No I did not. We were in a small TV studio so we wasn't that loud. Next practice I'll try the DI out.
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Ampeg Rocket Bass Combos
- Thread starter kranahan
- Start date
I'm planning on taking it to a tech to see if it can be fixed before the warranty is up. But it definitely seems like a design flaw since I tried it against some others and had another user here run some identical tests. But the fact that none of the other models have this issue boggles me.
I owned an Ampeg B110r when they came out and loved that combo... broke my heart when it got scratched up when I poaned it out for an Acoustic show. That cover was unforgiving and showed no mercy to any damage... but new looked sharp as all.
I did get it. I like it but don't love it honestly. It's a little muddy sounding for me.
Not sure if I'll keep it
I can dig what you're rapping. I'll dip the bass one notch, raise the treble one notch and the mids 1/2 notch.
But I still stick an EQ in the effects loop because ~ 900hz, 2.8 k needs just a tad of goosing to make my ears happy.
That's pretty much how I'm EQing
I do like, just thought I'd like it more I guess
Sounds better with my Stingray than with my Ibanez
New things take time to sort themselves out, or so they say...a few years back I took up bass after 55+ years. It's been a long process and I am not even close but, I am making progress. Just not as quickly as I originally thought.
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Why do people treat your gear so badly when you loan it to them? I don't get it.
I don't borrow gear for the same reason I don't lend it out...damage.
Similar on my Rb112, she sound nice with both Squier CV50P(La bella LTF4A) and Bacchus Jazz bass(EB Cobalt flat 2814). Sound just lifeless on Yamaha TRBX504 humbucker pickups even switch to Active mode plus turn up the onboard treble knob and Ultra Hi engage..... Just sound not as healthy as both passive bass.
That's great, b90! Sweet combination with your flatwound Precision leading the way. Yep, they do make a nice pair and I'll bet it was to get into the station and out too.
Yeah it sounded so good and very easy to transport. My wife carried it to the car . I've been EQing mine the same as others on here (lows dipped just slightly, mids and treble boosted slightly to taste). To me the sound lends itself better to passive basses.
I cant find much in the way of A/b comparing Rumble and RB s on the net yet either , would love to hear a bunch of Rumble 115 ,s vrs RB 115 comparisons , but its just not out there , a guitar center about a hour a way has maybe a Ampeg 110 and 112 , but seem to never have the 115 .
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Late night, wet blacktop, leather jackets getting closer, with Link Wray playing on the steps near a streetlight
As a pre owner of Rumble V3 200/115 , compare to the RB115 which i sold and replace with RB112, Rumble sound sweeter , smoother, scoop and better transparent tone on High (once Bright button engage). RB115 sound boomy , bit muddy and lack upper MID voice range (even ULtra High engage). Thats why i return again to RB112.
IMHO I do agree to a certain extent. I own and use/have used a Rumble 500 quite a lot. The RB115 is more soft (weak) and you may say it’s from lack of upper mid.
But… they also react different to different basses and the RB is not muddy with a P-bass with flats, it’s actually sounds very good all of a sudden. Also the RB being more shy as far as output gain goes you need to turn the master volume up (no gain control here) to make it ‘wake up’. But just as it’s predecessors, it sounds better the harder you make it work and is actually usable almost all the way up the whole volume spectrum.
Both combos are good in their own way with the RB115 being more vintage traditional and you may say not as clear (or brite) as the Rumble that is very powerful (500). The Rumble though can not really create the same warm thump as the RB. So, in my opinion, it’s all about learning to use each one of them in the right situation. The Rumble gives you more headroom and volume, the RB is more true to the vintage idiom. But I wouldn’t say the RB sounds boomy, it’s just that with the 15’ speaker you really don’t need to push the bass knob too much. I actually keep it at 10.30 max.
Also because if it’s warm smooth character it may have problems cutting through the famous guitar wall. But just for sound and in the right environment it’s perfect.
The Rumble 500 (the one I have experience of) is a very reliable, portable, all purpose combo, not too modern, nor too vintage’y, with sufficient power for most situations.
But… they also react different to different basses and the RB is not muddy with a P-bass with flats, it’s actually sounds very good all of a sudden. Also the RB being more shy as far as output gain goes you need to turn the master volume up (no gain control here) to make it ‘wake up’. But just as it’s predecessors, it sounds better the harder you make it work and is actually usable almost all the way up the whole volume spectrum.
Both combos are good in their own way with the RB115 being more vintage traditional and you may say not as clear (or brite) as the Rumble that is very powerful (500). The Rumble though can not really create the same warm thump as the RB. So, in my opinion, it’s all about learning to use each one of them in the right situation. The Rumble gives you more headroom and volume, the RB is more true to the vintage idiom. But I wouldn’t say the RB sounds boomy, it’s just that with the 15’ speaker you really don’t need to push the bass knob too much. I actually keep it at 10.30 max.
Also because if it’s warm smooth character it may have problems cutting through the famous guitar wall. But just for sound and in the right environment it’s perfect.
The Rumble 500 (the one I have experience of) is a very reliable, portable, all purpose combo, not too modern, nor too vintage’y, with sufficient power for most situations.
Well, in some ways we are comparing "apples to oranges" if you are talking about the Rumble 500 vs. the Ampeg RB-115. First, speaker size, then wattage. However, an interesting way to compare the both of these would be by adding a cab to the RB-115 and keeping the volume levels equal between the two when comparing them. I have owned the RB-112 and RB-115 (I also own the RB-210 with a 115 portaflex cab); I have found to MY ears that the portaflex 115 cab is "boomier" (can be felt more) than the Fender NEO 115; and I had the Fender NEO hooked up to a Fender 800 Stage; and the Portaflex 115 hooked up to the RB-210....set at the same volume the Ampeg "our performed" the Fender noticeably.
The Fender Rumble 800 is not one of my favorites. I much prefer the Rumble 500. I've had my RB115 hooked up with a SVT210AV to get more power but didn't actually think it made that much of a difference. The RB115 is still a bit on the mellow side and if there is any boominess that definitely got evident when adding the SVT212AV. I think the RB115 sounds best (to my knowledge) by itself and in a not too loud environment. The boominess I think is depending on the acoustics and maybe because of what I mentioned earlier... there's a lot of low end in the cabinet so if you turn the bass volume up or use the ultra bass I'm sure you will get too much low end an unbalanced E (& B) string. But if your bass sound is balanced and you don't turn the bass knob up more than to say 10-10.30 you should avoid the boom and get a full warm bass sound.
The Rumble on the other hand is a good combo to add an extra speaker to and will sound good with lots of extension cabs. I've had mine for years in all kinds of situations and it never lets me down. But it wont give me the same 'thud' and warmness as the RB115... or the PF50T/PF115HE combination for that matter.
But they're all good alternatives as long as you consider the RB115 a more low powered alternative, using it in those kind of smooth situations.
The Rumble on the other hand is a good combo to add an extra speaker to and will sound good with lots of extension cabs. I've had mine for years in all kinds of situations and it never lets me down. But it wont give me the same 'thud' and warmness as the RB115... or the PF50T/PF115HE combination for that matter.
But they're all good alternatives as long as you consider the RB115 a more low powered alternative, using it in those kind of smooth situations.
