Bass Combo: Fender Rumble 500 vs Ampeg RB-210 vs Peavey Max 300

[rodak]

I was loading up my Kustom K200B-2 & 3x12 cab last night, and thinking "I really should leave this guy at home and get a modern, lightweight combo rig" After all, the Kustom is over 50 years old, and is in really good shape, and I'd like to keep it that way (we only gig 4 times/year, but still...). Then at sound-check, it started acting up - output got real low, then distorted, then cut out altogether, then started working fine just as we were ready to start, and it worked fine for the whole gig (thankfully!). So I'll be opening up the Kustom soon, but....

...anyway, I've done a bit of research, and narrowed my search down to these three:
* Fender Rumble 500 2x10
* Ampeg RB-210
* Peavey Max 300

I've read good things here about all three, especially the Rumble series, but figured I'd get some opinions from those of you who've used more than one of them (or opinions from anyone who cares to share). Here are a few of my thoughts so far:

1) Peavey speakers are angled upward - does that actually work well, and is it a significant advantage? I know I could get an angled stand for the other two,but that's one more piece of gear to schlep along.
2) Peavey is rated at 300 watts, the other two at 500. Our band doesn't play horrendously loud, or do very large gigs. I'm guessing any of the 3 would be loud enough, from what I've read here, yes?
3) I also play keyboards sometimes with this band - would any of these be particularly good (or bad) when used for that application? The Fender and the Ampeg have a horn (which can be defeated with a switch), but the Peavey does not have a horn. Is that a significant disadvantage?
4) The Fender and Ampeg weigh in at 36.5lbs and 38.5lbs, respectively, but the Peavey is 46.4lbs. That spec alone may make the decision for me (I'm 69 and in pretty good shape, but I'm not getting any younger!)
5) The Fender and Ampeg are rated 350w(Fender) and 250w(Ampeg) as a combo, and 500w with an external 8ohm speaker, which makes sense, but the Peavey is simply rated at 300w, with no mention of whether that's as a combo or with the 8ohm external cab. So is it a 300w amp or what? I'm unlikely to ever buy an external cab, but you never know....

 

[gtirard]

2) Peavey is rated at 300 watts, the other two at 500. Our band doesn't play horrendously loud, or do very large gigs. I'm guessing any of the 3 would be loud enough, from what I've read here, yes?

It's hard to say, but the difference in volume between 300W and 500W may be less important than you think, because

A-Loudness depends on the power of the amp AND sensitivity of the speaker, so in theory an 300W amp with better speakers could be actually louder than a 500W amp that has less efficient speakers.

B-All other things being equal, doubling the power of the amp only adds 3 decibels, so going from 300W to 500W only adds roughty 2 decibels.

3) I also play keyboards sometimes with this band - would any of these be particularly good (or bad) when used for that application? The Fender and the Ampeg have a horn (which can be defeated with a switch), but the Peavey does not have a horn. Is that a significant disadvantage?

The horn may be an adavantage for synth. It's also preferable to use an amp with a less colored tone, for synth. Fender Rumble and Ampeg are pretty heavily voiced (colored), but maybe you can plug your synth into the FX return in order to bypass the preamp (avoid the bass specific coloration).

4) The Fender and Ampeg weigh in at 36.5lbs and 38.5lbs, respectively, but the Peavey is 46.4lbs. That spec alone may make the decision for me (I'm 69 and in pretty good shape, but I'm not getting any younger!)

Yes it makes a huge difference from 38.5 lbs to 46.4 lbs IMO.

5) The Fender and Ampeg are rated 350w(Fender) and 250w(Ampeg) as a combo, and 500w with an external 8ohm speaker, which makes sense, but the Peavey is simply rated at 300w, with no mention of whether that's as a combo or with the 8ohm external cab. So is it a 300w amp or what? I'm unlikely to ever buy an external cab, but you never know....

