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Ampeg Rocket Bass Combos

#2,542
BrianZ said:
guitar player here, who is having a serious bass love affair right now! (haven't touched my guitars in weeks haha)

anyway i am currently auditioning home amps (i don't see myself playing bass at gigs anytime soon). before this odyssey began we had 2 smaller bass amps in the house: Peavey Max 112 and Rumble 15 v3. the Peavey was a little too dull & mumbly sounding and also too loud & heavy (physical size was fine). Rumble 15 is just too small & too boxy sounding, with none of that growly character that I love (which i think is a P into an old SVT). so I got a new RB-112 from GC to try, and holy-moly is that the sound I'm after. it just sounds right, regardless of eq settings. But it is just too big in size, plus i really can't justify the new cost for this (likely) short term obsession.

so next up is a BA-110v2 that i got used for cheap. from what i have read the RB line sounds very similar to the BAv2 line, so i had high hopes. but it arrived yesterday and i'm not feeling it. this BA just doesn't have that character that gives me a half-chub, which the RB-112 does effortlessly. i mean it's not bad, and definitely better than the Peavey and Fender i mentioned above, but i'm disappointed. specifically, the tone that excites me from the RB-112 is that growl I mentioned above. i'm new to bass tone criticism so bear with me, but if i had to guess I'd say the tone i like is a bit scooped in the low mids, with more presence in the upper mids? the BA-110v2 is just too round and imo kinda dull, and the eq doesn't hit the spots I need (a Low-Mid control a la the Fender Rumble might have saved the day here).

so that leads me to this question: is it simply the RB line that I like more, or just the 12" speaker? in other words, would the RB-110 or the BA-112v2 get me closer to the sound of the RB-112? Assuming it's the former I just ordered a new RB-110 from GC to do the head-to-head experimenting. (boy do i have a lot of amps to return in the next couple weeks lol. our living room looks like a low-budg showroom.)

thoughts?

(thanks!)
Click to expand...

You will find your solution...keep trying.
 
#2,548
ok so enough about you all. let's talk about me again. here's the thrilling conclusion to the small RB vs BA auditioning i've been doing.

recall that i'm a guitar player who is currently indulging my love of the bass, and i found the sound i'm after with a P and the RB-112. but the 12 is just a bit too big for our living room (my wife and i shared this opinion). well forget all that . . . but wait, i'm getting ahead of myself.

so the RB-110 arrived, and its only job is to sound better to me than the used BA-110v2 i got last week, even if it doesn't 100% cop the tone of the RB-112. well it sure it does that job. it has that same growly bark, maybe in a more pronounced way than the RB112 even. it sounds VERY cool indeed, and i definitely prefer it to the BA-110, no question. but (you knew this was coming) i'm still not keeping it. because it just can't do the super low end well enough to make my nethers quiver like the 12 does (gross, sorry). and no spot on the Bass knob really helped much. for about a minute i thought i could live with it, then i made the (repeated) mistake of plugging back into the 12. i just can't live without that rumble in my bones -- when i feel like playing bass i just gotta have it.

so EVERYTHING is going back, and i ordered an open box RB-112 ($350 shipped). it arrives tomorrow. all told, i will lose two one-way shipping costs in this pursuit (almost $60). so not my best work, but i guess not terrible either.

now all i need are suggestions for smoothing this over with my wife lol. right now the RB-110 & 112 are sitting right next to each other. will she notice after all is said & done that the wrong one stayed? maybe not. we have a big birthday party planned for her this weekend; i hope that's enough of a distraction. (j/k i'll fess up next week)

thanks all for your very useful input in helping this bass noob.
 
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#2,549
BrianZ said:
ok so enough about you all. let's talk about me again. here's the thrilling conclusion to the small RB vs BA auditioning i've been doing.

recall that i'm a guitar player who is currently indulging my love of the bass, and i found the sound i'm after with a P and the RB-112. but the 12 is just a bit too big for our living room (my wife and i shared this opinion). well forget all that . . . but wait, i'm getting ahead of myself.

so the RB-110 arrived, and its only job is to sound better to me than the used BA-110v2 i got last week, even if it doesn't 100% cop the tone of the RB-112. well it sure it does that job. it has that same growly bark, maybe in a more pronounced way than the RB112 even. it sounds VERY cool indeed, and i definitely prefer it to the BA-110, no question. but (you knew this was coming) i'm still not keeping it. because it just can't do the super low end well enough to make my nethers quiver like the 12 does (gross, sorry). and no spot on the Bass knob really helped much. for about a minute i thought i could live with it, then i made the (repeated) mistake of plugging back into the 12. i just can't live without that rumble in my bones -- when i feel like playing bass i just gotta have it.

