Happy Jack Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 Here's the very wonderful Ed Friedland reviewing the Genz Benz Streamliner 900 and A/B-ing it briefly against the ShuttleMax. https://youtu.be/d-27szg61bw?t=2m53s I've brought you into the video at the point where he plays the same phrase twice through each of the two amps, on the same settings. I expected him to say "[b][i]So, as you can hear, the two amps sound utterly identical"[/i][/b]. Erm ... not so much ... Fair enough, I'm using a pair of earbuds from a laptop's headphone output. I'm quite prepared to believe that I'd be able to hear more through a high-end soundcard and a pair of £200 headphones, but as far as I can make out these two sounds/tones are indistinguishable. Is it just my ears? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 They sound quite different to me, using cheap but full-sized Panasonic headphones from an LG tablet. The Streamliner seems deeper and more scooped in those clips - perhaps the earbuds don't show up the low end difference so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 I own both amps, and they are tonally quite different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthedog Posted September 7, 2017 Share Posted September 7, 2017 (edited) I could hear no difference played at a comfortable volume. Played through a Bose Companion 3 system via a Mac. I am struggling with ear training however. Perhaps worth turning this into a Poll with people stating their audio medium Edited September 7, 2017 by Bobthedog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 Jack, the real test Re: whether you're going deaf is whether you hear Silvia when she asks you to do the washing up/ hoovering/ dusting while she pops out. If you do them then you heard her, if not you didn't.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 They sound exactly the same to me. MacPro optical out into Denon amp Mission Speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 YouTube sound compression has a lot to answer for I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted September 8, 2017 Share Posted September 8, 2017 (edited) There was much more variation in his articulation of each run than between the amps IMO - I dont see the point trying to A/B stuff if your not going to play the phrase extremely consistently (which he wasnt) or even better play into a looper pedal and switch it over. Edited September 8, 2017 by bassman7755 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmayhem Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 [quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1504779201' post='3367223'] I own both amps, and they are tonally quite different. [/quote] I've had both: totally different animals! The Streamliner is darker and meatier. You don't have to tweak to get a good tone. The Max needs a bit of twiddling to get a good tone i.m.o. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 (edited) I'm playing the video through my hi-fi, which is connected, via bluetooth, to my laptop. I can hear abso.....lutely no difference. In a live context, playing with a band, I doubt anybody would. Interestingly, recently I turned up to a gig and the amp provided had two channels. I didn't like the sound much, so twiddled with the EQ and eventually found a much better sound from the amp. Just before the second set I had another look at the amp and realised that I was plugged into channel 1 and I had been adjusting my sound with the EQ of channel 2. I could have sworn I was hearing the sound change when I was adding more bass and reducing the treble but in reality, it was all a figment of my imagination. I suggest that, if people were not made aware that Ed had swapped the amps, they would hear no difference at all. Edited September 9, 2017 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SH73 Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Shuttke max sounds sharper to me. I mean more highs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1504959019' post='3368562'] Just before the second set I had another look at the amp and realised that I was plugged into channel 1 and I had been adjusting my sound with the EQ of channel 2. I could have sworn I was hearing the sound change when I was adding more bass and reducing the treble but in reality, it was all a figment of my imagination. [/quote] Been there, done that. It's a really important lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Just listened through a Creative 0202 USB soundcard with Sennheiser 650s. There's quite a marked difference IMO. The Streamliner is much fuller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 The ShuttleMax has more low mids when the Streamliner is more scooped in the mids around 1 KHz (a typical American sound à la Bose, which I don't like at all as it's missing the most important part of the spectrum) and, as I always say, go and make a real full test of your ears by a specialist : you'll be amazed by the results ! To me, there is a big difference between the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Dean Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 One sounded slightly thinner to me . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Listened through Roland Quad Capture and a pair of KRK Rokit 6 speakers. Might be a difference, might be imagining it. What matters more is the response you perceive from the amps when you are doing the playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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