Tecamp Puma - Tell me more..........

[Deedee]

Hi all

So, what are these heads all about? I've recently bought another Tecamp cab after having a L115-4 a couple of years ago. Very impressed with both the sound and the build quality but I've yet to try a Puma head. Seen lots of high praise on these pages.

300, 500, 900, 1000????

Which are the ones to go for? Are there any differences other than power? Any era changes that make a significant difference?

Are they too good to be used just as a back up?

Any significant differences under the EICH brand?

Edited May 4, 2017 by Deedee

[fretmeister]

I have a 300. It's my backup mainly, but also my lounge amp as it doesn't have a fan. I think the bigger ones do have fans.

It's a great amp. Punchy and clear.

[Twigman]

I use a Puma 900 as my main amp.
I take it to my fly away gigs in my hand luggage (it's really light and only the size of an average hardback book) and marry it with whatever cab the tech rider has in store for me..
Whatever cab it's hooked up to I can get a great noise out of it.

[BigRedX]

I've got a 300. It's part of my "small" rig. Tiny, light and with the right cab(s) plenty loud enough. The cab does need to be a fairly modern and reasonably efficient design, or you might find that the 300 isn't quite enough.

[Bobthedog]

I believe the 1000 is actually two times 500. I am not sure what that means in reality but it makes me prefer the 900 which is one time 900.

[franzbassist]

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1493920406' post='3291905']
I believe the 1000 is actually two times 500. I am not sure what that means in reality but it makes me prefer the 900 which is one time 900.
[/quote]

You can run the 1000 as 2 x 500 or 1 x 1000 in bridge mode.

[M@23]

Great amps. Simple but effective!

[Deedee]

Thanks all

[fretmeister]

Eich's are a little heavier due to their magnetic fixing system for their cabs.

Also, the 300W Eich model has a fan, whereas the Puma 300 doesn't. No idea why. Could be a different power section or simply that if thrashed they need it.

[Defo]

I use a puma 900, punchy and smooth, the taste control is not a gimmick, can match you to a room in seconds. I run it through Vanderkley cabs.

[Deedee]

Are there any big differences between the first and second generation models?

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Deedee' timestamp='1494093602' post='3293253']
Are there any big differences between the first and second generation models?
[/quote] the first set had powersoft digimod power amps, the second generation had B&O ice power poweramps - quite different sounding.
I think the Thomas who started tech soundsystems then tecamp got screwed over by someone hence the relaunch of Eich amplification. Purely on principle if I were shopping now I would go Eich over Tecamp...

I used to have a puma 1000 (powersoft version) and a M210, amp was good but next owner had the switch break on him. The cab was awful engineering and best avoided

[andybassdoyle]

Been using the bonafide for a few years now. Light, flexible and always sounds good. Bass guitar and double bass. Plenty of power where needed. Nothing not to like really...

[Deedee]

[quote name='andybassdoyle' timestamp='1494194820' post='3293980']
Been using the bonafide for a few years now. Light, flexible and always sounds good. Bass guitar and double bass. Plenty of power where needed. Nothing not to like really...
[/quote]

Nice. Is this effectively a twin channel Puma?

[andybassdoyle]

Yeah I think so. But twin pre and power amps so you can run it many different ways to suit. Stereo, biamp, separate basses etc. Tbh I rarely use that feature, sometimes I bridge the power amps for bigger gigs.
Great amp, not sure what the whole richard bona falling out thing was all about...

[bassace]

Got two Puma 500 amps. It's my go to for double bass these days. It's so small that the second one lives under the passenger seat, just in case.

[Deedee]

[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1494245928' post='3294271']
Got two Puma 500 amps. It's my go to for double bass these days. It's so small that the second one lives under the passenger seat, just in case.
[/quote]

That's sounds like one too many to me, so if you fancy parting company with one........... 😉

[Oldman]

I've owned a BonaFide for some years now, apart from a brief holiday with Gareth, it's been a main amp for gigging. I also used a Pooma 300 as a back up, never needed. The flexibility of the Bona is superb, twin channels with a 12db bass boost below 200Hz on one, two send and return. I also use two TecAmp cabs S115 and SX115 having recently sold both an XS112 and SX110, it was the best sounding and user friendly 4 cab rig I've ever used... buried an Eden WT800 I used with Schroeder cabs for user friendlyness. I am biased. Thomas fell out with the American partner who wanted production in China coinciding with Richard taking a Hissy Fit, IMO Thomas was already on the move. I bought the T1000 from Thomas at 2016 LBGS, a well built and thoughtfully designed head, identical (IMO) to the Pooma 1000 with the split channel bass boosty control. I sold it as it was overkill for me. A while back when I revisited my pedal phase I used both channels with various pedals, namely a POG2 through the 'treble channel' and an octave pedal through the Bass boosts channel, sublime. Small gigs one channel, bigger gigs both, both channels run into 2 Ohms, potentially an 8 cab rig... if your ever in Leicester you would be welcome to try the BonaFide out.

