Ampeg Rocket Bass Combos

[R Briere]

How am I disrespecting anyone? I just stated I was disappointed with some aspects of the new amp.

Then I have to fend of childish and disrespectful replies.

I thought this was a forum for normal discussions.

I have no "end game". I Stated an opinion. In a normal manner.

I'm sad. I LOVE coming here to Read as one person Yells at another. Please continue to do so. One of my Favorite sources of Joy as a "Certified Ric Geezer in Good Standing" is Blocking Ric bass players who A: Remove the Pup Cover ...and B: Leave the Flag Decal on their Poor Bass. ...When I find anyone who does BOTH, I call their Mother and Challenge HER to an Arm Wrestling Contest. I've lost said contests 17 times but I remain hopeful. Mothers are getting Stronger!

As for Amps. ANY open back Bass Cabinet is going to be sorely lacking in Bass Response. Solution? Put a back on it! As I've already owned a TON of Ampeg gear I've gone a different way and currently use 176 Pathfinders ....STACKED with Backs! I Rock! #getreallysmall
https://www.amazon.com/product-revi...r&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar

 

[Yahboy]

Try out the RB115 at my local GC, surprisingly this combo sound warmer and lacking some definitions/clarity compare to Miki's demo. Even I try engage the ultra high and pump both mid and treble, this combo still couldn't bring out the bite and growl which I can dial out from VT200 combo.
The SVT setting on VT 200 combo are scoop (just like both ultra hi/lo engage on RB115) but once I turn up the mid to 3 or 4 o'clock (500khz mid voice engage) and raise the drive knob to 1 o'clock, I just get the nice SVT like growl and punch.
The bass I bring to test is Cort GB74JJ (bright jazz bass tone)with bright sounding EB cobalt flat 2814 and finger style playing.
Maybe aggressive pick style along with SS string will do well with the RB combo.

I also compare to to store demo Rumble 200 V3, even she sound scoop, even no bright button engage and horn OFF, overall tone din't sacrifice the treble meanwhile still more open sounding than the RB115.

Will try out the rb112 when GC restock.

 

[68Tele-Bass]

From the photos I've seen with their grill covers removed, all of the RB combos are ported.

My RB-115 is certainly ported as well!

For those who struggled for 3:11 yesterday as I attempted to use a mic (no DI) to record the RB-112 naked as a jaybird (no comp, HPF, tone controls, Ultras, etc), my Rogue VB100 sounded like it tends to do without revision; boomy. But a few Ampeg loyalists out there requested another attempt, but this time with all the goodies to give us a chance to hear the best from the amp. I'll leave it up to your ears, but I think it's greatly improved from yesterday. Here's what I used:

Rogue bass (neck pup only...good or bad, it's my sound)
Ampeg RB-112 (tone controls flat, Ultra Hi on, Ultra Lo off)
Broughton HPF pedal (set @ 45 Hz)
TC Electronics Spectracomp (8:30)
Shure PG58 mic (inexpensive vocal mic, but serviceable)
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface

Song: from a Mel Bay bass book CD called "Boogie." (warning: repetitive, but has a decent groove)

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The playing was more inspired until I fell apart at the outro, but oh well. I really liked the sound of the amp with the mic, though I admit I'm more of a DI guy. Who knows, maybe a decent bass mic and a little more experimenting might net an even better tone. Thanks for listening...this song is DONE!

Ummmm. The file wasn’t working when I clicked on it …but I loved what you did- a “clean pass” as baseline (lol), then “let er rip” with all the bells and whistles! Check this out for recording bass used in ‘67 by the Beatles. It discusses some interesting features about the mics they used…, blended with a DI signal from amp!

I think it was miss tagged. I asked if that was correct and they looked it up, said it was. I didn't blink and went ahead and purchased.

Well Played, Sir! As @Lowbrow points out- you gave them the out!!

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Try out the RB115 at my local GC, surprisingly this combo sound warmer and lacking some definitions/clarity compare to Miki's demo. Even I try engage the ultra high and pump both mid and treble, this combo still couldn't bring out the bite and growl which I can dial out from VT200 combo.
The SVT setting on VT 200 combo are scoop (just like both ultra hi/lo engage on RB115) but once I turn up the mid to 3 or 4 o'clock (500khz mid voice engage) and raise the drive knob to 1 o'clock, I just get the nice SVT like growl and punch.
The bass I bring to test is Cort GB74JJ (bright jazz bass tone)with bright sounding EB cobalt flat 2814 and finger style playing.
Maybe aggressive pick style along with SS string will do well with the RB combo.

I also compare to to store demo Rumble 200 V3, even she sound scoop, even no bright button engage and horn OFF, overall tone din't sacrifice the treble meanwhile still more open sounding than the RB115.

Will try out the rb112 when GC restock.

Couldn't get high end out of a cab with no tweeter. I was playing on flats, with my fingers. I'm going to try a smaller amp.

 

[68Tele-Bass]

Couldn't get high end out of a cab with no tweeter. I was playing on flats, with my fingers. I'm going to try a smaller amp.

No…you CLEARLY need the RB-210!
Should be able to get growl, spank and sparkle out of that. It has the horn..

congrats on that 112 coming your way! You’re going to love it!!

