I'm sick of searching! Does the Ashdown ABM have tubes?

[EAdanikDG]

Whenever I search, I get pretty much 50/50 answers. I think it's not tube but i'm not sure. The Valve Drive button is what I think misleads people. Is it just an emulator (like I think) or does it actually drive the (supposed) pre-amp tubes. If it does have tubes, what would be the point in the new Spyder 550; it would be the same amp in a new casing.

Side note: The new Little Bastard wouldn't be too good for bassists (not enough power) but i'm willing to bet that it'd make a killer guitar amp.

PS: IDK if this has been said, but the entire Valve series is officially on sale in the UK. Don't know about the US though.

[R Baer]

The ABM has a switchable tube section in the preamp.

[EAdanikDG]

So the preamp has tubes that can be turned on and off?

[R Baer]

http://www.ashdownmusic.com/bass/det...ction=abm&ID=6

[Bass Collector]

Originally Posted by EAdanikDG

So the preamp has tubes that can be turned on and off?

They have a single 12AX7 which can turned on and off.

The gain to the tube can be controlled by the rotation of the "tube gain / valve drive" knob

Clean - anti-clockwise
Dirty - clockwise

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by EAdanikDG

Whenever I search, I get pretty much 50/50 answers. I think it's not tube but i'm not sure. The Valve Drive button is what I think misleads people. Is it just an emulator (like I think) or does it actually drive the (supposed) pre-amp tubes. If it does have tubes, what would be the point in the new Spyder 550; it would be the same amp in a new casing.

Side note: The new Little Bastard wouldn't be too good for bassists (not enough power) but i'm willing to bet that it'd make a killer guitar amp.

PS: IDK if this has been said, but the entire Valve series is officially on sale in the UK. Don't know about the US though.

The Little Bastard is a tube studio/practice amp, from what I can tell.

For guitar it probably wouldn't have enough gain for my tastes.

[meRTKendrew]

The Ashdown ABM has one tube in its preamp. A 12AX7. I had the same question a month ago, and couldn't find a clear answer.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f15/ashdown-abm-preamp-638052/#post8835375


-RTK

[Jibudo]

The ABM has a transistor preamp and a switchable valve overdrive (one 12AX7 valve). The new spyder 550 has an all valve preamp, that means 3 or 4 valves running at high voltage instead of the lower voltage ABM.

[EAdanikDG]

So it's just to provide a tube driven sound, not an actual preamp? Basically like an EBS ValveDrive or the Markbass Watchamacallit?