The new TC Bass Head

[ursus]

http://www.tcelectronic.com/bh500.asp

[KJung]

This seems to be the 'head' version of their lower end combo amps.

29 pounds and only 50 watts more than the higher end 8 pound heads.

The variable lo pass (tweetertone) is cool, and I assume we will see that in the update to the higher end heads eventually.

Nice if you are on a budget and don't care about weight.

[dDaddybass]

new cabs too

[anarkink]

Not much input on these. Is the new stuff all down-market? I noticed the amp is a lead sled and cabs don't have the coax (which I love) of the RS series. Who is this stuff for? I love TC but this stuff seems odd. RS 750 would've been cooler.

[Slaine01]

Looks kind of like a comparison of the old Nemesis line in relation to Eden.

[FooHead]

Anybody know price? I've been debating price vs features on the RH450 and Classic 450. The TC stuff is a bit $$ here in Canada.
RH450 is a bit over $1000
Classic450 is about $680
Staccato '51is over $1200

Right now I'm leaning towards the Classic, I already have a tuner pedal abd would probably never use the semi parametric.....but presets would be nice for 2 basses....and both are lighter than my Tech21 Landmark300....but it might be better to have features I don't think I need....once I have them will I use them....hmmmmm......dang GAS!

[nasr20de]

I'm with you on a price on these. I'm about a month away from getting a BG500 combo and they dropped this now I'm torn all over again

[DanGouge]

I pulled the trigger on a BH500 and I quite like it so far. The thing sounds amazing, has most of the functionality of the RS450 but at 60% of the cost. Call it down-market if you want, I call it a good deal.

[Whitbass]

how does the BH500 compare to the RH450 in punch, wallop, etc?
volume?
tone?

[DanGouge]

Hmm, I'd say it's a bit warmer/vintage-y than the RH450 - perhaps on account of it having an output transformer. Still, it's similar overall, being that it has the same preamp section pretty much. Volume is there in spades, have not tried it in a band setting yet, so that will be the real test of how well it cuts through.

[ishouldbeking]

i'm impressed they were able to keep the cost so low. with all the features of the RH450 plus tweetertone at only $499, that makes for a killer feature-set at a ridiculous price. at least when compared to other lead sleds like Ashdown (and I quite like my ashdown head, mind you!).

congrats on your new amp!

[DanGouge]

Originally Posted by ishouldbeking

i'm impressed they were able to keep the cost so low. with all the features of the RH450 plus tweetertone at only $499, that makes for a killer feature-set at a ridiculous price. at least when compared to other lead sleds like Ashdown (and I quite like my ashdown head, mind you!).

congrats on your new amp!

It may be because they amortized the development costs of that preamp section through the sales of the RH450, and so it's now they have a proven preamp that they can drop into a chassis with an older style power section (again, proven technology) and charge an even lower price. FWIW I loved my old Ashdown too.

[babebambi]

Originally Posted by DanGouge

Hmm, I'd say it's a bit warmer/vintage-y than the RH450 - perhaps on account of it having an output transformer. Still, it's similar overall, being that it has the same preamp section pretty much. Volume is there in spades, have not tried it in a band setting yet, so that will be the real test of how well it cuts through.

u sure there is an output transformer?
if so than it would be really cool ...

[washburn_it]

Here in Italy its price is around at 440 Euro...I think I'm going to buy it as soon as I've sold my current head.

Regards,

Roberto

[DanGouge]

Originally Posted by babebambi

u sure there is an output transformer?
if so than it would be really cool ...

You can see it through the cooling grille in the back. I was surprised too when Dave at Club Bass (where I bought it) told me.

EDIT: So yeah, turns out that isn't really an output transformer, my bad, I was confused. Anyway, still a good sounding amp, nothing changes about my impression of the tone.

[andyp13]

Thinking of getting a TC BH500 with a BC212 and a BC210
I would like some thoughts on this...
Would 2 x 250 watt cabs be loud enough? this is the only thing im worried about..
I also looked at the possibility of the BH500 amp with a GK 212 and 210 MBE series (even lighter) but as the BH500 only has one output ?? and the GK's do not have an out only an in, I cant use this combination... I was dissapointed in this as the GK's were 600 watts and would have given me more volume... any ideas guys?

[JCooper]

I have 2 G-K SBX-ll cabs and have the same question, how would I connect a single speaker out to 2 8-ohm cabs? Is it possible? I like what I've heard about this head!

[Mr Antt]

Originally Posted by JCooper

I have 2 G-K SBX-ll cabs and have the same question, how would I connect a single speaker out to 2 8-ohm cabs? Is it possible? I like what I've heard about this head!

I got a speakon splitter cable, and did it that way - Speakon Splitter cable into the head, and then two separate cables coming from the splitter, then into the cabs. Both my Peavey cabs have only one jack, so that's what I had to do. Strange however, since there's plenty of room on the rear of the head to have more than one output, but oh well.

This head is great, sounds incredible, about half the price of the RH750 with the same features, it's very loud too. (And I like the red front panel!)

Anthony.

[JCooper]

Thanks!