Tecamp NAMM 2013 - the best thing I heard at NAMM, bar none.

[larryelwood]

Hey all,

Just wanted to share a quick NAMM experience with you.. I walked the show all day Friday looking and listening for new and exciting stuff. I walked up and down the isles, rode up and down the escalators, and walked the isles again to make sure i hadn't missed anything. I did see and hear quite a few impressive things: An amazing demo by Doug Johns for Dunlop.. playing his Pedula through what looked like an Aguilar ToneHammer 500 and the aguilar 210 cab. Very nice tone, and chops galore.. Very cool.. A very entertaining demo by Sekou Bunch at the Carvin Booth, of course playing his signature model SB5000 through a B2000 and 210 carvin cab... Most of the booths where there was good to great bass tone from demos seemed to be coming from either aguilar or epifani gear. I'm sure, there were other rigs set up sounding great I didn't see or hear too.. HOWEVER, from a couple isles away as I was getting ready to leave, I began to hear the punchiest, clearest, most gorgeous bass tone ever.. FAR above any of the tone quality I had heard all day at NAMM.. I made my way over to a small crowd gathered in front of the TecAmp booth. I had heard great things about TecAmp on talkbass, but had never tried any of their gear or heard anything live before. I slipped into the front of the crowd to see Andrew Gouche Playing his Red MTD...
Plugged directly into this TecAmp Puma 500 head -SET FLAT! :



Which was plugged into a New Prototype TecAmp Cabinet that was a configuratioin of 2 10" drivers + 2 12" drivers + 3 Tweeters.. Yes, 3 Tweeters..

Image Here: (unfortunately, There are no Pics of this amazing cab yet on TecAmps site..Hopefully soon!)


Sitting by the cab with a grin from ear to ear Was Sekou Bunch. he was fiddling with some controls on the cab that the gathered crowd couldnt see as Andrew played some super groovy stuff. Sekou would adjust something and the sound would get gut punch huge, then he'd do something else and super glassy shimmering highs would come forth. Not annoying but, studio quality lovely glassy highs... Andrew just kept shaking his head in dis belief of the tone.. I was standing next to Gladys Knights Bassist and we just looked at each other like "what is in this Cabinet!?"

So this cab- i wish i could remember the name of it .. the Victory cab or the Vitality cab or something.. is a prototype that weighs about 60lbs i was told (hope i'm correct there), Has two large switches that activate either both 10s or Both 12s.. or all 4 drivers at once. In addition, there are 3 tiny switches that turn on the 3 tweeters separately. So effectively you have 3 cabinets in one, with 3 levels of HiFi, to super HiFi.

I mean, it was the absolute best tone at the show.. i know tone is subjective, but i'm telling you it was the creme de la creme. Super present punch, warm and totally amazing all at once.

The owner Thomas, was very very approachable and kind. I was totally struck by his excitement about creating new and inventive bass gear. He said even after all this time he is still chasing tone. He has created quite a few very unique and original product for bass players too (Check out the Pleasure board)...TecAmp is my new favorite. Why? Because I like their gutsy philosophy to bring new and inventive products to the market for us bassists, their drive for absolute excellence, AND OH MY GOD, THE TONE THAT GEAR PUTS OUT!!!

People, I'm saving my pennies for a TecAmp Puma and that beautiful cab.

[kurotenshi]

I've heard about TecAmp but have never tried one. That cab sounds really cool, I use 2x10 + 2x12 and the ability to easily switch configuration would be awesome.
What is the form factor?

[TheRealKong]

Tecamp-Cabs are killer! Just think about the Bad Cab, it holds 2x15'', 2x12'' and 4x 10'' - speakers and two tweeters. This together with only 119 lbs.

Or my Tecamp L 810... friggin' 2.400 Watt RMS, and only 86 lbs. The lowest 2x10''-section is ported, so there is a whole lot of deep end. It has just one tweeter, I like the tweeter switching system. Three times smoother highs, two times more agressive.

Fired with my GenzBenz GBE 1200 the sound makes me smile.

Ciao

Uwe

[KJung]

I felt the same way last year when these heads were introduced. Probably the best sounding heads on the market right now if you like it clean but not sterile. I was lucky enough to be a bit of a 'field tester' for the revised Puma500 prototype a while back, and really liked the revoicing. For those who missed out on the wonderful Markbass F1/F500, the Puma500 is the closest thing on the market to that amp with a more refined tone and a bit more oomph. Of course, the 900 is a whole different level of ooomph!

Haven't heard the new ceramic cabs, but they look great.

[phillybass101]

where is the Pic?

[larryelwood]

I'd love to post a picture of that new Cab if TecAmp had one available.. Thomas ??

[phillybass101]

I got a response from Glenn about this cab:

Yes, the Virtue cabinet is selectable 2-12" speakers/ 2-10" speakers, or all 4. Then you can select low level or high level output from any combination of the three tweeters. There is a 4" cone tweeter, TecAmp's "standard horn tweeter, and a new tweeter that brings a bit more sparkle and extension to the overall sound.

The cabinet is typical of TecAmp's design/ "level of insight" into what we bassists really require and want for exceptional stage performance. Focussed, and colored in a way that delivers frequency response that is complimentary to performance applications onstage, in studio, or essentially with other players. Even when playing by oneself.

Price is around $1600 US, and we are taking orders at this time.

Please let me know if you have additional questions, or if you wish to order.

