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Aguilar DB751 - worth it?
- Thread starter Marns
- Start date
Taste in amplifiers always comes down to personal choice and tonal goals, but if you like your bass to sound huge and fat, with a ton of brute force, then the DB750/751 is one of the best bass amps ever made, IMO. Is it worth the money? If you take a look at the components used and the quality of the construction, absolutely.
Means2nEnd
Supporting Member
I know there is a new love affair with amps these days that weigh less than a can of tuna fish. They perform well and sound great in bedrooms and tiny gigs in my opinion. Im not against them I just havent heard one or heard one perform like my DB750 for the gigs I do. I have a feeling like most technology it will take some time and some more serious RD until they can get to where I would consider one for gigs. I see and read the arguments and back and forth replies where the guys who can really spew some techno stuff get all excited about what letter of the alphabet they really are... Well Im not a techno wordsmith. I know you are asking about the DB751 so its even a bit more versatile in the EQ section so maybe its even better than what I am used to.
Made in NYC with some of the best components you can possibly put into an amp. They are super solid and can take being moved around and bumped they are made for gigging. They have massive headroom and sound somewhere in between a tube and solid state head. Just enough cream in my coffee. They sound great with different basses different cabs they are versatile. They sound great when you turn them on and just as good after 3 hours of punishing them and mine have been the most reliable heads I have ever owned. My band is recording right now and I ran my bass through a few effects and then through my DB750 and used the DI through our DiGi ProTools set up. Sounds the best my bass ever has. Is the price worth all that? Yes many times over to me.
My guitar player paid almost 4K for a used Diesel VH4 guitar tube head. I think we get off easy. As far as it being heavy well yes it is and so are all the cabs and drums and pedal boards and gear I carry in and out before and after a gig. Getting a bass amp that weighs as much as hairbrush at the end of the night wont make much of any difference to me. Its only one of maybe 20 or 30 trips from the back of a club to the vans and then into our studio. Converting one piece of many to a 5 Lb. isnt going to make me feel better the next day. The Aguilar will sound incredible and massive. It is a thrill to play through every time I turn my 750 on. Sorry for all that my answer is yes its worth it. Especially since the guys that build them are incredible with customer service as well.
Made in NYC with some of the best components you can possibly put into an amp. They are super solid and can take being moved around and bumped they are made for gigging. They have massive headroom and sound somewhere in between a tube and solid state head. Just enough cream in my coffee. They sound great with different basses different cabs they are versatile. They sound great when you turn them on and just as good after 3 hours of punishing them and mine have been the most reliable heads I have ever owned. My band is recording right now and I ran my bass through a few effects and then through my DB750 and used the DI through our DiGi ProTools set up. Sounds the best my bass ever has. Is the price worth all that? Yes many times over to me.
My guitar player paid almost 4K for a used Diesel VH4 guitar tube head. I think we get off easy. As far as it being heavy well yes it is and so are all the cabs and drums and pedal boards and gear I carry in and out before and after a gig. Getting a bass amp that weighs as much as hairbrush at the end of the night wont make much of any difference to me. Its only one of maybe 20 or 30 trips from the back of a club to the vans and then into our studio. Converting one piece of many to a 5 Lb. isnt going to make me feel better the next day. The Aguilar will sound incredible and massive. It is a thrill to play through every time I turn my 750 on. Sorry for all that my answer is yes its worth it. Especially since the guys that build them are incredible with customer service as well.
Got mine in about a week ago. I've gone through a bunch of amps from all different classes of watts and the 751 is absolutely worth every penny. I've tried so many times to get into the light weight stuff for its convenience but I keep coming back to big heavy amps every time. There's a reason they are big and that's because their sound is big. The 751 puts out such a full sound, it's incredible (I still haven't gotten to play a TH500, I've heard those actually sound much warmer than most other class d amps).
I think it's been summed up by everyone above perfectly, so if you can afford one and are prepared for the weight of a real amp then 100% go for it! It's the best amp I've had the pleasure of owning (owned both the DB750 and DB751) for tone, reliability, sheer volume and physical power. Plus the guys at Aguilar are absolutely fantastic, genuine and helpful which means a lot to me.
The only reason I don't own one right now is that I'm not gigging enough to keep one on 'standby' so, have got a TH500 for all my current needs. As soon as big gigs come rolling in again, I'll be straight back to the DB751 (have done this twice previously
)
The only reason I don't own one right now is that I'm not gigging enough to keep one on 'standby' so, have got a TH500 for all my current needs. As soon as big gigs come rolling in again, I'll be straight back to the DB751 (have done this twice previously
)
Great bass amp! I used to have the DB750, sold it for three reasons: Weight, limited EQ and high maintenance.
After several years, I've come full circle the weight issue: I tried all the lightweight alternatives and have now come back around, am now using an even heavier amp than the 750! (A Crest CA9). C'est la vie... the weight is a small price to pay for incredible tone.
As to the high maintenance issue, it was really all about the tubes; I grew tired of having to frequently diagnose and swap out glitchy tubes. In all other ways, the DB750 was rock solid.
'Limited EQ' (my choice of words) is completely a matter of perspective and personal preference. I myself wanted more, but for many players the classic "bass, mid and treble' are more than enough. And I have to say that the Aggy EQ is well thought out - I especially like the voicing of the treble control.
IMHO, the DB 750 is still one of the best bass amps ever made.
