| TC Classic450 - quick capsule review
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Just got my Classic450 in from ProAudioStar in NY. (They have been really good to deal with so far, by the way.) I got it new but paid less than the typical street price through their "Make An Offer" feature... they took my first offer which really surprised me.
Anyways, I have gotten to spend an hour thumping around on it through my computer--my cab is at my drummer's house, so no way to try that out yet. I wasn't expecting much through the computer but I was still blown away. Of course, I barely even had to touch the gain to get an extremely high level in this setup so I was nowhere near peaking.
The SpectraComp is one of the best compressor's I've ever used, certainly the best I've found built into an amplifier. It makes for a very punchy sound when it is dimed. There were no unusable settings with it. I was surprised that I could tolerate it at even the highest level for extended periods, although I will update this if things are different through a cab.
The EQ voicing is really great; it focuses on what I care about most in a bass's sound and cuts out all of the fat. Very easy to dial in good tones rather than getting lost in a sea of choices. Again, I can't emphasize enough how happy I am with the voicing. It seems--using the direct out from the back of the amp--to be perfect. I will update this as before, after playing through a cab.
The TubeTone is the first tube emulator to impress me, much like the compressor. On my old amp I really didn't like the Valve Drive feature, that used an actual tube in front of the EQ. This apparently is digital emulation on both sides of the EQ, and it sounds really great. I didn't think I'd want to use it, but I do, because it is so effective and frankly quite authentic sounding. Dimed, it is pure overdrive, and combines really well with the EQ. Most of the stuff I do will not need the TubeTone feature but I am really itching to get into a context that would benefit from it, like a stoner metal sound.
After I've heard it through my Markbass 151HR I'll post any updates. I'm aware this is just the honeymoon phase, so I'll try to also follow up after a month or two. But I'm really impressed that in the first hour I felt like I really knew how to get the most out of this amp, and that all of the controls I had were not only easy to use but very powerful and practical. | 
