SWR750x is happy to run down to two ohms and will give you 850w if you elect to go down this route. A quick read of the excellent SWR manual will tell you that yes the amp will run at 2 ohms and yes it will give you 850w BUT at the risk of higher heat loads and premature component failure (they dont specify what is premature). Hence low impedence and high volume = long term unreliability.

[Timface]

[quote]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]

Im really gasing on a ampeg 610!!
I used the ABM500 through 2 410s... very old cabs may I add.

Im still looking at getting ABM900 and Ampeg 610

[Muppet]

[quote name='Timface' post='29622' date='Jul 10 2007, 10:32 AM']Im still looking at getting ABM900 and Ampeg 610[/quote]

I find Ashdown heads and Ampeg cabs don't go that well. I use a SVT4PRO and a Ampeg 610 and have an Ashdown head as a backup.

I'm not convinced that any amp is bulletproof. If you are paranoid (as I admit I am) then you'll have a backup plan.

I guess it means you need to take care of your equipment and have it serviced as and when. Anything not looked after is going to fail earlier than anything that is.

[Timface]

[quote]I find Ashdown heads and Ampeg cabs don't go that well. I use a SVT4PRO and a Ampeg 610 and have an Ashdown head as a backup.[/quote]

Why dont they work well?

[jacko]

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

That's cos it's an Ashdown.

From what I've heard and played through, an SVT and an 8x10 would be the ideal. mind you, I'm ecstatically happy every time I play through my own rig.

[alexclaber]

[quote name='Timface' post='29622' date='Jul 10 2007, 10:32 AM']Im really gasing on a ampeg 610!!
I used the ABM500 through 2 410s... very old cabs may I add.

Im still looking at getting ABM900 and Ampeg 610[/quote]

An ABM500 through two 4x10"s will be about as loud an ABM900 through a 6x10". As the former seems to be struggling, the latter seems a poor choice. To make a useful step up in output you need to double your power and double your number of speakers - that'll get you 6dB more. However that would be a quite ridiculous rig.

Therefore my gut feeling is that it's not the rig that is the problem but how you are using it. How is your EQ set?

Alex

[Delberthot]

Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger Gallien Krueger

[Cantdosleepy]

Hot damn Delberthot, that is one gorgeous bass in your avatar. Nice!

[G-bitch]

I would suspect that it's the cabs that's the issue - have you ever heard a 250w amp through an Ampeg fridge? Trust me it's not about power so much as speaker cone area, although a good quality power amp section is essential - one that is really designed to deliver the peaks, GK are the tits at this. A GK400rb through an Ampeg 810 is just astonishing.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='G-bitch' post='39611' date='Jul 31 2007, 05:00 PM']one that is really designed to deliver the peaks, GK are the tits at this. A GK400rb through an Ampeg 810 is just astonishing.[/quote]
My GK combos (rated at 380w into 8 ohm) absolutely wipe the floor with everything else I've played at the same power rating. The first time I played an RB400 combo it was literally love at first listen.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='29182' date='Jul 9 2007, 05:08 PM']I agree with the recommendation for Peavey's reliability, I've seen them get heaps of abuse in rehearsal rooms and just keep chugging away. Massively under-rated and cheap considering![/quote]
That would explain why they're in every friggin' rehearsal studio I practice in...

.. the guitarists get marshalls and what do the bassists get? Peavey and the cheaper end of Trace. Time for another thread perhaps...

[paul, the]

[quote name='Timface' post='28844' date='Jul 8 2007, 10:25 PM']And I hate Peavy!! lol[/quote]

I don't like Peavey amps, but their cab reviews make for interesting reading.

'Sound Quality : 10
A 1995 Bass Player magazine did a shootout with 4X10 bass cabs under $1000, and several blindfolded experts thought this Peavey was a $999 Eden or SWR. My first 4X10 was a Carvin, so when I tried out the Peavey for the first time, I almost wept! Thunderous, rich lows, beautiful mids. The Carvin is now a cat-scratching post.'

(on 410TX CAB) citation would be super.

[rodl2005]

a 300w all tube amp .... U WILL hear yourself. Especially thru 2 4x10's! SVT-CL/VR/ IIPRO. Fendeer Bassman 300PRO, Marshall VBA400. Any of these thru 2 4x10's will KILL ANY(IMHO) solid state amps-for abilityto hear & FEEL yourself! Just cant be done the same without power tubes! oh yeah- & as already mentioned Trace Elliot V4, V6 or V8. All these amps are reliable IME. I've known SVT's that work fine for yrs with NO servicing. MY Fender Bassman 300PRO has been workin fine-about 40 gigs so far with NO probs at all. I've heard the V8/6/4 TE's are superb too1 I'm sure the Marshall VBA is reliable too! I've not heard different anyway!

