Bass amp, the big shootout!

[Coot]

PS the second biggest mistake I made other than parting with my Mesa Titan was trading in my 1975 Acoustic 370.. that one still hurts to think about .. but I was young then

 

[otp57]

Hi all,

I thought it could be interesting to have a big amp shootout with most of the classic amps for bass. Obviously, everything will be In My Humble Opinion.
I've played for about 7 years on an Ampeg SVT 4 Pro. I've also owned Mesa M-Pulse 600, a Mesa M9 Carbine and a Mesa Titan V12. I sold all the heads and kept the Titan V12.
I also wanted to try since a long time an all tube head just to see if it's worth it. SO I rented an Ampeg SVT2 Pro and an Aguilar DB750. I wanted to try the DB750 as so many people praise that amp.
The basses I used where an Fender American Deluxe Precision, a Lakland 55-02 Deluxe and a Sire V7. Cabs were two SWR Goliath III 410s.

So, here's my review of all the amps:

Ampeg SVT 4 Pro:
As I mentioned it, I've used this amp fro 7 years. To me, it's one of the best amp you can find on the market. It has all the bells and whistles any bass player would need: Compressor, 9 band EQ, power for days. Also, you can plug a hole bunch of different cab combinations thanks the mono/stereo capabilities of the amp. And in stereo it can go down to 2ohms. Soundwise it's massive, heavy... The typical Ampeg tone. Unfortunatly, I've seen many people bashing that amp on the board. I can't believe those who bash the amp used it correctly. However because of this mono/stereo capability, the SVT 4 Pro is not a plug and play amp. I sold because it was a bit heavy, after 7 years I wanted to change, and I would probably never use the stereo options as I only play 4*10s. But I still love that great amp!

Mesa Titan V12
The same says it all! Same power as the SVT 4 PRo, but feels a bit stronger. However it has two totally independent channels with OD on each channels, solo knob, two independents inputs . It's also very light for such an amp! around 30lb. Tonewise, the amp has the Mesa tone. Very clean, articulate and very dynamic. Knobs are very sensitive. Everything can be controlled from the 5 buttons footswitch. The sound produced is as massive as the SVT 4, a bit stronger and slightly colder. But I love it. I compared it to the SVT 2, and felt it was the same. The SVT2 was maybe a little bit more articulate, but in a live situation, you never notice it!

Ampeg SVT 2 Pro
We all know this classic amp. I wanted to try it since a while as the tube sound is praised by so many players and I wanted to see if that all tube thing was THAT great. The first thing that hit me was the fact that when played clean , I felt I was playing my SVT 4. To me it was 100% the same sound. I even had to visually check that my bass was plugged in the SVT 2 to make sure I was not mistaking. I then messed with the amp for like two hours, but haven't been really impressed by that tube thing. Yes, I could feel that natural tube compression, that tube "thing", but nothing so incredible to me. I felt my Titan and my SVT 4 had more headroom in the lows. I admit, I rented it and never used it live, but I'll never do it for one reason: its weight!!! OMG!!! Are you serious?? Some of you really carry that thing around??? So much pain just for this tube tone? If I had to just, I would take another SVT 4 against the 2. I might be the only bassist in the world to make such a choice but I swear I would! Tonewise pretty much the same for the sound I crave, and the SVT 4 pro is not such a pain to move around

Aguilar DB750
Well...... Tell me what's so special with this amp?? I was just nice. Nothing fancy or fantastic about the tone produced. It even reminded my Mesa M-Pulse 600 that I traded against an M9 because I couldn't get a tone I liked out of it. I felt the same with the DB750. The fans produced the same level of noise of a plane when taking off. The weight is insane for an SS amp. Did I miss something? I've seen this amp described so many times as one of the best things ever created for bass players, but to me it's just.... nice.

Mesa Carbine M9
Traded against an M-Pulse 600 plus 300 buck from me. It was night and day! I loved the M9. Super dynamic, great finish, awesome compressor, 9 bands EQ, only 2U.... Absolutely great amp. Despite some strange choices in the conception of the amp. Especially the taper of the master volume. Those who owned it know what I'm talking about. One very slight touch on the knob switched from mute to deafening. Plus other little strange things. Still, an awesome amp. I also felt it was sounding way better with my Sire V7 than both of my PBasses. I sold it as it was bit too much on the SS typical sound. And At the time I had to much gear that had to go.

This great shootout raised a couple of things. First, trust your ears and only your ears. For example so many people claim the DB750 is one of the most fantastic head created. I just think it has nothing special, it's very heavy and noisy. Also, many of the board claim once you have tried an all tube amp, you never look back. Well, maybe I should try more, but for what I've seen and heard, I don't see a real reason to go full tube.
And in the end, I finally found out that I was more of an SS amp player. So I'll save my cash for a Sadowsky bass soon
Any feedback will be appreciated as usual.

Thanks for reading

I love my Hartke HA5500 and yes! I also gigged with other amps but I keep coming back to the HA5500.
All ears are not the same and what sounds good to one set of ears sounds bad to other sets of ears.
As long as you get your sound, WHO care what amps you like,ss,tubes,ss and tubes,class ab,d etc.
This is my goto setup and yes! I need a crane to move it but I don't care. The key is use your ears to pick your amp.

 

[C-60 Bass]

The Ashdown ABM heads really deserve a mention here. I know they're not as often seen/used in the States but they really are solid, powerful and great sounding amps. I can honestly say that at volume with a good cab, these will give an SVT/DB750 etc a run for their money - I know, I've been there! All that Trace heritage too.

