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Ashdown Studio 15 better deal than Fender Rumble 200?

R

RG55

Jun 13, 2020
191
378
European Union
#1
Right now, the Ashdown Studio 15 is about 30% cheaper than the Rumble 200; it's also about 30% lighter and it is 300W rms into 8ohm, vs 200w into 4ohm ( but only 140ohm into the 8 ohm speaker, need to add a cab for 200w).

Curiously, while the Rumble can add another cab, but the Ashdown cannot -- I'm very puzzled:
Is the speaker 4ohm -- in which case why would they quote the amp power into 8ohm?...
Or is the speaker 8ohm -- in which case, why can't we add another speaker? Is it an amp that cannot go below 8ohm?
 
#12
Ashdown makes cool stuff. I remember back in the day looking for my first bass amp it was a tossup between an Ashdown amp, a 210 combo I think, and it had a really cool meter on it to show you gain levels or something. I ended up getting a Warwick head and 410 cab, but that meter stuck with me in the back of my head. I remember the behringer heads had them as well.

They don't seem to sell like hotcakes but the people that buy them tend to be VERY content with their purchases. I think their sales are just due to not being ON as many shelves as plenty of other brands. I live in quite a small market, so the things you see are either mainstream or rarely seen in person.

The Fender Rumble, on the other hand, is also a pretty safe bet. They sell more than some brands that exclusively sell bass amps. They've also got a big boatload of happy campers, and I've looked at them and considered buying one - but they're the combo amp that's on every music store floor I go to.

From there, it's really all about your needs: does adding another 115 cab mean that much to you for the extra money? Or would you rather have JUST the combo?
 
#13
pie_man_25 said:
From there, it's really all about your needs: does adding another 115 cab mean that much to you for the extra money? Or would you rather have JUST the combo?
Click to expand...

Personally, I'd rather have a combo that gives its full power without the need for an extension cab; 300W vs 140W seems significant, even if we don't know the speaker's parameters.

One could even get two Ashdowns 15 for a 600w 2x15 rig, still lighter and cheaper than a Rumble 500 -- 500W with an extension cab, so a 2x 2x10.
 
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#14
RG55 said:
Personally, I'd rather have a combo that gives its full power without the need for an extension cab; 300W vs 140W seems significant, even if we don't know the speaker's parameters.

One could even get two Ashdowns 15 for a 600w 2x15 rig, still lighter and cheaper than a Rumble 500 -- 500W with an extension cab, so a 2x 2x10.
Click to expand...
Then your mind seems made up :)
 
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#16
RG55 said:
Personally, I'd rather have a combo that gives its full power without the need for an extension cab; 300W vs 140W seems significant, even if we don't know the speaker's parameters.
Click to expand...
Exactly. The major point of a combo is grab and go convenience. So many of them say they are 300 or 500 watts, then you find out later that you need to spend an extra 400 bucks on a cab to get full power. A true 300W combo, especially at that price, is rare to non-existent. Reviews are included in that Sweetwater link I post. Very good.
 
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#18
There's no comparison on youtube between the Ashdown Studio 15 and the Fender Rumble 200, there are few sound clips of the AS15 and -- somewhat surprisingly -- also few of the FR200.

However, there's a Thomann video that compares, among others the AS12 and FR100.



It would seem that the AS12 is not as loud as the FR100 (although the volume knobs aren't quite in the same position), which may mean that the Ashdown speakers have a lower sensitivity (and neither can keep up with a drummer unless mic'ed).

However, the AS15 is 300W vs the 140W of the FR200, which should make up for a 3db eventual difference in speaker's sensitivity.
Vs the AS12, the AS15 should be more than 4dB louder, so can probably keep up with a drummer.
 
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#19
In the UK the Studio 15 is way cheaper then the Rumble 200 V3; £330 vs £460.

I'm not really that demanding; just want something small / light enough to use at home but loud enough to play with drummer to replace my little Fender Rumble LT25.

Seems to be limited reviews on the Ashdown's as they are mostly local UK brand. Does anyone on here have one, do the sound ok? Do the speaker covers pull off, would love to see pic of the cones?

Also seen a used Ashdown AAA 300 210T for £230 but think it only handles about 200w without the extension cab?
 
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#20
I almost bought a Studio 15 at a local shop recently. Full sound and a flexible EQ section. Also well built and solid. I think it would fit your needs nicely. For most people, it is very light for its size and power, but for me it's still too bulky to carry with one hand. Also, in the U.S., it's now nearly $100 more than the Rumble 200. I have not tried the Rumble, so I can't offer any sound comparison.
 

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