Gunsfreddy2003 Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 Evening all, Can anyone advise if there really is any noticeable difference in tone between the SWR Redhead and the Super Redhead? I'm keen to learn more about these amps and what sound you can get from them. If anyone has an experience of pre/post Fender difference in tone it would also be good to hear. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorG Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 I owned a Redhead for ten years or more but played Warwicks and Spectors through it.The tone was fabulous though I found zeroing in on the sound I wanted tricky - too much choice? Anyway the real problem was with the power. It really didn't make its presence felt in anything but the smallest gigs(remember it's only 200watts into 4Ohms). Eventually it blew up at a gig and I moved onto Markbass(which was less than half the price of the Redhead). I was under the impression that the Super Redhead was designed with its forerunner's lack of volume in mind. I know nothing of the difference in tone but don't see the point in having a great sound if no one can hear it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebenezer Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Apart from the super redhead having more power, it also featured new 10 inch drivers ( eminence ) these apparently handled the low B better than the previous model.....all according to the review in bass player magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Wow, this is not a discussion I would expect in 2018 I used to own both. V1 is 240w with Internal speakers, the V2 higher (350 or 400), and indeed both had different speakers. I always preferred the tone of the V1, but it would not handle 5 string overly well. The V2 did a better job (for a 210), but I found the tone to have less character. V1 in my eyes was one of the best 210 combos ever, but underpowered in a big band. V2 did better volume wise (especially with an extension cab :)....) but SWR had already been impacted by Fender decisions which resulted in a very good amp, not a great amp. For me the early to late 90’s were SWR’s golden years, the Red Head, Red Face, Silverado, Studio 220 period. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorG Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 4 hours ago, HazBeen said: Wow, this is not a discussion I would expect in 2018 Why do you say that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Just because SWR no longer exists and the Red Heads are heavy compared to current D class amps. But they are both great combos if weight is no issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorG Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 Agreed. Mine blew up about six years ago. I knew almost nothing about amps then and took the advice of a shop in Germany who sold it to me with an extension cab that was a bad match. Thing was as heavy as the car I drove it around in! Gigging with it was a nightmare. Got dispondant about the whole thing. Amp cost a fortune and no one could hear me. Left it five years before I saw anything I'd trust. Markbass K1 with a 102p extension cab. Frustrations gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 Thanks guys - some interesting thoughts here. I only play 5 string so beginning to think that the pre Fender or V 1 might not be for me. Weight is not an issue as it will probably be for home use only. I have 5 SWR cabs at the moment and love them when paired with my EBS HD350 buy really keen to see what the SWR amps and cabs together are like. Can appreciate that the Class D stuff is lighter buy yet to find one that gives me that tone that I am looking for - even the new Mark Bass Marcus stuff sounds bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 20 hours ago, HazBeen said: Wow, this is not a discussion I would expect in 2018 I used to own both. V1 is 240w with Internal speakers, the V2 higher (350 or 400), and indeed both had different speakers. I always preferred the tone of the V1, but it would not handle 5 string overly well. The V2 did a better job (for a 210), but I found the tone to have less character. V1 in my eyes was one of the best 210 combos ever, but underpowered in a big band. V2 did better volume wise (especially with an extension cab :)....) but SWR had already been impacted by Fender decisions which resulted in a very good amp, not a great amp. For me the early to late 90’s were SWR’s golden years, the Red Head, Red Face, Silverado, Studio 220 period. Was the SWR Red Face basically the amp from the Red Head combo on its own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazBeen Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 If memory serves me correct they were very similar in layout and tone, not the exact same. The RedFace was a terriffic amp, still one of my favourites ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Look for a Stereo 800 power amp, (two Redhead power amps in one case) and pair it with any small SWR amp (Bass350 Studio220 etc). Gives you the sound, power and flexibility 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 Would that get you into the realms of the classic “Marcus” sound? 4 hours ago, BassBod said: Look for a Stereo 800 power amp, (two Redhead power amps in one case) and pair it with any small SWR amp (Bass350 Studio220 etc). Gives you the sound, power and flexibility Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Absolutely - somewhere I’ve a DVD of him using this Basic 350/ST800 setup into a pair of Goliath II’s. Mind you, any good Jazz bass into a Sadowsky preamp does the MM sound for me..no amp needed 😜 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsfreddy2003 Posted June 11, 2018 Author Share Posted June 11, 2018 23 hours ago, BassBod said: Absolutely - somewhere I’ve a DVD of him using this Basic 350/ST800 setup into a pair of Goliath II’s. Mind you, any good Jazz bass into a Sadowsky preamp does the MM sound for me..no amp needed 😜 Yep, had a 74 Jazz bass and one of those pedals and sounded great - only down side was that I needed 5 strings! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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