A Good Head?

Ironmaidenfan07 · #1 05-08-2011, 07:08 AM

I was thinking about getting a Behringer Ultrabass BB410 1200W 4X10 cab. Any good suggestions for a good head to pair it with? Something below $500 please.

lbwdog · #2 05-08-2011, 07:23 AM

Some might say that pairing a quality head with a Behringer cab would be like "putting socks on a hog"

Sorry, i just couldn't resist!....

billfitzmaurice · #3 05-08-2011, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbwdog

Some might say that pairing a quality head with a Behringer cab would be like "putting socks on a hog"

Sorry, i just couldn't resist!....

I second that. A Behringer head with a good quality cab would be a better option IMO.

allexcosta · #4 05-08-2011, 07:37 AM

IME Behringer heads are not very reliable. Their cabs are alright.

An used GK1001RBII would fit your budget while sounding very good...

Foamy · #5 05-08-2011, 07:44 AM

Thirded - and I'm no Behringer hater. I own a lot of their gear and love it. Plus, their cabs feel like their lined with lead or steel: they are soooo heavy. And....you can always build your own if you are so inclined.
That cab is $359 at MF and weighs in at 100 Lbs.
$489 at Avatar gets you their NEO 410 at 65 lbs, and they sound much better as well.
Other options - widen your search a bit and you'll discover.

Foamy · #6 05-08-2011, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by allexcosta

IME Behringer heads are not very reliable. Their cabs are alright.

An used GK1001RBII would fit your budget while sounding very good...

I have almost the opposite experience. However, my cab was reliable. It just was so heavy, it was ridiculous. And side-by-side, it did not sound as good as my Avatar 410.
That 450 watt head though, it is seen as pretty reliable in general.

pie_man_25 · #7 05-08-2011, 07:56 AM

I've heard horror stories about behringer gear. That being said, some people find their gear to be rather reliable, and they swear by it. My own brief experience with their gear is a middle of the road between the two - I do think that there are certainly duds, but I also think some of the horror stories I've heard are entirely, or at least mostly, fiction, because I've never had a problem when using one. I've had to borrow an amp on a couple of occaisions, and I'd usually get stuck with one. Here's a list of pros and cons:

Pros: - sounds relatively good, has a lot of bass to it and is relatively smooth.
-Their gear is cheap, there's really no way of getting around it.

Cons: - There's really only one sound you can get out of it, which is bassy - not much punch or midrange.
- There are plenty of horror stories about these amps, I'm not sure how much of it is true, but they have been known to not work all the time.
- The cabs are HEAVY.

I would actually recommend an Avatar, it's lighter, sounds better, and isn't more expensive by all that much.

waleross · #8 05-08-2011, 08:12 AM

If you havn't bought anything yet, I would look at the Hartke line. I don't have any of their stuff but they are dealing with good competitve prices for both heads and cabs. Behringer seems to make everything and while you hear a lot of bad reviews, you might do ok with a head and cab from them but I personally favor Fender and the new Rumble series of heads and cabs are worth looking at - IMO...............................Take your time before you buy...................

melarson · #9 05-08-2011, 09:10 AM

GK 400RB. I just picked one up for $115. I am waiting for my Basslite s2010 drivers to be delivered to finish my 2 Bill Fitzmaurice Jack 10 cabs, but it sounds good through the PA cab I used to test the head out. All in all I will have about $300 into the whole rig.

In my experience Behringer gear performs perfectly fine until it up and quits. I feel it can be worth buying, it just isn't going to lawt for the long haul.

Calaverasgrande · #10 05-08-2011, 11:24 AM

secnd teh GK 400RB. They are tireless warhorses. Ditto for 800RB.
As far as Behringer goes. I dont like their stuff but given the choice I would rather a behringer cab and a decent head than the other way round. Speaker are low tech and easy to make compared to a bass head. Though there are a lot of better cabs used and new in that price range.

**ddbassGA** · #11 05-08-2011, 11:29 AM

Again, positive vote for GK 400 RB. Reliable. Bulletproof. Clean. There are 2 fs right now on TB.

jomentum · #12 05-08-2011, 11:36 AM

X700 on the GK !!!!
Good price and very road worthy...

I waited/saved, and picked up a new GK700 RBII amp...

Never ending versatility with the selctable features and BI-amp capability..

Infidelity · #13 05-08-2011, 11:40 AM

I'll definitely want a good head!

+1 to GK though..

Sartori · #14 05-08-2011, 03:07 PM

You can get way better than Behringer if you buy used. I think Peavey stuff, especially used, is really good for the money, but others have their own preferences.