GK/BB

[erik II]

I have two questions in connection with my ongoing DB amplification equipment upgrade:

1) I currently have a GK200MB. There is a GK150S for sale in a shop nearby, for twice the money I paid (and will get) for the 200MB (both used). I guess the GK150S is a better amp, but what will be the main difference? Is it worth the $$?

(Before I started focusing seriously on DB and discovered this board, 2xbasslist and other sources of info, I was convinced that GK was the ultimate DB amp. To get a GK150 was my goal. Was I way off? Isn't it a pretty good amp?)

2) There is also an SWR Baby Blue monitor (2x8") for sale in another shop. Does anyone have any experience with this cab? Does it have the same tech.spec. as the newer BBII speakers?

Thanks.

Erik

[Edited by erik II on 12-18-2000 at 06:42 PM]

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I have a GK 400RB head that I use for BG gigs, but it sounds like crap when I use it for my upright. I'm assuming the 200MB is a combo? I don't know the other numbers, but I have several friends who use GK combos and (IMHO) I think they get a pretty yucky "muscle bass on steroids" sound. But take that with a grain of salt, because the guys I'm thinking of don't have a great concept of URB sound in the first place, and could probably get that sound out of the most happening setup on earth...

I use a Baby Blue II, and am very happy with the sound of the 2x8 system. In fact, I have tried it driven by different power sources and it sounds great, never too muddy. What is this cab you're looking at? Two 8's? Two 8's and a 5"? I've never seen that configuration without the head. How big is it, and how much are they asking?

[brianrost]

Originally posted by erik II
I have two questions in connection with my ongoing DB amplification equipment upgrade:

1) I currently have a GK200MB. There is a GK150S for sale in a shop nearby, for twice the money I paid (and will get) for the 200MB (both used). I guess the GK150S is a better amp, but what will be the main difference? Is it worth the $$?

In theory, it has 50 watts more power and it has a fancier EQ system. Difference in sound is neglible, I wouldn't bother upgrading unless you just have $$ to burn.

2) There is also an SWR Baby Blue monitor (2x8") for sale in another shop. Does anyone have any experience with this cab? Does it have the same tech.spec. as the newer BBII speakers?

I have both a Baby Blue II combo and a BB II head with the Baby Blue Monitor. The orignal BB Monitor had two Bag End drivers and was an 8 ohm cabinet (same as original BB). The last few were made with Celestions (this is what was in BB II amps up to about a year ago), these are 4 ohm cabs. Neither speaker is used by SWR any more, they currently load the Baby Blue with an Eminence 8". Look through the port on the back, the Celestions are labeled "Celestion BG8-60".

Bag End no longer can supply recone kits for their 8" (guess how I know )

Chris, SWR stopped making the head/cab version shortly after releasing the BB II. Total production was only for about a year. They started making the BB head version again about a year ago, but not the cab.

[erik II]

Thanks Chris and Brian. I will keep the old GK for now and burn $$ on a good amp head and matching speaker cab(s).

I have considered getting an AI Clarus amp. Could the BB cab be used with this amp (200W at 4 OHMS, 120 at 8 OHMS if I remember right), or will it be too small? I don't know which drivers are in this cab, but it is most likely the 8 OHM version with Bag End speakers.

Prices on this kind of equipment are generally high here in Norway, they are asking NOK 3.500,- for the cabinet, = about $380,-.

Erik

[Bob Gollihur]

I have heard of URB players bypassing the G-K "electric-sounding" internal preamp by plugging their pickup's preamp output directly into the G-K effects return. Has anyone tried that?? Any desirable results, or is it an urban myth I have been reciting in error??

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Brian,

Is there a big difference sonically between the the different speaker brands? You're right, mine has Celestions in it.My only complaint about the Baby Blue is that it could use a little more headroom, but I don't know if that's a function of the head or the cabinet in this case.

On another note, I saw that lemur is now carrying Euphonic cabinets. One of their cabinets with a 10", a 5", and a horn sells for a "discounted" price of $650.00. What's up with that? Is the damn thing made of solid platinum or something?

[Bass Boy]

Chris: No, the EA cabs aren't made of platinum. They are however very well engineered and are amazing quality. I owned an SWR baby blue and a GK mb150e-112 and got rid of both of them when I purchased my VL208 cab. I have never played through a cabinet that sounds so suited to DB. A friend of mine owns a VL 110 cab and also gets an amazing sound. I liked the sound of the SWR and GK but, IMO, they cannot compare to the EA. The EA cabs are incredibly flat sounding. I run my head flat most of the time as well.

Bob: It's no myth. I know a few guys who do that or run their pickup into a Fishman buffer then into the back of the GK. They sound great. I tried it but ended up with a one dimensional lifeless sound Both the guys I saw doing this used Wilsons, I was using an Underwood.

Erik II : The IA Clarus amp will work with the BB cab. If you can afford it check out the EA 110 cab. It is expensive but worth it. It offers a much clearer sound than the SWR and better power handling. It's also easier to carry around.

[Edited by Bass Boy on 12-20-2000 at 04:13 AM]

[erik II]

No doubt the EA 110 is a very good speaker cabinet, but expensive...! How about the Bag End S15-D cabinet? I was recommended this cab to go with the Clarus when I asked at Bass Northwest (they also sell EA).

Of course the EA cab should be a natural choice with such nice initials...


Erik A.

[Chris Fitzgerald]

I have a Bag End 15" cabinet. Great cab for electric bass. Terrible cab for URB. It might be just me, but anything bigger than a 10" speaker sounds cruddy for URB to my ears. I'd love to see the EA 110 cab, but it's not like the store down the street carries them...

[Marty Forrer]

1x15" speakers are mostly not a good choice for upright, although Gary Peacock seems to use them. I use an SWR Goliath III 2x10" with a GK 800RB head, and it's the best I've tried so far, and believe me, I've been through heaps of amps although I've yet to try an AI. I'm a doubler, so I just add an SWR 1x15" for my toy bass rig.

[fretlesschris]

Originally posted by Bob Gollihur
I have heard of URB players bypassing the G-K "electric-sounding" internal preamp by plugging their pickup's preamp output directly into the G-K effects return. Has anyone tried that?? Any desirable results, or is it an urban myth I have been reciting in error??

Bob,
I have a GK 700RB/210 combo and tried doing that with a Bass Pod Pro. Got nothing but a really loud squeal. I'm not sure the GK is setup to allow that, although I don't know why not. I do know that when using the GK with my AUB, I have to shut-off the little tweeter and roll almost all the treble off or I get nothing but finger/string noise. Course that could be because of the cheap Fisman BP-100 pick-up I have.

Gotta get one of your K&K Big Max's !!