From the Peavy product page, it says "Up to 300 watts of power" in the "Features" section, and "Power: 200 Watts RMS" in the "Specs" tab. So I guess it's really a 200W amp. Maybe 300W with external speaker, of 300W in "peak" instead of "RMS", dunno.
Again, it's not a big issue if the speaker are super efficient, but if you add the problem of weight, maybe you can eliminate the Peavy already…

Don't compare only specs, it doesn't mean much. It would be better to try them first, because weather you like the tone is more important than the specs. Fender Rumble and Ampeg amps both have a strong "baked-in" tone, some people prefer Fender, other prefer Ampeg, at the end of the day it really depends on your taste. We can only tell you which one each of us prefer, but we don't know your preferences.

 

[SJan3]

3 good choices. I don't know what your budget is but if weight is an important issue, the Rumble 800 is 29 lbs.
That said, the Peavey does have a horn w/defeat switch. I have a soft spot for Peavey as I've owned a few of their amps over the years and they were bulletproof. And no one ever accused Peavey of being underpowered. The back of the amp claims 300 watts RMS which is plenty of power. Just get a lightweight folding cart and weight becomes irrelevant.
If the 3 you've selected, I'd go Peavey, Ampeg, Fender in that order. But your best bet is to get ears on each unit and make a pick. Either way, all good amps that should satisfy.

 

[rodak]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, 300w vs 500w isn't that great, and the speaker design probably is a bigger factor. I haven't read comments about any of the three that they were underpowered.

Interesting about the horn on the Peavey - there's a "Tweeter/Defeat" switch right there on the back, but not a word about it in any of the descriptions that I could find.

Rumble 800 is only 29lbs? Hmmm, gotta think about that.... I'm cheap, but I don't mind paying more (within reason) if it's worth it.

They do have the Fender and the Ampeg at a nearby Guitar Center, so I will be heading down there, probably later this week, to check them out. Our guitar player's grandson has the Peavey, so maybe I can get together with him as well.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

For me, the Peavey is a non-contender unless you really love the sound. The Fender and Ampeg are both "better" spec'd on paper.
But as others have said above, it comes down to what you think sounds the best and to be honest, all three will get the job done.

The Fender Rumble 500 would be my pick as I love the tone, it's light, loud and reliable.

*Full disclosure, I receive an artist discount from Fender*

 

[buldog5151bass]

Speaker area means a lot more than watts when it comes to volume. I have a 500 watt head, I don't think it's ever been up more than 40% volume wise.

 

[SJan3]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, 300w vs 500w isn't that great, and the speaker design probably is a bigger factor. I haven't read comments about any of the three that they were underpowered.

Interesting about the horn on the Peavey - there's a "Tweeter/Defeat" switch right there on the back, but not a word about it in any of the descriptions that I could find.

Rumble 800 is only 29lbs? Hmmm, gotta think about that.... I'm cheap, but I don't mind paying more (within reason) if it's worth it.

They do have the Fender and the Ampeg at a nearby Guitar Center, so I will be heading down there, probably later this week, to check them out. Our guitar player's grandson has the Peavey, so maybe I can get together with him as well.

To add another to your list, the BOSS KATANA 2x10 is on Sale for $449!!
That's a ridiculous price for the package. Yes, it's 48 lbs but it has so much to offer and is Class A/B for those who favor it over Class D.
At that price It's very tempting. Get a cart!

 

[Jim C]

I've played all three and prefer the Ampeg.

 

[shoot-r]

They do have the Fender and the Ampeg at a nearby Guitar Center, so I will be heading down there, probably later this week, to check them out. Our guitar player's grandson has the Peavey, so maybe I can get together with him as well.

This ^^^^^.

Every manufacturers amp's electronics will have their own signature trademark voicing, every manufacturers drivers and cabinet will also have it's type of trademark voicing/tuning. The only way for you to know which is to your tastes is to try em.

Most Guitar Centers will usually have Ampeg, Fender, Markbass and GC Acoustic bass combos on the floor. Some will also have Hartke, Orange and Gallien-Krueger bass combos.

Take your bass, any pedals you may use and A/B every bass combo they have available.

Don't consider brand name, cosmetics, ect., pick the one whose sound/tone your ears approve of.

When you've decided which manufacturers sound you like, pick the combo from their lineup that will have the wattage and driver compliment to accomplish what you're wanting to do.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Keeping the weight under 40 lbs is important, as is the reputation for reliability (Fender and Ampeg both good) and availability of repair shops if something goes wrong. I think the Rumble and the Ampeg are pretty close in loudness and quality, also in features, so it's a matter of your taste, which sound do you prefer? You will find both those amps at any GC. Take your bass and try them both out, then decide.