so EVERYTHING is going back, and i ordered an open box RB-112 ($350 shipped). it arrives tomorrow. all told, i will lose two one-way shipping costs in this pursuit (almost $60). so not my best work, but i guess not terrible either.

now all i need are suggestions for smoothing this over with my wife lol. right now the RB-110 & 112 are sitting right next to each other. will she notice after all is said & done that the wrong one stayed? maybe not. we have a big birthday party planned for her this weekend; i hope that's enough of a distraction. (j/k i'll fess up next week)

thanks all for your very useful input in helping this bass noob.
Click to expand...

Good luck with the new amp and, especially, with your wife ;).
 
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#2,550
BrianZ said:
ok so enough about you all. let's talk about me again. here's the thrilling conclusion to the small RB vs BA auditioning i've been doing.

recall that i'm a guitar player who is currently indulging my love of the bass, and i found the sound i'm after with a P and the RB-112. but the 12 is just a bit too big for our living room (my wife and i shared this opinion). well forget all that . . . but wait, i'm getting ahead of myself.

so the RB-110 arrived, and its only job is to sound better to me than the used BA-110v2 i got last week, even if it doesn't 100% cop the tone of the RB-112. well it sure it does that job. it has that same growly bark, maybe in a more pronounced way than the RB112 even. it sounds VERY cool indeed, and i definitely prefer it to the BA-110, no question. but (you knew this was coming) i'm still not keeping it. because it just can't do the super low end well enough to make my nethers quiver like the 12 does (gross, sorry). and no spot on the Bass knob really helped much. for about a minute i thought i could live with it, then i made the (repeated) mistake of plugging back into the 12. i just can't live without that rumble in my bones -- when i feel like playing bass i just gotta have it.

so EVERYTHING is going back, and i ordered an open box RB-112 ($350 shipped). it arrives tomorrow. all told, i will lose two one-way shipping costs in this pursuit (almost $60). so not my best work, but i guess not terrible either.

now all i need are suggestions for smoothing this over with my wife lol. right now the RB-110 & 112 are sitting right next to each other. will she notice after all is said & done that the wrong one stayed? maybe not. we have a big birthday party planned for her this weekend; i hope that's enough of a distraction. (j/k i'll fess up next week)

thanks all for your very useful input in helping this bass noob.
Click to expand...

You will never regret chosen on RB112 ! Don't forget telling your wife, you also have strong classic B15 voice in your mind, the RB115 do the trick! Joking...
 
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#2,551
Currently deciding between the RB115 and RB210 but I am hearing great things about the RB112 as well. For volume, I think it's safer to lean between RB115/RB210 because I assume they produce more sound due to higher wattage and bigger cones but tone-wise, would RB112 be better?

I'm playing a 5 string so it needs to produce good low Bs too.
 
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#2,552
BrianZ said:
ok so enough about you all. let's talk about me again. here's the thrilling conclusion to the small RB vs BA auditioning i've been doing.

recall that i'm a guitar player who is currently indulging my love of the bass, and i found the sound i'm after with a P and the RB-112. but the 12 is just a bit too big for our living room (my wife and i shared this opinion). well forget all that . . . but wait, i'm getting ahead of myself.

so the RB-110 arrived, and its only job is to sound better to me than the used BA-110v2 i got last week, even if it doesn't 100% cop the tone of the RB-112. well it sure it does that job. it has that same growly bark, maybe in a more pronounced way than the RB112 even. it sounds VERY cool indeed, and i definitely prefer it to the BA-110, no question. but (you knew this was coming) i'm still not keeping it. because it just can't do the super low end well enough to make my nethers quiver like the 12 does (gross, sorry). and no spot on the Bass knob really helped much. for about a minute i thought i could live with it, then i made the (repeated) mistake of plugging back into the 12. i just can't live without that rumble in my bones -- when i feel like playing bass i just gotta have it.

so EVERYTHING is going back, and i ordered an open box RB-112 ($350 shipped). it arrives tomorrow. all told, i will lose two one-way shipping costs in this pursuit (almost $60). so not my best work, but i guess not terrible either.

now all i need are suggestions for smoothing this over with my wife lol. right now the RB-110 & 112 are sitting right next to each other. will she notice after all is said & done that the wrong one stayed? maybe not. we have a big birthday party planned for her this weekend; i hope that's enough of a distraction. (j/k i'll fess up next week)

thanks all for your very useful input in helping this bass noob.
Click to expand...