 

[baxter_x]

The Ashdown ABM heads really deserve a mention here. I know they're not as often seen/used in the States but they really are solid, powerful and great sounding amps. I can honestly say that at volume with a good cab, these will give an SVT/DB750 etc a run for their money - I know, I've been there! All that Trace heritage too.

I wish I could try all the amps in the world!
Also, I can't edit my first post. I would add the svt 7 and the Sadowsky SA200.

 

[agedhorse]

Biggest mistake I've made in a long time was trading in my Titan. At the time (pre -Talkbass for me )the techs at Long and McQuade told me that the series was kaput and parts were gonna be unobtainium. So I listened to the scallywags and traded it for a GK Fusion 800 and a used Fender V3 Rumble 500. Both great heads but not in the same league as my Titan IMHO

Actually, the scallywags were correct and gave you honest information. Some of the parts are now no longer available because the manufacturers of those components are no longer in business. Primarily some switches, power transformer, MOSFETs, a couple of the pots, LDR's and an assortment of electro-mechanical parts. We started seeing the trend 6 or 7 years ago, but it has accelerated with COVID. We actually stopped manufacturing all of these MOSFET amps because of serious challenges obtaining MOSFETs (which had already gone through 3 different manufacturers, different part numbers, each with their own challenges). It became obvious that these products were no longer practical to manufacture, and in spite of substantial end of life buys (where we could), we are running out of service stock. We haven't built these amps for over 12 years.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

@baxter_x
Thank You for the amp shootout!!! I don’t know how I missed this thread back when you started it in 2017.

You summarized quite a few amps that I’ve never had the opportunity to try.
Back while they were still in production, I was very interested in Mesa’s Titan V12. A longtime friend let me know that he recently bought one in really clean shape. I’ll have to get in touch with him and find out how he likes it.

I used an Ampeg SVT4-Pro many years ago, and I loved its tone. It’s still my favorite Tube preamp/solid state head to date. I also owned an SVT2-Pro and an SVT-CL during that time. IMHO those all-tube Ampeg heads sound and feel quite different, compared to the solid state heads that I have experience with, especially when you get those six 6550 power tubes to reach their threshold into distortion.

But I will say I felt the SVT4-Pro would get louder than the two all-tube SVT’s that I owned. And obviously, when the SVT4-Pro’s solid state power amp was really turned up, it stayed much cleaner.

As far as the loudest amp head goes, the GK2000RB that I once owned was the King. And by a wide margin. I gigged one for quite a few years. In those days I had an Ampeg 810E, an SWR Goliath SR 6-10” and an SWR Goliath 4-10”, which I can’t remember the model name. That GK2000RB sounded killer though any of the speaker cabinets that I plugged it into.

I also owned a GK1001RB head that I absolutely loved. Loud, super reliable, and it sounded fantastic. I wish I had insider info when that model was going out of production. I would’ve bought one or two new ones in the box.

For close to 20 years, I’ve moved to using a separate stereo power amp and a rackmounted preamp. My rack containing a Demeter HBP-1/Crest CA9 has served me very, very well. But, I’d say it weighs close to the same as an SVT-CL head! But it’s sound can’t be beat, IMHO. -And it gets as loud as that old GK2000RB did.


And I recently bought a Class-D Yamaha PX5 stereo power amp to pair up with my Tech 21 GED-2112 preamp.

I sold my all-tube Ampeg heads many years ago. But I’m now getting ready to buy another SVT stack. Happily I don’t plan on moving it once I buy it. I’m setting it up in my rehearsal room for band practices and jam sessions.

Take care!!!

 

[baxter_x]

Actually, the scallywags were correct and gave you honest information. Some of the parts are now no longer available because the manufacturers of those components are no longer in business. Primarily some switches, power transformer, MOSFETs, a couple of the pots, LDR's and an assortment of electro-mechanical parts. We started seeing the trend 6 or 7 years ago, but it has accelerated with COVID. We actually stopped manufacturing all of these MOSFET amps because of serious challenges obtaining MOSFETs (which had already gone through 3 different manufacturers, different part numbers, each with their own challenges). It became obvious that these products were no longer practical to manufacture, and in spite of substantial end of life buys (where we could), we are running out of service stock. We haven't built these amps for over 12 years.

Well, as sad as it is, in the end I'm glad I sold my two titans then ....

 

[Coot]

Actually, the scallywags were correct and gave you honest information. Some of the parts are now no longer available because the manufacturers of those components are no longer in business. Primarily some switches, power transformer, MOSFETs, a couple of the pots, LDR's and an assortment of electro-mechanical parts. We started seeing the trend 6 or 7 years ago, but it has accelerated with COVID. We actually stopped manufacturing all of these MOSFET amps because of serious challenges obtaining MOSFETs (which had already gone through 3 different manufacturers, different part numbers, each with their own challenges). It became obvious that these products were no longer practical to manufacture, and in spite of substantial end of life buys (where we could), we are running out of service stock. We haven't built these amps for over 12 years.

Yeah.. In my heart I knew they were right. That's why I traded it , there were no issues with it( as a matter of fact I've never had an issue with Mesa gear)but I was looking to the future. I traded an amp I knew might be troublesome parts-wise in the future. But .. it was a beauty and I miss that tone through the powerhouse cab I had .. and it's the road that got me to the WD800 so it all works out as they say.

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Well, as sad as it is, in the end I'm glad I sold my two titans then ....

Were you having reliability problems with them?

 

[baxter_x]

Were you having reliability problems with them?

One fried onstage. But the reason I sold them was mainly for the reason exposed above. Also, when I serviced the one that fried, the tech told me he didn't know if he could repair it as the MOSFET where hard to find and very expensive.
My worst nightmare would have been to throw that great amp away the day I'll have to service again because parts became unavailable.