 

[SharpCat]

I gotta second @SJan3 —take a look at the Rumble 800.

- 400 W solo, and 800 with a cab is clearly enough, no guessing
- 29 pounds due to neo speakers
- 1/4 power switch lowers the output to 100W so you can use it at home or small venues without going from too quiet to too loud accidentally.

 

[BassicJazzy]

I gotta second @SJan3 —take a look at the Rumble 800.

- 400 W solo, and 800 with a cab is clearly enough, no guessing
- 29 pounds due to neo speakers
- 1/4 power switch lowers the output to 100W so you can use it at home or small venues without going from too quiet to too loud accidentally.

Sharpcat definitely has a point here. Hard to argue with those specs. If you have the bucks, totally agree.

 

[Stewie]

I like tha Ampeg tone a lot more than the Fender, but play them side by side. Also compare the Ampeg RB115. I had a hard time choosing between it and the 210. Shoulda bought the 115 so I could swap in an EVM15L. Would be heavier but it would also be killer

 

[shirojiro]

I bought the Fender Rumble 500 without doing much research, but I'm happy with the purchase.

It's light, loud, and sounds pretty good on its own, and it pairs nicely with a Bag End S15.

It has an effects loop that I use to bypass the preamp when I want to use something different like a SansAmp VT Bass Deluxe or BDDI or an Origin effects Super vintage, etc. They all sound pretty good with the power amp and cabinet.

I suspect all of the amps you're considering are decent with some built in tonal variation that can probably be partially dialed out with a different preamp. YMMV etc.

 

[MusicBear]

I was loading up my Kustom K200B-2 & 3x12 cab last night, and thinking "I really should leave this guy at home and get a modern, lightweight combo rig" After all, the Kustom is over 50 years old, and is in really good shape, and I'd like to keep it that way (we only gig 4 times/year, but still...). Then at sound-check, it started acting up - output got real low, then distorted, then cut out altogether, then started working fine just as we were ready to start, and it worked fine for the whole gig (thankfully!). So I'll be opening up the Kustom soon, but....

...anyway, I've done a bit of research, and narrowed my search down to these three:
* Fender Rumble 500 2x10
* Ampeg RB-210
* Peavey Max 300

I've read good things here about all three, especially the Rumble series, but figured I'd get some opinions from those of you who've used more than one of them (or opinions from anyone who cares to share). Here are a few of my thoughts so far:

1) Peavey speakers are angled upward - does that actually work well, and is it a significant advantage? I know I could get an angled stand for the other two,but that's one more piece of gear to schlep along.
2) Peavey is rated at 300 watts, the other two at 500. Our band doesn't play horrendously loud, or do very large gigs. I'm guessing any of the 3 would be loud enough, from what I've read here, yes?
3) I also play keyboards sometimes with this band - would any of these be particularly good (or bad) when used for that application? The Fender and the Ampeg have a horn (which can be defeated with a switch), but the Peavey does not have a horn. Is that a significant disadvantage?
4) The Fender and Ampeg weigh in at 36.5lbs and 38.5lbs, respectively, but the Peavey is 46.4lbs. That spec alone may make the decision for me (I'm 69 and in pretty good shape, but I'm not getting any younger!)
5) The Fender and Ampeg are rated 350w(Fender) and 250w(Ampeg) as a combo, and 500w with an external 8ohm speaker, which makes sense, but the Peavey is simply rated at 300w, with no mention of whether that's as a combo or with the 8ohm external cab. So is it a 300w amp or what? I'm unlikely to ever buy an external cab, but you never know....

One caveat about Ampeg. IMHO - Try to avoid one made during the period when Ampeg was owned by Loud Technologies / Loud Audio. That was a dark period in Ampeg's history. Before (SLM ELectronics) or after (Yamaha) are better...

