Which one was louder in your opinion? I've owned the Rumble 100 in the past and just ordered the RB112. Thanks!
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Ampeg Rocket Bass Combos
- Thread starter kranahan
- Start date
Since the RB112 only for room use, volume on 1 o'clock are loud enough to me. Dint compare to Rumble 100 side by side, but what i can tell you are the RB112 has NO BOXY sound at all.
I play flatwound ~ Labella LTF4A and Cobalt flat , on my personal experience, RB115 has too much bottom which i found hard to tame with just Bass knob tweak. The strong upper mid voicing on Cobalt flat also can't present well even Ultra Hi already engage .
Since both Rb115 and 112 has different in tone respond, i can't tell you that Rb115 sound louder than Rb112. But, both set 1 o'clock volume in same room same placement , Rb115 has big bottom but lack upper mid and attack; meanwhile the RB112 has tighter low end along with better BITE upper MID voice i prefer.
Hope help.
This does help alot thanks! I think I made the right choice. I play a Warmoth P Bass with D'Addario Flats. I myself prefer a Mid Bump in my sound.
So with no gain knob on the amp, how can I utilize the SGT function to act as a gain knob? Just want some insight before my amp comes in Monday. Thanks guys!!!
You can use the Level control to match the level of grit vs. the level of clean, but it’s not a gain control in the usual sense. See my review of the RB-112 for more info.
Turn the SGT level knob to max, both grit and volume knob on zero. Then tweak both volume and grind knob to taste.
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b90, I'm gonna piggyback on Yahboy's comments here, and they're good ones. The two Ampeg combos will be similar in the amount of volume they put out, but the 115's bottom is gonna be way bigger, and yes, maybe boomier as well. That's why I, like many others, went with the 112. I'm mainly using it in my studio and at school, but if I was mostly playing out I could see using the 115 and letting that booty fly!
Compared to my late Rumble 100, as Yahboy said, it lacks the Fender's natural boxiness and lack of mids where you can actually hear those frequencies on your bass. It literally took me 15 minutes, when comparing the two, to realize my ears were much happier with all my basses.
Finally, the SGT, though everyone seems to wish it to be a gain knob, isn't. It adds (in moderation) some once-sounding grit to the amp's clean tone and gives it a much more musical sound when compared to the Rumble's overdrive feature, and ten times better than Ampeg's Scrambler circuit!
So knocking the 115 to those bass brothas of ours who chose it, but as was with the BA v1 line, the 112 seems to be more musical and easier to score better sounds with than any of the others in the Rocket Bass series. That, and its popular price point should make it a runaway bestseller. Enjoy yours!
Wow thank you so much for the explanation. This makes me feel much better about my purchase. I like a more mid forward tone, so it sounds like the RB112 is right up my alley. I've owned quite a few Rumbles, Markbass, and bugera combos but never an Ampeg. I've always wanted to get one, but was deterred due to the QC issues I've read about on the portaflex series of bass heads.b90, I'm gonna piggyback on Yahboy's comments here, and they're good ones. The two Ampeg combos will be similar in the amount of volume they put out, but the 115's bottom is gonna be way bigger, and yes, maybe boomier as well. That's why I, like many others, went with the 112. I'm mainly using it in my studio and at school, but if I was mostly playing out I could see using the 115 and letting that booty fly!
Compared to my late Rumble 100, as Yahboy said, it lacks the Fender's natural boxiness and lack of mids where you can actually hear those frequencies on your bass. It literally took me 15 minutes, when comparing the two, to realize my ears were much happier with all my basses.
Finally, the SGT, though everyone seems to wish it to be a gain knob, isn't. It adds (in moderation) some once-sounding grit to the amp's clean tone and gives it a much more musical sound when compared to the Rumble's overdrive feature, and ten times better than Ampeg's Scrambler circuit!
So knocking the 115 to those bass brothas of ours who chose it, but as was with the BA v1 line, the 112 seems to be more musical and easier to score better sounds with than any of the others in the Rocket Bass series. That, and its popular price point should make it a runaway bestseller. Enjoy yours!
