Power Amp Suggestions…

[amnesiak]

So I’m really new to the world of bass and know bugger all about using a DI Preamp with a power amp. I’ve currently got a Markbass LMIII and a 2x10 traveller cab which I like a lot but am really interested in getting a decent preamp to be able to get some dirt and a wider EQ. 

 

Theres a good deal on a Darkglass Alpha Omega with Aux in that’s got my attention as well as the Bass Butler but…..if I were to go with one of these and then rely on a power amp to then hook up to the cab, does anyone have any suggestions for a good one? And ideally a fairly affordable one around £200-300? Is that a lot or a little for a power amp? And I’d be looking second hand here too. 
 

Also, it’d be handy to have 2 speakon outs if I wanted to add a second cab in the future so any ideas would be great if they had that too. 
 

Thanks in advance and tell me if I’m getting anything mixed up here!

[MOSCOWBASS]

There's a Baby Sumo for sale on here... can't go far wrong with that. I've had one for few years, use it with my mesa d800+ di preamp. It's been completely reliable.

[jezzaboy]

If the Markbass has a effects return input, you could plug a eq pedal into it and this bypasses the amps tone shaping controls and just uses the amps power section and master volume.

 

Just an option.

 

Second hand, class a/b amps can be had cheap as they are heavy and large or there are lots of class D power amps. I would look for one in the 500 watt range.

 

 

[amnesiak]

What makes of power amps are particularly good? 
 

The idea would be to sell the LMIII and use the money to go towards the power amp and DI. Are there advantages to simply having a power amp and preamp DI - as in simpler unit so less issues? 

[jrixn1]

15 hours ago, amnesiak said:

The idea would be to sell the LMIII and use the money to go towards the power amp and DI. 

 

 

Power amps are typically rack gear.  Crown will be decent e.g. https://www.thomann.de/gb/crown_xli_1500.htm , but it's 12.7kg and a 2U rack format, i.e. heavy and large.  It's uncommon for bassists to use rack gear for decades now because there is basically no point in it.

 

There are some non-rack power amps which are smaller and lighter e.g. previously mentioned Baby Sumo, or the GR Pure Amp - but unless you have an actual, specific reason to use a power amp, I'd stick with the Markbass as it's going to be more straightforward.  Plug the preamp into the instrument input.  Previous poster suggested using the effects loop - usually good advice, but Markbass is atypical in that its effects loop comes before the eq section.

 

Or if you are looking at power amps because the Markbass's response is not flat enough, there are other, better options. E.g. powered speakers.

 

BTW "preamp" and "DI" are different things but I think you are using them interchangeably.  A preamp is what you are after - it gives tone shaping: eq and possibly overdrive etc.  Whereas a DI box generally aspires to not change your tone but just convert the instrument signal so it can go straight into a mixing desk e.g. if recording, or going into a venue PA system.  Some preamps do come with DI functionality built in - but not all do.

 

[Happy Jack]

What he said.  ^

[Dan Dare]

jrixn!'s advice is sound. I'd add that most power amps you will find, in addition to being rack mounted, will be intended for PA use and will be stereo. Mono power amps are not that common and your chance of finding a used one in your price range is probably slim.

 

Many stereo power amps can be bridged to act as a mono amp, but the minimum impedance you can run them into doubles in bridged mode. So an amp that is rated at, for example, 2x250w into a minimum of 4 ohms a side becomes 500w mono into a minimum of 8 ohms. That isn't helpful if you are looking to run multiple cabs - most will be 4 or 8 ohms, which limits you to one.

 

Handy for bi-amping, but if not, you would have to run the amp in stereo and power a cab from each channel, using a splitter cable to feed the mono signal from the preamp to both channels.

 

I'd definitely look at the Sumo if you want a power amp. It's compact, not staggeringly expensive and reviews are favourable.

[amnesiak]

Awesome advice everyone, cheers! Think I’ll stick with the LMIII as I like the tone and it’s got a decent punch with my Epi Firebird. Just need a some good overdrive to add that crunch now but won’t so worried about having to add in the DI. The big plus I’ve seen with some Preamps is the aux in and headphones out for practising along with music. Good for where I’m currently at skills wise.