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

No…you CLEARLY need the RB-210!
Should be able to get growl, spank and sparkle out of that. It has the horn..

congrats on that 112 coming your way! You’re going to love it!!

Thanks. Yeah, it should be perfect

 

[BluBasPlr]

After having a few evenings to play around with the RB112 and compare to my rumble 100, here's my take. I know everyones taste are different and all reviews are subjective. I really like both of them. Obvious physical differences RB112 is slightly larger and slightly heavier, neither of these would be deal breaker. With settings flat on both and being sampled A/B with multiple basses, I find the Rumble to have a cleaner more mid voiced tone, and the RB112 to have a warmer slightly deeper tone. My preference of the two would be the Ampeg RB112. The Ampeg sound is what I hear in my head and suited for what I like to play. Mostly blues, blues based jazz, and occasionally classic R&B, or classic country. I use these amps to take to rehearsal and jams, as well as to have something to leave at rehearsal locations and not have to move my larger rigs.

 

[Dino Boreanaz]

Here's Anderton's video demo of the RB-112 and RB-210 as well as the Micro-VR Red Stack.

 

[butterfingers1]

To me the Rumble is better described as clanky rather than clean, mid-less (scooped), bassy in a boomy muddy way.

The Ampeg BA combos in the store sound bassy but articulate, warm and round.

I use Traynor combos presently, clean and hi-fi according to many, like GK but without the harshness. They have built-in HPF at 44Hz. I easily get warm and round just by switching off the tweeter.

Still the Rocket Bass interests me a lot just based on trying the BA combos in stores. But I hesitate, worrying this might be of inferior quality to Traynor, without doing anything I can’t already get with Traynor,and maybe be a bit too much like Rumbles in the end.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Impatiently awaiting UPS

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

They're an hour late. Lawsuit

 

[jeff7bass]

They're an hour late. Lawsuit

Driver took it home.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Driver took it home.

I would

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Suckers just changed time to 7pm. Like, they're not late *shakes head in disappointment*

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Boooom! Dudes, this little is great! It sounds just like a portaflex. Well, once you up the mid and treble a half a knotch. But, I'm pretty sure that mostly has to do with it being ported.

I ran the thing through it paces for a good little bit. It'll be perfect for what I'm going to use it for. Sure sounds a heck of a lot better than my ba110. Lighter too. And, looks killer. I think they did a great job.

Bad note: the only thing that sucks is that there is no gain knob. I don't like only having a volume. You can't control clipping and still turn it up. It is what it is. So, to crank it, and keep it clean, you are going to need a compressor.

That's it though. Totally passable by all my combo standards.

 

[corndog]

Question for the owners.

I used to own a B200r (see avatar) and it was the nicest sounding rig I’ve ever had. The depth of the bass was unreal, yet still had clarity. I could feel it even at low volumes.

How do the new Rockets compare? Has anyone owned both or done a co
comparison??

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Question for the owners.

I used to own a B200r (see avatar) and it was the nicest sounding rig I’ve ever had. The depth of the bass was unreal, yet still had clarity. I could feel it even at low volumes.

How do the new Rockets compare? Has anyone owned both or done a co
comparison??

Never had B200, but this 112 fairs up nicely for a reasonably priced, lightweight portaflex option.

Quality is much lower than a true portaflex rig, but so is price and weight. So...pick your poison.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Speakon is better in everyway. I mean we don't need cars right? Horses were fine for thousands of years.

New technology replaces old technology. Everyday. Refusing to embrace it when there is negligible price difference makes no sense. It's lazy.

According to your point though, you will never buy any combo amp. So what's your interest in an ext out anyway?

I have yet to see any combo that has an extension plug that is a speakon connection.

 

[evs]

I have been using the Rumble 500 for years now on countless gigs and it’s been a great workhorse.

Easily keeps up with a hard hitting drummer and has been ample for my needs.


This morning I picked up the RB210.

It’s a little bigger, a little heavier, and it looks really great.

I tested it at the volume I use in my rock band and it gets the same perceived volume as the Rumble (the rumble is 350 watts at 8ohms, the RB210 is 250 watts at 8ohms).


The RB210 tone is more appealing to me, but they are both in a similar tonal ballpark. I find the RB a little deeper and clearer sounding.

The only thing I would wish for is a gain knob, but overall this is a great combo.


I’m looking forward to gigging with it!

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

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I have been using the Rumble 500 for years now on countless gigs and it’s been a great workhorse.

Easily keeps up with a hard hitting drummer and has been ample for my needs.


This morning I picked up the RB210.

It’s a little bigger, a little heavier, and it looks really great.

I tested it at the volume I use in my rock band and it gets the same perceived volume as the Rumble (the rumble is 350 watts at 8ohms, the RB210 is 250 watts at 8ohms).


The RB210 tone is more appealing to me, but they are both in a similar tonal ballpark. I find the RB a little deeper and clearer sounding.

The only thing I would wish for is a gain knob, but overall this is a great combo.


I’m looking forward to gigging with it!

+1 on the gain knob

It's my only negative comment on the series