Yeah, there were some gremlins in thr earlier days of the Portaflex line, particularly with the 500 model, but that was numerous revisions ago. To me, after the Yamaha purchase, quality control should increase purchase confidence.
Yeah that's the reason I went with Ampeg this time. I think the Ampeg brand will improve now that Yamaha has bought them.
anyone was able to compare the Rocket Bass with PF solid state heads directly BTW, especially in terms of floor noise? badly wanting an Ampeg sometimes, but preferably not a combo, just a head.
and the thing that turns me off the PF heads currently is the SNR spec. RB-112 is listed at 80dB (the same as BA-112, which was considered a bit noisy), but the PF-500 head is listed at 72dB. not sure if those are comparable specs, but if so, I'd probably wait for new heads from Yampeg.
and the thing that turns me off the PF heads currently is the SNR spec. RB-112 is listed at 80dB (the same as BA-112, which was considered a bit noisy), but the PF-500 head is listed at 72dB. not sure if those are comparable specs, but if so, I'd probably wait for new heads from Yampeg.
My RB-112 arrived today! Can't wait to get off work to try it out!
Well I had a chance to sit down with the RB112. I think Ampeg has a winner here. Not only does it look better than the Rumble 100, it gets just as loud with the SGT engaged with the level knob on full. The bass response is excellent and it has a more vintage sound than the rumble. I think it sounds way better than the Rumble 100. The build quality is excellent! The Rumble line feels like toys in comparison. The only thing I did before plugging in is I tightened the speaker screws, the amp mounting screws, and bottom feet screws. The amp screws were pretty loose, but the others were not bad. I am very impressed with the RB series of combos. I know I made the right choice! Thanks everyone for the help!
How does the RB-115 handle the Squier VI??
Just got the VI back- Haven't had a chance to play it at all yet- sooo plugged into the RB-115 with a dash of tremolo and a touch of spring reverb.
Yesssss!!! This has some serious low end!!
Crazy- but you can get the “Strat Quack” using the middle pickup with either the bridge or neck pickup- sort of a smooth warm tone..humbucker-ey….
Great combo for the VI bass lots of fun!!
Just got the VI back- Haven't had a chance to play it at all yet- sooo plugged into the RB-115 with a dash of tremolo and a touch of spring reverb.
Yesssss!!! This has some serious low end!!
Crazy- but you can get the “Strat Quack” using the middle pickup with either the bridge or neck pickup- sort of a smooth warm tone..humbucker-ey….
Great combo for the VI bass lots of fun!!
Did not know they were making a VI. Very cool.How does the RB-115 handle the Squier VI??
Just got the VI back- Haven't had a chance to play it at all yet- sooo plugged into the RB-115 with a dash of tremolo and a touch of spring reverb. View attachment 4637563
Yesssss!!! This has some serious low end!!
Crazy- but you can get the “Strat Quack” using the middle pickup with either the bridge or neck pickup- sort of a smooth warm tone..humbucker-ey….
Great combo for the VI bass lots of fun!!
Yes it has! I've been messing around with it for a little while and I'm really digging the sounds. I found that having the SGT button engaged with the level all the way up, there is a little bit of sizzle coming from the speaker, but its nothing major when you play you can't hear it. You can hear this sizzle at low volumes as well, but again nothing major. I can't believe that I can actually hear my D and G strings. I've owned many combos from Hartke, Fender, Markbass, and Bugera and this one feels and sounds great! The Markbass combos sound a little better, but they are 3 times the price and have nasty carpet! It definitely beats out the Bugera, Fender, and Hartke combos that I've owned. Oh and it actually has insulation inside the cab, something that the Rumbles don't have.I think it looks like your RB-112 has found its “forever” home !
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Wow it sounds like the entire RB line sound great! I think Ampeg has made the "Rumble Killer"!How does the RB-115 handle the Squier VI??
Just got the VI back- Haven't had a chance to play it at all yet- sooo plugged into the RB-115 with a dash of tremolo and a touch of spring reverb. View attachment 4637563
Yesssss!!! This has some serious low end!!
Crazy- but you can get the “Strat Quack” using the middle pickup with either the bridge or neck pickup- sort of a smooth warm tone..humbucker-ey….
Great combo for the VI bass lots of fun!!
