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Ampeg Rocket Bass Combos
- Thread starter kranahan
- Start date
I have an older RB115 with the eminence speaker and just bought a new RB210 with Lavoce speakers.
What I found is the RB210 is of course louder but also a lot more noisy. And this is the basic noise without even connecting anything to it. Still not sure if this will be an issue in a live situation.
Also one thing I notice is the RB115 (with the eminence) has a nicer, warmer sound and more low end. This may be because of the speaker configuration (210 vs 115) but I think it's very noticeable when comparing them side by side at exactly similar circumstances.
So for my money, what it's worth, the only advantage of the RB 210 is the power (volume possibilities).
If you want more of the old school Ampeg sound the RB115 is probably a better choice.
With that said, I have to wait to make a total verdict till I gigged with the 210. The 115 I already know from playing live and it's good but kind of soft. So maybe the noise will not be an issue live and the extra power will help me cut through better and give me some headroom.
What I found is the RB210 is of course louder but also a lot more noisy. And this is the basic noise without even connecting anything to it. Still not sure if this will be an issue in a live situation.
Also one thing I notice is the RB115 (with the eminence) has a nicer, warmer sound and more low end. This may be because of the speaker configuration (210 vs 115) but I think it's very noticeable when comparing them side by side at exactly similar circumstances.
So for my money, what it's worth, the only advantage of the RB 210 is the power (volume possibilities).
If you want more of the old school Ampeg sound the RB115 is probably a better choice.
With that said, I have to wait to make a total verdict till I gigged with the 210. The 115 I already know from playing live and it's good but kind of soft. So maybe the noise will not be an issue live and the extra power will help me cut through better and give me some headroom.
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Just got a couple little care packages from Ampeg…an RB 100 and a V7. I can’t try the V7 yet because I can’t find my speakons, but I’m very happy with the combo, regardless of who made the speaker. It’ll get pretty darn loud for 50w into a 110. The SGT is very well implemented from what I can tell, and it’s a lot easier to use on the fly than the combo version of the Scrambler. I love the separate Scrambler pedal but it wasn’t implemented well in the SCR DI and BA combos. A very underrated and unique dirt pedal that got a bad rap because of it.
No such problems with the SGT, though. It’s quite useful. The overall sound is bigger and better than the BA combos, too. I’m sure it’ll see some stage work.
RB-100 > RB-110? Nice drum set. How’d you do that/where did you find the Tolex?
Thanks for sharing. I swift from RB115 to RB112 just because too much low end spread out from RB115. Sound like the Lavoce has different voice in tune. Will visit GUitar store soon....
Me too but it could use a little work. This house is going to take a while to be done.
Too bad you can’t see the Tolex pattern from a distance, but the drum head is cool. How big of a speaker behind it?
Sure…it’s a set of orphaned Ludwig beaters from the 70s and 80s I bought for cheap, Mark from Vintage Blue supplied the tolex and made a great step by step vid showing me how to do it, and I did it. Swore I’d never do it again but just started looking for a couple more drums to either add to this one or put together a smaller kit. We drummers call it building a shell bankNow THAT is one cool kit!Any info you can share, Jimmy?
The front head was based on an idea I had and a German friend who used to be a mod on Drummerworld tweaked the design to look even cooler.
Brilliant!Sure…it’s a set of orphaned Ludwig beaters from the 70s and 80s I bought for cheap, Mark from Vintage Blue supplied the tolex and made a great step by step vid showing me how to do it, and I did it. Swore I’d never do it again but just started looking for a couple more drums to either add to this one or put together a smaller kit. We drummers call it building a shell bank
The front head was based on an idea I had and a German friend who used to be a mod on Drummerworld tweaked the design to look even cooler.