After several years, I've come full circle the weight issue: I tried all the lightweight alternatives and have now come back around, am now using an even heavier amp than the 750! (A Crest CA9). C'est la vie... the weight is a small price to pay for incredible tone.
As to the high maintenance issue, it was really all about the tubes; I grew tired of having to frequently diagnose and swap out glitchy tubes. In all other ways, the DB750 was rock solid.
'Limited EQ' (my choice of words) is completely a matter of perspective and personal preference. I myself wanted more, but for many players the classic "bass, mid and treble' are more than enough. And I have to say that the Aggy EQ is well thought out - I especially like the voicing of the treble control.
IMHO, the DB 750 is still one of the best bass amps ever made.
Actually, the price seems similar to other high quality, lead sled amps like the Glockenklang HeartRock or the Mesa M9.
I guess if you are playing at extreme volume levels with multiple large cabs, an amp like this would make sense, and the weight 'might' be worth it. If, like me, you are lucky enough to play in a relatively professional setting, where you would never be asked to play louder than an appropriate mix level with an unmic'd drummer, it would make little sense to me. At moderate volumes, plaing through a couple of 112's or a single 410, you would hear very little difference between the DB751 and the Aguilar TH500 IMO and IME.
+1
For way less coin and weight you could pick up [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and a light weight power amp. Would give you just as much power, more flexibility, cost less, weight less, and unless you are playing at a crazy volume it will cop a similar vibe.
I got my 751 after far too many trips to the shop with an SVT-CL. I have had absolutely no problems with mine. I use it with two GS112's for smaller gigs and with a DB412 for larger gigs. It sounds great quiet or loud. I love the vintage tone I get out of it with my flat woud strung p-bass as well as the modern rock tone I get with my round wound strung 5-string j-bass. I covers it all for me.
I had an SVT-CL that I loved. I got a DB750, and sold the SVT. The DB750 gives me all the tone that I loved from the SVT, but a little something better (IMO, YMMV). I've used the DB750 for blues, country, and rock with lots of different basses, and it's been a perfect fit.
I've heard complaints about the limited EQ. Since I tend to be pretty close to flat on my EQ settings anyway, it's never been an issue for me.
I've heard complaints about the limited EQ. Since I tend to be pretty close to flat on my EQ settings anyway, it's never been an issue for me.
I know your dislike for big heavy amps goes deep, but this statement is absolutley untrue.
I owned both and ultimately gave up on the TH500 for its lack of tight bottom end and warmth.
Even on a moderate volume gig, the differences between these amps is well heard. The DB751 is truly special and no Micro amp comes close to the dampening control, sheer command of speakers, and overall authority. The true warmth of the DB751 is not matched by the TH500 either....
The TH500 is a decent amp - but it's nowhere near the db751, even at moderate volume gigs...
Is the weight vs. tone trade off worth it to you? Thats the question.... but there is a tone trade off for sure.
They do sound a bit different, so +1 there. If you don't care about weight, and find the difference a positive for the 750/751, they are fine amps. I like the TH500 WAY better than the 750. I have a feeling it is a bit closer (i.e. more mid presence and control of the mids) to the 751.
I agree there - mid present - but I call that bottom shy
I've truly never heard anything like the DB751 and I've been through a lot of amps (like you).
For how warm it is... it sacrafices nothing. I find it to have just as much brute force as any powerful amp out there... but remains extremely musical at the same time.
I agree there - mid present - but I call that bottom shy
I've truly never heard anything like the DB751 and I've been through a lot of amps (like you).
For how warm it is... it sacrafices nothing. I find it to have more brute force then just about any amp out there... but remains extremely musical at the same time.
It is a high quality, classic head. And, most say the 751 is an improvement over the original.
Luckily, I prefer a more mid present tone! I did carry around a Glockenklang Heartrock for a while, but replaced it with a Markbass LMII, which I like quite a bit better
(really, I do).
Never heard the Glock, but the Markbass stuff is pretty cool....
(not to go off topic but if you could send me a PM with your impressions on the LMII (LMIII) vs. the TC RH750) - would love to hear your thoughts on that as I'm considering both heads to go with x2 RS210).
Back on topic - as much as I love the DB751 - I must admit I'm in the market for a Micro amp just because I'm getting lazy of carrying my 90lb Bergantino HD410 & DB751 everywhere... its exhausting.
What I have to do is not do a direct a/b comparision do the above rig though. If I do, I know the Micro stack will loose and I'll be dissapointed
(not to go off topic but if you could send me a PM with your impressions on the LMII (LMIII) vs. the TC RH750) - would love to hear your thoughts on that as I'm considering both heads to go with x2 RS210).
Back on topic - as much as I love the DB751 - I must admit I'm in the market for a Micro amp just because I'm getting lazy of carrying my 90lb Bergantino HD410 & DB751 everywhere... its exhausting.
What I have to do is not do a direct a/b comparision do the above rig though. If I do, I know the Micro stack will loose and I'll be dissapointed
I got to A/B my LMII with a DB750. The LMII did sound better thru the Epi 3x10" than my Berg 1x12" for a smoother(re. jazz, RNB, soul) sound. But overall, the DB750 killed it in overall richness of tone...not to mention quality of feel.
An overwhelming thumbs up! Thanks. I was interested to see that it handles well whatever the output level required. You've all pushed me into a massive Aguilar GAS attack!
I'm off to do some shopping!
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I'm off to do some shopping!
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