Small but high quality stage amp?

[NicoMcJ]

Hi all!

 

My main FOH sound is from a Helix, but last night I sent the jack output to a little 100W Peavey Max just so there was some sound on stage. The guitarist said he loved it, and much preferred it to having to rely on his floor monitor. We definitely felt a bit tighter than usual, so there may be something in this.

 

The problem is it was just a tiny bit underpowered.  
 

Any suggestions for something that has a small footprint and a bit more power? I’m after something that sounds nice too if I’m going down this path.

 

The amp model I use on the Helix is an Ampeg SVT if that helps.

 

I don’t want to spend thousands but I could rustle up £700 or so.

Edited January 22, 2022 by NicoMcJ

[Lozz196]

If you liked the sound of the Peavey their MiniMax 500w amp is under £400.
 

I like similar sounds as Ampeg SVTs and I use Ashdown amps, given the brief I’d recommend the Ashdown RM500 EVO2. It has good flexible eq, drive, compression, is loud and sounds great. Of all the Class D amps that I’ve had (a good few) it’s the one that has the “weightiest” sound.

[NicoMcJ]

3 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

If you liked the sound of the Peavey their MiniMax 500w amp is under £400.
 

I like similar sounds as Ampeg SVTs and I use Ashdown amps, given the brief I’d recommend the Ashdown RM500 EVO2. It has good flexible eq, drive, compression, is loud and sounds great. Of all the Class D amps that I’ve had (a good few) it’s the one that has the “weightiest” sound.

I hadn’t considered Ashdown but that’s a great shout - thank you!

[Skybone]

I use the Effects Return socket on my Ashdown combo to amplify a POD Go. 

 

It works, and it sounds great.

[NicoMcJ]

58 minutes ago, Skybone said:

I use the Effects Return socket on my Ashdown combo to amplify a POD Go. 

 

It works, and it sounds great.

Ah of course - I could tap the 1/4” out after the preamp block but before the impulse response.  It’s currently tapped before the preamp.  That’s a grand idea.

[BassmanPaul]

Why not just get an SVT and have the real thing instead of an approximation?

[King Tut]

11 hours ago, BassmanPaul said:

Why not just get an SVT and have the real thing instead of an approximation?

Last weekend we played Butlins Skegness. I used the house SVT Classic and 8x10. The sound was ok but I struggled to get the punch I was used to. Played Butlins Minehead last night and took my Bugera Veyron Tube (class D) head and Nemesis 4x10 and had a fabulous on stage sound.

 

To be fair, I'm more familiar with my gear than I was with the SVT and there's no guarantee that the Ampeg was on top technical form.

 

A while ago I picked up a Peavey 225W head that I'm planning to use where we're not in a multi band line up. However the Bugera continues to blow me away and I have a feeling I might end up using it all the time!

[Ramirez]

12 hours ago, BassmanPaul said:

Why not just get an SVT and have the real thing instead of an approximation?

 

Because that might make the band (and therefore, by extension, the bass) sound worse? As well as all the other weight, transport, maintenance considerations etc.

 

 

Is it worth considering a powered/active speaker, seeing as you just need to amplify a sound that you already like? Maybe a 10" or 12" speaker (Yamaha DXR?). Or there were those great looking cabs by Bergantino (I think?) that were basically a line-in powered cab but designed for bassists with external preamps and tone shaping.

[Phil Starr]

The more sound you make on stage the more your instruments will be picked up by the vocal mics and the dirtier your sound will be out front. It's essential though that you can all hear each other so there's a balance. It's hard to get the exactly right balance to everyone and the room acoustics affect this so if you play in different venues one night where it sounds good may be to do with that. You might be better off looking into in-ears or the mix going into your guitarists monitor rather than ramping up the on-stage volume. Just a thought.

[NicoMcJ]

3 hours ago, Phil Starr said:

The more sound you make on stage the more your instruments will be picked up by the vocal mics and the dirtier your sound will be out front. It's essential though that you can all hear each other so there's a balance. It's hard to get the exactly right balance to everyone and the room acoustics affect this so if you play in different venues one night where it sounds good may be to do with that. You might be better off looking into in-ears or the mix going into your guitarists monitor rather than ramping up the on-stage volume. Just a thought.

This is exactly why I said a “teeny” bit underpowered at 100w. Thank you for taking the time to reply though.

[NicoMcJ]

4 hours ago, Ramirez said:

 

Because that might make the band (and therefore, by extension, the bass) sound worse? As well as all the other weight, transport, maintenance considerations etc.

 

 

Is it worth considering a powered/active speaker, seeing as you just need to amplify a sound that you already like? Maybe a 10" or 12" speaker (Yamaha DXR?). Or there were those great looking cabs by Bergantino (I think?) that were basically a line-in powered cab but designed for bassists with external preamps and tone shaping.

