Low End Bee Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 OK I've been out of the loop on what gear is about for a looooonng time. I've been playing through a cheepie Ashdown Electric Blue 180 that i bought for £180. I got it about 3 years ago before I had serious intentions of gigging. I wasn't a big fan of the sound so I've just been sticking a Sansamp programmable direct into the effects send and using it as a mini PA in effect. Anyway. Last night it expired in a buzzing, smoking heap. It did me well at lots of gigs and had no trouble being heard over two noisy guitarists. So I guess I got my moneys worth. I love the Sansamp but want to keep it for recording. I'd rather not have any pedal action and just plug straight in. I want a replacement that will: Handle pub gigs OK. Have an XLR out for the bigger gigs. Not kill me shifting it in and out the motor. Get me an old school overdriven sound (JJ Burnel for a reference point) Maybe have another channel for the 2 or 3 less noisy songs we play. Not be over complicated. Be under £500 ish. It doesn't have to cover a large sound spectrum. We don't do covers. I'd be happy if it did one sound really well. I'm using a Precision with the S1 switch (which I've never used) and play with a pick and no effects. I'd really appreciate any advice. I've got a Monday deadline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 The line6 300pro is a beast. The brit and svt sound suit rock well. Theres also and eden sim on there and it has xlr out with cab sim. Give it a try but crank it abit, quiet it lacks abit. If thats 2 heavy try the 110 and plug in2 the pa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 [quote name='charic' post='522279' date='Jun 24 2009, 05:56 AM']The line6 300pro is a beast. The brit and svt sound suit rock well. Theres also and eden sim on there and it has xlr out with cab sim. Give it a try but crank it abit, quiet it lacks abit. If thats 2 heavy try the 110 and plug in2 the pa.[/quote] I'm off to try one on Saturday. Looks like it ticks all my boxes. My leady guitary bloke has had a line 6 Flextone combo for 3 years that is great sounding and solid. So that gives me confidence. The 300 looks manageable enough and I don't do quiet so all OK there. Thanks for the tip mate. I wouldn't have thought of it. I'll let you know how I get on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 There's bound to be something in the for sale forum on here. Get something a bit bigger and more powerful than your EB180 and it'll be less likely to expire! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Bigger is a given. I'm looking at a 3 drink, err I mean 300w minimum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Not just the wattage but the speakerage - a higher quality 15", two 12"s, two good 10"s or four lesser 10"s, etc. You don't hear the power, you hear the sound pressure level and it's all down to how the speakers convert electrical power into changes in air pressure. Moving air is what counts! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Noted. Air will be moved. Am I right in thinking a 15" will give you a more old schoolrock sound than 2x10"? I think things have moved on since my HH VS100 head and 18" cab days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 If its any help the last time I turned my amp up to 3/4 it was in a church. I was promptly screamed at ( i think, i couldnt hear him but he looked like he was screaming) to turn it down. I had a big grin on my face as the roof vibrated, some wood and other random materials fell from the roof and the entire pulpit vibrated. Since then its only ever gone to 1 'oclock. The line6 has the variety of sounds (if you like them) and more than enough volume especially with the DI out which still keeps the Speaker on. Theres better amps out there, lots of them if im honest. Theres better speakers out there too, obviously. However you make of it what you do. If you like it when you try it out, then your sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52668"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52668[/url] Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamapirate Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Ampeg ftw! ahha, well, I'd say try out everything in the shop, then go to another shop and try everything there. Can't really go wrong, then. Oh and take whatever essential effects you will be using. An overdrive sounds completely different on a peavy (peewee) to an ashdown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Off to try out a few on Saturday now. I'll let you know which one I buy. It's an odd feeling. I could really do without spending money at the moment but I'm excited to get a new toy as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted June 26, 2009 Author Share Posted June 26, 2009 OK my combo auditions for tomorrow are: That Line 6 300 jobbie (with an open mind.) Ashdown Mag 210 (looks like good vfm) S/H Hartke 350 1x15 'transient attack' (through a friend) Trace Elliot 715x (thinking I might stretch the budget a bit and get a keeper) Any reliability issues or otherwise on these? One of these will be coming back to sunny Brentford in the back of the motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted June 27, 2009 Author Share Posted June 27, 2009 Trace Ellot 715X. Thread closed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 27, 2009 Share Posted June 27, 2009 not yet it aint? What were your impressions of each, could be useful to others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 OK the verdict was That Line 6 300 jobbie - Was a nice bit of kit. I just knew I'd be tempted to piddle around with the 8 million combinations all the time and cock up the sounds. Ashdown Mag 210 - I've played through one of these at a gig last year and it was very nice. Almost the one. S/H Hartke 350 1x15 'transient attack' (through a friend) - Nice but not great vfm and a couple of crackly pots. Trace Elliot 715x - Was the punchiest of the lot and I got a very pleasing sound out of it in seconds. I managed to get it for a very decent price too. Seems to be built like the proverbial brick outhouse. I've ordered a trolley....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted July 13, 2009 Author Share Posted July 13, 2009 The 715X had it's first outing on a pub gig on Saturday. I just set the eq flat and put the pre shape on with the compressor set to about 2/10 and the horn switch on low. It sounded great and easily managed to dominate two noisy guitars and a loud drummer. It's a cleaner sound than I would have ever thought I would've liked but it still had lots of grrrr. I didn't even get to 4/10 on the volume knob. I just used the tone and volume knobs on the bass to change the sound to the song and I could really tell the difference. Very pleased. Don't think I'll need an extra cab. Any of the larger venues I play all DI. It's nearly as good as my new trolley which was definitely needed. It does sound horrible though when it clips too much on the input. If I put a boost pedal (thinking of using my Sansamp BD) in the effects loop will this up the volume without overloading the input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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