What amp for an Acme Low B2?

JimTMich · #1 08-11-2011, 02:10 PM

I just picked up a used Acme LowB2 from a fellow TBer.

What amp should I put with it? Using it at home and as a stage monitor for me and the drummer at church. Using a direct box now, but could use the line out or xlr.

Carvin BX500 500watts @4 ohms, can go to 2ohms

I like it's made in the USA, and wirtten about clean sound with the possibility of a hint of tube flavor, and a lot of eq options, and a build in compressor, like the size, and the price is amazing.

Anything else I should look at?

BassmanPaul · #2 08-11-2011, 03:12 PM

I'm using a Carvin BX1500 and a Carvin DCM1000L driven by a full tube pre-amp. The DCM is replacing a Mackie FR1400 which is simply too heavy for my aged bod to move easily. I'm using the Mackie tonight then it gets changed out. Oh yes, I'm driving a pair with another pair as an option.

Miss read the OP.

Bluesy Soul · #3 08-12-2011, 01:13 AM

I've been playing Acmes for years with various amps that sounded good, but I think the Gallien-Krueger MB series sounds best with them. Some will tell you that the MB500 provides plenty of power for the Low B-2--and I must admit that I have not run short on power yet when pairing the MB500 with either the Low B-2 or a Flatwound--but I'm about to purchase an MB800 for multi-cab setups and because I like plenty of headroom power.

The tone from the G-K MB series paired with the Acme cabinets is absolutely killer, probably the best I've heard yet.

jasper383 · #4 08-18-2011, 11:13 AM

I have run my B-2 with my Little Mark II head. Sounds great.

JimTMich · #5 08-19-2011, 04:23 AM

Would a Carvin BX250 be enough for stage monitor volume and home practice?
The Crate BX50 I'm using now has enough volume, but is limiting on B string more than I would like.
I like Made in USA and the BX250 allows pre or post eq to be sent to the XLR where as the BX500 is pre eq only. (compressor also)

BassmanPaul · #6 08-19-2011, 09:17 AM

Gig report on the DCM1000L. Driving a 4Ω B2 per channel the amp was superb. Easily as solid as the Mackie FR1400 it replaced. At the end of the show the amp was as hot as when I first turned it on: stone cold! This amp is definitely a keeper!

JimTMich · #7 08-19-2011, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassmanPaul

Gig report on the DCM1000L. Driving a 4Ω B2 per channel the amp was superb. Easily as solid as the Mackie FR1400 it replaced. At the end of the show the amp was as hot as when I first turned it on: stone cold! This amp is definitely a keeper!

Good to hear about Carvin and 325W@4 ohms into a LowB2 being adequate.

BassmanPaul · #8 08-19-2011, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimTMich

Good to hear about Carvin and 325W@4 ohms into a LowB2 being adequate.

To be fair i should tell you that since I bought my first pair I mostly used a Carvin DCM1000. The amp took a fall and now is intermittent on channel 2. That 350W maximum per cabinet was all I ever needed indoors or out. I have zero concerns about 325W per.

Peter Weil · #9 03-24-2012, 02:58 AM

I've used the TC RH450 and TecAmp Puma 350 with success with a single 4 ohm B2 also.

They both seem to go plenty loud enough for my needs. Most gigs I do are soul, funk, big band reading, or jazz gigs. 4 string electric bass. I've filled large halls for weddings with a single B2 and the TC (100-200 people).

I tend to roll off the low end a bit if in boomier rooms and leave the other amp controls flat. Tend to use onboard John East EQ for convenience.

I do wonder about upping the head room just for the experimental value. Might be fun for me to try a GK MB500.

I don't get on with the Markbass heads at all; tried the F1 and the LM2 and just couldn't gel with either of them through my B2 or my B1.

What's everyone else using?

Pete

naetog · #10 03-24-2012, 03:14 AM

I have 2 B2's and I use a Stewart 2.1, which is a good match. 400 or 325W into each cab depending on how I have it hooked up.

In the past I have also used an Eden WT-1000, which was my favorite at 500W into each cab, albeit heavy.

I also used a GK 1001RBII into a single B2 and it was great.

**JxBass** · #11 03-24-2012, 05:34 AM

Sounds great with my Acoustic Image Clarus.

