Looking to upgrade (go lighter) from Ampeg to...Need Advice...

[stevenkh]

So...I have been using the Ampeg BX410 (4 ohm version) with the Ampeg SVT3-PRO and it has been working great.

HOWEVER...I am now needing to have a rig that I can use at the church as well as for concerts at other churches and venues. This rig works great but is too heavy and hard to load.

I have been looking around and really like the TC Electronic RH & RS bass gear. I would appreciate feedback on those items and am always interested in other options...but i am leaning towards the TC gear.

Situation:
I need something that is as good and as powerful (or more powerful) as what I have...but lighter and easier to move. Most of the churches/venues are 350-700 seat buildings, will have pa support (2 JBL618XLF-S subs...on road only), still no pa support at home church.

I would really appreciate any and all feedback.

Here are some of my questions & concerns:

1) TC Electronics COMBO750? or COMBO 750 with additional RS210? or RH750 with 1 or 2 RS212 cabs?

2) Interested if combining RS210 and a RS212 is a good idea...what kind of benefits or hindrances.

3) How does the RH750 compare to the SVT3-PRO?

4) Is there a single TC cabinet (RS line) that is close to the performance and tone of the BXT 410 (other than their 410).

5) If the RS210 or RS212 can't compare alone...is it better to get (2) of the 210's or 212's or (1) of each? (I don't know if technology or design has made enough advances for a 2xsomething to do such a thing as compete with a 410.)

6) With PA support will it really matter?

I appreciate your help!

[DiabolusInMusic]

I cannot offer you good insight on those exact pieces of gear but let me just skip to the last question and say with good P.A support it won't really matter what is behind you. If you really wanted to downsize you could just bring a good D.I. and get a monitor pointed at you. I have played similar size venues (not churches) without any kind of stage amp.

I would consider getting the smaller combo just to have something on stage if you intend to sing though, it isn't bad having a rig be your stage monitor and using the monitors for a mostly vocal mix.

[stevenkh]

any thoughts???

[CL400Peavey]

If you like the Ampeg sound, why dont you stay in the ampeg family? I dont find the TC stuff to sound like a 'peg at all.

For my money, and tastes, and for copping that ampeg tone I would look at a PF-800 and a fEARless 115. It will easily match your old 410 in volume, and come in way lighter.

[Downunderwonder]

How big is the home church and what is the rest of the amplification? I doubt you need any more than a decent 2x10 to play a church with a vocal PA and unamplified drums.

[stevenkh]

At church there is a grand piano, keyboard, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, Roland TD-20 drums, and a couple misc. orchestra inst. All run through the pa...however when the bass guitar is added the amp on the sub clips. Sound man said that the bass was barely able to be heard.

The room seats about 700 but we only run about 300ish.

The PA speakers are Bose Panaray 502 system. L&R have 200 watts per ch and sub has 700 watts. Sub is also flown from the ceiling...i dont believe that is the greatest location for the sub. I guess between everything else runnung through the system that the bass takes it over the edge. (my opinion...that speaker system is way wrong for the building...again thats my opinion).

CL400Peavey---I didnt know ampeg had a PF-800...checking into it. Also, (i am a little ashamed of this but...) i have never heard of fEARless. Time to do some homework!

[Downunderwonder]

At that rate, microVR stack a la JimmyM, 2 of 2x10 for easy flexible loading and ampeg tones.

[stevenkh]

Those micro ampegs are small...how good do they sound & perform??

Can anyone comment on the TC gear????

[aasti3000]

I have the RH750 with the RS212. The amp is light and the cab is LOUD! Now, I'm a new bass player but I let my friend from out of town gig with it so he would have to bring all his gear, just his bass. When the gig was done he just sat and played with the rig for like 45min. He loved it. I'm a fan of the tube tone and the compressor. You can get mega sounds. Then there are the 3 presets so you don't have to do alot of dialing up for tones. The cab is just a beast...not as light as a Markbass but it's not that heavy to me.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by stevenkh

Those micro ampegs are small...how good do they sound & perform??

My Micro VR's been kickin' it for 2 years, my PF350 a year and a half. No trouble at all. Sound great...not quite an SVT but definitely has the Ampeg touch and are easy to operate and find good sounds quickly.

[frits51]

I'm doing what you're doing. Same venue, same needs.

I wanted to downsize my LUGgage and upgrade my sound. I also wanted something that sounded good at low to medium volume levels and that could be cranked up outdoors and be clear, clean and solid.

Based on eveything I've read on TB and some personal correspondence with Brad Johnson and Sammie Glass, I just ordered a Glasstone Lil G 212 - 4 ohms, 600W, 39 pounds.

I'll post when I've used it.

[Fair Warning]

PF500 + PF210

[stevenkh]

Well...I tried out the Ampeg PF500 & PF210 @ GC today. It was pretty nice. Hopefully I can go to the other store tomorrow and try out a used TC RH450 head (no TC cab unfortunatley).

[4-string]

I own the RH750 and the RS210/212 stack, wonderful gear. I agree that it doesn't sound like an ampeg. To me that is only a good thing, but you, coming from an ampeg rig you dig, may feel differently.

That said, it has amazing EQ and tonal shaping, you can dial in almost anything. Also, very loud, light weight, amazing feature set, and just sounds great IMO. It definitely has its own thing going, people tend to love or hate the sound.

The cabs are great, wonderful sounding tweeters, not harsh at all. The cabs seem to be a bit polite in the upper mids, nothing extreme but to my ear it's there.

The cabs make a great vertical stack.