So I had some more time to spend with the RB110 today, and here are my thoughts…
—-Putting the knobs at noon sounds pretty flat to my ears, save for the lack of a tweet and the nicely done 810e-ish low end. I boosted bass slightly to get more oomph and cut the mid a tad and there was my usual sound. So it’s a better three knob EQ than the one in the BA amps to me. I could get my sound with the previous EQ but it took me a couple minutes to figure it out, whereas this was pretty much on it from jump.
—-It’s less noisy and cleaner than the BA110, especially through headphones. There was always a very slight undercurrent of drive in them and the BA108, and I don’t hear it anymore through cans or speaker. It was nothing you could pick up on in a band situation, but it’s better if you need to take a DI out of it, assuming the XLR sounds the same as the phones out.
—-With my Hammersmith PJ w/Geezers, I got it up to 1 o clock before I could hear distortion, and though it won’t blow you out, it’s louder than you would think. Sounds pretty good once you push past the 50w RMS range but I didn’t do it much past that since it didn’t make sense. The speaker is pretty impressive sounding for a budget combo.
—-The SGT circuit is why you don’t need to crank the volume into its peak wattage. Sounds great and is nearly seamless with switching to your clean sound, which was a bummer with the BA v2 amps. But all you have to do is match the level with grit turned down to your clean sound, add whatever level of grit you want, and it keeps the low end EQ leveled out and consistent.
It’s got a very usable tone and range, and one of the better on board OD’s I’m familiar with.
—-The phones out is full range like any other solid state DI, the quality of sound is on a par with any active SS DI, but as best as I can tell with just my hearing, the SGT circuit may be low passed to filter out the tweeter highs. I definitely hear tweeter highs through the phones when the SGT is on, but they don’t have that nasty sound of tweeter-blowing overdrive you usually get with dirt pedals going direct. More research is needed, but I suspect that’s what they’re doing. It’s actually cool, and I’m not a tweeter fan with electric at all. Doesn’t sound like clean and dirty signals being clumsily blended at all.
(DISCLAIMER: Don’t test it for the first time in a cranked cab w/tweeter or headphones, as I could very well be wrong about how the SGT works)
—-It’s 22.5 lbs. and easy to tote.
—-It’s purdy.
I’ve had both the BA110 v1 and 2 as well as a handful of other BA’s, and while overall I was happy with the job they did vs what they cost, the RB110 is so greatly improved in every way for me that it’s not even funny. Assuming the DI won’t throw me any monkey wrenches that aren’t in the phones out, it’s a little tone monster that puts out for a 50w amp. I see no reason you couldn’t mic it in the studio if you wanted, and I never thought the BA110 would cut it, although V2 I thought was improved.
Costs more than the BA amps but they spent a few bucks improving and lightening it, too, not just making it purdy. The most Ampeg sounding budget combo I’ve played since the beloved but weighty B100r.
(DISCLAIMER 2: I’m an endorser pimping my brand. I am somewhat of an expert in what sounds Ampeggy. Some have likened me to a guru, and I smile and pretend I know something for them. I know when something cheap is usable at a pro level and when it isn’t. I also know when you need to practice more and quit window shopping, since I need to practice more and quit window shopping. You are hereby disclaimed.)
—-Putting the knobs at noon sounds pretty flat to my ears, save for the lack of a tweet and the nicely done 810e-ish low end. I boosted bass slightly to get more oomph and cut the mid a tad and there was my usual sound. So it’s a better three knob EQ than the one in the BA amps to me. I could get my sound with the previous EQ but it took me a couple minutes to figure it out, whereas this was pretty much on it from jump.
—-It’s less noisy and cleaner than the BA110, especially through headphones. There was always a very slight undercurrent of drive in them and the BA108, and I don’t hear it anymore through cans or speaker. It was nothing you could pick up on in a band situation, but it’s better if you need to take a DI out of it, assuming the XLR sounds the same as the phones out.
—-With my Hammersmith PJ w/Geezers, I got it up to 1 o clock before I could hear distortion, and though it won’t blow you out, it’s louder than you would think. Sounds pretty good once you push past the 50w RMS range but I didn’t do it much past that since it didn’t make sense. The speaker is pretty impressive sounding for a budget combo.
