What combo amp should I use with my SansAmp BDDI?

BassPlayer900 · #1 12-21-2011, 04:53 PM

Bored with my amp's tone, I decided to buy a SansAmp BDDI to give it a more enjoyable, powerful tone. I really love how it sounds, but I need to run it through a more powerful amp. My current amp is a small 20 watt combo. I would like to get a combo amp that will allow me to use the SansAmp as powerful as I want without making the speaker sound like it's going to blow.

So these are my questions: 1. How big does the speaker need to be? 2. How many watts does it need?

I would like to get one that won't give me trouble and won't be too expensive.

BassPlayer900 · #2 12-22-2011, 12:00 PM

walterw · #3 12-22-2011, 12:13 PM

1. Bigger and more is better than smaller and less

2. All of them

smogg · #4 12-22-2011, 12:16 PM

You need to set your budget first. Then look at what's available in that price range. Used will get you more bang for the buck, especially on a tight budget.

fingerbun · #5 12-22-2011, 12:22 PM

There isn't enough information in your question to give you a useful answer. Any amp is a compromise of volume, tone, portability and cost.

What stuff do you plan to do over the next few years? How much can you afford to spend? New or secondhand?

RumbleSteve · #6 12-22-2011, 12:22 PM

Fender has a new amp, Bronco 40 1x10 Bass combo. I'v only read the reveiws and specs so i havent played through one yet. It's 40 watts and gives you many many tools to play with. I really want this amp for the studio, and would be great for you if your not trying to play out. Theres lots of high-powered amps out there, just look around and you'll find one at a good price. Peavey is a great choice as well

CrackBass · #7 12-22-2011, 12:31 PM

If you want cheap and loud enough for a jam/gig. IMO the king of this category is the used Peavey Combo 300. Having a BDDI will also help. The tradeoff is that they're beasts to carry around.

sad_katz · #8 12-22-2011, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassPlayer900

Bored with my amp's tone, I decided to buy a SansAmp BDDI to give it a more enjoyable, powerful tone. I really love how it sounds, but I need to run it through a more powerful amp. My current amp is a small 20 watt combo. I would like to get a combo amp that will allow me to use the SansAmp as powerful as I want without making the speaker sound like it's going to blow.

So these are my questions: 1. How big does the speaker need to be? 2. How many watts does it need?

I would like to get one that won't give me trouble and won't be too expensive.

1: Depends on how loud you want to be. A regular 410/215/212 cab can fill most in-door gigs. A regular 210/115/112 usually has half the volume. Most combos also fall in the latter speaker combination.

2: Old dudes have been playing 50~100Watts amp in the past. Personally, at least 200W if I am unsure about the place/band/song.

We need to know your budget/weight/tone/other preferences to provide more accurate (and helpful) suggestions.

Some advices:
1) Buy separate head and cab
2) Buy used
3) Buy local

ksandvik · #9 12-22-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RumbleSteve

Fender has a new amp, Bronco 40 1x10 Bass combo. I'v only read the reveiws and specs so i havent played through one yet. It's 40 watts and gives you many many tools to play with. I really want this amp for the studio, and would be great for you if your not trying to play out. Theres lots of high-powered amps out there, just look around and you'll find one at a good price. Peavey is a great choice as well

40W is puny for stage work. 300W upwards.

BassPlayer900 · #10 12-22-2011, 12:45 PM

Thanks!

BassPlayer900 · #11 12-22-2011, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RumbleSteve

Fender has a new amp, Bronco 40 1x10 Bass combo. I'v only read the reveiws and specs so i havent played through one yet. It's 40 watts and gives you many many tools to play with. I really want this amp for the studio, and would be great for you if your not trying to play out. Theres lots of high-powered amps out there, just look around and you'll find one at a good price. Peavey is a great choice as well

I looked at some reviews and watched a demo of it on YouTube. I thought it sounded great for a 40 watt combo. A couple of reviews said it was good to use with PA speakers, which is good because when I start gigging, I'd like to go ampless but use a combo amp as a monitor on stage. I think I might consider buying one.

Edit: Oh wait, I didn't notice that you said it would be good if I wasn't going to play out.

BassPlayer900 · #12 12-22-2011, 01:46 PM

I've decided that, sometime in the future, I will buy a GK mb112 combo. That thing ROCKS when paired with a SansAmp BDDI!!!

