Demeter VTBP-201S, DB750 or ???

Ron Plichta · #1 05-05-2011, 07:28 AM

It seems like I've tried a million different amps and I always come back to the DB750. I mainly play rock and like its touch of wooliness, but really don't care for the weight. It's at the upper limit of what I want to lug around.

I played the Demeter last night and it seems a tad brighter than the DB750 and perhaps a bit more "accurate" in its response. The power amp I used was a QSC GX5 (?), but it wasn't the top-line QSC. I've used Crown XTi series amps in the past with good luck and would probably pair that with the Demeter if I went that route.

You can see where this is going - I'm looking to save as much weight as possible with 45 lbs.being the upper limit. The tone is a blend between Hi-fi and tube warmth. Think a tad quicker SVT.

My basses are mostly Mike Lull - PJ5 with flats, V5 (J bass) with and Audere preamp and a T5 (their Thunderbird model). I also have a '86 4003.

Amps that have been eliminated from consideration:

RH450 - I currently own one and it sounds compressed to me.
Mesa Carbine series - a little too "brittle"
EBS TD650 - a little too "hi-fi".

The DB750 has the lead right now, followed by the Demeter. I'm looking for suggestions of other amps to consider that will be similar to them sonically; maybe the new Genz Benz Streamliner 900 or something similar.

Hizzoner · #2 05-05-2011, 07:49 AM

check out the SL 900..very light, amazing tone, flexible..from clean to OD..etc...

BurningSkies · #3 05-05-2011, 08:54 AM

Consider a Kern IP-777 for a tube pre. I've just started using one and am amazed at how Tubey it can be OR how hi-fi. I've coupled mine with a peavey IPR 3000...which us 7 pounds for 3 kilowatts if power.

When I last saw, there was a Kern listed at BassNW.

4Mal · #4 05-05-2011, 08:57 AM

I know it's old and no longer sexy but have you tried the WT-800 ?

bucephylus · #5 05-05-2011, 10:26 AM

Ron, IME, you have correctly described the Dem vs the DB750. Have you tried the new Aggie 500? I don't know of any amps that exactly do the DB750 wooly thing. I believe the Streamliner gives more tube fatness, but not sure it is in the same wooly ballpark. That tone seems to be somewhat specific to Aggie heads. I don't personally use that tone, so far from an expert. What about some of the Aggie pres coupled with a light power amp? GL.

Slaymus · #6 05-05-2011, 10:33 AM

Keep both and use the power amp in
of the DB750 to power the demeter.

Ron Plichta · #7 05-05-2011, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bucephylus

What about some of the Aggie pres coupled with a light power amp? GL.

I would be totally happy with a DB659. Thanks for reminding me of that one. I'd forgotten about it. That's why I started this thread.

babebambi · #8 05-05-2011, 11:12 AM

To my ear, the Genz Benz Streamlined is quite different from the Aguilar DB750/751. The STL has a lot more upper mid content that the DB attenuate. I haven't play with the STL long enough to determine if it's EQ is capable of shaping the tone in the same way.

The WT800 can certainly do that "wooly" tone, but do not provide the same "heft" as the DB. Not even the titanic Carvin B1500 gives me that heft.

The closest, IME, is the M9; with a lot of EQ tweak. However, the M9 is inherently a lot more noisy (high noise floor). But in a gigging situation, it's a wash.

If the RH450, sound compressed, then maybe the latest RH750 will be better with the liberated top end of the new Tweeter Tone.

Ron Plichta · #9 05-05-2011, 11:15 AM

The "heft" you mention is what attracts me to the DB750, babebambi. I noticed a little of it when I played the Demeter last night, albeit in a slightly cleaner way.

Ron Plichta · #10 05-06-2011, 06:06 PM

We have a winner! I tried the STM-900 and the DB750 with my cabinets today and had tried the Demeter a few says ago. My thoughts:

The Demeter was the cleanest of group; maybe a little "too" clean.
The STM-900 was surprisingly close to the DB750. A little cleaner sounding and a LOT lighter to boot, but I was able to get a very approximate sound to the DB750.

However, close only counts in horseshoes. As much as I really wanted to like the STM-900, the DB750 still had a 'presence" to it that made me forget the extra weight and cost. So I plunked down my cash and walked out with it.

The silver lining to the day was that my current AER cabinets are pretty good. Sorry I can't as much for the head in comparison to the three I tried.

j.kernodle · #11 05-07-2011, 09:14 AM

As a current Demeter and former db750 owner I agree with your choice to get the Aguilar. I absolutely love my Demeter crest rig, but if it had made financial sense to keep both I would've. I like the clean of the Demeter when I need it, and use a vt bass pedal for more aggressive rock sounds. Also as nice as the stm900 is there's just something bad ass about looking back at that big ol three space Aguilar behind you. You just know it's a monster.

Ron Plichta · #12 05-07-2011, 09:42 AM

I'm thinking that in a perfect world, I'll sell as much gear as I can and get an STM-900 as a backup.

babebambi · #13 05-07-2011, 11:20 AM

+1 to the Aguilar
+1 to STM900 as backup too

Ron Plichta · #14 05-08-2011, 09:58 AM

Two days later and the Aggie is growing on me again (in a good way). I have the EQ set with the treble at 12:00, mids at 10:00 and bass around 11:00. It gives a little cleaner sound yet leaves a certain "richness" to the notes. I hooked it up to an Epifani UL 212 I had laying around and I was duly impressed! I plan to A/B the Epi to my AER cabs later and may decide to keep the Epi.

The main person I have to thank during the process is my wife. Yes, you heard that right.

She's heard me play several times and gives good feedback on the sound from the floor. I mentioned that this DB had arrived at the shop and how much I missed the one I had before. Her comment - "Why don't you get it?", Our understanding is that my gear purchases are self-funded by selling other unwanted gear. But this time, she let me take a loan from savings while my other stuff is on the market. I hope she doesn't plan for me to pay interest on that "loan".

**IvanMike** · #15 05-08-2011, 10:15 AM

IME a lot of the heft of the 750 is that power section. Yes, it's SS, but it goes boom. when I bridged my Stewart power amp at what should be 2000 watts the aggie sounded every bit as loud at 750 (of course you're not going to hear much of a difference, but the aggie seemed to have more guts, or just as much).

I didn't get quite the same sound out of a 659 into my power amp, but I could have been mistaken.

personally I like the demeter 201s a lot better than the internal preamp in the 750, but that's just me. It's tighter, less "woolly", has a few more EQ options, and just sounds different.

If it were me I'd throw both in a 4 space rack and use either the demeter into the 750's power section or the internal preamp in the 750, changing whenever i felt fickle.

smcgov · #16 05-08-2011, 10:30 AM

I've had the 201s for almost 10 years...I've had an itch to change just for the sake of change, but last week stumbled upon a nice slightly more aggressive tone by turning my effect out to the compressor all the way up but only turning the return to about 3:00. I also have the bass freq knob at 120hz and the presence at 2K...this thickens up the mids to give a nice snappy punch. I've always been curious to try the 750...I tried other aguilars back in the day but when playing out always felt that the live tone from a demeter is super hard to beat with a great sounding bass. Another thing I do is turn the power amp all the way up and adjust volume on the pre...this makes it easier to approach a slightly overdriven tone than if I keep the power amp volume at 50%. I have a Crest CA6...I had a CA9 but returned it because it had too much power and I couldn't get this little snarl with it.