—-The SGT circuit is why you don’t need to crank the volume into its peak wattage. Sounds great and is nearly seamless with switching to your clean sound, which was a bummer with the BA v2 amps. But all you have to do is match the level with grit turned down to your clean sound, add whatever level of grit you want, and it keeps the low end EQ leveled out and consistent.
It’s got a very usable tone and range, and one of the better on board OD’s I’m familiar with.
—-The phones out is full range like any other solid state DI, the quality of sound is on a par with any active SS DI, but as best as I can tell with just my hearing, the SGT circuit may be low passed to filter out the tweeter highs. I definitely hear tweeter highs through the phones when the SGT is on, but they don’t have that nasty sound of tweeter-blowing overdrive you usually get with dirt pedals going direct. More research is needed, but I suspect that’s what they’re doing. It’s actually cool, and I’m not a tweeter fan with electric at all. Doesn’t sound like clean and dirty signals being clumsily blended at all.
(DISCLAIMER: Don’t test it for the first time in a cranked cab w/tweeter or headphones, as I could very well be wrong about how the SGT works)
—-It’s 22.5 lbs. and easy to tote.
—-It’s purdy.
I’ve had both the BA110 v1 and 2 as well as a handful of other BA’s, and while overall I was happy with the job they did vs what they cost, the RB110 is so greatly improved in every way for me that it’s not even funny. Assuming the DI won’t throw me any monkey wrenches that aren’t in the phones out, it’s a little tone monster that puts out for a 50w amp. I see no reason you couldn’t mic it in the studio if you wanted, and I never thought the BA110 would cut it, although V2 I thought was improved.
Costs more than the BA amps but they spent a few bucks improving and lightening it, too, not just making it purdy. The most Ampeg sounding budget combo I’ve played since the beloved but weighty B100r.
(DISCLAIMER 2: I’m an endorser pimping my brand. I am somewhat of an expert in what sounds Ampeggy. Some have likened me to a guru, and I smile and pretend I know something for them. I know when something cheap is usable at a pro level and when it isn’t. I also know when you need to practice more and quit window shopping, since I need to practice more and quit window shopping. You are hereby disclaimed.)
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I have had an RB110 since its release and agree with your assessment. I purchased it really as a DI since I use IEM’s and the volume would only be for a quick monitor of my gear in the case the band’s mixer wasn’t turned on yet.
I have found that I like a some punch on stage (and so does the band) so I now use a larger amp and different DI. I would buy a larger RB in a second if they made it so the master wouldn’t affect the DI volume.
I also own a B100r and the new series is right there with a little deeper tuning (which I like).
I have found that I like a some punch on stage (and so does the band) so I now use a larger amp and different DI. I would buy a larger RB in a second if they made it so the master wouldn’t affect the DI volume.
I also own a B100r and the new series is right there with a little deeper tuning (which I like).
I see that Sweetwater sells a nice Ampeg V12 bag for $99. The V7 one is $80.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/search?s=ampeg+venture+bags
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Ya,Yamaha does better with bags and covers. But I have two old laptop bags I can use, so I'm good for now
I got the Ampeg cover for my RB-210, it’s really nice-padded, with a nice pocket on it to boot.
Some have said the Ampeg sounds muddy, but in my opinion/experience, it does low end better than Fender Rumble does. I’m happy with mine!
Now, if only was was as awesome as JimmyM is (I’ve seen him a couple of times, even having had the opportunity to hula hoop on stage with him while he was playing! Sorry for that visual Jimmy!!)
Some have said the Ampeg sounds muddy, but in my opinion/experience, it does low end better than Fender Rumble does. I’m happy with mine!
Now, if only was was as awesome as JimmyM is (I’ve seen him a couple of times, even having had the opportunity to hula hoop on stage with him while he was playing! Sorry for that visual Jimmy!!)