Edited August 1, 2007 by rodl2005

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='rodl2005' post='39848' date='Aug 1 2007, 08:44 AM']a 300w all tube amp .... U WILL hear yourself. Especially thru 2 4x10's! SVT-CL/VR/ IIPRO. Fendeer Bassman 300PRO, Marshall VBA400. Any of these thru 2 4x10's will KILL ANY(IMHO) [b]solid state amps-for abilityto hear & [u]FEEL[/u] yourself[/b]! Just cant be done the same without power tubes! oh yeah- & as already mentioned Trace Elliot V4, V6 or V8. All these amps are reliable IME. I've known SVT's that work fine for yrs with NO servicing. MY Fender Bassman 300PRO has been workin fine-about 40 gigs so far with NO probs at all. I've heard the V8/6/4 TE's are superb too1 I'm sure the Marshall VBA is reliable too! I've not heard different anyway![/quote]

Can that really be true! Is it possible that a speaker can replicate the output better/different from one amp than another? Surely a speaker can only convert the input signal into mechanical energy/cone movement... would a comparable output (ie EQed similar with an identical output level) from a SS 'feel' different than from a valve amp? I'm not talking about the tonal differences between two given amps, I'm talking about the energy displaced from the driver.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='39862' date='Aug 1 2007, 09:22 AM']I'm talking about the energy displaced from the driver.[/quote]

Oh good grief, here we go again...

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='39870' date='Aug 1 2007, 09:33 AM']Oh good grief, here we go again... [/quote]

Oh no we don't

[G-bitch]

He's got a point - if it was about the whole [b]FEEL[/b] thing - that really is just a bollocks rhetoric thing that people say when they get the bass sound that [i]they[/i] like. I run an old valve head, but I don't want to literally feel it (by having a shedload of low end boost) 'cos that isn't my preference - fackin' nice sound mind.

I'll play devil's advocate on both sides of any argument

[chris_b]

I don't think Ampeg are the best made amps in the world, anymore, but get a good one and they seem to go on forever. My SVT3PRO 475watts into 4 ohm has done in the region of 1500 gigs in the last 10 years and has never blinked. I have to keep up with some stupidly loud guitarists so it has to work hard for its living. And it produces a BIG sound every gig.

I took it into John Kelly's for a service a few years ago; because I thought I should look after it better. He'd never had one in before! It cost me £46 to find out that there was nothing wrong with it!!

[alexclaber]

[quote name='chris_b' post='40046' date='Aug 1 2007, 03:41 PM']...get a good one and they seem to go on forever.[/quote]

This is applicable to almost any amp made by almost any company!

Alex

[chris_b]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='40094' date='Aug 1 2007, 05:16 PM']This is applicable to almost any amp made by almost any company![/quote]
Very true. OK, it was just a figure of speech and probably not necessary to get the idea across, but I think that my point about SVT3PRO amps is still valid. And I am answering the original question.

Edited August 1, 2007 by chris_b

[alexclaber]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='29182' date='Jul 9 2007, 05:08 PM'][Re higher impedance loads]Do you know if it can have an effect on the tone?[/quote]

You would theoretically gain tighter bottom due to increased damping factor but I doubt it's audible.

rodl2005, maybe you could put that stuff about valve amps in your signature, save you retyping it so often.

Alex

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='alexclaber' post='40155' date='Aug 1 2007, 07:26 PM']You would theoretically gain tighter bottom due to increased damping factor but I doubt it's audible.

rodl2005, maybe you could put that stuff about valve amps in your signature, save you retyping it so often.

Alex[/quote]

I thought I'd huffed you Alex when you didn't respond earlier

So the only real advantage to running an amp at anything less than the minimum ohmage is that you are theoretically placing less stress on the amp, assuming that you may be increasing the amp output gain a smidgen to compensate for the difference in impedance!

[warwickhunt]

Speaking of Peavey and reliability, I spotted this on eBay...

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Peavey-Bass-Rig_W0QQitemZ300137557781QQihZ020QQcategoryZ58719QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViwItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Peavey-Bass-Rig_W0QQ...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

A lot classier aesthetically than much of their early stuff but still the same reliability and the cabs are a stonking deal in comparison to pricier kit.

[chris_b]

[quote name='Timface' post='28803' date='Jul 8 2007, 09:43 PM'].......... so what can people advise for a really solid LOUD amp, really I need more the 500w........[/quote]
There is an Ampeg SVT3PRO and an Eden 550B currently for sale here on BC. You really can't get better than either of those. If you really think you have to be louder than 500 watts... try getting better, or more, speakers.