I need help choosing between these portable/powerful rigs...

thehorse · #1 12-16-2012, 04:29 PM

Hello everybody, i find myself in need of a new amplifier. In fact I have been needing it for quite a long time, but I've never been bothering much before since all I would do were rehearsals.
Now, on the other hand, something is stirring up, I'll probably start doing some shows with two bands so I HAVE to make up my mind and buy something. Something powerful. Something good. Something quite easy to carry around, since I'll rarely do big stages and, being a stereotypical lazy italian, I just can't stand heavy rigs.
I would like something that I can use both with my Beatles tribute band and my main gig, an experimental-fusion-math-something metal band named Observe (check out the songs on the bandpage to have an idea of what we are doing)
After careful consideration and trials I've restricted my options to the following:

Ampeg MicroVR (or PF350) + 2x SVT210AV (vertically stacked)
Mesa Walkabout Scout 12"
Aguilar Tonehammer 350 with some kind of cab (I was thinking about a BagEnd 1x15)
Orange Terror Bass 500 (no clue about which cab to pair it with)

but now I'm at total loss. I like the MicroVR tone, but I fear that it would be too quiet for Observe. The Walkabout has the perfect tone, and i think it would be powerful enough, but I don't know really.
Man, this is tough. Could you please guide a poor soul looking for his first real amp?

JimmyM · #2 12-16-2012, 04:34 PM

Love the Ampeg stuff and I have everything you named and I use it all the time, but the cabs are medium duty, so they will be a limiting factor to how loud you can get. However, a single 12" or 15" probably won't cut it for your metal band either, unless you always have PA. For a Beatles band, it would probably work, but not so much for metal.

mc_muench · #3 12-16-2012, 04:37 PM

I would go with the Orange or a Walkabout HEAD and some single 15's.

**CL400Peavey** · #4 12-16-2012, 05:15 PM

I would go with the Orange tb500 and a fEARless 115. Will spank a 410 in volume and be way more portable.

RickenBoogie · #5 12-16-2012, 05:18 PM

Yeah, in order to get up to volume, you need to think more about spkr cabs, and less about wattage. The 300 watt Walkabout, (head) is an awesome bass amp, my favorite ever, but in the single 12" Scout combo, the volume will be quite limited. Now, take that same amp and put it atop a good 2x12, and now you've got some volume. The spkr cab choice is MOST imortant, whatever amp you choose.

bassthe2ndtime · #6 12-16-2012, 05:48 PM

I worked at learning to play bass many years ago and got side tracked into various versions of guitar playing. Recently I thought I might return to the bass. While trolling craigslist in my hometown I came across a GK 700RB Mk II with a Line 6 Bass POD XT Pro in a SKB short rack case for $200. and it all works and it's not reported stolen. I thought I would resale for a profit but now I am looking for the best match in a affordable cabinet. My guitar style is in the blues/R&B direction but my bass goals are to be much broader if possible, any pointers on possible cabinet choices? I am playing a Sterling copy of a Stingray through a TC Electronics BG250 for now

B-string · #7 12-16-2012, 05:51 PM

EXCELLENT buy! My suggestion is to start with a G-K NEO 212 II cab.

bassthe2ndtime · #8 12-16-2012, 06:34 PM

Thank you for the tip. A local music shop which I try to spend as much gear money as I can at has a Avatar 2X10 Bass Cab w/Eminence Kappa Speakers for $274 w/tax,

I will be trying them tomorrow, very clean condition. What little I have been able to find out about these they are highly rated from a small company that makes great bass cabinets

B-string · #9 12-16-2012, 08:00 PM

Avatar makes good cabs. With ceramic magnet speakers the 210 goes for $349 +45 shipping, with the NEO drivers $399 + 45 shipping.
http://www.avatarspeakers.com/

Roadkill · #10 12-16-2012, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehorse

Ampeg MicroVR (or PF350) + 2x SVT210AV (vertically stacked)

Plenty loud enough to require you to wear earplugs. Not gonna be as loud as an 8x10. Nobody here can tell you how loud your band plays...

thehorse · #11 12-17-2012, 02:10 AM

Thanks for the input. Observe plays quite loud, but not as loud as the average metal band. So you say that the walkabout with its single 12" could be not as loud as two 210av?
Oh, I almost forgot: with the Beatles tribute I play a fender jazz American vintage re75 with flats, but with observe I use a Dingwall ABZ6 in drop A. So it will have to withstand a pretty low rumble...

