Ashdown ABM owners club

[alexa3020]

WRT the price, there’s a couple of things that may be playing out here.

1. Do ashdown see this as replacement for the ABM 1200? The literature states “An increasing number of players have been asking if we can bridge the dual output sections of our ABM 1200 head. The new ABM EVO V answers that need for more power and dynamics.”

If so 750w doesn’t seem powerful enough

2. where are they manufactured? I’d suspect it’s currently uk. If popular enough will they move production to prc & if so will the price come down?

3. Ashdown shop is pretty damn expensive anyway. Once the amp gets to the suppliers will the price decrease?

can anyone remember the price when Abm 600 evo iv was released?

[Muppet]

8 minutes ago, alexa3020 said:

WRT the price, there’s a couple of things that may be playing out here.

1. Do ashdown see this as replacement for the ABM 1200? The literature states “An increasing number of players have been asking if we can bridge the dual output sections of our ABM 1200 head. The new ABM EVO V answers that need for more power and dynamics.”

If so 750w doesn’t seem powerful enough

2. where are they manufactured? I’d suspect it’s currently uk. If popular enough will they move production to prc & if so will the price come down?

3. Ashdown shop is pretty damn expensive anyway. Once the amp gets to the suppliers will the price decrease?

can anyone remember the price when Abm 600 evo iv was released?

All excellent points.  I agree 750 doesn’t seem that big a step up, especially as the RM800 is advertised at 800w (let’s not get in to the class D vs Class A/B..) but I love this nonetheless. I’m sure the price will come down to around the £1,100 mark and then we’ll still need to decide if it’s worth it.  BUT price aside, I’d want to know the differences between that and the EVO IV.  It’s going to be very difficult to beat the EVO IV in my opinion, but I love the look of this and I’m very tempted! 

Edited June 3, 2022 by Muppet

[ern500evo]

I expect the price to drop too. I think it has to. If you’re an Evo 4 owner and you’re going to upgrade to this, at the current price, you’d need to add over £1k to the price you’re likely to get for an Evo 4. The Evo 5 is a great looking amp, but I’m not sure many people would upgrade at that cost. Unless it sounds significantly different, what would you be achieving? If you’re in need of more headroom, then you’d be more likely to go for a much cheaper, used ABM1200 wouldn’t you? Granted this is all based on that current RRP, and I’m sure it’ll come down, but that price seems a massive leap up from the Evo 4 

[Merton]

13 minutes ago, Muppet said:

All excellent points.  I agree 750 doesn’t seem that big a step up, especially as the RM800 is advertised at 800w (let’s not get in to the class D vs Class A/B..) but I love this nonetheless. I’m sure the price will come down to around the £1,100 mark and then we’ll still need to decide if it’s worth it.  BUT price aside, I’d want to know the differences between that and the EVO IV.  It’s going to be very difficult to beat the EVO IV in my opinion, but I love the look of this and I’m very tempted! 

AFAICS the main differences are:

750W power amp

Dual VU meters

”Temperature controlled low noise” fan cooling

Transformer balanced DI 

Er, that’s it.

[Muppet]

1 minute ago, ern500evo said:

Unless it sounds significantly different, what would you be achieving? If you’re in need of more headroom, then you’d be more likely to go for a much cheaper, used ABM1200 wouldn’t you?

I’m in this position but the 1200 is just two x 600 power units that can’t be bridged for a single cab and I’m running a single 4ohm 610 so the 1200 is of no use to me. 750w of Ashdown ABM sound in a single power section is of great interest though!

[ern500evo]

20 minutes ago, Muppet said:

I’m in this position but the 1200 is just two x 600 power units that can’t be bridged for a single cab and I’m running a single 4ohm 610 so the 1200 is of no use to me. 750w of Ashdown ABM sound in a single power section is of great interest though!

Ah that’s interesting, I didn’t realise the 1200 couldn’t be bridged.

[Jonse]

3 hours ago, la bam said:

They're still missing the biggest trick. Use a VU meter for a built in tuner. I know loads of people who want an all in one amp, and go elsewhere because they have to take a separate pedal, plug, cable etc. I'm sure they could stick one in that chasis. Then itd have drive, comp, eq, octave, and a tuner.

Same thought went through my head. 

 

Also, an independent gain control for the valve drive. 

 

This being said, I have two Evo IV already but I'm still probably going to get one...😂

[la bam]

12 minutes ago, Jonse said:

Same thought went through my head. 

