Ashdown Studio 10 vs Fender Rumble 40

[Chris345]

Ashdown Studio 10 vs Fender Rumble 40.
Which has better round tone?
(Only use for practice at low volume!)

 

[dagrev]

I had the Fender and sold it. I have an Ampeg combo and kept that. The Fender just had an odd boxie sound and the overdrive died after a few months. Never used it so it wasn't a problem, but still.... The Fender is a decent amp and many love them, it just wasn't doing anything for me. I like the Ampeg sound so that may have something about why the Fender never clicked for me. Had an old Ashdown head once and loved it. Warm for a SS amp and would love to try an Ashdown again one day, but I have more heads than I need as it is. I've never tried the Ashdown Studio 10 but sure would love to!

 

[Gsnorgathon]

Being a major Trace-Elliot fanboy from back in the day, I'd want to at least try the Ashdown.

 

[Gearhead17]

What kind of tone are you going for? How is the used gear market around you?

 

[jpaulo]

I got the Studio 10 and I am enjoying it as a home amp/cab combo. Good tonality and control, pre-shape gives a nice colour, makes my small room shake. Drive is a little aggressive. Overall construction looks good.
Provides good note distinction even at low volumes.
I have not tried, but I don't think it can keep up with a drummer, volume wise.

Although the Rumble 40 has more functionality (send/return/footswitch and XLR), the Studio 10 seems to push 60W (instead of 40W in the Rumble) - something I'm trying to confirm with Ashdown since the website mentions 50W but the manual and the folder that came on top of it, 60W.
In addition to that, the Rumble 40 was about 40% more expensive for me...

Good luck with your choice!

 

[jpaulo]

I got the Studio 10 and I am enjoying it as a home amp/cab combo. Good tonality and control, pre-shape gives a nice colour, makes my small room shake. Drive is a little aggressive. Overall construction looks good.
Provides good note distinction even at low volumes.
I have not tried, but I don't think it can keep up with a drummer, volume wise.

Although the Rumble 40 has more functionality (send/return/footswitch and XLR), the Studio 10 seems to push 60W (instead of 40W in the Rumble) - something I'm trying to confirm with Ashdown since the website mentions 50W but the manual and the folder that came on top of it, 60W.
In addition to that, the Rumble 40 was about 40% more expensive for me...

Good luck with your choice!

Update: Ashdown had an annoying buzz, I returned it and got a Rumble 40 for 20% less.
I’m enjoying the Rumble - it is loud and good enough for my room practice, now I’m considering the S2010 driver update.

 

[Dino Boreanaz]

@jpaulo you mentioned that the drive on the Studio 10 is a little aggressive, and since you now own the Rumble 40, I'd love to hear how you think the tone of these two amps compares to each other ... particularly their drive tones. I had the Rumble 40 and sold it about a year ago, and now I'm considering other small combo options including the Studio 10 and I'd like something with a nice, usable drive tone.

 

[jpaulo]

@Dino Boreanaz take it with a grain of salt because I have not really done a side by side comparison and have not kept the Ashdown for much time - but it seemed to me that the Rumble drive helps better enrich the tone for a better growl on the low end whereas the ashdown just made it louder and distorted.
The latest 20% cost difference in favor of the Rumble for me makes me see it as a keeper.
Good luck!