Aguilar TH500 for a Streamliner 900?

[joconnorwi]

I know these have been compared a lot ---
Oh my...It's happening again....GAS.....

Digging my TH500 for the most part...REALLy love a tube grind to my sound. I still feel that when I dial that in, in my TH500, it compresses too much....only tried a STL 600 ( I think it was) quietly in a music store....really dug it so far though..

Question Streamliner users:
Can I get a more "open" grind/overdrive w/ the Streamliner series? I'll swap it if y'all think it can!

Some folks are just never satisfied! ha!

[Addison]

I own both and would honestly recommend you look at getting your overdrive from an external source.

Yes, both amps can grind very, very well... but if you're looking for a real "open grind/overdrive" (if it's what I'm thinking in my head), I'd consider getting something like a Darkglass B3K overdrive pedal or similar.

It'll also allow you to easily switch from "mild grindy sweetness" to "open overdriven awesome" with a button-push, rather than having to tweak knobs.

[joconnorwi]

yea, i've got pedals and such already that I'm very happy with...just wondering if the grass in greener over there...

just from the clips i have heard from kjung and such, the wooliness seems a bit more open...

thanks for the reply though!!

[bassgod0dmw]

I find overdrive tone to be a very personal thing. I was never able to get a useable OD tone out of a Streamliner, but I know plenty of people that do and love it.

[Jawbone]

I thought the TH500 was superior to the GB Strln 600. Sure you'r not thinking 900?

[joconnorwi]

bumpage...

any more thoughts people?

[willsellout]

I think these heads are pretty different. IF you like the TH500, you might not like the STL. I know I really like the TH500, but I don't care for the Streamliners.

[joconnorwi]

what's the main reason you don't care for the streamliner series?

[NWB]

Originally Posted by willsellout

I think these heads are pretty different. IF you like the TH500, you might not like the STL. I know I really like the TH500, but I don't care for the Streamliners.

Hey, if you still have your STL, you guys could do a trade.

[willsellout]

Originally Posted by joconnorwi

what's the main reason you don't care for the streamliner series?

I dont' care for the tone stack and how interactive everything is. It didn't sit well in my band mix. It kind of got lost. I spent about a month and a half and about 5 practices trying to get it where I wanted it and realized what I was looking for wasn't in that head. It's a great unit and I thought it sounded great on it's own, and there are a lot of situations where it would fit; mine just wasn't one of them.

I was recently looking at the TH500 and thought it sounded really really nice. Where the Streamliner is a bit scooped, the TH500 is a bit mid forward. I do like the high end of the Streamliner more than the TH500, though. I felt the TH500 was a bit limited there.

You could always buy the head from a place with a good return policy and see which one comes out on top. Make sure to read the Streamliner tone primer thread though, it's not set up like a lot of other amps are. You really have to understand how the preamp works to get what you want out of the STL.

[willsellout]

Originally Posted by NWB

Hey, if you still have your STL, you guys could do a trade.

I no longer have the Streamliner. And to be honest I kind of have my sights set on one of the GK micro's. But if he was interested in my Mesa Mpulse....we could work something out

[ErnieD]

there are way more bassists on this site that know how to tweak their amps to get exactly what they want out of them by knowing all the right knobs to turn/not turn. And I'm sure they have a very good ear for what they want tone-wise and what works best in a band mix. I get this from all the info they're able to offer in many threads.

I aint one of them.....but I'm getting better.

Only saying this cuz, I try knob settings based on what I read here. Some work; some don't. So I go back to my trusty ears; to me anyway. My point is I've been able to get some real good results with my STM-900 by just using the SVT settings lately. I was having the big bottom prob with this head for a good while til I came across that thread that offered the SVT settings. I never thought I would want such a tone.

For many years I've been in bands that offer no PA support. So I was blowing the stage up with loud bass. Past year or so, I've had very good bass PA support. So I'm able to now mostly use my 900 with just a modded Eden D210T cab; 4ohms, 500 watts. Or at times I need my GB Neox 212T cab for larger gigs. I keep a very moderate volume using the exact SVT setting but I bump the bass knob up around 10:00 for my stage tastes.

I'm guessing many, like I was, are using their STM-900 maybe without or minimal PA support and have to really crank the heads' knobs to fill the stage/room? This is a very powerful head and maybe folks are getting in trouble letting this beast go on stage.