RumbleSteve · #13 12-22-2011, 01:55 PM

If you were to use the bronco on stage, it wouldent be so bad. This amp was mostly built on the point of recording. if you want something like it, Line6 is known for many multiple effects on-board. You might lose some features or gain others. Before buying, play your bass through the amp.

Kink Rimson · #14 12-22-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sad_katz

1: Depends on how loud you want to be. A regular 410/215/212 cab can fill most in-door gigs. A regular 210/115/112 usually has half the volume. Most combos also fall in the latter speaker combination.

l

This is not true. A 2x10 combo does not have half the volume of a 4x10, it doesn't work like that at all.

BassPlayer900 · #15 12-22-2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RumbleSteve

If you were to use the bronco on stage, it wouldent be so bad. This amp was mostly built on the point of recording. if you want something like it, Line6 is known for many multiple effects on-board. You might lose some features or gain others. Before buying, play your bass through the amp.

Oh, okay. Well then I might buy one. That, or the GK MB112. There is a music store nearby that started selling Fender Bronco 40s, so maybe if they let me try it out with my SansAmp, I can find out if I like them enough.

fingerbun · #16 12-22-2011, 03:11 PM

OK, so you want to gig out, you want to get your sound from the Sansamp, and you are presumably financially constrained or you would be looking at the GK amp now?

I'm going to suggest you look for a second hand Peavey TNT combo....single 15" speaker, 150-200W, depending exactly what variant you score. Look for one with an effects loop, use the SansAmp into the return of your effects loop. The one I own will also go down to 2ohms so I can drive a second cab for more volume. They have no resale to speak of...bad news when selling but great when buying!!!

They are heavy, so allow for adding handles and/or wheels in your budget. But they are solid and will take a truckload of abuse.

The idea of going through the PA is good, except it kind of transfers the problem from needing a big bass amp to needing a big PA. A big bass amp is cheaper and easier to transport. Most of the time when you start out the PA will only be big enough for vocals.

If you want to play with other musicians beyond say an acoustic guitar....don't buy the 40W Bronco. It won't even be loud enough to be a stage monitor.

BassPlayer900 · #17 12-22-2011, 03:46 PM

My local music store sells Fender Rumble amps. I wonder if they are any good.

ksandvik · #18 12-22-2011, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassPlayer900

My local music store sells Fender Rumble amps. I wonder if they are any good.

No. Beginners purchase all kind of cheap 50-100W amps, do their first practice with a band and wonder why they are not heard against a mellow drummer and a guitar player that does not know who to use distortion.

Just save money for some quality gear, read views here on talk bass, it's full of comments from people who have actually used the gear and write about their experiences. Spending a week or so reading old and concurrent postings will make you more aware of various amps +cabs or combos and what are their pros and cons.

bassgod0dmw · #19 12-22-2011, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RumbleSteve

If you were to use the bronco on stage, it wouldent be so bad..

I would never be able to use a single 10, 40w combo as a stage amp. My band doesn't play all that loud, but I would be drowned out in a second.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassPlayer900

Oh, okay. Well then I might buy one. That, or the GK MB112. There is a music store nearby that started selling Fender Bronco 40s, so maybe if they let me try it out with my SansAmp, I can find out if I like them enough.

I would strongly consider against the Bronco. If you ever plan on gigging, you WILL need another amp. Even in your "ampless" example of using it as a monitor, there is no way you'd keep up with a drummer.

The MB112 absolutely smokes it. More wattage, larger speaker, ability to add an extension cab in the future. Win, win, win.

oldcatfish · #20 12-22-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote"No. Beginners purchase all kind of cheap 50-100W amps, do their first practice with a band and wonder why they are not heard against a mellow drummer and a guitar player that does not know who to use distortion."

Not true. Depends on your idea of good. I regularly use the Fender Rumble 150 and older 100 combos at a couple of local churches---both of them are loud enough for a moderate drummer and guitar player using a loud Fender combo with distortion. The Rumble 350 is a bit louder than either of those too. The one band plays pretty loud and I've never had to go over 1/2 volume on the 100. And even then I was asked to turn down.

That being said, if you are playing with musicians who don't understand that your stage volume should be as low as possible and the PA should do the work--then you will definitely need more than a combo will give. Better to get a head and a cab.