Aguilar db212 / db112 with what loud 2 ohm amp? (no db750/751)

[gillento]

I am looking for a 2 ohm stable amp for my db212 (4 ohms) + db112 (8ohms).

The amp needs to loud enough for occasional outdoor gigs.

I have the Sadowsky SA200, the Hartke LH-500 and Markbass SA450.

The db750/751 doesn't do it for me tonally wheras I love the SA200 sound (but it is "only" 200 tube watts)

I played the Mesa M6 with Bergantino HS cabs but didn't like that combo.

Any suggestions?

GB Shuttle 9.0? (Didn't like the 6.0)

[KJung]

IMO, for your needs, and with those cabs, the Genz Shuttle Max 12 would be perfect (and I didn't like the Shuttle 6 much either). The 12 has two separate 600 watt amps, so it would put out 600 watts into your 4ohm 212 and around 350 watts or so into your 8ohm 112, which will be nice and balanced... like a nice 312 cab.

The preamp is really good (FET/Tube dual channel) and MUCH better EQ capability than the 6 or 9. It is not a micro head, but is micro weight... a bit smaller than a typical 2 rack space head, but still under 10 pounds or so.

Very impressive head, and with the power and EQ capability, while it does keep a bit of that 'bright modern' Genz voicing, it will fatten up nicely, and grunt a bit if you want it to.

The other option I can think of is the Mesa M9, which is 2ohm capable (not only 2ohm safe, but literally designed to run under 2ohms), and is quite a monster if you like it bright and modern and big down low. Weight, features, reliability... I'd go with the Max 12 myself.

I have other heads I prefer for moderate volume 4ohm operation, but for wumping with a cab combination under 4ohms, the 12 is it IMO!

Edit: Of course, if you dig your LH500, the LH1000 can be run in 'dual mono' I believe and would work also.

[babebambi]

Carvin B1500/B2000

[gillento]

Originally Posted by KJung

IMO, for your needs, and with those cabs, the Genz Shuttle Max 12 would be perfect (and I didn't like the Shuttle 6 much either). The 12 has two separate 600 watt amps, so it would put out 600 watts into your 4ohm 212 and around 350 watts or so into your 8ohm 112, which will be nice and balanced... like a nice 312 cab.

The preamp is really good (FET/Tube dual channel) and MUCH better EQ capability than the 6 or 9. It is not a micro head, but is micro weight... a bit smaller than a typical 2 rack space head, but still under 10 pounds or so.

Very impressive head, and with the power and EQ capability, while it does keep a bit of that 'bright modern' Genz voicing, it will fatten up nicely, and grunt a bit if you want it to.

The other option I can think of is the Mesa M9, which is 2ohm capable (not only 2ohm safe, but literally designed to run under 2ohms), and is quite a monster if you like it bright and modern and big down low. Weight, features, reliability... I'd go with the Max 12 myself.

I have other heads I prefer for moderate volume 4ohm operation, but for wumping with a cab combination under 4ohms, the 12 is it IMO!

Edit: Of course, if you dig your LH500, the LH1000 can be run in 'dual mono' I believe and would work also.

Thanks Ken,
how come I didn't think about the LH-1000 myself...

As for the Shuttle 12... it has A LOT of controls...

As for Carvins, I don't know if the even available in Europe????

[KJung]

Originally Posted by gillento

Thanks Ken,
how come I didn't think about the LH-1000 myself...

As for the Shuttle 12... it has A LOT of controls...

As for Carvins, I don't know if the even available in Europe????

Yes, lots of controls. HOWEVER, it looks wilder than it is, since it is basically a fully featured two channel amp... pick the channel that sounds the best to you, and it is pretty basic,... bass, low mid, hi mid, treble, and a few filters... similar to my beloved Marbkass F500.

However, the LH1000 might be the ticket if you dig your LH500 and just need more power and the ability to run more cabs!

[GregC]

SVT?

[gillento]

Not my cup of tea at all!

[bassdoubler]

my EA IAmp Pro sounds unbelievable and runs @ 2 ohms effortlessly....1200 watts....9 lbs....

[Musicman20]

Hmm...I think Ken has hit the nail on the head with the Shuttle Max 12.0.

Or, the LH1000 and sell the LH500?

[gillento]

I am not sur about the LH's.
They have an inherent "hole" in the low mids (sorry, I have no better term for it).
In THAT respect they remind me of the M6 I had.
Finger style that is no problem, but I LOVE using a pick.
Sometimes I have the impression of some missing punch using a pick with the LH500.

Is the Shuttle comparable to the Markbass LMII/III or SA450?

[KJung]

Originally Posted by gillento

I am not sur about the LH's.
They have an inherent "hole" in the low mids (sorry, I have no better term for it).
In THAT respect they remind me of the M6 I had.
Finger style that is no problem, but I LOVE using a pick.
Sometimes I have the impression of some missing punch using a pick with the LH500.

