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Ashdown MiBass...

#101
Zapp said:
not a question about the MIBASS in specific, but in general does Ashdown gear suffer a lack of love around TB? I know nothing about their bass gear other than it tends to show up in abundance on ebay... and I don't hear much buzz about their boxes. just wondering if I had missed something
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A lot of people may not be aware but Ashdown really is a small family ran business for the most part, they do not have 30 or 40 employees like their competitors. As far as showing up in abundance on ebay, I think that can be said about a large % of other bass amp brands as well. Ashdown works for some players and it doesn't work for others but it's still in the running's at a they can hang with the big boys thing. And I don't think the Ashdown brand is going anywhere anytime soon.























Ashdown endorser.
 
#103
moretolife said:
Jauqo, how much are you using this amp? What type of music are you playing with this? Did this amp displace another amp that you were using? I like the tone that schnatzbass recorded.
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I actually use it a lot as I'm becoming more familiar with it's tonal capabilities. I have played funk,fusion,avant garde, blues,etc it really is a versatile amp. It has not displaced any of my other amps at all but it is strongly evident that the MiBass 550 definitely has it's tonal roots coming from the bigger models from Ashdown.
 
#106
moretolife said:
Can you explain the EQ, why three nobs and four sliders?
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dannybuoy said:
I must say I was confused about the EQ too - one of those sliders must have a fixed frequency, I assume it's the bass one, which you can extend with the deep button if you want.
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The MiBass Eq is a semi Parametric. The Sliders produce the boost and cut but the Rotary potentiometers change the center frequencies at which the sliders operate in each of the bands. So making it more versatile..
 
#107
JAUQO III-X said:
The MiBass Eq is a semi Parametric. The Sliders produce the boost and cut but the Rotary potentiometers change the center frequencies at which the sliders operate in each of the bands. So making it more versatile..
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OK, I've been following this thread for the past week or so and am trying to make up my mind on this amp. But that last quote in your above post needs a better answer IMO.

OK, so there are 4 sliders, B/LM/HM/T, but only 3 knobs to control center freq. So does the knob between the B & LM somehow affect center freq on both the B & LM slider? Or just the Bass slider? or just the LM slider? Or is Bass only affected by the deep switch (as dannybouy implied)? Then the knob between LM & HM affects both the mid sliders? Or the next one over just the T? or both the HM & T????

A lot of jumbled questions, I know, sorry, but I think it illustrates somewhat how/why I'm confused here. Please help clarify. Thanks!
 
#109
a2zbassman said:
OK, so there are 4 sliders, B/LM/HM/T, but only 3 knobs to control center freq. So does the knob between the B & LM somehow affect center freq on both the B & LM slider? Or just the Bass slider? or just the LM slider? Or is Bass only affected by the deep switch (as dannybouy implied)? Then the knob between LM & HM affects both the mid sliders? Or the next one over just the T? or both the HM & T????
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The intermediate knobs move the center frequency of the particular band which is affected by the two adjacent sliders..
The Deep switch just give an extra bottom boost.
 
#110
Hmm, can't quite visualise that. If they interact like that then perhaps the knobs mark not the centre frequencies, but the frequencies where the bands cross over? Kinda like this?

z8GuH.png


Normally I would expect there to be 4 frequency controls controlling where the centre peak of each band lies.
 
#112
dannybuoy said:
Hmm, can't quite visualise that. If they interact like that then perhaps the knobs mark not the centre frequencies, but the frequencies where the bands cross over? Kinda like this?

(see image above)

Normally I would expect there to be 4 frequency controls controlling where the centre peak of each band lies.
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Yes kind of. I very very nearly bought one today. Tried one out in a store and I thought the EQ was pretty good. I forgot to push the EQ button, but quickly realised my mistake! I tried a mibass 220W into a MAG 210T Deep Cabinet, and an ABM 210H COMPACT Cabinet. The latter sounded marginally better, but it's hard to tell in the corner of a store. To the annoyance of the salesman I cranked the volume up quite a lot. Both cabs were perfectly suited to this amp.

However, in the end I was won over by the MAG 300H Evo II. I think the EQ is better (and a lot easier to manage). The sweeping controls on the mibass are a little hard to manipulate with my sausage fingers. The range of tones was good, but the MAG 300H wins hands down. If you have a separate compressor, you might prefer the mibass. They say it will fit into a gig bag. It is a little big for that in my opinion. It is however VERY light. I had doubts (that may be unjustified) that the amp would last after a lot of giggage.

If size matters, get the 550W version, you don't have to crank it if you only have a 300W cab.
 
#113
I just got my second 550. I'm really digging these amps. I had the PF500, but sold because scared I would later have issues. I really love the sound of the PF500 and the MiBass is the closet thing to it. I'm sorry I'm not a technical guy and can't with help EQ questions. I keep my EQ sliders flat and the knobs set at 12. After that, I do all my adjustment on my bass. Also, I keep the EQ switch on.
 