Yeah I’ve tried that previously with an Alto TS315.  It was crap, I think having a proper bass cab - even a small one - has a different “feel” to a PA speaker.

[NicoMcJ]

16 hours ago, BassmanPaul said:

Why not just get an SVT and have the real thing instead of an approximation?

Because I’m not 70 years old 😝😝😝

 

Seriously though, I use IEM so anything I do buy is for the benefit of other members of my 2 bands. This is why I don’t want anything big or overly expensive.

 

I’d love an SVT 2-Pro and an 8x10 but I’d need a bigger car, bigger venues and bigger wallet.

[NicoMcJ]

4 hours ago, King Tut said:

Last weekend we played Butlins Skegness. I used the house SVT Classic and 8x10. The sound was ok but I struggled to get the punch I was used to. Played Butlins Minehead last night and took my Bugera Veyron Tube (class D) head and Nemesis 4x10 and had a fabulous on stage sound.

 

To be fair, I'm more familiar with my gear than I was with the SVT and there's no guarantee that the Ampeg was on top technical form.

 

A while ago I picked up a Peavey 225W head that I'm planning to use where we're not in a multi band line up. However the Bugera continues to blow me away and I have a feeling I might end up using it all the time!

I’ve seen the Bugeras for sale but never really given them much thought - are they decent?

 

Have you got the tube preamp one or the mosfet one?

[King Tut]

1 hour ago, NicoMcJ said:

I’ve seen the Bugeras for sale but never really given them much thought - are they decent?

 

Have you got the tube preamp one or the mosfet one?

Yeah they're very decent. I've got the tube one but I understand the MOSFET one has a more versatile eq.

[Owen]

6 hours ago, Ramirez said:

 

Or there were those great looking cabs by Bergantino (I think?) that were basically a line-in powered cab but designed for bassists with external preamps and tone shaping.

Bergantino IP series. Quite old hat by now due to not being made out of helium. But just a FABULOUS piece of kit.

Or buy a decent 12" active wedge. By decent I mean £500+. And useful for all sorts of things as well as Bass

[Ramirez]

7 minutes ago, Owen said:

Bergantino IP series. Quite old hat by now due to not being made out of helium. But just a FABULOUS piece of kit.

Or buy a decent 12" active wedge. By decent I mean £500+. And useful for all sorts of things as well as Bass

Aha! Yes, the one you had for sale is what I was thinking of.

 

+1 on the active speakers. Yamaha DXRs are just great things to have! (I have a pair of 10s)

[Owen]

The IP112 would be superb for this sort of duty. The IP310 was backline par-excellence!

[skidder652003]

I have a full fat SVT and a 410 HLF, sounds amazing but heavy as hell. I also have RCF 15" active floor wedges, good as well. But I've really been impressed by my Markbass combo. It's incredibly punchy and loud and light. I use a tube preamp pedal to add a little dirt but so far it's been great.

 

http://www.markbass.it/product-detail/cmd-121h/

Edited January 23, 2022 by skidder652003

[BassmanPaul]

4 hours ago, NicoMcJ said:

Because I’m not 70 years old 😝😝😝

In the morning I'll be 76. How the hell did I ever get so old?

 

[naxos10]

Happy Birthday for tomorrow/today (depending on time zone) BassmanPaul🍾

[NicoMcJ]

5 hours ago, skidder652003 said:

I have a full fat SVT and a 410 HLF, sounds amazing but heavy as hell. I also have RCF 15" active floor wedges, good as well. But I've really been impressed by my Markbass combo. It's incredibly punchy and loud and light. I use a tube preamp pedal to add a little dirt but so far it's been great.

 

http://www.markbass.it/product-detail/cmd-121h/

Very nice indeed! Light and small footprint - I shall have a serious look Thank you!

[NicoMcJ]

4 hours ago, BassmanPaul said:

In the morning I'll be 76. How the hell did I ever get so old?

 

Happy birthday good sir! 😊

[NicoMcJ]

I guess I’m shying away from a PA speaker, wedge or FRFR because of:

-bad experience with the Alto (although I haven’t tried it with my DBR12),

-I want the sound to be quite localised, a PA speaker is designed to throw far and wide,

-a bit of self indulgence.  If I’m doing this I’d still like a nice small amp at the end of it all for the sake of having a nice amp. My only amps currently are the old Peavey I used the other night and a tiny Harkte practice amp.

[Owen]

If you want a nice amp, far be it from me to stop you

 

However, an Alto claiming to be all that and more at that price is on a hiding to nothing. 

[naxos10]

How about one of the Headrush 8" or 12" powered FRFR speakers?