| I wish I had found your post the other day. I had posted a new thread regarding my 'new' 1550. I find that TB is sometimes overwhelming to do a simple search..Anyhow...
My wife and I visited Atlanta Bass Gallery, last Saturday and found a 1550. [ see my thread started at an earlier date]. She bought it for me @ $150, which we found as a fair price. At Atlanta Bass Gallery, I tried the 1550 through a Hartke system, with some different basses; both active and passive 5-string basses. The cab held a tight B string. It is surprisingly light. An HEY..Now I have a Marshall cab!!
At home, last night, I plugged-in my 2009 Squier Jazz Deluxe-active 5, running the 1550
first through my 1970 Acoustic 370. The 370 is a 4ohm head, so there is some power loss to be expected, however, it still sounded great at a little less than '2' on the volume, with no rattles, held the B-string well.
Next, I ran the same bass throgh my 1971 Kustom 200-B. It is an 8ohm head. The 1550 is an 8 ohm cab, so no power loss. The 1550 is rated @ 250 watts RMS; Kustom 200-B is @ 100 watts RMS. Same results; sounded great...No rattles or distortion, held the B-string. Franlkly, the Kustom never sounded so good, even though I have run it for decades through it's mated 2-15 cab, with CTS speakers.
Overall, I favor the tone of the 370, as the Kustom seemed brighter; it has no midrange knob, as does the 370.
I ran the 370 tones and EQ flat, with the bright switch off. I ran the Kustom at it's volume around '2', with the bass full on, trebble @ 1/2, first throgh the ' bright' side, then the 'normal' side. Overall, the Kustom was still brighter than the Acoustic. I will probably run my Furman pq-3 in front of the Kustom for more tonal range.
My next experiment will be to run the 1550 through the Kustom, along with its Kustom 2-15" cab, for max powering of the Kustom 200-B. Then I will run the 1550 through my 2009 Acoustic B-200 Combo, probably stacking the A/C B-200 on top of the Marshall 1550 to complete my mini-stack-of-doom.
Frankly, I wouldn't hesitate to play small to moderate gigs with the 1550, by itself, through either of my heads. If yours is still available @ $75, then..BY ALL MEANS BUY IT. I am sure it will couple well with the 12" cab you mentioned. For best results, your other cab should be an 8ohm cab, but with solid state amps, from my experience, it doesn't seem to cause harm, mixing cabs with different ohmages, with solid state heads.
I hope you buy the Marshall 1550. It is surprisingly light, full range on an active 5-string. I am sure you will be satisfied, especially, if it is in good condition. I would like to know how to approximate the date of manufacture. I understand it is a 1980's era Marshall.
Thanks...zon6c-f. | 