 

[Yahboy]

I was loading up my Kustom K200B-2 & 3x12 cab last night, and thinking "I really should leave this guy at home and get a modern, lightweight combo rig" After all, the Kustom is over 50 years old, and is in really good shape, and I'd like to keep it that way (we only gig 4 times/year, but still...). Then at sound-check, it started acting up - output got real low, then distorted, then cut out altogether, then started working fine just as we were ready to start, and it worked fine for the whole gig (thankfully!). So I'll be opening up the Kustom soon, but....

...anyway, I've done a bit of research, and narrowed my search down to these three:
* Fender Rumble 500 2x10
* Ampeg RB-210
* Peavey Max 300

I've read good things here about all three, especially the Rumble series, but figured I'd get some opinions from those of you who've used more than one of them (or opinions from anyone who cares to share). Here are a few of my thoughts so far:

1) Peavey speakers are angled upward - does that actually work well, and is it a significant advantage? I know I could get an angled stand for the other two,but that's one more piece of gear to schlep along.
2) Peavey is rated at 300 watts, the other two at 500. Our band doesn't play horrendously loud, or do very large gigs. I'm guessing any of the 3 would be loud enough, from what I've read here, yes?
3) I also play keyboards sometimes with this band - would any of these be particularly good (or bad) when used for that application? The Fender and the Ampeg have a horn (which can be defeated with a switch), but the Peavey does not have a horn. Is that a significant disadvantage?
4) The Fender and Ampeg weigh in at 36.5lbs and 38.5lbs, respectively, but the Peavey is 46.4lbs. That spec alone may make the decision for me (I'm 69 and in pretty good shape, but I'm not getting any younger!)
5) The Fender and Ampeg are rated 350w(Fender) and 250w(Ampeg) as a combo, and 500w with an external 8ohm speaker, which makes sense, but the Peavey is simply rated at 300w, with no mention of whether that's as a combo or with the 8ohm external cab. So is it a 300w amp or what? I'm unlikely to ever buy an external cab, but you never know....

Rumble 800/210 .... case close.

 

[tom once dead]

I'd take the Peavey off the list IMO. Any Peavey Max I've tried sounded bland and lifeless.

The Ampeg and Fender are both good options. I find the Rumble has a fairly distinct eq curve built in which gives you a huge bottom and sparkly highs but seems to suck the mids out entirely. Some people love it and I totally get why, but it's not for me personally. The Ampeg also has a bit of that signature tone, but with the Lo and Hi switches you have a lot more control and versatility.

 

[Dana R Gregory]

I also vote for the Rumble 800 if you can afford it. 28lbs is a good deal lighter then 36lbs for the Rumble 500. Both are excellent amps, as is the Ampeg. Best thing is to A and B them at a GC if you can. Then you can pick your sound. Good luck.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

As mentioned multiple times already, the Peavey MAX 300 is 200 watts RMS into 3 ohms.

I don’t know for sure how you go about getting a 3 ohm load on the amp, but it almost certainly requires an external speaker. If the impedance of the internal speaker is twice as much as the minimum impedance of 3 ohms, the amp will put out around 100 watts into the internal speaker alone. If the internal is some odd impedance that will calculate to 3 ohms when paralleled with an 8 ohm external speaker, the amp might put out something like 125w into its internal speaker. The point is the “300” in the amp model name doesn’t have a lot to do with anything. If it was an old Peavey, (ie; Combo 300), it would be 300w @ 2 ohms, but it’s not an old one…

I have a Peavey MAX 150 (120w @ 4 ohms, ~60w @ 8 ohms) I bought to replace a GK MB150e 112, and it will get much louder and deeper than the old GK, but I don’t consider this a good comparison.

The Fender Rumble 500 = 500w @ 4 ohms, 350 watts into its internal speaker (I question amps that say they will put out 70% of their rated power at twice their minimum impedance rating, but maybe it does.)

The Ampeg RB 210 = 500w @ 4 ohms, 250 watts into its internal speaker.

Seems the Ampeg is telling the whole truth…

 

[socknroll1]

I sprung for the Rumble 800 due to the slightly higher wattage and lighter weight. I immediately put casters on it. Can't believe how easy my load-in is now, and neither can anyone else when they lift the amp. It's not perfect, and there are plenty here for whom the tone isn't quite right, but I turn a few knobs and it works for me. I hope to keep it working a long, long time.