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$400 budget - what Class D head would you buy ?

#41
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#44
bdplaid said:
The one head I have that, if it fell off the truck, I would replace rather than buy something different is the Rumble 500 head. and I have a Mesa D800. The Rumble is not a neutral-sounding head, but it's dead-reliable and always gets the job done, for cheap.
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^^^Higher Praise Cannot Be Spoken^^^ I'll just add that Rumbles sound fabulous. Try one out and listen for yourself.
 
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#46
Linnin said:
^^^Higher Praise Cannot Be Spoken^^^ I'll just add that Rumbles sound fabulous. Try one out and listen for yourself.
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Note i didn't say it was perfect, but it sure is a lot of bang for the buck. A damned punchy little amp.

The one thing about it that might be a negative to some is that it, ironically, does not have that sub-sonic "rumble" that the Ampegs have. It's deep, but a more thick kind of deep than rumble-your-guts kind of deep. But then, it doesn't crash and burn out of the box like the PF500s/PF800s (ask me how I know...).

But for punch, not sure one can do better.
 
#48
mmbongo said:
Hard to beat the BX500 for the price which is $319 right now.
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BX700 is only $360.

That said, just recently I finished a build of a fEARful 12/6/1. Put a Carvin BX700 on it that I bought a half year ago to work on some songs for an upcoming gig. Heavy buzz on some frequencies. I finally traced it down to a screw that was supposed to hold down the BX700's circuit board but was stripped. To figure that out, I had to open the amp's case, which voided the warranty. So I like the amp's capabilities, dislike that the 12AX7 in the preamp had no indications of what it is and can't hear that it had any effect, and HATE that I had to replace the screw with something that will actually hold (worse, not the only screw that was stripped.)

So I as much as I'd like to recommend the BX700, if you go that route be sure you test it immediately and send back if there's any sign of trouble.
 
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#50
braud357 said:
I have read "less than glowing" reports on The Ampeg PF 500, and some say that the Aguilar does not do "clean" very well. The Carvin 250 head does not fit my wattage needs. Some people are saying that the Peavey MiniMax is kinda harsh sounding. I have also played through a GK MB500 head with a GK neo 4x10 cab - it was OK - not great !
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The magic number for class D amps is $800+tax. Below that, you're going to be compromising on power or hoping for good luck with used gear, which can be a fine way to go, but save up 300 more dollars, and the class D world is your oyster.

The first "new generation" mini class D amp I ever tried it was the MB 500 through the Neo 410 cab, and I couldn't believe how nice it was for the price and weight. I would definitely put that rig in the "great" category, goes to show how subjective this all is. If you're looking for more clarity and transparency, I concur with the opinions on Genz-Benz, my main amp is a shuttle Max 12.2, got it for an absolute steal, there are great deals to be had on those.

Try amps. If you don't find a fit, raise your budget. You're not going to find any surprising opinions on these pages, and you're not gonna find any of the higher end boutique amps in that price range, but you'll find some used Epifani and tecamp and others fall into that $800 price point, and all of the big makers have excellent choices there brand new.
 
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#52
20150513_160106b_zpslnwcm1cc.jpg
 
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#55
For that price, my pick would be the GK MB500. But man, if you can squeeze another Benjamin out, it would go with the Quilter Bass Block 800. Zzounds has a payment plan, really, I'm serious as a heart attack, the Quilter is the bomb!
 
#58
braud357 said:
I am in the market for a small Class D head - would prefer something with at least 500W RMS. I have been researching TB for opinions and reviews - with the result being I am more confused than when I started ! A bit of background - I play in a 8 piece horn band that plays Louisiana Swamp Pop, classic rock & roll, Motown and Stax R&B, and some country. I am looking for a clean, old school sound - not at all interested in "crunch" or overdrive sounds. Onboard tuner is not necessary. The amp will be used with (2) 1x12 cabinets. My prior amp was a Carvin BX1500 - which simply was too much power for this gig. I could never open up the amp to let the sound "blossom" as it should. With these parameters - can any of you recommend to me what I am looking for> I am considering a Carvin BX500 (I have owned one previously) - it was a early production model and had the ribbon cable problems that occurred after the warranty was out, and I have owned a TC Electronic BH250, which I found to be lacking in tonal options and was also a bit "weak" for my purposes. Please tell me what you would recommend - and why !
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There's a BX500 in the classifieds for $275 right now For Sale - Carvin BX500 head with Rack Mound Kit
 

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