Kind regards,
Glenn

[swspiers]

I just didn't need to know this....

[rpsands]

I'm just not going to get into how I feel about Tecamp's approach to cabinetry :P

That said, a Puma 900 has been on my to-try list for a while now. Really looks great and every demo I've heard is amazing.

[swspiers]

So- Sekou Bunch designed the cab?

http://sue926.wix.com/sekoubunch#!album/c61v

[larryelwood]

Wow. That's news to me.

[phillybass101]

I would really like to hear that cab. Sekou did a really good job with the Carvin SKB basses so I can only imagine what this cab sounds like. My neighbors would probably hate me :-)

[phillybass101]

Outta here guys. I thought this was a tecamp amplification thread. Now that I have determined for myself what it is, I'll leave all the intellectual spewing to this. had a good time while it lasted. it's nice to know that David Dyson, Andre Gouche, and Sekou Bunch don't know what they're doing.

[larryelwood]

PhillyBass, It's unfortunate, that these things get so turned on their ear. Man, I started this thread out of total excitement about a unique 60lb bass cabinet, that to me in my 30 years of playing, i'd never heard the likes of. Standing in front of, to the side of and even an isle away from sounded AMAZING. Yes.. it is super nontraditional, perhaps overkill for some players, even a little goofy?

I can't tell you how many gigs i've been on where my KILLER 410 sounded like crap because of the acoustics in the room... What this cab would do for me is help me achieve optimal bass tone in many situations that wouldn't have allowed for it. 60lbs is a decent schlep and not for everyone, i'd do it just to blow myself and everyone in a decent proximity away every night.

People don't like change, people don't like unconventional things. "10s and 12s together???? That's...just...not.. correct!!" People like to feel comfortable in their opinions and perspectives. Imagine the criticism that TecAmp has received over the pleasure board??? All I can say, is that cab was best sounding most intriguing single cab demo ever heard. It basically offered massive "Tonal Headroom" options that i don't think were previously available in a single cab.

I've spoken my peace!

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by phillybass101

Outta here guys. I thought this was a tecamp amplification thread. Now that I have determined for myself what it is, I'll leave all the intellectual spewing to this. had a good time while it lasted. it's nice to know that David Dyson, Andre Gouche, and Sekou Bunch don't know what they're doing.

Yes, that's exactly what was said.

People were discussing the cab in the other thread. There's a lot of baggage from both sides as far as I can see.

[Akito]

I really liked my Puma500. I have been making money playing country gigs, so I use a less expensive amp that sounds a bit dirtier for the job. Love the sound of TecAmp stuff though for sure!

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by phillybass101

Outta here guys. I thought this was a tecamp amplification thread. Now that I have determined for myself what it is, I'll leave all the intellectual spewing to this. had a good time while it lasted. it's nice to know that David Dyson, Andre Gouche, and Sekou Bunch don't know what they're doing.

Huh? Did some comments get deleted? Other than the expected Amps section commentary, nothing said seemed that bad.

Subscribed. The head looks interesting, and I'd be interested in seeing the cab.

[Bmorefoozler]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

Huh? Did some comments get deleted? Other than the expected Amps section commentary, nothing said seemed that bad.

Subscribed. The head looks interesting, and I'd be interested in seeing the cab.

I think he got his threads crossed and meant that post for the Tecamp Club thread, where discussions of the cab have gotten "scientific" and dismissing.

[Virgil]

Originally Posted by larryelwood

PhillyBass, It's unfortunate, that these things get so turned on their ear. Man, I started this thread out of total excitement about a unique 60lb bass cabinet, that to me in my 30 years of playing, i'd never heard the likes of. Standing in front of, to the side of and even an isle away from sounded AMAZING. Yes.. it is super nontraditional, perhaps overkill for some players, even a little goofy?

I can't tell you how many gigs i've been on where my KILLER 410 sounded like crap because of the acoustics in the room... What this cab would do for me is help me achieve optimal bass tone in many situations that wouldn't have allowed for it. 60lbs is a decent schlep and not for everyone, i'd do it just to blow myself and everyone in a decent proximity away every night.

People don't like change, people don't like unconventional things. "10s and 12s together???? That's...just...not.. correct!!" People like to feel comfortable in their opinions and perspectives. Imagine the criticism that TecAmp has received over the pleasure board??? All I can say, is that cab was best sounding most intriguing single cab demo ever heard. It basically offered massive "Tonal Headroom" options that i don't think were previously available in a single cab.

I've spoken my peace!

Your words were very refreshing to me. I don't know why. I would just like to add that, Thank God everything can't be reduced to mathmatical certainty. And some things can't be explained, and have to be accepted. The fact that you heard what you felt was one of the best sounding cabs you have ever heard is enough. Further analysis is unnecessary. Its like walking down the street and you see a woman and you say "that's the most beautiful woman in the world." Are you wrong? No. Because everyone has the right to decide what they think is beautiful. Of course others will disagree, but that doesn't make you wrong. I applaud TecAmp and any other manufacturer who is willing to go out on a limb and try something new...that's where growth begins. If we don't grow we become stagnant. we should stop being hard on each other, and just listen to what others have to say. You don't have to agree, but keep the dialogue open...maybe we all will learn something.

[tombowlus]

That cab really did sound awesome. It was also amazingly light, considering that it has two 12's, two 10's, and three different horn configurations packed inside!

Here are some pics: