WW Ultra v. Carvin B2000/BX1500

[CDweller]

Is anybody in a position to compare/contrast the performance of these three amps? I am this close to buying another Ultra, but am hearing good stuff about the latest Carvin offerings.

[rpsands]

Buy the Carvin, try it, send it back. Well worth the 30 bucks shipping or so to try it first IMHO, before a billion dollars into a WW.

[RNV]

Try the BX1500. I love mine and some people are not liking the B2000 to much. The BX1500 has more options and the B2000 supposedly lacks personality.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by CDweller

Is anybody in a position to compare/contrast the performance of these three amps? I am this close to buying another Ultra, but am hearing good stuff about the latest Carvin offerings.

What does the ultra look like?

[KJung]

Originally Posted by cnltb

What does the ultra look like?

As a long time Ultra user (I had the 1000 watt version from 1999 to 2002, and the 1200 watt version from 2003 through about 2007), things have come a LONG way since Walter first developed these wonderful small amps.

I had my Ultra when I had a B1500 for a trial, and IMO the B1500 spanked it in low end and absolute volume, for less than 1/3rd the price.

The Walter has a unique tone (airy, precise, upper mid bright, a bit thin in the low mids), and nothing else sounds like it. So, if you really want that specific tone, then pony up the $3K! However, if you are an EB player, I found my little 500 watt, $700 Markbass F500 to easily keep up with the Ultra at 4ohms, and again, the mighty B1500 (which sounds quite similar to the B2000) to absolutely smoke it in low end punch and presence in a mix.

It would be the B2000 all the way for me, or the Markbass SD1200, or the Shuttle 9, depending on your tone goals at this point.

IMO and IME!

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by cnltb

What does the ultra look like?

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Thanks!! (to KJung also)
I want one!!!
How much are they these days and which one would you experienced wood users recommend?
-I don't need a ton of features.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by cnltb

Thanks!! (to KJung also)
I want one!!!
How much are they these days and which one would you experienced wood users recommend?
-I don't need a ton of features.

Walter only makes one front end now. He does make a true stereo model that can be bridged... cool if you run stereo effects. The primary difference in models now is the wattage, indicated by title (hi power, super high power, utra) and power light color (green, orange, blue, etc.).

The Walter Wattage is 'interestingly spec'd. The Ultra probably does put out 1200 watts at 1K, but no way down low. I typically recommend EB players to compare Walter watts to other amps by dividing the Walter wattage spec in half. If you are playing relatively loud pop gigs, you need the Ultra Blue LIght (the 1200 watt spec, which will give you the equivalent of a good 600 watt Eden, Markbass, whatever from my experience).

The Ultra's are somewhere between $2,500 and $3,000 now. They are high quality heads with a unique voicing, but there are quite a few small heads that, while not sounding the same, will put out as much ooomph for a fraction of the cost these days.

[rpsands]

Sounds like a case for buying the preamp if you're really interested in WW. He makes one right?

[KJung]

Originally Posted by rpsands

Sounds like a case for buying the preamp if you're really interested in WW. He makes one right?

Nope... all or nothing! Again, great head, just a bit overpriced given what is out there now in the $600-$1,200 range.

Again, to be clear on my comments, the Ultra would have enough power for almost anything (like any 500-600 watt amp into 4ohms) for most players. It is just a LOT of money these days compared to a lot of other stuff. Back when I bought my first one in the early 90's, Walter was the only game in town for small, lightweight, and enough power to do a reasonably large gig.

[B String]

Originally Posted by cnltb

Thanks!! (to KJung also)
I want one!!!
How much are they these days and which one would you experienced wood users recommend?
-I don't need a ton of features.

If you really want one, you might want to call Walter very
soon. He often leaves Indio Ca. during the hottest summer
months. I think he comes back sometime in October. (usually)

[KJung]

Originally Posted by B String

If you really want one, you might want to call Walter very
soon. He often leaves Indio Ca. during the hottest summer
months. I think he comes back sometime in October. (usually)

+1 Walter does tend to disappear for a few months every once in a while!

[5port]

Please at least try a Carvin BX1500. More tonal control and power than you can ever use. flexibilty, reliabilty and price. I get compliments on my tone at every gig. No need to spend $3K these days.

[Jeff Scott]

cnltb

PM sent!

[RNV]

Originally Posted by 5port

Please at least try a Carvin BX1500. More tonal control and power than you can ever use. flexibilty, reliabilty and price. I get compliments on my tone at every gig. No need to spend $3K these days.

THIS

[CDweller]

There's also the form factor to consider. Nothing as small and light as the Woods. Regardless, I think I'm going to take a BX1500 out for a test drive.

[Tangentor]

I decided on a GK MB500 after all, but the BX1500 is still very much on my radar. Not that I can afford one for awhile.

[bwoodman]

Originally Posted by cnltb

Thanks!! (to KJung also)
I want one!!!
How much are they these days and which one would you experienced wood users recommend?
-I don't need a ton of features.

I had to chime in here because I was a WW guy from about 1996 - to a couple years ago. I paid around $1000 in 1996 for a green light model (450W @ 4 ohms) and I used that head for a long time with a pair of 210 cabs - sounded great. Then the head got stolen around 2007. After getting some insurance money out of it, I found an Ultra on ebay for $2900 and bought it - because I had called Walter and he said it was a two-year wait at the time and over $3000! As mentioned, he can be hard to get on the phone and that sucks when you need service, which I did once on my green light. Also as mentioned, Walter WAS the only game in town for many years for small and powerful heads. Nobody else was doing switching power supplies. I still wonder to this day what took so long for other companies to figure this out. I once sent an email to Bob @ GK asking if they could do a small micro head with at least 500W and even mentioned that I had a WW etc. That was back when the GK micro heads had only 150W. Knowing Bob, he was probably already working on something like that - and probably had other requests besides mine. I don't even remember now who came out with the first class D head - Genz?

Back to why I no longer use a WW - because a lot of companies are in the game now and sell them for a FRACTION of the price - AND they have built-in compression (Carvin, SWR) AND built-in direct XLR outs - two features that I would have liked to have seen on the WW. I didn't like the fact that WW was hard to track down - as mentioned, he splits in the summer and you'll get his machine saying he'll be back in a few months. Really? Now, I have the Headlite, BX500, BX1200 and I'm wating for the GK Fusion to come out - the prices are good on them and if you need another one, you can GO BUY IT at GC or MF or anywhere. I'm over being a WW snob!

I'm considering the BX1500 too (back to the topic) because it's quite versatile and has a lot of power. I wish it did NOT have rack ears though. I'd rather have a little box like the BX500 that sits nice on my verticle stack of 210 cabs.

[oldblue]

I just got the BX1500 with the built in rack mount. Not sure but maybe they assume that if you don't install it in a rack you can always install rack handles. They cost about the same as rack tabs or a face plate adapter. I'm going to the handles if for no other reason than to fill the holes and give me something to keep my cord from pulling on the jack.

Sorry to get OT. The rack mount just bugs me.

[BassmanPaul]

You should rack mount the unit. It's worth protecting your investment! I too think the OP should check out the BX1500. I like mine.

Paul