Is the Shuttle comparable to the Markbass LMII/III or SA450?

The EA iAmp Pro is also another consideration. My only issue with that is that it is voiced very deeply, and the mids are VERY clean... hence the 'sterile' description by some. For me, too much uncontrolled deep low end, and not enough warmth and mid punch, even with all the EQ options. IMO there.

1/2 of the Shuttle Max 12 is relatively comparable to the SA450 in EQ power and volume (so the 'exact' comparison is the Shuttle Max 6 with the SA450... a bit different tonality, but similar performance). It is just a touch brighter and tighter, but again, with the Shuttle Max 12, you have an additional wallup of wattage with the second power amp if you are running two cabs.

[bassdoubler]

Originally Posted by KJung

The EA iAmp Pro is also another consideration. My only issue with that is that it is voiced very deeply, and the mids are VERY clean... hence the 'sterile' description by some. For me, too much uncontrolled deep low end, and not enough warmth and mid punch, even with all the EQ options. IMO there.

What I love about the IAmp Pro is that with the click of a few buttons, the entire amp is flat. No EQ, no preset filters, just the sound of your bass amplified. I would only call it's voicing "deep" if that's how you have it set, since the way the tone shaping works, the possibilities are really endless until you find the sound you're looking for. The only way I could imagine someone saying it sounded sterile, is if they had the amp running completely flat and their bass passive with the tone knob open....IMO, I would say it's a tad more sterile than the LMII/III (which has pre-chosen frequencies for the EQ so it can never be completely flat and you're stuck with those freq. forever) and way less sterile than an F1 or F500....

Ken I know our tone goals are on opposite sides of the spectrum but I'm surprised you don't care for the Pro as much as I do seeing as we feel the same way about the LMII....IMO the Pro is a more talented LMII. It may not sound as warm right out of the box, but it certainly has the ability to sound like a LMII and more once you learn how to work the EQ together with the deep and bright switches....I don't even touch the presets

[KJung]

Originally Posted by bassdoubler

What I love about the IAmp Pro is that with the click of a few buttons, the entire amp is flat. No EQ, no preset filters, just the sound of your bass amplified. I would only call it's voicing "deep" if that's how you have it set, since the way the tone shaping works, the possibilities are really endless until you find the sound you're looking for. The only way I could imagine someone saying it sounded sterile, is if they had the amp running completely flat and their bass passive with the tone knob open....IMO, I would say it's a tad more sterile than the LMII/III (which has pre-chosen frequencies for the EQ so it can never be completely flat and you're stuck with those freq. forever) and way less sterile than an F1 or F500....

Ken I know our tone goals are on opposite sides of the spectrum but I'm surprised you don't care for the Pro as much as I do seeing as we feel the same way about the LMII....IMO the Pro is a more talented LMII. It may not sound as warm right out of the box, but it certainly has the ability to sound like a LMII and more once you learn how to work the EQ together with the deep and bright switches....I don't even touch the presets

I kind of disagree with this. I found the low end of the iAmp800 (have not heard the Pro, but understand it is quite similar) to be very hard to control. It's kind of a 'hi pass' sort of thing... lots of VERY deep low end coming out of that head that is hard to control, even cutting the bass shelving at its lowest semi-parametric start point.

Again, you are all about deep low end and a very attenuated top end, so I can see your love for this amp... it's a good one.

Mike Dimin put it well in that the the Pro is not so much 'flat' (no head really is), but rather has virtually no distortion in the midrange. This is a big difference from the Markbass stuff, and is why many describe them as 'warm' or having some 'tube character'.

Great head though if you want it VERY deep, very hi fi up top, and VERY clean in the midrange (to the point of some hearing it as a bit 'sterile'). If I was doing the more dub type neo soul thing that you are with a P Bass, I would HIGHLY recommend this head I actually have a relatively similarly voiced head with my Puma500, wide, deep, hi fi up top, but VERY clean in the mids. It is a nice voicing for some applications.

[babebambi]

Originally Posted by gillento

As for Carvins, I don't know if the even available in Europe????

hmm... in Europe...
maybe you can try the Tecamp Puma1000

if you don't need micro head
there is also the Mesa V12
very different from the M9/M6

[R Baer]

If you love the SA200, then you probably want to stick with the more "tubey" sounding amps. Try out the Mesa Titan or BB750. You mentioned not liking the M6, but the Mesa'a M line of amps is very different sounding than the Titan or Big Block 750.

Another very good and IMO, very under-rated amp is the Fender TB-1200. Very "tubey" sounding amp that, IMO, doesn't get the props that it should just because some people don't associate Fender with great amps.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by gillento

Not my cup of tea at all!

Heh, no worries. I was just throwing it out there as a possibility.