Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Ashdown Ant. 200watt pedalboard amp for £299


dave_bass5

Recommended Posts

As for adding additional features like pedal power supplies and compressors etc... I personally would rather not. It would add to the size and price, and I prefer a modular system where I mix and match the elements I want. I prefer the amplifier to stay small, and I'll choose which compressor (if any) to use, which power supply, etc. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, mcnach said:

As for adding additional features like pedal power supplies and compressors etc... I personally would rather not. It would add to the size and price, and I prefer a modular system where I mix and match the elements I want. I prefer the amplifier to stay small, and I'll choose which compressor (if any) to use, which power supply, etc. 

Agree about the compressors or other effects. Keep it simple!

However if this avoids the need of having a separate isolated PSU for the rest of your pedals, given it is already mains powered that would be a big plus in my books - one mains lead per pedal board rather than two has gotta be welcome!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  1. Has anyone acquired one of these?
  2. What are the main differences between an Ant & a Newt?  Update  The Newt is not a Bass amp. ( 4 out of 10 for Homework DaBass, see me after class)
  3. Anyone compared with the Elf, BAM200 & Warwick Gnome?
Edited by JohnDaBass
Poor homework!!
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 15/01/2020 at 10:51, thodrik said:

A brilliant idea, however for me, an amp should only be rated in accordance with continuous power. In which case this is a 140 watt amp. 

In a couple of years, I think that output power will be doubled or tripled. 

Unlikely. An SMPS and Class D amp together reach 80-85% efficiency. Even if they could somehow defy physics, that means today's 200w amp could reach maybe 235W-250W at 100% eficiency.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

Unlikely. An SMPS and Class D amp together reach 80-85% efficiency. Even if they could somehow defy physics, that means today's 200w amp could reach maybe 235W-250W at 100% eficiency.

Apologies, I was not really looking at the the issue of efficiency.

More that in the future I thought that it might be possible for manufacturers to create a pedalboard amp with a more powerful class d power section, rather than maximising the efficiency levels of the existing power section. Though at the moment this would require a larger footprint for the unit which would probably defeat the purpose of the product in the first place. 

As you say above though, I think that it would work better as a head.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Chienmortbb said:

Looking at the package made me think. It would make a great head amp. With the controls on top it would be easy to see and adjust. Easier than either a traditiaonl head or combo.

Exactly my thoughts, the ANT would sit nicely on top of my BF One-10 with my Zoom B1-Four sitting on the LHS top of the ANT .

A neat little rig methinks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, JohnDaBass said:
  1. Has anyone acquired one of these?
  2. What are the main differences between an Ant & a Newt?
  3. Anyone compared with the Elf, BAM200 & Warwick Gnome?

Item 3

Just done some homework and it would appear that the Elf, BAM200 & Gnome could well be sourced from the same OEM/ODM vendor. The specs & dimensions are so close to one another there's only a Gnats C**k between them. (sorry for the analogy).

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 7 months later...

To resurrect this thread - I have an ANT! Bought it a week or so back from fellow Basschatter PaulHornBass. Alas I have yet to take it out on a gig, but that will hopefully change soon, or at least with an orchestra rehearsal. Tone wise I'm diggin it - it's just nice and plain and simple - does what it says on the tin. One concern I have is that the fan is very loud indeed. Loud to the point of definitely not using that in the studio, and possibly not using that on theatre gigs. I've written to Ashdown asking if this is the norm or if it can be tamed in any way but am still waiting for a reply. Other than that I can see this amp getting a lot of use.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...
10 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

I'm probably missing the point, but if something is going on my pedal board I'd be expecting something stompable.

So, you're an international touring musician but you're not earning megabucks, nor do you have an endorsement where they'll send you stuff wherever. The band you're touring with don't use IEMs and you want to set up a small board (say the ANT, a Helix Stomp and a couple of other pedals) that you can fly with and use whatever cab is available. Enter the ANT. If it's on your pedalboard, and you've integrated the kettle lead with your pedal power, that's one thing to set up. Plug in speakon to the cab, power, jack. Job done. Controls are all with you, so you can fiddle from a distance. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 20/01/2021 at 03:20, thodrik said:

pedalboard amp

Down on a pedal board is no place for an amp, especially one that is fan cooled.

 

There are plenty of amps that you can plug a pedal board output into and take the DI out from the amp.

 

Nobody mainstream builds a power block because there is no money in it. They are out there but not certified for hooking up to the grid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

I'm probably missing the point, but if something is going on my pedal board I'd be expecting something stompable. 

 

I guess if you're using a passive cab as a monitor at the front of the stage it might be useful, or if you are doing pit work where you have a small cab close to you. Can't think of any other use cases for it really, probably better off saving your money and getting the smaller Gnome.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

Down on a pedal board is no place for an amp, especially one that is fan cooled.

 

There are plenty of amps that you can plug a pedal board output into and take the DI out from the amp.

 

Nobody mainstream builds a power block because there is no money in it. They are out there but not certified for hooking up to the grid.

I don’t disagree. Not quite sure why you quoted me given that the words ‘pedalboard amp’ is in the title of the topic and was the main selling point of the product in question.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

I'm probably missing the point, but if something is going on my pedal board I'd be expecting something stompable. 

I'm with you on this.  I've had two non-stompable pedal shaped objects that run off a 9v supply and I've moved both of them on: The Tech 21 DI 2112 and the Rafferty HPF.  Both seemed like a good idea when I bought them but in practice, both worked better on top of my cab, rather than at my feet.  Yes, I could have made both work but there were easier solutions.

 

I know the Ant is powered by 230v but still, knob twiddling is easier up on my cab, and then if it is up on my cab, there is no need for a pedal sized amp.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a hard road to satisfy bassists. Give them what they want and they complain it isn't what they want.

 

Fan cooling means not at all water resistant. At least most pedals stand a pretty good chance of being ok in an accident involving a drunk and a jug of beer.

 

If you watch the promo vid they are all about the touring and quiet stage folk. It sure does cover a lot of tasks in a small package. If you aren't concerned about roaming drunk jugs of beer it's a good shout as a 'pedalboard amp'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Downunderwonder said:

It's a hard road to satisfy bassists. Give them what they want and they complain it isn't what they want.

 

Fan cooling means not at all water resistant. At least most pedals stand a pretty good chance of being ok in an accident involving a drunk and a jug of beer.

 

If you watch the promo vid they are all about the touring and quiet stage folk. It sure does cover a lot of tasks in a small package. If you aren't concerned about roaming drunk jugs of beer it's a good shout as a 'pedalboard amp'.

 

If you look at the pictures of the amp you will see that the ventilation slots are on the sides rather than the top of the amp, so liquid ingress would rely on the beer hurling itself sideways with sufficient velocity to place a sufficient quantity of it on the PCB to cause an issue, or crawling up the pots far enough to trickle down the spindles.

 

One of our guitarists has a pedalboard amp which he either runs to a cab or DIs to the PA. It cuts the amount of gear he lugs in by one box.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...