Amps with fast, tight bass response.

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hi folks, I am in the market for a new bass amp and unfortunately can't try much where I'm at. What I want is a fairly clean amp capable of some warmth, lots of slam, with a modern tight bass response, good built in compressor is a plus, though not neccessary. I currently use a TC RH450 and I love the flexibility of the Semi-parametric EQ, and find the compressor to be very useful, however the more I try to get my sound out of it I just find the bass to be too loose, can't get the low end thump I want with out too much mud. Right now I'm looking at the EBS Reidmar 750 (love the EBS brand!) GK Legacy 800, or a Mesa Subway D800. I also considered getting something else such as dropping money on a Thunderfunk 750, or getting one of the tube pre amp Mesa's/GK's. I'm pretty much at a loss and very open to suggestions so fire away!

Tight and clear, or loose and thumpy. You can't have both.

You want a pf800.

It's clean across the dials. Tight, clear, punchy. Ultra low gets you deep when you want that.

 

[220_Hz]

Take a look at speaker sensitivity before dropping the dough on a new head

 

[Killing Floor]

The response is more a product of speakers. Because slew rates are pretty consistent across amps made for basses and guitars. And also because if you ask a music store clerk about slew rate he’ll go help someone else.

 

[MDBass]

Hi folks, I am in the market for a new bass amp and unfortunately can't try much where I'm at. What I want is a fairly clean amp capable of some warmth, lots of slam, with a modern tight bass response, good built in compressor is a plus, though not neccessary. I currently use a TC RH450 and I love the flexibility of the Semi-parametric EQ, and find the compressor to be very useful, however the more I try to get my sound out of it I just find the bass to be too loose, can't get the low end thump I want with out too much mud. Right now I'm looking at the EBS Reidmar 750 (love the EBS brand!) GK Legacy 800, or a Mesa Subway D800. I also considered getting something else such as dropping money on a Thunderfunk 750, or getting one of the tube pre amp Mesa's/GK's. I'm pretty much at a loss and very open to suggestions so fire away!

I came here to say that your search can begin and end with the Bergantino Forté HP, but I see the first reply already beat me to it

 

[Rickslick]

The response is more a product of speakers. Because slew rates are pretty consistent across amps made for basses and guitars. And also because if you ask a music store clerk about slew rate he’ll go help someone else.

Interesting! I have another post in here which was explaining that I plugged my amp into an SWR Triad and felt how loose the response was especially compared to another head in the store. My amp feels really good through my 2x10 so cab was the first thought, but after playing a cab I know I like and is tight it seemed like new amp was the answer for tighter bass response in those low lows. I'm a more amateur FOH guy what are slew rates?

 

[Speakz]

Yes definitely look at cabs first with your current head and then look into heads if you don't get where you want to be. Also the output of the head as it's driving more or less cabs will affect the power they are seeing and how they respond.

 

[Killing Floor]

Interesting! I have another post in here which was explaining that I plugged my amp into an SWR Triad and felt how loose the response was especially compared to another head in the store. My amp feels really good through my 2x10 so cab was the first thought, but after playing a cab I know I like and is tight it seemed like new amp was the answer for tighter bass response in those low lows. I'm a more amateur FOH guy what are slew rates?

On an instantaneous level an amplifier does not “perfectly” amplify a signal. It distorts it very slightly. Slew rate describes the change in current or voltage over time. It’s important to an audiophile but most mid range and higher bass guitar amps have similar processing constraints and capabilities. It’s not relevant how many Watts an amplifier can send through your load but how quickly and efficiently the amp can produce it. Since nearly all bass amps are similar, made of common components with common design goals, these minutia are not as relevant as a speaker/cab performance.

Since you asked, slew rate is 2pi X Max Freq X Peak Voltage in V per microsecond, usually. Most consumer bass or guitar amps or PA power amps are somewhere between 10-25 V/microsecond.
In keeping with slew not being singularly relevant, @agedhorse runs through it here. Class D vs Class A or A/B

 

[sheltjo6]

GK

 

[CTW68]

The tightest, cleanest, fastest amp I've ever used is a Mesa Carbine.

 

[beans-on-toast]

The amp and the cab are part of a system and have to be considered together.

 

[deff]

UGH, huh?, tight fast bass response out of an amp? This is largely a function of the cabinet you're using not the amp. This is another everybody list their favorite amp thread....

 

[Rickslick]

UGH, huh?, tight fast bass response out of an amp? This is largely a function of the cabinet you're using not the amp. This is another everybody list their favorite amp thread....

I understand how important the cab is but if you read previous posts in this thread I explain how I used several cabs which lead to the conclusion that the bass on this amp head is simply not tight enough, too much mud in the low end when played through a full range speaker cab. Also generally use IEM's so voicing of the amp is particularly important.

 

[mmbongo]

While there are quite a few amps/cabs that do clean and tight very well, I would recommend the Mesa Subway Series line for the following reasons; exceptional... design/engineering, craftsmanship, reliability and the best customer service available (IMO, of course). TalkBass also has a member (aged horse) that designs these (and other) amps. He is an invaluable resource for the Mesa users. Too many positives for me to consider another brand. But that's just me.

This. The Mesa WD-800 even has a damping control, so if you want 'tight' then set it to 'high'. That, along with the adjustable HPF is the very definition of how you get tight. I think the other Subway amps are hard wired to the 'high' setting so the Mesa amps are built for 'tight' from the ground up.

 

[pfschim]

as others have said .. amp AND cab ... as well as how you set your bass's EQ and playing technique will all be part of the sound (tight, loose, whatever).
Also, tight bass is one of those terms that is not particularly precise. One players tight is another players ... erm ... not tight ... do you have an song/recording example of what you consider tight ? that might also help the collective experience of TB respond in a more constructive way besides the usual "my favorite amp is the answer"

You already use the compressor with the TC, perhaps consider using an HPF (I know the TC has one built in, but I think it's a fixed freq point HPF). Proper (and reasonable) EQing, a compressor (with the right settings) and an HPF can pretty much make any modern amp deliver what most would consider tight (not flubby/loose) bass.

chasing tone is an ongoing journey ... good luck!

 

[Geddaric]

That dude from Megadeth (or maybe its post-production), what`s he use?
I like it a LOT.

 

[GreyBeard]

I'd try a hp filter first

 

[Mechanical]

This my two cents, but I think 10s sound tighter than 12s or 15s.

 

[220_Hz]

And also because if you ask a music store clerk about slew rate he’ll go help someone else.

This made me laugh and then I got a little bummed out. As an early twenty-something, I’d like to work at a music store and try to help people with in depth tech specs, but what use do amateur musicians have with that if they aren’t also in the know?

this is why I’m an audio engineering student

 

[JohnnyBottom]

the Mesa D800+ yields Clean and Big, with dual parameterics, HPF, deep, bright, Voicing knob as well is gold. imho deeper low end than my TT800. Ive spent the last week A/B/A/B/A/B them ad nauseum and still dont know which I prefer. Changes each day. Based on your goals...I think D800+ 100% will do it

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Lots of ways to hit the tonal goal. It's all just tone shaping. My preference is to use powered cabs and hit them with a preamp. I use the Noble tube pre/DI. Fat, huge, clean. If I want it tight, flip the HPF switch on the Noble and done. I like the easy approach. I'm sure there are plenty of more complicated approaches using more gear than my setup!