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Amp for Barefaced Super Twin: Magellan, D800+, or..?

4stringsjack

4stringsjack

Dec 5, 2002
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6,929
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#1
Hi all.

I'm looking for an amp that pairs well with a Barefaced Super Twin. I currently have a Genz Benz Streamliner 900, but I'm looking for something with a bit more flexibility in the EQ department. I love the sound of the Streamliner but I'm finding it tricky to get the right balance of lows and mids with the Super Twin.

When I play through my Purity tube pre and Crown XLS power amp I get THE sound I want out of this cab. It is absolutely the sound in my head. But for gigs I prefer to take a micro head with me rather than the rack rig.

So, short version- looking for a good micro amp to pair with the BF Super Twin. The Magellan and Mesa D800+ look like good candidates. Anyone use these amps with this cab? Other good options?

Thanks!
 
#3
Well, it sounds pretty darn good. When I play through the Streamliner, the Super Twin has a solid low end and sweet, clear highs. The mids are smooth.

The thing is that when I play through the Purity and the Crown I get a certain slam with the attack on each note (even at low volume). I have a difficult time getting that from the Streamliner. I also feel like something is missing in the upper mids.
 
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#4
IMG_2661.JPG
I use my Super Twin with a Tecamp Puma 900, and I'm very happy with this combination. It gives me a very clean and accurate sound, and I can add thundering lows, punchy low mids, growly hi-mids, or crispy highs to taste with each of it's knobs, but everything within a useful range of sounds, never sounding harsh nor honky.
The lows always remain quick and defined, so it never gets boomy.
The taste knob also is wonderful for my needs, since one of my bands is an oldies band in which I need to switch from a Steve Harris type of sound, to slap, to a motown sound for example, all within seconds, and also cover country, hard rock, metal, reggae, disco and r&b type of sounds, so I can do this with just that knob and a little change in my technique or my bass eq...
It's a very powerful and loud combination, and it's a breeze to carry after playing, with this tiny and feather-weight head to match the super light cab, so it's a winner combination in my opinion. Either this head or an Eich T-900 would be my suggestion.
 
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#5
I have a modular ST, 2 SC cabs. I use an Aguilar TH500 and a Thunderfunk 750.

IMO the beauty of these cabs is they will sound great with most good amps, from tubes to SS and D class.

I did try the D800 for awhile but IMO the TH500 is my preference so far.
 
#9
I found the D800 used here on TB at a fair price. It looks like a great amp; can't wait to hear it. I'd really like to get my hands on the D800, D800+, a Genzler Magellan, and a Quilter so I could compare all of them, but it's not financially feasible. Donations gladly accepted. ;)

I *really* need to sell off some basses. I just need to find the time to actually do something about it.
 
#11
The Mesa D800 arrived today and I was able to spend about an hour fiddling (bassing?) with it. I am very impressed! This one is a keeper. It sounds really powerful mated up with the Barefaced Super Twin.

I wanted a a small, lightweight amp that could get close to the sound of my rack mounted rig (tube preamp with Crown XLS1500 power amp). My Genz Benz Streamliner 900 is a wonderful amp in its own right, but I couldn't quite dial in the sound of the rack rig. My hope was that I would find another head that can get close to the rack rig's tone while also being capable of approaching the STM-900's tone.

I'm happy to report that the Mesa D800 does a mighty fine job of it. I can dial in a tone that is very close to the rack rig- close enough that, when playing live, I won't hear the difference. Ditto for the Mesa vs. Streamliner. It bridges the gap between the two rigs very nicely!

I've never been a fan of "contour", "enhance" or other similar pre-shape controls on other amps that I've owned, but, man, the "voicing" control on the D800 is done RIGHT! As others have said, it's really easy to dial in a good tone with this head. @agedhorse - Nicely done!
 
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#12
4stringsjack said:
The Mesa D800 arrived today and I was able to spend about an hour fiddling (bassing?) with it. I am very impressed! This one is a keeper. It sounds really powerful mated up with the Barefaced Super Twin.

I wanted a a small, lightweight amp that could get close to the sound of my rack mounted rig (tube preamp with Crown XLS1500 power amp). My Genz Benz Streamliner 900 is a wonderful amp in its own right, but I couldn't quite dial in the sound of the rack rig. My hope was that I would find another head that can get close to the rack rig's tone while also being capable of approaching the STM-900's tone.

I'm happy to report that the Mesa D800 does a mighty fine job of it. I can dial in a tone that is very close to the rack rig- close enough that, when playing live, I won't hear the difference. Ditto for the Mesa vs. Streamliner. It bridges the gap between the two rigs very nicely!

I've never been a fan of "contour", "enhance" or other similar pre-shape controls on other amps that I've owned, but, man, the "voicing" control on the D800 is done RIGHT! As others have said, it's really easy to dial in a good tone with this head. @agedhorse - Nicely done!
Click to expand...

So please tell us the particular settings you're using on your D800 that get you close to your rack rig sound. I'd like to experiment with them on my D800 and Big Twin II.
 
#14
P_Robyn said:
So please tell us the particular settings you're using on your D800 that get you close to your rack rig sound. I'd like to experiment with them on my D800 and Big Twin II.
Click to expand...
Sure thing:
Deep switch - off
Input - just below clipping threshold (yellow light flashes occasionally)
Voicing - 9 o'clock
Bass - noon
Low mids - just a hair below noon
High mids - 1 o'clock
Treble - 1 o'clock

The bass in this case is a passive 1983 G&l SB-2 (first gen with two fat single coil pickups). I'll try some other basses when I have some free time.

I might refine these settings as I spend more time with the amp, but these settings get me pretty close to my tube pre/power amp combo.
 
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