I've had a
little time to explore and play through the LB and my initial reaction is this is a very cool amp! The amp is rated at 30w @ 4 or 8 ohms [DEL]and (I've read on another forum) 20w @ 8 ohms[/DEL]. (This didn't seem right, Ashdown confirmed 30w at 4 and 8 ohms). For how I am going to use this amp, the output is perfect.
As far as tone is concerned, I'll do my best but my experience with tube amps is very limited and it's been a long time since I've played through B15 (or any other tube amp). Also, my observations are based on using the Carvin V115 cab (8 ohms).
The LB definitely meets my expectations of what a tube amp should sound like. There is warmth and depth in the tone that my MB combo lacks. I spent the morning playing the head of my combo through the V115, without the 2x10's so I could get a decent sound impression in my head and the LB still sounds warmer at similar volume levels. This is with the volume knob set at about 9:00. On the MB combo equal volume would have the volume knob at about 7:00.
Once you start cranking the volume to 10:00 and above the LB starts to growl.
At 10:00 you start getting a little more hair and roughness on the top and bottom ends. The amount of "edge" remained constant up through about 11:00 which is when the wife and kids started complaining. So, additional louder level testing is required!
The controls for the amp include three toggle switches; mid shift, bass shift and bright. The amp did not include documentation (it is on the way from Ashdown) so I'm not completely sure what these toggles are doing but they have a significant impact on the sound and character of the head.
My initial thoughts were the toggles would effect the mid points of the tone controls but my ears tell me there is more going on. With all the toggles down, I get what I perceive as a classic, mellow tube amp that has a soft attack. With all the toggles in the up position the LB has a more modern sound. Crisper highs, tighter lows and an overall more defined sound....almost how I would imagine a tube driven LMII sounding. It gets even more interesting when you start mixing the toggle settings. Want a warm, soft bottom and some sizzle on the top...flip the bright toggle up and BAM, you got it. When I get the document ion and after I've played around a little more, I'll update the thread.
Does it sound like a B15 (Jimmy!!), I can't say. When I was talking to Dennis at The Bass Place before buying the amp, Dennis described the LB as sounding more like a Fender tube head versus a B15. All I know at this point is that it definitely sounds like a tube head and I'm liking what I'm hearing. Of course the amp is new, I'm excited and prone to being biased (no pun intended) in a big way.
One little design gripe....it's more than taking off a back plate to look inside the amp. It appears that there are four screws that need to be removed and the head slid out to get s good guts shot. Given that the amp is new and under warranty, I don't think I'll be doing that. Also, it appears that the way to change tubes is by removing a small ventilation plate on the top of the amp. The plate is also secured by four screws, so, no easy access to the tubes.
Switches feel very solid and smooth. The knob controls are the same. Nothing feels cheap about the amp at all.
That's what I have for now. I'm getting off the computer and going to play my bass. I still have to experiment with the high gain input and my SB14.
Any questions, feel free to post. I'll do my best to respond. Over an out for now!
Your eyes are not deceiving you.....YES this is an Ashdown Little Bastard and Ashdown has confirmed this is one of two prototypes that were built. In fact, this one is from this year's Winter NAMM!! 
