Trace 600SMX: Too Much?

[Count Bassie]

I wonder, I have an AH250SMX into two Bag End S15-Ds. It's a killer, sounds great and handles plenty of space with no PA support.

I'm looking around for a bakup and there's an AH600SMX handy. How much danger am I in of blowing up my speakers with this- if the 250SMX is underrated and throwing it out there like a bad monkey with a pile of horse droppings? Is scoring the 600SMX just asking for trouble? Would I be better off with an older AH250 Series 6 that's also nearby and available? It's maybe not going to 'duplicate' the sound of my regular SMX head, but I've been jonesing for one anyway!

Thanks for your time...

Edited May 7, 2010 by Count Bassie

[warwickhunt]

If the tone of your present amp and the 600 are the same but the 600 is just 350w more power, then I'd go for it. You don't 'have' to use the extra power but you have it on tap and as headroom.

Have no fear you are no more likely to blow your BE drivers with the 600 than you are the 250; unless you are a complete loon and continually drive your amp into clipping... which you won't as you'll hear it loud and clear!

[Count Bassie]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='830263' date='May 7 2010, 01:50 AM']If the tone of your present amp and the 600 are the same but the 600 is just 350w more power, then I'd go for it. You don't 'have' to use the extra power but you have it on tap and as headroom.

Have no fear you are no more likely to blow your BE drivers with the 600 than you are the 250; unless you are a complete loon and continually drive your amp into clipping... which you won't as you'll hear it loud and clear! [/quote]


In concept I get this, I'm just aware that these heads put out more, apparently, than they are spec'd... or maybe they're spec'd right, and everyone else is just cheating!

Alright then, thanks Warwickhunt.

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='Count Bassie' post='830678' date='May 7 2010, 02:12 PM']In concept I get this, I'm just aware that these heads put out more, apparently, than they are spec'd... or maybe they're spec'd right, and everyone else is just cheating!

(...)[/quote]

I think they don't put out more. They're more precise and are designed and optimised to take the full advantage of it's potencial. Thats why you just can't get the same punch and quality using a Trace head connected to another brand of speakers. They're made to work together and get the best sound possible that way. They have a massive punch! I think other brands may be more generic and offer an overall good sound as the Traces are more focused in playing a particular tone but like no other can ... Love my Traces but unfortunatly my back don't...!!!

[Count Bassie]

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='830711' date='May 7 2010, 09:54 AM']I think they don't put out more. They're more precise and are designed and optimised to take the full advantage of it's potencial. Thats why you just can't get the same punch and quality using a Trace head connected to another brand of speakers. They're made to work together and get the best sound possible that way. They have a massive punch! I think other brands may be more generic and offer an overall good sound as the Traces are more focused in playing a particular tone but like no other can ... Love my Traces but unfortunatly my back don't...!!![/quote]

Interesting. So I have now another question: I have here a GP11 head, an old MK IV (talked about this). There's a 1518T for sale around here... do you think I'd be better served picking that up for use with the MK IV?

Thing is I'm looking for modularity when necessary... to be able to 'swap out parts' according to what I may have left at the rehearsal space if a gig comes up on short notice. That's why the SMX, to match the one I have. I'm using the 250SMX into the 2x Bag End 15s, those are my only cabs. Money is short, I have to choose, for now.

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='Count Bassie' post='830720' date='May 7 2010, 03:01 PM']Interesting. So I have now another question: I have here a GP11 head, an old MK IV (talked about this). There's a 1518T for sale around here... do you think I'd be better served picking that up for use with the MK IV?

Thing is I'm looking for modularity when necessary... to be able to 'swap out parts' according to what I may have left at the rehearsal space if a gig comes up on short notice. That's why the SMX, to match the one I have. I'm using the 250SMX into the 2x Bag End 15s, those are my only cabs. Money is short, I have to choose, for now.[/quote]

If you want MY opinion, for a one-cab gig with any trace head i think a 1048h is the best one. No 15"er can get the ammount of sound displacement as this four little suckers and it's tone is awesome! I was looking for one for me but decided to go for the new fashion of portable rigs.

cheers

[Count Bassie]

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' post='830738' date='May 7 2010, 10:14 AM']If you want MY opinion, for a one-cab gig with any trace head i think a 1048h is the best one. No 15"er can get the ammount of sound displacement as this four little suckers and it's tone is awesome! I was looking for one for me but decided to go for the new fashion of portable rigs.

cheers[/quote]

Really... and me a die-hard 15s guy... my 2 Baggies stacked are pretty amazing, actually. My band-mates think it's pretty unreal that those tiny boxes move so much air. But I think the displacement idea of more drivers makes sense, I have toyed- for a second- with the idea of a 410, but the mention of Trace gear being designed for its parts makes a good deal of sense, just about drives it home.

I might just go with your advice here ([i]applause from studio audience[/i]). Thanks Ghost.

[BassBod]

Stick with the Bag Ends! Trace cabs were always very heavy and big - you won't get an improvement, just a back problem...

[Count Bassie]

[quote name='BassBod' post='830783' date='May 7 2010, 11:14 AM']Stick with the Bag Ends! Trace cabs were always very heavy and big - you won't get an improvement, just a back problem...[/quote]

NO denying the Baggies, they're gig-proven, fellow-musician-testified, and easy to cart, alright. But one of them isn't going to carry it for a lot of gigs. Sometimes I find myself with just one cab, so a smart idea is to have a one-cab rig.

Bag Ends ain't cheap; a used Trace is less cake than a used Bag, most of the time. Weight doesn't bother me much. At 3 am it doesn't matter too much what the stuff I have to bring into the house weighs!

[goingdownslow]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='830263' date='May 7 2010, 06:50 AM']If the tone of your present amp and the 600 are the same but the 600 is just 350w more power, then I'd go for it. You don't 'have' to use the extra power but you have it on tap and as headroom.

Have no fear you are no more likely to blow your BE drivers with the 600 than you are the 250; unless you are a complete loon and continually drive your amp into clipping... which you won't as you'll hear it loud and clear! [/quote]

Isn't the 600SMX 2x300w per channel and does not bridge?

Edited May 9, 2010 by goingdownslow

[TheRinser]

[quote name='goingdownslow' post='832687' date='May 9 2010, 11:42 PM']Isn't the 600SMX 2x300w per channel and does not bridge?[/quote]

Yep. 2x300 @ 4 ohms each. So you may only be getting half(ish) the power out of each of those power amps anyway. Assuming the bagends are 8 ohm?

[Count Bassie]

[quote name='TheRinser' post='835687' date='May 12 2010, 04:14 PM']Yep. 2x300 @ 4 ohms each. So you may only be getting half(ish) the power out of each of those power amps anyway. Assuming the bagends are 8 ohm?[/quote]

They are 8 each, yes. The 600SMX isn't going to happen though, and I'm opting now for a nice deal on a Peavey Tour 450. This'll also leave me a little scratch for that Boss LS-2 loop/fx blend pedal. Fine...

Thanks everybody for the info on the 600SMX though, good for future reference- although maybe that's just not the head I actually need after all. Godd to find these things out!