Big Iron amplifier options.

[Dan Dare]

I'd look for a nice pre and add a PA power amp. That's what I used before I went lightweight to ease the strain on my aging back. 

[nekomatic]

On 29/05/2021 at 18:00, Dan Dare said:

I'd look for a nice pre and add a PA power amp. That's what I used before I went lightweight to ease the strain on my aging back. 

That's my current approach - the PA power amp being an Inter-M R300 which is linear and fanless and is rated for 2 x 150 W into 4 ohms or 300 W into 8 ohms bridged. I don't know if you can get them new any more but they come up on eBay for a hundred quid or less. There's also an R150 and R500 with 150 and 500 W respectively, I think. Admittedly I haven't battle-tested this yet.

[moley6knipe]

Gallien Krueger RB-700II - come up s/h for good money, not too heavy…. Really flexible controls and GREAT sound. Like being fed by 18v preamps and big humbuckers 😀 

[DiMarco]

I took the plunge some months ago and bought my first Ampeg - a used market SVT4-pro for about 700 euro.
Thing turned out to be in NOS shape, not a speck of dust on the inside or outside of it.

Long story short I have stopped using my nineties Trace Elliot amps this one swipes the floor with those except for the full valve "Hexa Valve".
Lots of warmth with clarity and heft it makes my basses come to life and feel more powerful.

So that's my vote. Used market SVT-4 pro. Now my go-to amp.