 

Also, an independent gain control for the valve drive. 

 

This being said, I have two Evo IV already but I'm still probably going to get one...😂

 

Makes so much sense. The vu dial is tailor made for something like that. Even a small digital display would do. Even Harley benton when they ripped off the abm design put a tuner in there.

[Jonse]

11 minutes ago, la bam said:

 

Makes so much sense. The vu dial is tailor made for something like that. Even a small digital display would do. Even Harley benton when they ripped off the abm design put a tuner in there.

I mean, they've already made this pedal with it. Just put it in the amp! Nevermind, bring on the Evo Vi! 

 

 

[Woodinblack]

I have often thought of drilling a hole in the front for a tuner, its something I have had on most amps I have in the last decade.

[Lozz196]

I’m sure it will be an amazing amp but my ABM600 EVO-IV meets my needs nicely so I’ll stick with it. Must admit will be very interested to hear this amp though.

[ern500evo]

5 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

I’m sure it will be an amazing amp but my ABM600 EVO-IV meets my needs nicely so I’ll stick with it. Must admit will be very interested to hear this amp though.

I think that will be the same thought process for most Evo 4 owners. Interested to hear how the 5 sounds, but it would need to be something stunning to make them want to upgrade 

[Woodinblack]

I dont' think it needs an upgrade does it. you use your amp until something happens where you need another one, but if you were looking for a new thing, there is the new thing. There are still plenty of 3s and 2s around.

[ern500evo]

I think a fair amount of us change our amps just because we want something new to try, or GAS has got the better of us. If I was looking for an amp now and Ashdown was in the running, I’d be thinking what does the Evo 5 give me, that I couldn’t get from a used Evo 4 and have over £1k left in my pocket. Don’t get me wrong, I think it looks great, and if it sounds even better than the Evo 4, it will be fantastic, I just think it’s pitched at a price where there is a plethora of much cheaper, equally high quality amp heads available. 

[Woodinblack]

Well, yes, but I have also never paid an RRP for an amp, so I don't think the price is as important. If you look at the list price of all the amps they are quite a lot, and luckily enough there are enough forums telling people how terrible Class D amps are to keep them in business!

[chyc]

6 hours ago, alexa3020 said:

2. where are they manufactured?

The photo on the website says "Made in England". You're probably right that it may go to China in the near future.

[Woodinblack]

18 minutes ago, chyc said:

The photo on the website says "Made in England". You're probably right that it may go to China in the near future.

 

I thought most were made in china apart from the CTM tube ones - maybe that is why it is more expensive?

[fretmeister]

6 hours ago, Merton said:

AFAICS the main differences are:

750W power amp

Dual VU meters

”Temperature controlled low noise” fan cooling

Transformer balanced DI 

Er, that’s it.

quiet fans…. Ooooo!

[nilebodgers]

There are a whole lot of circuit boards and loads of interconnect in there, that’s never going to be cheap to build outside the Far East.

[Chaddy]

Those who had gear sent down for a service was this completed from the website details or via a "dealer" as described in the info page? 

 

[jezzaboy]

1 hour ago, Chaddy said:

Those who had gear sent down for a service was this completed from the website details or via a "dealer" as described in the info page? 

 

Give them a phone and speak to Dave, he will sort you out.

[Chaddy]

2 minutes ago, jezzaboy said:

Give them a phone and speak to Dave, he will sort you out.

Cheers Buddy 

 

[Chienmortbb]

On 03/06/2022 at 10:14, Muppet said:

I’m in this position but the 1200 is just two x 600 power units that can’t be bridged for a single cab and I’m running a single 4ohm 610 so the 1200 is of no use to me. 750w of Ashdown ABM sound in a single power section is of great interest though!

You will hardly hear the difference between 600 and 750 watts, in fact the extra 150 will probably cause more power compression in the drivers. producing heat rather than sound. Add a cabinet to the other side of the 1200  and you are  getting much more.

[ern500evo]

Has anyone seen any kind of marketing video of the 750 yet?? I find it really odd that Ashdown have launched a £1500 amp, which shows as being available to buy, yet there’s not one single launch/demo video to accompany it 

[chyc]

12 minutes ago, ern500evo said:

Has anyone seen any kind of marketing video of the 750 yet?? I find it really odd that Ashdown have launched a £1500 amp, which shows as being available to buy, yet there’s not one single launch/demo video to accompany it 

Someone at Ashdown is clearly reading your mind: