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Amp Head Shopping....

jefff100

jefff100

Supporting Member
Jan 23, 2010
3,938
13,623
Jersey Pine Barrens
#1
OK my old Hartke backbuster head has gone fuzzy and the tech hasnt found the problem yet. horrible disototion at all volumes and its in the output stage. I'm being pre-emptive and shopping for a replacment.

If I do this I'm going small, light and powerfull. Class D, something in the 700 to 800 watt range.

Major contendors are the MarkBass LittleMark 800 or Tube 800; Genz-Benz Streamliner 900, GK MB800.
From everything I've read these seem to be the best offering in what I'm looking for, and are priced within 100 or so of each other.

My main cab is an Epifani UL-310-Seriers II. I play contemporary Christian / Rock, both indoors and at occasional outdoor settings and in parades. Its the outdoor stuff that I need the extra punch. Basses are an active MM 5 string, a Fender P/J Aerodyne and a Carvin Jazz clone. The carvin and the fender are passive.

I've searched the fourm but not found much. Went to a couple of stores, they dont seem to stock these, only the smaller units. Before I bite the bullet on one of them, I thought I'd see whos played what and wha tdo you like.

thanks

Jeff
 
#2
In the solid state 700 to 800 watt area, for lightweight, I guess my Ampeg PF800 would qualify.
Great sound (IMHO), 800 watts at 4 ohm, 400 watts or so at 8 ohm.
Easy to controll too.
Don't know your cab (for the specs like the RMS and the impedance), so it's just a suggestion.
 
#3
I've head most of the above but do not own any. All great amps, though all seem to have their own baked in flavor. The Streamliner and GK are polar opposites from my ear. For my style I'd prefer the GK, ( I would prefer the fusion) but they all sound great.
 
#6
Thanks All. My main cab is the Epifani UL310. 3 10" drivers, and it provides a 5.3 ohms impeadance load to the amp. Much more driver surface area than a 210 but with a similar footprint. Its rated for 750 watts and epifani cabs like to be drivien hard with lots of clean power.

Currently I have two heads, an Ampeg SVT-III Pro head. its not bad, but I certainly dont like it now as much as I did when i first bought it. its too fiddly to get a nice punch tone. If you want that warm fat tone it does that well, and it gets all muddy on you pretty easily as well. I also have a Hartke HA3500. numbers wise the two heads should be similar power, but the Hartke has bucketloads more grunt than the Ampeg and its easier to get a good tone. However the Hartke has gone south on me all distorted sound on the power amp side and it doseent matter which channel on the input you use, its always there. Its been at the repair shop for a few weeks now and its not looking long for this world.

Looking to replace the hartke and want to do it with somethign small and light. At this point I'm probably looking at either the GK MB800 or the Little Mark 800. I may end up just ordering both of them mail order at the same time and playing with them for a week or so, and then send one back; since none of the local stores stock much in this realm.
 
#8
I played a Thunderfunk 550 and a Markbass LM2 with my Epifani 410. They both sounded very good with the big Epi bottom end.

IMO you need an amp with an emphasis in the mids and low mids. A STL 9.2 and Tecamp 900 would be my guess for a good combination.
 

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