Zooberwerx · #12 03-24-2012, 05:44 AM

I'm using either a Crest CA-6, QSC RMX (1450 or 2450), and one of 4 preamps. Overkill but the components do double-duty with an LDS 8 X 8 enclosure.

Riis

BassmanPaul · #13 03-24-2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimTMich

Good to hear about Carvin and 325W@4 ohms into a LowB2 being adequate.

More on this: Until recently I was helping host a jam. Every person who used my amp remarked how powerful the system was. Some even called it loud enough to fill an arena.

Peter Weil · #14 03-25-2012, 03:32 AM

I have often wondered about landing a TecAmp Puma 900 or 1000 and trying it out with my B2...reckon it would be a beast to contend with.

msquared · #15 03-25-2012, 10:14 AM

TL;DR - My favorite amp with this cabinet is the Thunderfunk 550B.

I have a Low B2 (8Ω) which I've used for years. If you look at my profile, every amp other than the SWR SM900 has been used with it in some sort of full band practice situation. Other than the Traynor, I've gigged with all of them through it. I've also mixed and matched rigs with friends who have used other gear (I play with a lot of other multi instrumentalists so this happens a lot) and have run more than bass guitar through it.

My favorites for gigging were the heavy lifters, but the caveat there is the EQ. The DB750 (of course) and all of those preamps through the CA9 and the Acme were absolutely the Chuck Norris of tone with a small footprint as long as the room and band setup were complimentary. But this is a cab which doesn't do the EQ job for you in the way that something like an NV610 would. A friend used to run a Mesa M2000 through it and it was so very nice, but for whatever reason he suffered with not being able to hear himself very well and ended up blowing the drivers at one point by trying to fix it with more power. I think this is the idea that people are talking about when they say that these cabs need gobs of power "to really open up". They don't need gobs of power, they just aren't quite so plug and play as people may be used to.

Ultimately for me the Thunderfunk (with less wattage and overall weight) has been my favorite with this cabinet - to the point that it's sort of my desert island rig by default - mainly due to the great power section and EQ flexibility.

It's ok with class D but while I've liked the convenience of the Shuttle 6.0 when I've tried it, it seemed like the subtleties were sort of washed away and it didn't respond the same. I haven't had a chance to really A/B it in a double blind setup (like most others in the TB 99%) so I admit to a certain amount of confirmation bias regarding the class D thing but I've had the benefit of being on a different instrument while on a gig and hearing bandmates play bass through it and I feel like I've got a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't when I'm not trying to focus on making noise with the bass itself.

For practice and recording I love it with the tube amps I've had. Tt can fall a little short for gigging in the wrong situation (there's that EQ thing again) but last year I had it out to a lower volume club gig with the V4 and the guitarist told me it was the smoothest bass tone he'd ever heard. It would probably be amazing on a gig with a Mesa 400+.

zortation · #16 03-25-2012, 10:41 AM

I was using an Alembic F-2B into a Crown K1...VERY tubey sounding, which is not exactly a good thing with Acme enclosures, would definitely recommend an SS amplifier that can provide 500 watts for the B2.

Peter Weil · #17 03-25-2012, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zortation

I was using an Alembic F-2B into a Crown K1...VERY tubey sounding, which is not exactly a good thing with Acme enclosures, would definitely recommend an SS amplifier that can provide 500 watts for the B2.

Why is tubey sounding not good with an Acme?

msquared · #18 03-25-2012, 01:59 PM

I think Acmes sound fine with the tubey goodness. People may not like tubes+tweeters but this is a three way cab so you just turn the tweeter all the way down.

Peter Weil · #19 03-25-2012, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JxBass

Sounds great with my Acoustic Image Clarus.

How much power do you have? And what basses are you using?

zortation · #20 03-25-2012, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Weil

Why is tubey sounding not good with an Acme?

Because Acmes have certain sonic characteristics, like a very deep bottom end response, but the rest of the frequencies are represented as very flat and neutral (true to source).

Hybrid and tube amplifiers have a similar quality in the lows, more bloom, less thump and the mids and highs tend to "lag" for lack of a better term.

If you like doubling up on the gooey, by all means go ahead