[xroads]

The Puma 900 was my main amp for a few years, from one 210 cab to 2 x 212 cabs it never let me down.
It is a pretty clean amp, and the EQ is very user friendly, i.e. everything at noon gives a solid sound,
and corrections to the room, band can be dialed in within seconds.
I moved on to more colored amps when mainly playing Precisions.

[bassace]

[quote name='Deedee' timestamp='1494269082' post='3294581']


That's sounds like one too many to me, so if you fancy parting company with one........... 😉
[/quote]

Unfortunately not, Deedee. Although the second one is nominally a spare it is often pressed into service when I need two channels. I used to lust after a BonaFide but a 500 racked on top of another does the job well enough. I was using a single 500 last night in a 'difficult' room and it dialled in a nice clean sound straightaway. It's the best amp for DB afaic and I'm sure it's a favourite with many BG players.

[Deedee]

[quote name='Oldman' timestamp='1494309724' post='3294786']
I've owned a BonaFide for some years now, apart from a brief holiday with Gareth, it's been a main amp for gigging. I also used a Pooma 300 as a back up, never needed. The flexibility of the Bona is superb, twin channels with a 12db bass boost below 200Hz on one, two send and return. I also use two TecAmp cabs S115 and SX115 having recently sold both an XS112 and SX110, it was the best sounding and user friendly 4 cab rig I've ever used... buried an Eden WT800 I used with Schroeder cabs for user friendlyness. I am biased. Thomas fell out with the American partner who wanted production in China coinciding with Richard taking a Hissy Fit, IMO Thomas was already on the move. I bought the T1000 from Thomas at 2016 LBGS, a well built and thoughtfully designed head, identical (IMO) to the Pooma 1000 with the split channel bass boosty control. I sold it as it was overkill for me. A while back when I revisited my pedal phase I used both channels with various pedals, namely a POG2 through the 'treble channel' and an octave pedal through the Bass boosts channel, sublime. Small gigs one channel, bigger gigs both, both channels run into 2 Ohms, potentially an 8 cab rig... if your ever in Leicester you would be welcome to try the BonaFide out.
[/quote]

Thanks for that. They too look great but I fear that a Bonafide may just be slightly out of my financial reach at the moment. Thanks for the offer of a try out anyway.

Thanks to all for their advice, views and experiences. It's all greatly appreciated 👍

[Deedee]

The temptation to scratch the Puma itch may be rising again! 

What are users thoughts on the power difference between the 500 and 900?  Is the 500 ample for most situations or is it worth holding out for its big brother?

 

[TheGreek]

Chris (Ordep) brought one to a Herts Bash - sounded wicked - lovely fat sound. Can't recall if it was the 500 or the 900 but it didn't seem to have any issues with "heft" - I was impressed with the little monster.

[Deedee]

15 hours ago, TheGreek said:

Chris (Ordep) brought one to a Herts Bash - sounded wicked - lovely fat sound. Can't recall if it was the 500 or the 900 but it didn't seem to have any issues with "heft" - I was impressed with the little monster.

Haha, I didn’t want mention the ‘H’ word but yes that’s what I was after (and coming from a fellow Trace lover, even better) ?

Thanks

[CameronJ]

22 hours ago, Deedee said:

The temptation to scratch the Puma itch may be rising again! 

What are users thoughts on the power difference between the 500 and 900?  Is the 500 ample for most situations or is it worth holding out for its big brother?

 

What cabs are you using? I’ve got a Puma 900 running into a single TKS1126 which is a power-thirsty cab that can happily deal with whatever you throw at it. It’s a serious “one cab solution” that pairs really well with high wattage at 8 ohms. Not all cabs share that attribute so it’s worth bearing in mind.

 

As far as raw “heft”. A Puma 500 into two cabs will give you more than a Puma 900 into a single cab, providing you were using the same cabs in each example. Basically, you’ll gain more by doubling your cabs than by doubling your watts.