BrianZ, congrats on your wise choice. I think you did it right trying out the 110 in a comparison; they say you know you made the right decision. The 112 sounds good at lowers volumes too, especially if you turn on the SGT circuit and add a little grit to it. Again, congrats! :hyper:
 
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#2,553
Kuan said:
Currently deciding between the RB115 and RB210 but I am hearing great things about the RB112 as well. For volume, I think it's safer to lean between RB115/RB210 because I assume they produce more sound due to higher wattage and bigger cones but tone-wise, would RB112 be better?

I'm playing a 5 string so it needs to produce good low Bs too.
Click to expand...

My Rb112 able handle Low B on my MOD BEAD PJ bass with Sadowsky Black Label round 60-125T loaded.

But need some tweak on Amp EQ.

EQ 10.30 o'clock on both Bass and MID knob, 3.30 o'clock on treble knob, only Ultra Hi engage, SGT OFF.

If i set EQ flat and Ultra Hi OFF, entire tone sound muffle from my BEAD PJ.

Back to my early day when i own the Hartke KB15, with all EQ flat and no shape button engage, B string just sound tight , firm and focus.

So, highly recommend bring your bass guitar to the nearest guitar store which has RB combo available to try it out.

Hope help.
 
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#2,554
Yahboy said:
My Rb112 able handle Low B on my MOD BEAD PJ bass with Sadowsky Black Label round 60-125T loaded.

But need some tweak on Amp EQ.

EQ 10.30 o'clock on both Bass and MID knob, 3.30 o'clock on treble knob, only Ultra Hi engage, SGT OFF.

If i set EQ flat and Ultra Hi OFF, entire tone sound muffle from my BEAD PJ.

Back to my early day when i own the Hartke KB15, with all EQ flat and no shape button engage, B string just sound tight , firm and focus.

So, highly recommend bring your bass guitar to the nearest guitar store which has RB combo available to try it out.

Hope help.
Click to expand...

Yahboy, you’ve made me curious about the combo with a fiver. I recently bought a Ray5 but haven’t tried it with the RB112 yet, so they’ll be this weekend’s project. It sounded great thru my Katana 110 combo, but I’m anxious to hear it through the twelve.
 
#2,555
iagtrplyr said:
Yahboy, you’ve made me curious about the combo with a fiver. I recently bought a Ray5 but haven’t tried it with the RB112 yet, so they’ll be this weekend’s project. It sounded great thru my Katana 110 combo, but I’m anxious to hear it through the twelve.
Click to expand...

I can sure Ray5 sound well with RB112. I been own one , the B string are the best on low cost 5 string bass guitar I been play. Truly satisfied with EB flat 2810 and 2816 set.

I also can sure the G string sound meaty full on RB112 compare to others combo like Rumble 100/200, Tech 21 VT200.

To me, both 500hz and 3khz EQ and ultra button on RB combo truly useful to shaped stingray voice , especially the thin sounding G string.

Off topic.
Compare to VT200, Rumble v3 and Hartke kb15 I been own, I never get full sound G string even how I tweak the EQ.

Happy to see your report after your ray5 play through RB112.
 
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#2,559
Yahboy said:
I can sure Ray5 sound well with RB112. I been own one , the B string are the best on low cost 5 string bass guitar I been play. Truly satisfied with EB flat 2810 and 2816 set.

I also can sure the G string sound meaty full on RB112 compare to others combo like Rumble 100/200, Tech 21 VT200.

To me, both 500hz and 3khz EQ and ultra button on RB combo truly useful to shaped stingray voice , especially the thin sounding G string.

Off topic.
Compare to VT200, Rumble v3 and Hartke kb15 I been own, I never get full sound G string even how I tweak the EQ.

Happy to see your report after your ray5 play through RB112.
Click to expand...

Yahboy, I’m a month late but I wanted o respond to the request for a report on my Ray5 thru the RB112. I used them together a week ago and it w we as a fine match. The 12” speaker had no trouble handling the B, though I wasn’t playing at gig levels. The Legacy preamp, as usual, does a wonderful job dishing up the classic Ampeg tone, which plays quite nicely with the Sterling. For small, intimate gigs and rehearsals, it’s a great working pair.

Thanks for asking! :hyper:
 
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