TC Electronics 450 or 750 into a 1X15 4ohm cab

JAS · #1 09-15-2011, 01:46 AM

Im using a single 15 Schroeder 4ohm cab and thinking about the TC 450 or TC 750. Anyone have any suggestions? Is this a bad idea running all that power through this single 4ohm speaker?
With the amp being so portable, the plan is to use it for many different setups down the road - but this one being the most lightweight and portable. Ill be using this for both Upright and Electric bass.

vin*tone · #2 09-15-2011, 01:54 AM

Should be fine given the TC power management limits the power peaks to about 240 watts.

JAS · #3 09-15-2011, 02:27 AM

How about the 750?

vin*tone · #4 09-15-2011, 05:54 AM

Believe it or not.... the actual measured continuous RMS at the terminals is nearly the same. The power amp is more powerful but it is processed through their Active Power Management which reduces transient attacks. The 750 has a stronger burst.

There's been quite a hoo ha about their power ratings..

The good news is that your Shroe will be fine.

KJung · #5 09-15-2011, 07:14 AM

Per our email discussion, just to put my opinion in your thread, I was not impressed by the TC match-up with the Schroeder 115L+.

Both pieces of gear have a somewhat attenuated low end, and a warm, present midrange. Even with the EQ power of the RH heads, those heads have a strong midrange voicing that is somewhat compressed sounding. This is how I would also describe the Schroeder 115L+ cab. So, to my ear, a bit too much of a good thing.

The Markbass heads, particularly the F1 or F500, work wonderfully with this cab, since the EQ points are in the right place to even out that very nice cab. And, putting any more than 500 watts into the 4ohm 115L+ is a waste of power... that cab (which is a loud little beast) will compress long before the head runs out of power.

The F1 really works well if you don't need a full featured DI, since the fixed midrange points are in the perfect place to bump up the upper mids and soften the mid mids a bit to even out that cab (and the VPF is perfect for widening and smoothing the voicing of that cab, set at 9 or 10 o'clock). So, if you are on a strict budget and don't use a DI much, the F1 is a great deal. The F500 sounds the same, but is more fully featured, and IMO well worth the extra $100 or so if you have the cash!

JAS · #6 09-15-2011, 11:01 AM

KJung, I dont think I got your email. Was it a PM or an email? Could you try sending it again? ...or was this your response to my email?

Thanks

JAS · #7 09-15-2011, 11:18 AM

vin*tone, yeah I read the threads about their power ratings. I guess with these we need to just throw our conventional way of thinking about watts out the door. 240 watts and 750 watts with these are meaningless it seems like. Are they as "powerful" as a 750 watt amp seems to be? Is this really a legitimate breakthrough on their part or just a marketing scheme?

I am really disappointed to hear they might not sound good with the Schroeder (as per KJung's response). I may have to just try one out with my cab to see for myself. I love the design/look of these, size, their features look like something Id be into, the sound clips of these things on the tc site and youtube sounds great.

I believe the MB F1 or F500 is basically the same as what I have in the MB 12 combo that Ive had for about 6 years or so. I have liked that to a large extent, but Id like to try something else. I guess the MB stuff is a good fall back if non of these other options work out.

My plan has been to run something powerful through this single 4 ohm cab as my main rig for upright and electric. I never was totally thrilled about how the MB sounded with upright.

vin*tone · #8 09-15-2011, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAS

vin*tone, yeah I read the threads about their power ratings. I guess with these we need to just throw our conventional way of thinking about watts out the door. 240 watts and 750 watts with these are meaningless it seems like. Are they as "powerful" as a 750 watt amp seems to be? Is this really a legitimate breakthrough on their part or just a marketing scheme?..

Yes I agree. Without wanting to dig up this tired debate again, IMO the similar results of the 2 amps 450 & 750 demonstrates that the traditional method of measuring an amps (at the output terminals) just makes no sense for the TC heads using APM. They could definitely have communicated this better.

GrowlerBox · #9 09-15-2011, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAS

I believe the MB F1 or F500 is basically the same as what I have in the MB 12 combo that Ive had for about 6 years or so. I have liked that to a large extent, but Id like to try something else. I guess the MB stuff is a good fall back if non of these other options work out.

Ken will have more on this, but the F-series is quite different from the LM-series heads found in the combos.

KJung · #10 09-15-2011, 03:53 PM

+1 F series is louder, tighter, brighter than the LMII/III.

Also, to the OP, my comments on the RH heads are IMO and IME. It isn't that is sounds 'bad' in an absolute sense, it just is not my tone at all.... all warm mids and not much else to my ear in that combination. If you like it warm and a bit chewy and very midrange focused (kind of like always favoring the bridge pickup on a J and digging in toward the bridge), you will get that in spades with that combination IMO and IME. Too 'congested' sounding for me personally.

KJung · #11 09-15-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAS

vin*tone, yeah I read the threads about their power ratings. I guess with these we need to just throw our conventional way of thinking about watts out the door. 240 watts and 750 watts with these are meaningless it seems like. Are they as "powerful" as a 750 watt amp seems to be? Is this really a legitimate breakthrough on their part or just a marketing scheme?

I am really disappointed to hear they might not sound good with the Schroeder (as per KJung's response). I may have to just try one out with my cab to see for myself. I love the design/look of these, size, their features look like something Id be into, the sound clips of these things on the tc site and youtube sounds great.

I believe the MB F1 or F500 is basically the same as what I have in the MB 12 combo that Ive had for about 6 years or so. I have liked that to a large extent, but Id like to try something else. I guess the MB stuff is a good fall back if non of these other options work out.

My plan has been to run something powerful through this single 4 ohm cab as my main rig for upright and electric. I never was totally thrilled about how the MB sounded with upright.

Here is a clip comparing the LMII to the F1. That might give you some idea of the difference in tone.

Markbass LMII and F1 powering the Bergantino AE410 with the Alleva-Coppolo LM5 - YouTube

There is a also a clip on my channel comparing the F1/F500 to the RH450 with the Bergantino HT112ER. While that cab is very different from your Schro115, you can hear what I'm talking about with the RH voicing compared to the other two heads.