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Ashdown MAG Combos

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mikarre

Dec 11, 2002
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#1
I have a few questions on the newer Ashdown MAG series combos. I am specfically interested in the 1x15.

1) Ashdowns website claims these things are rated at 300 plus watts, yet is says they have speaker out jacks. So it that 300 watts with the onboard speaker/tweeter configuration, or only 300 watts with the extension speaker? Ashdowns website is a little ambiguous from what I can see.

2) What kinds of sound can I expect from these things? I play metal and hard rock, will they cut it? My other choice is a Hartke 3500 with a 115 cab from Avatar. I've owned the 3500 before and I love that amp, but I can save considerable cash by going with the Asdown combo, but it's not worth it if I can't get any similar sounds out of it. I also heed to hang with a guitarist who plays a Marshall Valvestate (not tube) 100 watt stack, which I know the Hartke can do. Not sure about these Ashdowns.

3) Reliability. Anyone been using any of these for a while? As I understand, they are kinda new. (?) The only Ashdown dealer around here is kinda spotty. He is a great guy, but his shop is more oriented in dealing with vintage basses and his attention is not really devoted to amps and such. It seems like it would be a big hassel if this thing broke down a lot.

4) This final issue is one of my biggest hangups. As I understand, these things are made in China. I read I thread last night from back in Feb that talked about Behringer and some of the things they do. I have mixed emotions about this whole side of things. I know Ashdown is a solid company, but I can't help letting political opinions sway my decision a bit here.

So if anyone can help me sort this out, thanks in advance. It looks like this forum has been re-vamped since I was last here a few months ago. Is that so, or am I remembering wrong? Looks good, in any event. I especially like this guy: :hiding: Looks like me at work.
 
#2
sup?

I use a MAG 200 1x12 daily... it's a 1999 model. Only issue is the bulb/lamp blew for the UV meter and the guys in the UK shipped me a new meter and bulb within a week of me simply asking "What kind of lamp should I buy?" ...

Ashdown made anywhere is still an Ashdown.... look at Lakland, Ken SMith, G&L, etc imports... sure they are lesser then the original but they are STILL quality.

The Ashdown puts out about 1/2 to 2/3rds power into the internal 8 ohm speaker. add a second 8 ohm speaker and you'll have full wattage.

Behringer is Behringer not Ashdown. Behringer makes a cheap rip off of the MAG (though I've not owned/used/heard the new China production models).

I find it hi-fi but warm. kinda like Trace and Ampeg's red-headed step child... but definately all it's own.

like I said, I have an old one... so take my opinion's with that warning :bassist:
 
#4
i bought the 2x10 Mag combo and its been great. i tried a lot of amps before i spent the money and for the price it was by far the best amp i tested. im not sure about the power question, i find it to be quiet for a 300w amp but the people in the next door block of flats seem to think its loud enough.
on a side note, i used it yesterday playing in a band with another bass player and a guitarist who had far to many distortion peddles and it cut through just fine. give it a go!
 
#5
I have the latest made in China Ashdown MAG 300R head + 210 cab, which are basically the same as the combo but in two pieces, and I confirm the quality is perfect.

They are probably one of the "best bang for the buck" amps on the market these days.

Cheers,
JL
 
#6
I don't know if this will help since I did'nt own any Ashdown combos but two tops, ABM 300 EVO I og ABM 500 EVO II.

I was extremely happy with the 300, it sounded awesome and I could'nt ask of anything else from a 325 watt top.

The drive worked perfect and the octaver sounded amazing.
I had to change it due to I needed more power, so there was no doubt in my mind, the 500 was to be mine, and the EVO II had just gotten out. Essentially the same top, but with a little bigger powersupply and you could now kick the preamp in the tube in and out using a normal footswitch.

I got the top with out testing it on my own rig and volume at first. MISTAKE!!!! The octaver would'nt cut out. You could hear it whiseling in the back ground all the time. Not when we played full blast (I play in a some what odd progressive happy go lucky metal band.), but when I played alone or we during out quite parts.

I realized this the first day and took it back to the dealer, next morning and asked to get a new top since this one was had a flaw. The dealer would'nt hear any thing of it, and claimed I had problems with my ears... :confused: which I don't, I have close to perfect hearing. Anyway he would'nt accept that the amp had a flaw, and would'nt ship it to Ashdown, and he would'nt give me the money back either, :bawl: so I ended up with a bit of problem. Which has been solved today.

Well what I wanted to say, was that when I listen to our old recordings, I still cannot belive how good that little 325 watt Ashdown head sounds, and I must say I miss it today. And any way today the 500 top would'nt have been enough power any way, so I've gone a different way, but still they do sound sweet those Ashdowns.
 
#8
Jean Lançon said:
They are probably one of the "best bang for the buck" amps on the market these days.
Click to expand...

Very true, especially on this side of the pond. I´m starting to feel like an Ashdown representative, recommending them on every other thread, but quite frankly there isn´t anything else at the same price point (in Europe, that is). Besides Behringer of course, but let´s not get into that... ;)
 
#12
mikarre said:
The power is really the issue there, for me. They look like nice amps for the price, but I think they are only 180 watts or something. I don't think anything under 300 will cut it for what I need to do.
Click to expand...

You have to know that the enclosure of this combo is 8 ohms. This will give you a combo with +/- 200 W of power, since the MAG 300 delivers 307 W at 4 ohms.

But from my experience, these are 200 loud watts. I'm gonna add a cab for more power, though.
 

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