#114
good to know this.

I've wanted to try one of those MiBass amps for a long while now but with abuncha Markbass, Genz Benz, etc amp heads sitting around my house unused, didn't want to drop the bucks til I moved some of that gear out. Hard for me to decide which stuff to sell; so it all sits waiting to be used or sold. :rollno:

But I got a email from The Bass Place a couple weeks ago with a very low price on their MAG 300H heads. Then I got an even better sale price on the MAG 300H Evo II head than they already had advertised when I emailed to ask about ship fees. Way cheap I felt. ( *if anyone is looking to get on one of these, email them first for a possible better price)

I got to hear the MAG 300H in a YouTube pro-demo-vid and that sold me on the tone. I've really wanted one of the better models ABM 500 or Spyder 550 but wanted to see if I still like the Ashdown sound from when I previously owned one.

The amp sounds just like I'd hoped and though some don't care for it, I get alota use out of the built in compressor; never any use for that built in octave knob. The ad read weight 8lbs, well I knew just by looking at the pic it must be a mis-print, more like 18lbs. Heck, once it arrived, this thing feels even more like 28lbs :eek: its pretty darn heavy.

But at 300 watts I don't get much use for it at my gigs. GB Streamliner 900 or 1100 watt pre/pwer amp rig usually get that work. Guess if I wanted to haul all the stuff I could run the MAG thru my Crown power amp to boost it's power up alot more. Hmm, just might try this at a large gig next week, we'll see.

Overall, the MAG 300H has that tone I dig so much in the Ashdown's. Not sure how much the Ashy cabs add to that tone, never owned one. I've run my MAG 300H thru a GB Neox 112T, Neox212T, TB153, 2xTC-RS210's and a older Eden D210T, modded with Em Deltalites II so its' a huge sounding 4 ohm, 500 watt 210 cab now.

The MAG head sounds great thru all of my cabs just found I had to crank my Input/Output knobs wide open with a couple loud bands to keep up. So maybe I shoulda sprung for the Mibass 550 but I like the looks of the MAG heads and I have all those other micro-mini heads so I guess I can schlep this heavy mother to my smaller room gigs now and then. So yeh, diggin Ashdown Sound again. :bassist:
 
#115
Is there someone from Ashdown who can give us the lowdown on the EQ? Interest in this amp seems to be building. The clips on the german website sounded very good. They were recorded direct using the Apogee Duet (great gear) and did not have the compressed YouTube sound.
 
#116
I'll have to relocate my MAG 300H's owners manual that came with my head. I scanned thru it when it arrived but did not read it in detail. I believe it goes into detail as to the use of the knobs/sliders. I just set the knobs to the tone I liked and played the dern thing. :bassist:

I suppose there might be some online manuals on Ashdowns's site possibly? In case someone wants to shag that down to get that info.
 
#118
I'd like to get some reports/reviews on the MiBass vs. a couple other class D amps, if I could?

I've got a markbass F1 that's currently my main gigging amp. Anyone have any experience with the MiBass vs the F1?

I'm currently getting rid of an Aguilar TH500, as I can't seem to dial in what I'm looking for . . . guess I'm trying to get it to sound like the F1 and that's not happening. Any experience with the MiBass vs the TH500 sound? That comparison might be helpful also as I know in the TH what I don't want.

Anyway, I'm looking for a similar sound to the F1 but with a tad more control over the mid frequencies, ie; parametric or semi para eq. I'd grab a F500 but can't seem to find one up for sale at the moment. Another I'm considering is a Carvin BX500 or 1500, as some say you can get the F1/500 sound with some eq tweaking.

Thx!
 
#119
a2zbassman said:
I'd like to get some reports/reviews on the MiBass vs. a couple other class D amps, if I could?

I've got a markbass F1 that's currently my main gigging amp. Anyone have any experience with the MiBass vs the F1?

I'm currently getting rid of an Aguilar TH500, as I can't seem to dial in what I'm looking for . . . guess I'm trying to get it to sound like the F1 and that's not happening. Any experience with the MiBass vs the TH500 sound? That comparison might be helpful also as I know in the TH what I don't want.

Anyway, I'm looking for a similar sound to the F1 but with a tad more control over the mid frequencies, ie; parametric or semi para eq. I'd grab a F500 but can't seem to find one up for sale at the moment. Another I'm considering is a Carvin BX500 or 1500, as some say you can get the F1/500 sound with some eq tweaking.

Thx!
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I've owned the TH500, but it had too much mids action going on. I had a hard time dialing in my tone. The Mibass is my plug and play amp. Minor adjustments, but not the major knob turning like the TH500.
If you are not looking for a vintage tubey sound, the Mibass is not for you. Haven't played, but read a few post about the F1. It's more modern with clear highs.The Mibass has highs, but may not be enough for you. If you are looking for vintage, try the Mibass, but if not, you might wanna try finding another F1/500 for back-up or try the Carvin.
 

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