NAD ashdown rm500 evo2

[la bam]

Evening all,

I've been looking at the ashdown rm's for a long time and today finally managed to pick one up second hand, with the idea of if it worked well, I'd look at getting the 800 and that would give a great easy lightweight set up and this could be used as backup amp.

Well....let's just say this thing has blown me away so far!

Lovely depth to the sound through my elbee 1210, but what I found really nice and pleasant was it had plenty of tone. A real quality to the sound. It's not just a flat power amp. Nice.

Ridiculously lightweight, and easy to grab with one hand and move.

Looks lovely too. The little vu meter looks nice and warm and also turns blue when muted and warm yellow when the amp is live.

I've had loads of ashdowns in my gig life: mag 307, superfly, little giant 1000, abm ii, abm iv, ctm300 and so far this is right up there with them.

Obviously it's only been at low levels so far, but if it holds up at volume, it's a quality amp and could replace my current set ups.

 

[la bam]

Hmmm, this is a bit weird though...

Initially I played it through my sire v7 jazz (pretty much flat) and it sounded glorious.

Now I've plugged in the fender precision and it needs some eq changing to get that richness and punch. Flat it sounds a bit synthetic. It's there though.

Could be strings too. Jazz is loaded with daddrio exl170s and precision still on stock strings.

I might swap them about and see.

[gjones]

The rehearsal room I used to rehearse in, before the lockdown, had one of the original RM500s through an Ashdown 410.

It sounded great with a precision.

I brought my Ashdown ABM EVO III in, to make a comparison and the RM 500 was at least as authoritative as the ABM and just as loud.

I think the technical term for the RM 500 is that it, 'kicks a$$'.

It's a great amp if you like the Ashdown  sound.

[Merton]

Great amps! Love my 800 and mine sounds really good with my "ACG Finn 'P' bass". Unless you're playing in a very (and I mean VERY) loud rock band without PA support I doubt you'll need the 800. 

[Lozz196]

Yep, I love my RM500 EVO2, it’s a great little amp with an amazing sound. 

[la bam]

42 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Yep, I love my RM500 EVO2, it’s a great little amp with an amazing sound. 

You're spot on with the shape button too Lozz - its instant ABM!

[jezzaboy]

That cab looks interesting.

[la bam]

Duplicate post.

Edited July 2, 2020 by la bam

[la bam]

4 minutes ago, jezzaboy said:

That cab looks interesting.

I havent had chance to open it up fully yet, but it sounds so good at lower levels (although we know that's no guarantee).

It's a real rich vintage sounding cab, which suits what I do, rather than a hifi one.

It's a db elbee 1210. Contains a 10" and 12" speaker both of which are angled - the 12 downwards for depth and the 10 upwards so its pointing at ear level when you play.

It's also 4ohm. Which all one cab solutions should be in my opinion.

It's very very loud. And very light - around 14kg.

[stewblack]

I will be opening up my RM for the first time on Saturday. I have the combo with the 12" speaker + the 12" extension. Does the job at bedroom levels but when we meet for a socially distant rehearsal I'll be able to try it in a band setting. 

Of course I also want to try my Trace Elliot Elf but that serves me right for being greedy. 

[police squad]

yep I have the rm500 evo II, love it. 

[mep]

I bought one earlier this year. Lots of love from them here which helped my choice. Only got to gig with it 3 times before lockdown.

[Deedee]

I do like the look of these. I played through one of the first generation RM's at a rehearsal room a couple of years back (through a Laney 2x10 iirc) and it sounded great. The only thing that I couldn't get on with was the shiny fascia. That coupled with a dimly lit rehearsal room meant I couldn't see a thing. Now they've changed the fascia finish I may well look at them again as an occasional alternative to my trusty old Trace heads. I actually preferred the RM over the ABM 600 I briefly owned.

Edited July 5, 2020 by Deedee

[Lozz196]

That’s why I bought the EVO II and sold the EVO I, middle aged eyesight meant I couldn’t see what I was doing on the amp on either overly bright or overly dark stages. The weight saving of 2.5 odd KG didn’t hurt either.

[stewblack]

Ah, so it's not just me! I made the mistake of shining a torch at mine the better to see the control labels. 

Made it so much worse. 

Need a creative solution 

[Painy]

4 hours ago, stewblack said:

Ah, so it's not just me! I made the mistake of shining a torch at mine the better to see the control labels. 

Made it so much worse. 

Need a creative solution 

Just buy a sheet of clear matt-finish  self-adhesive vinyl and stick it over the front. Obviously remove the knobs first to do this and then cut around the VU meter with a craft knife. Sorted. 🙂

[stewblack]

8 minutes ago, Painy said:

Just buy a sheet of clear matt-finish  self-adhesive vinyl and stick it over the front. Obviously remove the knobs first to do this and then cut around the VU meter with a craft knife. Sorted. 🙂

That's so much simpler than my insane solution

[uk_lefty]

On 01/07/2020 at 22:22, la bam said:

Hmmm, this is a bit weird though...

Initially I played it through my sire v7 jazz (pretty much flat) and it sounded glorious.

Now I've plugged in the fender precision and it needs some eq changing to get that richness and punch. Flat it sounds a bit synthetic. It's there though.

Could be strings too. Jazz is loaded with daddrio exl170s and precision still on stock strings.

I might swap them about and see.

I won't change my RM500, there may be "better" amps out there but this is an uncomplicated and high quality way to get the job done! 

I found with my Sire V7 I was bypassing the amp EQ but mainly because the on board EQ was so good on the Sire and I didn't want a clash of EQs. With my Precision (which goes to a new owner tomorrow, sadly) I used the amp EQ, bit of mid boost and dig in with the fingers for some clank.

With my MM Stingray I do use the amp EQ but I pretty much set and forget the inboard EQ for that bass. 

Just need to spend the time finding what's best for each bass and then it gets easier. I'm not a knob twiddler when playing live, pretty much like to have a good tone and stick with it unless I need a drastic change for any reason, but then it's very easy to forget to change back! 

[la bam]

Yeh, that's where I'm at now. Coming out of a different band into a new one, where i can find a good sound and it, and the rest of the band sound, stays the same all gig.

I've reverted back to a simple set up abm600 and rm500. Plug in, sound great, and enjoy.

 

[la bam]

Is there any difference between the rm500 and rm800?

In particular does the 800 stay fuller sounding at louder levels like the abm?

[Merton]

54 minutes ago, la bam said:

Is there any difference between the rm500 and rm800?

In particular does the 800 stay fuller sounding at louder levels like the abm?

I think it does but I’ve based this purely on memory of the two, I’ve never compared them directly, so there could be a HUGE dollop of psychology involved. I wouldn’t say the 800 is much louder per se, just fuller like you suggest.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Merton

[AndyTravis]

I’ve had the 800 through 210/115, and run the 500 through 2x210.

There’s not a fat lot in it - they’re brilliant amps.

 

[la bam]

Cheers.

[stewblack]

used my RM500 in rehearsal yesterday and left the eq off. It sounded great. Really good. 

[la bam]

That's good to hear.

I've been doing some jamming along to backing tracks via my phone directly into the rm and using lozz's settings - pre shape on and mids boosted, with a bit of drive and compression, it sits smack bang in the middle of the mix perfectly.

Very impressed.