Now, I did a outdoor gig recently with no bass PA support using the STM-900 w/Neox 212T, P5 w/nylon tapes. 5pc band with loud keysplayer/drummer. I was very able to use my rig again w/SVT settings but did have to bump the master volume up around 1:00-2:00. I don't like alot of grind at all, maybe shoulda gone with a 9.2 head instead. All those knobs scared me away onto the Streamliner 900.

Just from utube vids, no live trial use, I think the TH500 offers too much grind for my wants. I may have to sit with it and try it firsthand but this is what I'm hearing in those vids. Too much for me. Now I also use a Markbass LMII and a F1 head for some of those small club gigs with same cab(s) or a TB153 or two RS-210's. Pends on what I need for the room and fell like hauling that day. Agian, mostly using my ears for each room. As per freinds in crowd and bandmates, I'm guessing mostly right so far.

Sorry for this long-@zz post but I think many just aren't trying or don't know of the many different tone options with the STM-900 knobs. And yeah, it may not be the head you need for sure. I've only read a portion of that long STM-900 settings thread as I stopped once I tried the SVT settings. Just sayin, good luck to all. Alot of great friggin bass gear offerings out there ya know. Everyone can find what they like eventually.....at least my ears think that. Peace, e.

[bassgod0dmw]

Originally Posted by ErnieD

Sorry for this long-@zz post but I think many just aren't trying or don't know of the many different tone options with the STM-900 knobs. And yeah, it may not be the head you need for sure.

I can't speak for everyone, but I owned mine for about 2 years and gigged it often. I needed to tweak more than most amps to get it to work for me, and I needed to grab a different set of cabs. Once I got it working for me it was great. Light, very high quality, and a nice tone. Like any amp, it's as versatile as the player. Also like most amps it does have it's on baked in tone, which may or may not work for everyone.

I also think that having to try to make an amp work for an extended period of time pretty much tells you that it's not the amp for you.

In the end I went back to my trusty GK heads. I just like the tone from them much better, as do my bandmates. I also figured having to totally redo my entire rig just to make one amp work was kinda silly.

[joconnorwi]

Thanks much Ernie! and everyone -- for your input!
I guess there's only one way to really find out!
Move this gear!
I really appreciate everyone on this site so much....I've learned so much throughout the years...what a great bunch we all are! luv ya's!!!

[willsellout]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

I also think that having to try to make an amp work for an extended period of time pretty much tells you that it's not the amp for you.

This is why I don't own a Streamliner anymore.

In the end I went back to my trusty GK heads. I just like the tone from them much better, as do my bandmates. I also figured having to totally redo my entire rig just to make one amp work was kinda silly.

This is why I still own a Gk 800RB

[joconnorwi]

Anyone in Chicago have a STM-900 I can give a whirl?
Let's just throw that out there!

[joconnorwi]

Bump for anyone with a stm-900 in or near Chicago....?

[ErnieD]

Yep for a few years there I was only using a GK1001RBI head with Ampeg, Avatar cabs. After I started buying the smaller, lighter amp heads, I sold the GK as it just sat around unused.

But I think its true for me as it is for many others here when they say; " I pretty much sound like me no matter what gear I use". I don't think I've really changed my "tone" in 35+ years of playing, since Hi school stage band days. Yeah, tweaked it some due to new gear or trying new sound but never quite lost it completely. Good or bad....its' still there.

Heck, coulda prolly just stuck with the GK head all this time then. Darn G.A.S.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by joconnorwi

Digging my TH500 for the most part...REALLy love a tube grind to my sound. I still feel that when I dial that in, in my TH500, it compresses too much....only tried a STL 600 ( I think it was) quietly in a music store....really dug it so far though..

Just saw this thread. Per your comment about the TH500 'compressing too much when you dial in overdrive', my guess is you are using the 'drive' control to get your overdrive tone. Remember, that drive control is more of a tone control (rolling off deep low end and treble) and then finally adding some additional gain (to my ear) when you really crank it.

If you want a more open, wide, deep overdrive tone, use the gain control at much higher settings and just a touch of drive. That will open up the range of that amp nicely.

I'm a big fan of the Streamliner also, and it does have a much more relaxed midrange and a sweeter top end, and a less aggressive overdrive when the tube pre is pushed.

[joconnorwi]

Thanks Kjung! Oh yea, I've tweaked the drive and such, back and forth, I'm actually going ahead with a swap w/ a fellow tb'er! Don't know until we try, eh? Thanks everyone for their input!