Trace Elliot GP12SMX and SMC GP7?

[Gonzo476]

I've recently started a post-rockish band with a friend and I need a modern tone that has some warmth. Price for the first one is 350€ and the second one is 300-400€, can't remember right now.
Pros, cons (or ANY info, really)? I'm thinking of pairing one of them with a 2x15 (not really 'modern', I know, but 10s are not my thing and the Marshall 4x12 I had ordered weeks ago apparently got destroyed when being shipped to Spain ).

[Jools4001]

I've still have a couple of Trace-Elliot amps although I seldom use them these days. One has a GP7 preamp the other has a GP12SMX preamp. All the other stuff downwind of the pre-amp is superfluous because it's the pre that gives you the tone, the rest of it just makes it louder.

For me the GP12SMX pre-amp wins hands down. I has a blendable valve/solid state input stage that allows you to add a bit of tube warmth, a couple of preshapes, a 12 band selectable graphic instead of 7 and a two band compressor with seperate compression for highs and lows. I really like the flexibility it gave and I can't imagine you would need any more for that type of sound.

The GP7 is simply not as versatile.

[Gonzo476]

The 12SMX is the head version (power amp included). Do you know how many watts does it have?

[Jools4001]

Originally Posted by Gonzo476

The 12SMX is the head version (power amp included). Do you know how many watts does it have?

No, the 12SMX is the pre-amp configuration, it doesn't have any watts in it's own right, it's the basis of all the amps in the SMX series

My Trace SMX amp is an AH350SMX which means it's a GP12SMX pre-amp matched up with a 350 watt power stage, there are 600 watt versions and 1000 versions as well.

The GP12SMX pre-amp also came as a rack mountable pre-amp only - without any power amp at all.

You'll have to do your own research to find out what power output your intended amp has, or provide more information

[Gonzo476]

Originally Posted by Jools4001

No, the 12SMX is the pre-amp configuration, it doesn't have any watts in it's own right, it's the basis of all the amps in the SMX series

My Trace SMX amp is an AH350SMX which means it's a GP12SMX pre-amp matched up with a 350 watt power stage, there are 600 watt versions and 1000 versions as well.

The GP12SMX pre-amp also came as a rack mountable pre-amp only - without any power amp at all.

You'll have to do your own research to find out what power output your intended amp has, or provide more information

This is the Trace I'm talking about eBay anuncios: amplificador de bajo trace elliot (8843011) if it's just a preamp, it is HUGE.

[Jools4001]

Well, that is a Trace Elliot amp head paired up with a 2 x 15 speaker cab. The seller doesn't say how powerful the amp is, and it's difficult to tell anything from that photo, but since it's driving a 400watt cab, I would guess it's a 350 watt amp. You'd really be better off asking the seller for more information than asking here though.

I say again though that the GP12SMX is a PRE-AMP design. All amp heads have a pre-amp that takes the input signal from your bass and amplifies that relatively puny signal it to the required level that the power amp stage needs to drive it to full volume. The pre-amp is where all the tone shaping and compression etc etc goes on.

The Trace GP12SMX was availables as a stand alone rack mounted pre-amp. It was also used as the pre-amp section of their amp heads.

Quite simply, whichever of the SMX amp heads you bought it had a GP12SMX pre-amp bundled into the same case as the power amp. Once you have the preamp sorted out, you can simply put whatever rating of power amp you like with it. All amp manufacturers do it this way, and market their product so that the 1000 watt amp is lots more expensive than the 600 watt version which is, in turn, a lot more expensive than the 350 watt version - despite the fact that higher wattage power amps really don't use many more components and most of the development work is in the preamp design

[Downunderwonder]

I love mine, it's 250W. Easy one hand carry. Loud. Great tones.

The only con I'm aware of is the IC chips in the compressors aren't made any more.

[Gonzo476]

Thanks for the input so far! I think I'm going to pull the trigger on a second hand preamp+power amp combo I've seen today.

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

I love mine, it's 250W. Easy one hand carry. Loud. Great tones.

The only con I'm aware of is the IC chips in the compressors aren't made any more.

If that's the only con, then I'm buying it! I never use compression.

[PawleeP]

wondering if any one knows how the dual compressor compares to an empress or diamond bass compressor on one of these? and how rampant of a problem is the non-availability of the IC chips for the compressor? Paul