Pedalboard sized poweramps

[NancyJohnson]

Curiosity piqued by the new Sansamp XB Driver pedal, while I'm not on the market for new kit in my head I'm silently thinking how I could integrate this into a usable setup.

 

Last year the guitarist in the band I was playing in had one set up where everything was on a largeish Pedaltrain board; ampwise he was running one of the Victory V4 things and I was kind of intrigued at how portable it all was.  This got me wondering about how dreamy it would be to run <insert stomp here> into a no frills class-D amp with just a big ol' volume control on the top of it.  Checked several sites, there really doesn't seem to be anything aside from the Seymour Duncan Powerstage.  Are manufacturers missing something here?

 

[three]

I’d have a look at the GSS Sumo range - simple and simply superb in my experience

[Lozz196]

One of our guitarists does this, pedalboard amp - which sounds excellent btw - and his various effects on one board. Makes his life a lot easier for setting up at gigs.

[Stofferson]

Ashdown Ant - https://ashdownmusic.com/products/the-ant?_pos=1&_sid=b04264b00&_ss=r

Orange Pedal baby - https://orangeamps.com/pedal-baby/

GSS sumo range. - https://www.guitarsoundsystems.com/power-amplifiers-c102x4030038

 

off the top of my head

 

[Lozz196]

Thinking about this I wonder if something like the Elf or Gnome could be adapted for this purpose.

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

Curiosity piqued by the new Sansamp XB Driver pedal, while I'm not on the market for new kit in my head I'm silently thinking how I could integrate this into a usable setup.

 

Last year the guitarist in the band I was playing in had one set up where everything was on a largeish Pedaltrain board; ampwise he was running one of the Victory V4 things and I was kind of intrigued at how portable it all was.  This got me wondering about how dreamy it would be to run <insert stomp here> into a no frills class-D amp with just a big ol' volume control on the top of it.  Checked several sites, there really doesn't seem to be anything aside from the Seymour Duncan Powerstage.  Are manufacturers missing something here?

 

 

I've investigated smaller stuff previously, so am familiar with (for instance) GSS and Demeter kit; I'm currently running a Darkglass A/O 900, all in all small and compact-ish.  With such a plethora of stomps out there, my main point is/was that you let your XB Driver shape everything and just let a poweramp drive the output from that.  I'm not particularly fussed about arguments pertaining to amps colouring the stomp tone; I would always defer to plugging into the effects return on an amp to bypass any pre-stage shaping and tone.

 

It would be dreamy to just have a simple signal path; XB Driver > similar sized class D poweramp.

[jrixn1]

3 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

It would be dreamy to just have a simple signal path; XB Driver > similar sized class D poweramp.

 

Even simpler: XB Driver > active speaker.

[PaulThePlug]

Harley Benton - Bang for Buck?

240v - https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_gpa_100.htm

24v with a same size psu - https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_custom_line_thunder_99.htm

 

Edited January 25, 2024 by PaulThePlug

[nekomatic]

16 hours ago, PaulThePlug said:

Harley Benton - Bang for Buck?

240v - https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_gpa_100.htm

24v with a same size psu - https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_custom_line_thunder_99.htm

 

I was very interested in the GPA-100 until I read somewhere that it seems to reduce its bass response significantly at higher power levels - I thought it was on here but annoyingly I can't find it again.

 

I was aware of the GSS Sumo range but until now I hadn't spotted their Bulletpack, which looks intriguing - uses an external power brick (booo) but the unit itself is tiny, and 100 watts into 8 ohms isn't too shabby.

[xgsjx]

On 25/01/2024 at 19:10, jrixn1 said:

 

Even simpler: XB Driver > active speaker.

‘Tis what I do. 

At home, if not going through laptop, I go straight from my preamp to a studio monitor (or as a portable practice rig). 
With a band, I replace the monitor with an active PA cab. 

[AScheck9]

I bought a GSS baby sumo off here which worked very well and was great with my pedalboard for 6 months or so... unfortunately though it died soon after at a rather warm gig. 

 

I sent it to my tech who, firstly, identified that it was putting out 78V DC... (how it didn't fry my Barefaced cab is a mystery). He requested assistance from GSS, suggesting that he can take a look at the circuit board, but they weren't very helpful at all and thus, I've had to scrap the amp completely. I too, sent GSS an email directly prior to this asking if they do repairs, and they didn't even respond...

 

 

[NancyJohnson]

Just a brief heads up.  Just ordered the Harley Benton GPA100 - £78.00 shipped.  I could have done without the bass/mid/treble knobs, but I'll just set those to noon and see what happens.

 

At present it's not going to see much (if any) live action, but it'll do for the odd times I just want to have a noodle on the bass or EUB at home; I'll squirt the GED or dUg into it and report back.  I do miss not having an always available set up in the house.

[Woodwind]

9 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

Just a brief heads up.  Just ordered the Harley Benton GPA100 - £78.00 shipped.  I could have done without the bass/mid/treble knobs, but I'll just set those to noon and see what happens.

 

At present it's not going to see much (if any) live action, but it'll do for the odd times I just want to have a noodle on the bass or EUB at home; I'll squirt the GED or dUg into it and report back.  I do miss not having an always available set up in the house.

 

 

Very interested to hear what you think of it.

[Woodwind]

9 hours ago, AScheck9 said:

I bought a GSS baby sumo off here which worked very well and was great with my pedalboard for 6 months or so... unfortunately though it died soon after at a rather warm gig. 

 

I sent it to my tech who, firstly, identified that it was putting out 78V DC... (how it didn't fry my Barefaced cab is a mystery). He requested assistance from GSS, suggesting that he can take a look at the circuit board, but they weren't very helpful at all and thus, I've had to scrap the amp completely. I too, sent GSS an email directly prior to this asking if they do repairs, and they didn't even respond...

 

 

 

Very lucky your cab made it out unscathed.

 

Things go wrong, things break etc etc as annoying as that is, it's how people/companies deal with sorting things out that customers remember.

Your experience with GSS is terrible and I wouldn't buy one of their amps as a result.

Sorry you had to go through that 

[nekomatic]

10 hours ago, AScheck9 said:

I sent it to my tech who, firstly, identified that it was putting out 78V DC... (how it didn't fry my Barefaced cab is a mystery).

Might have measured 78 V open circuit, but been much less under load? Disappointing customer service though. 

[Dan Dare]

On 21/03/2024 at 09:07, AScheck9 said:

I bought a GSS baby sumo off here which worked very well and was great with my pedalboard for 6 months or so... unfortunately though it died soon after at a rather warm gig. 

 

I sent it to my tech who, firstly, identified that it was putting out 78V DC... (how it didn't fry my Barefaced cab is a mystery). He requested assistance from GSS, suggesting that he can take a look at the circuit board, but they weren't very helpful at all and thus, I've had to scrap the amp completely. I too, sent GSS an email directly prior to this asking if they do repairs, and they didn't even respond...

 

13 hours ago, nekomatic said:

Disappointing customer service though. 

 

You can't really blame companies for being leery about fixing something bought used.

[MichaelDean]

2 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

You can't really blame companies for being leery about fixing something bought used.

It also isn't very responsible as a manufacturer to not support a product repair at all. In the age of planned obsolescence and massive amounts of e-waste, surely helping out an amp tech to repair a product isn't the worst idea. And just reputationally, being that unhelpful doesn't win repeat/new business.

[Chienmortbb]

8 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

You can't really blame companies for being leery about fixing something bought used.

One word, Ashdown.

[AScheck9]

16 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

One word, Ashdown.

 

 

Funnily enough... just waiting for my replacement amp- an ashdown ABM V 750 to turn up! Why did I go for them? Great tone and incredible customer support.

[Dan Dare]

On 22/03/2024 at 11:59, MichaelDean said:

It also isn't very responsible as a manufacturer to not support a product repair at all. In the age of planned obsolescence and massive amounts of e-waste, surely helping out an amp tech to repair a product isn't the worst idea. And just reputationally, being that unhelpful doesn't win repeat/new business.

 

On 22/03/2024 at 18:18, Chienmortbb said:

One word, Ashdown.

 

Yes, Ashdown customer support is excellent. However, there is a difference between their offerings and those from GSS. Ashdown products are repairable. GSS essentially put Class D modules in a case, with the necessary connectors, etc. Class D modules are not usually field repairable. They are assembled robotically, many of the the components are tiny and Fred with his trusty soldering iron has little/no chance of fixing them. All you can do often is replace the entire module (which will probably cost more than buying a replacement amp).

 

If you buy used, is it really reasonable to complain that the manufacturer won't offer after-sales support? Not that they ever sold it to you in the first place, of course. If you want a guarantee, buy new.

[AScheck9]

7 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

 

If you buy used, is it really reasonable to complain that the manufacturer won't offer after-sales support? Not that they ever sold it to you in the first place, of course. If you want a guarantee, buy new.

 

 

No, you're absolutely right. I expected very little from them, and I got even less than that.  

 

However, I will mention: they were unaware I bought it second hand, this wasn't mentioned in my email. I said I owned one of their amps, and that I needed help identifying the problem with their product. They failed to respond at all. That's not great on their behalf. 

 

I'm not here to put people off them, the amps are unique and I was dead pleased with mine until something went wrong (which is abnormal).

[Dan Dare]

2 minutes ago, AScheck9 said:

No, you're absolutely right. I expected very little from them, and I got even less than that.  

 

However, I will mention: they were unaware I bought it second hand, this wasn't mentioned in my email. I said I owned one of their amps, and that I needed help identifying the problem with their product. They failed to respond at all. That's not great on their behalf. 

 

I'm not here to put people off them, the amps are unique and I was dead pleased with mine until something went wrong (which is abnormal).

 

Would it be worth opening up the case of your GSS to see what module it uses? You may be able to source a new one, depending on the make (ICEPower and some others are available to purchase).

[NancyJohnson]

On 21/03/2024 at 19:06, Woodwind said:

Very interested to hear what you think of it.

 

Well it arrived about half-hour ago and I've had a quick noodle.

 

I jacked it into a Darkglass 1x12 and put the GED2112 into the front of it.  Spector Euro X. 

 

First impressions, well made, weighty.  Volumewise there's obviously going to be some parity with how hot the input signal is...did a brief bit of tweaking with the GED and the amp and rolled up the volume.  It's certainly got some oomph, even at about 25% volume. I'm very surprised at how good it appears to be.  Three small tone controls on the top, there's a pleasant indent at the noon position, so you're hoping this is the transparent point. 

 

Quite please, to be honest.  Surprised, even.  £68.00.  Belter.

[BigRedX]

Given the size of some people's pedal boards, almost anything up to and including a 100W all-valve head would fit if the space wasn't already taken up with pedals!

[NancyJohnson]

I've been cranking the thing up.  Blimey!  Epic.  I'm really impressed with the output, clarity, transparency etc.  It's completely silent too; no interference from dimmer switches (like the A/O 900).

 

I suppose the real test would be when I get in a room with people, but if it's no good for that, then I'll just use it at home.

 

It's stupid cheap; at £68 it's less than a night out at the pub and a kebab.  What's not to like?