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Another Yorkville xs400 review

D

dimplebutt

Oct 13, 2003
29
1
LA
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#1
Hi guys, i just bought this head and i am quite impressed.

first off i only paid $450 for it shipped (i live in so Cal) and it sounds really good. I'm playing it using a SWR Goliath junior II(2x10 are so much better than the 15" combo) and my Ibanez SR-400.

:spit:
The bad: well there's a lot of noise. when i have the tweeter turned on there's this very annoying high pitch sound that's very noticeable. Without the tweeter it is relatively quite, though if i wasn't playing the bass i would probably keep it off. Any suggestions on how to reduce noise? is it my active bass?

:)
The Good:
Damn good amp for the price. Ive shopped around and for other heads and with this head you got alot of bang for the buck. The yorkville is not as bright and clear as i would like it. but the tone is still good. The yorkville is transparent and the tube pre-amp is a very nice touch but i wouldn't say it's a tube sound. It's more like half and half.. it has the characteristics of the tube but not the feel of a tube. (if that makes sense)
VERSATILITY: this head can get you alot of sounds. I was playing it and realized that the controls on this head really let's me shape my tone. Especially when i use the scoop, the parametric mid and the tube pre-amp. You could get a lot of sounds from it.

:D
The Ugly:
My bass playing, haha i need to get better. Man i hear some of the people here and i'm like :bassist: man you guys rock.


Summary: very good for the value, Dude you're getting 400 watts at 4 ohm for $450 :eek: This head is very versatile. Kinda annoying noise but i think that it would change if i used a passive bass. I highly recommend this head to anyone on a budget and want's a cheap affordable head that gives you the flexibility and power for bigger gigs in the future.


Off topic questions:
1) If i get a 4x10 would it be considereable louder than a 2x10.
2) If i get a 8ohm 4x10 would is be considerable quieter than the exact 4ohm 4x10? (it's 280 watt's at 8ohm compared to 400 at 4ohm)
3) damn tweeter noise!
 
#4
This is a little dissapointing (the XS400 review).

Gibsongeek, I'm assuming from your post that the BM400 does not have these issues. I've not read much about the BM400, while I understand that textual descriptions of "sound" are limiting, could I trouble you for one anyways?

Thanks
 
#5
Comfortstarr,
First let me say, I've always had GREAT luck with :bassist: Yorkville/Traynor.
I think the beauty of the BM-400 is it's simplicity. It's basically a mono PA amp with a simple preamp(Vol, 10 band graphic, Master, effects loop) It's countour circuit cuts the mids in just the right place, and it's limiter NEVER lets you know it's working. Also, I've never had a single unit fail, and I've sold over 100 of them.
To give you an idea of it's tone, the best I can say is it's .......neutral. It isn't "voiced", it just sounds like your bass.......only louder! It is also crazy loud and solid for only 400 watts. :bassist:
GEEK
 
#6
Gibsongeek (Rock City Guitar), I own an XS400H with a xc410 and so far I find this unit to be one of the best sounding amp I have heard yet and used, not only is it versatile when it comes to getting different tones it is also transparent and quite powerful, not to mention all the useful features that comes with it. I tried the BM400 at my local store and found it to be quite plane in every way, tried it with a P-bass and well as a Yamaha and I just could not get the tone I wanted. I am one of many XS400 owners who feel this way. As for your admiration of the BM400, would that be because you have 25 on hand that you have to sell, I thought this forum was not suppose to be used this way!!!!! :confused:
 
#8
sitback said:
Gibsongeek (Rock City Guitar), As for your admiration of the BM400, would that be because you have 25 on hand that you have to sell, I thought this forum was not suppose to be used this way!!!!! :confused:
Click to expand...

Good point... Everywhere the subject of the XS400 comes up he is really quick to slag it, and fast to pipe in that he has some sort of exclusivity (sp?) deal with Yorkville to build them for him only whenever he wants. I know someone at Yorkville and they told me that they only made them for him as he agreed to buy 25 of them to get them to do it for him. What better way to sell your large inventory of an amp than to slag it's obviously superior (and cheaper) brother? If everyone likes the XS400 he will be stuck holding the bag on the 25 BM400's that were made for him. Sounds more like a cry for :help: to get people to buy his amps rather than the XS400, and if bad mouthing the XS400 is the only way to do it, he seems ok with this. :spit:

I wonder what the sales rep you were talking about would think if he knew of your approach to selling the product line?
 
#9
To each his own. I can get an XS-400 for anyone that would like one. People had stated in prior posts that they had some issues(major or minor) with the new amp. I only posted that I preferred the BM-400 personally, and so I had them resurrected. I also stated, in case you didn't see it, that I've had GREAT luck with Yorkville as a company.
Also, I deleted my original post because I felt that Yorkville deserves more credit than it looked like I gave it. They have had an infallible reputation in the pro audio and M.I. business, since 1963. Just because I PERSONALLY don't care for a new product doesn't mean that the masses have to agree. I feel that bringing back the BM-400 in limited runs, will satisfy the people who miss that classic amp.
GEEK
 

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