JimmyM · #12 12-17-2012, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehorse

Thanks for the input. Observe plays quite loud, but not as loud as the average metal band. So you say that the walkabout with its single 12" could be not as loud as two 210av?
Oh, I almost forgot: with the Beatles tribute I play a fender jazz American vintage re75 with flats, but with observe I use a Dingwall ABZ6 in drop A. So it will have to withstand a pretty low rumble...

Downtuning adds a whole new wrinkle to your search. I can't speak to Mesa's line of small cabs since I don't have much experience with them, but the 210av's are likely going to struggle with downtuning so far. Instead of them, I'd be looking at the PF210he or PF115he cabs in the Ampeg line and a PF500 for a head. Only $100 more (less if you find a sale), they handle considerably more power than the 210av's, they go considerably lower than any other sealed cabs I've played (and lower than many ported cabs as well), and they're still pretty light at around the 42-45 lb. mark. At least two would be recommended for most metal bands playing clubs and small/medium venues, but considering what you said about your band, you might be able to get away with one.

Downunderwonder · #13 12-17-2012, 03:21 AM

Single 12 can't hold a candle to two 2x10. A sub with a 6" and a heap of power can.

Low rumble isn't going very far with your average house PA. It's simply impossible to do loud fundamentals of low E and below without a heap of subs. Your bass rig has no chance.

How big of a gig do you think you will have to carry without PA support? What are your bandmates up to? "Not as loud as average metal band" says they might be somewhat sensible or gear poor.

It's refreshing to hear of a metal band that is less loud than average. The average metal band in my experience has no clue about sounding good while sounding angry. It's a great shame.

A couple of local metal outfits have bent to my encouragement to lower the stage volume and reaped some decent sound as a result. Nothing trumps being able to hear the vocals, drums as drums instead of muffled thumps and splashes, bass tones and guitar tones.

Bass is always a hiding to nothing trying to keep up with guitars with tube stacks out of control. These guys are a lot of noise and no music. Don't be those guys!

thehorse · #14 12-17-2012, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

Single 12 can't hold a candle to two 2x10. A sub with a 6" and a heap of power can.

Low rumble isn't going very far with your average house PA. It's simply impossible to do loud fundamentals of low E and below without a heap of subs. Your bass rig has no chance.

How big of a gig do you think you will have to carry without PA support? What are your bandmates up to? "Not as loud as average metal band" says they might be somewhat sensible or gear poor.

It's refreshing to hear of a metal band that is less loud than average. The average metal band in my experience has no clue about sounding good while sounding angry. It's a great shame.

A couple of local metal outfits have bent to my encouragement to lower the stage volume and reaped some decent sound as a result. Nothing trumps being able to hear the vocals, drums as drums instead of muffled thumps and splashes, bass tones and guitar tones.

Bass is always a hiding to nothing trying to keep up with guitars with tube stacks out of control. These guys are a lot of noise and no music. Don't be those guys!

We do have a PA of our own, but the places were we will play do have a PA so that's no problem. The two guitars use very different rigs, one uses an Hayden small all-tube head and a 4x10, the other an AxeFX through a Mesa power amp, or a small Blackstar and an Harley Benton 2x10. We don't want to be the usual metal band with thousands of watts on stage that makes eardrums burst. Our stuff is complicated and layered and we want everybody to enjoy everything, that's why I think I can afford a kinda small rig.

Going back on topic, what about the Aggie TH350?

**CL400Peavey** · #15 12-17-2012, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehorse

Going back on topic, what about the Aggie TH350?

IMHO if you are looking at the Tonehammer set your sites on the TH500.

Downunderwonder · #16 12-17-2012, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehorse

We do have a PA of our own, but the places were we will play do have a PA so that's no problem. The two guitars use very different rigs, one uses an Hayden small all-tube head and a 4x10, the other an AxeFX through a Mesa power amp, or a small Blackstar and an Harley Benton 2x10. We don't want to be the usual metal band with thousands of watts on stage that makes eardrums burst. Our stuff is complicated and layered and we want everybody to enjoy everything, that's why I think I can afford a kinda small rig.

Going back on topic, what about the Aggie TH350?

That's my kind of metal.

350 v 500, you can turn a big amp down but you can't turn the little one up.

thehorse · #17 12-18-2012, 02:18 AM

Ok thanks for the feedback every body. Today I'll give a shot at the microVR again, wanna see how it handles the downtuning. Such a shame that Mesa is so pricey and the WA cab is so small... I really dig the tone...
Anyway, suggestions for a not-too-pricey cab for the TH500?