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What's the best class D bass amp head you've used?


thebassist

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My current squeeze is an Aguilar TH500, which I've found to just be a really good gigging amp. It's small, light and loud with a sensible (to my ears) preamp.

Others I've had include an EBS Reidmar (great, loud, clean amp, but more bulky with a fiddly eq); Laney Nexus SLS (beautifully made, solid and hugely versatile. Couldn't fault it, but fancied a change); GK MB500 (simple and effective, but hardly exciting).

I want another Reidmar, though - it just does the hi-fi sparkle so well. 

 

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Best in order:

1. Genzler Magellan 800

2. Orange Terror Bass 500

3. Markbass LMT 800

Also got a lot of time for the versatility and sheer headroom of the Carvin BX1500. Really like my Genz Benz Shuttle 6.2 (so glad I withdrew it from a recent sale). 
 

.....And probably my least favourite (sorry), was the Trace Elliot Elf...yes it’s small but I found it very bland and lacklustre. Disappointed by Eden’s Terranova too. 

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19 minutes ago, Kevin Dean said:

Ashdown ABM400 or ABM1000   discontinued but pop up now & again ..GREAT VALUE & A GREAT AMP .

Yes, had forgotten those, I had an ABM1000 for a while and it was very good, all the ABM features but a good but lighter.

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4 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Yes, had forgotten those, I had an ABM1000 for a while and it was very good, all the ABM features but a good but lighter.

Are the Ashdown ABMs D class? I guess I'd assumed given their size and weight they might not be. 

Edited by Al Krow
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14 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Are the Ashdown ABMs D class? I guess I'd assumed given their size and weight they might not be. 

The ABM1000 was class D, as oppose to the regular ABMs which aren’t. Not sure what they are (A, B etc) but whatever it is run them loud and they shine. Quite how Ashdown have managed to get so near to the ABMs with the RMs is beyond me.

Edited by Lozz196
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I borrowed one...they're a Class D, they're not as heavy as the normal ABMs, but they are as bulky, which for me kinda defeated the point (tho I'm not a massive Ashdown tone fan)...I rather like the RMs, tho...

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I'm loving my Peavey Minimax, the sound straight out of the tin is great, the tone controls are well judged and even the various baked in eq's are all of the usable and not too extreme variety. Plenty of lifting power too. I find it just generally nicer sounding than my MB Tube. I bought it because I'd dropped my MB and it broke, the Peavey was on offer for less than the repair so I bought it for the half dozen gigs I had booked with the intention of building it into a combo later. I probably won't go back to the MB when I do get round to repairing it.

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3 hours ago, Muzz said:

I borrowed one...they're a Class D, they're not as heavy as the normal ABMs, but they are as bulky, which for me kinda defeated the point (tho I'm not a massive Ashdown tone fan)...I rather like the RMs, tho...

Yep, same size and bulk as regular ABM. Mine was a backup and have to admit it did look cool having two ABM heads on an ABM 410 & 210 stack. 

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  • 4 weeks later...
50 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

I assume you are thinking of the RMS power of the TC RH450 rather than the 750?

I think the 750 is the same as the 450 at 236w long term and 450w burst
Its here in the table on the last page 
http://downloads.music-group.com/software/tcelectronic/tc_electronic_bass_amp_power_rating___active_power_management.pdf

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3 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

I think the 750 is the same as the 450 at 236w long term and 450w burst
Its here in the table on the last page 
http://downloads.music-group.com/software/tcelectronic/tc_electronic_bass_amp_power_rating___active_power_management.pdf

Well, the burst is the only really relevant thing there, you cannot sustain an rms signal on a bass, so it is twice as high as the 450

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I’m pretty sure I’ve read loads about the power discrepancy with the 750, especially over on TB. I’m not really clued up on all the different power rattings and what they mean, but I’m pretty sure I’ve not read (many) posts about the head not being loud enough for the job. 

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3 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said:

I’m pretty sure I’ve read loads about the power discrepancy with the 750, especially over on TB. I’m not really clued up on all the different power rattings and what they mean, but I’m pretty sure I’ve not read (many) posts about the head not being loud enough for the job. 

There’s a few posts about it. I loved my RH750. Was a great amp, it was plenty powerful and versatile enough for me, might not be right for some. Like everyone else I fancied a change.... I have to say I really like the B/Amp @Dood fault!! 😂 

Edited by bassfan
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1 minute ago, Woodinblack said:

There were some big threads here about it too. I have gone through a few amps but I am still with the 450. Tbh the only problems I had with it were the original knobs.

Yep, the numbers are only numbers really aren't they. The reality in the gigging world is that if its loud enough then its loud enough regardless of the numbers.

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1 minute ago, Mudpup said:

Yep, the numbers are only numbers really aren't they. The reality in the gigging world is that if its loud enough then its loud enough regardless of the numbers.

Yep. And if it wasn't for the always on tuner, how is the guitarist supposed to know what chord they are supposed to be playing?

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I keep buying 800watt heads, ‘just in case I need more’.  In almost 20 years of playing with just my rig supplying the sound to the room Ive never gone over half way on a master, even on a 500watt head.  I realise not all master positions are the same, I’m just saying I’ve never had to go past noon on any amp. I could easily doe all my gigs with my markbass F1 (500watt) or Fender 800HD. If people were finding the 750 wasn’t loud enough I’d say a ‘proper’ 750watt head wouldn’t make much difference. I find the amp voicing can make a head sound louder than some other similar rated heads. 

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8 minutes ago, scrumpymike said:

My fave is the Mesa Subway D800+ very closely followed by my GK 800 Fusion - not much in it.

I’d love a MB800 Fusion. I had one for an hour but never got to plug it in. The case was damaged so I sent it back. 

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14 minutes ago, TonyMontana said:

QSC PowerLight 2.4 (+Helix Stomp)

Oh, I was excited and scared at the same time. Sooo loud !!!!

Hmm, seems that it does have a switching power supply, but with a class H amplifier stage.
We dont have a Class H appreciation thread anywhere here do we? 😄

A lot less scary is the Baby Sumo, which is a class D poweramp. Fanless, absolutely great for my home studio.
 

 

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If we're talking about volume, the biggest factor is the efficiency of the cabs. I run a 300w head, and if I use both my BF cabs, it's ridiculously loud*. I mean drummer-drowning, ear-protection, stoopid loud. Numbers of watts can be a distraction and nothing more...

* In fact, it goes nearly as loud with just the Super Twin...

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