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Acoustic B800H

Juuuuuuuuuustin

Juuuuuuuuuustin

Guest
Nov 9, 2012
19
15
#1
I've searched for some specific reviews for this amp on TB and the internet in general, as well as videos on YouTube. I can't find very many reviews.
I'm considering buying the B800H to power my 2 Acoustic B1x15 MKIIs for the maximum 800w.
I'm looking for someone who owns this amp that can tell me a little about it's tonal possibilities, how loud it actually is, and if it is worth the money.
Right now I'm playing through an Ampeg B2R, and I can't stand it.

Thanks in advance.
 
#2
I know someone that has a B600H with the 810 cab. He's a semi-retired session guy and plays fretted and fretless jazz basses though it for pickup horn/funk type gigs. He's happy with it and it sounds great to me. He thinks it sounds much the same as the old Acoustics, not Ampegish. OTOH you can pick up a vintage Acoustic head for $200 these days.
 
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#4
Okay, but my B115 MKII's are marked at 450w each. Wouldn't daisy chaining them together with the B800H push 400w through each?
I was assuming that would be louder than my 350w B2R (which I've found to be quieter than some other amps I've tried anyway).
Or am I not understanding something?
I'm still quite new to this.
 
#6
Juuuuuuuuuustin said:
I was assuming that would be louder than my 350w B2R (which I've found to be quieter than some other amps I've tried .
Click to expand...
It will be louder but not twice as loud. To do that you need ten times the original power, believe it or not. And of course somewhere to put it. More speakers is almost always a better answer than more power but the rig you're looking to run should work well.
 
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#7
Do you like the b15s?
Is it the sound quality or the volume that you don't like with your ampeg head?
If it is the sound quality you might want to change your cabs first,
However if you like the sound of the ampeg just need more power than look at a ampeg Pf-500 or pf-800.
If you dislike both than restart on your rig.
 
#9
There is an Ampeg 8x10e on craigslist right now. Decent deal, OBO..
Would this help my volume problem then? ..since the majority of research I've done has people suggesting 10" speakers, and you guys are saying to upgrade my cabs.
 
#10
You might like the 810, you'd have to try it - It would be louder but not the same kind of low end you get from 15's.

Strangely enough I found myself playing though a B600H today, the amp seemed OK but the cabs sucked - a Hartke 410 on top of a 2x15 missing one driver so no low end :( . I had to crank the bass knobs on both the amp and my active bass up to full.
 
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#11
RoadRanger said:
You might like the 810, you'd have to try it - It would be louder but not the same kind of low end you get from 15's.

Strangely enough i found myself playing though a newish B600H today, the amp seemed OK but the cabs sucked - a Hartke 410 on top of a 2x15 missing one driver so no low end :( . I had to crank the bass knobs on both the amp and my active bass up to full.
Click to expand...

That sucks, I have a B600H running thru an old GK 410, sounds very nice to my ears.
 
#14
David Jayne said:
That whack 215 was killing him. Would have been better off without it.
Click to expand...
True, but they were so proud of having such a killer bi-amp'd rig (not) ;) . BTW this was an audition for a Rolling Stones tribute so maybe they wanted to hear what I could do with the worst pile'o'cap rig they could muster. They actually wanted me to try an ancient Fender solid state amp they just got fixed - maybe a 5U rackmount with a huge GEQ on the front - Oy Veh! At least I knew the B600H wouldn't suck. I was going to bring my Aguilar TH350 but forgot it - just as well as it wasn't the head that sucked...
 
#15
I have an Acoustic B800H going through a B15 and a B410. Full stack. It's glorious. The overdrive on it rules too. I had an Ampeg SVT Anniversary silver grill with an 810 cab and i love the acoustic just as much. Both different animals but both are amazing in their own right. I'm stoked on this rig. Serious juice.
 
#18
You guys know this is an old zombie thread, right? In any case, since it is back up again, I used to own the B800H. I purchased it off of a Stupid Deal of the Day on Musicians Friend for about $300 which was really cheap for that amp at that time. I used it on a Hartke 115XL and a 210XL and those Hartkes could not take it. With the Gain at 10:00, EQ fairly flat, and the Master at about 9:30 to 10 those Hartkes were just suffering. I had to get rid of those cabs and get something that could handle the Acoustic much better, a GK NEO 410.

I eventually sold the amp for what I actually paid for it and broke even. I can't say anything bad about it as it sounded good, felt very solid and was much heavier than the specs say. And I do mean much heavier. And the tone and volume always felt like it could do some damage even at lower settings. I know many people like to say that their amps are louder than their wattage claims. I can surely attest that the Acoustic B800H is probably the loudest amp I have ever owned. The headroom on that thing was enormous. I don't know where the volume pot would max out, but if it was at approximately 11:00, that thing would still bury most other amps at fully open. Insane.

I have since moved on from that amp to others that I prefer the tone on, but if anyone can find one at a decent price, I would say to give it a shot. You just might walk away impressed. And also be careful what cab you use with it. I am not exaggerating on the damage it may cause.
 
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