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Best class D or hybrid for rock?

Palomar4130

Palomar4130

Mar 2, 2020
67
249
#1
Hey everyone, new member and somewhat new bassist. I’ve been reading a lot on this forum and trying to demo what I can in search of a new amp. Right now I’ve got an older GK 400rb-iii that I’ve never really loved. I bought a Sansamp last week after reading the hype here and the sound is 100x better for what I’m doing. I play punk, post hardcore, straight rock and roll, and similar. I’m playing a mim passive jazz bass with a pull switch to put the pups in series as another tone option.
That said I’m hoping to get some recommendations on a class D or hybrid amp for all things rock. I’ve had my eye on the m800+, microtubes 900, SVT 7 pro, maybe the 3 pro? I’ve been told my favorite bands (Avail, Smoke or Fire, Hot Water Music, Against Me) all used SVT stuff. I’m playing in a band now with a killer guitarist who has some crazy loud Marshall head and my GK isn’t keeping up. I’ll probably need a new cab eventually as well. Any recommendations would be appreciated
 
#4
Wicked G said:
What kind of cab are you using? The 400rb III can get very loud with the right cab.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I'd think about cabs first, especially if your main problem is insufficient volume. If you need to be loud, I'd suggest at least a pair of matching 1x15s or 2x10s. Depending on what cab you currently have, the best solution might be simply to add another one.
 
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#5
Right now I have an older 15” GK cab that has a new Jensen punch in it and an older 2x10 GK cab with 2 Jensen’s in it. I believe they came as a set originally but the guy who sold them to me had blown them and replaced with new speakers.
Another reason I’d like a new amp is being able to connect headphones and having an aux in to practice quietly. Right now I have a nice garage setup but we’re thinking of moving so something more modern would help in that regard.
 
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#6
Palomar4130 said:
Right now I have an older 15” GK cab that has a new Jensen punch in it and an older 2x10 GK cab with 2 Jensen’s in it. I believe they came as a set originally but the guy who sold them to me had blown them and replaced with new speakers.
Another reason I’d like a new amp is being able to connect headphones and having an aux in to practice quietly. Right now I have a nice garage setup but we’re thinking of moving so something more modern would help in that regard.
Click to expand...
OK, I've got a few thoughts....

First, it is possible that the replacement speakers someone put in your cabs, if they didn't really know what they were doing, aren't right for your cabinets. With bass amps (unlike guitar amps), you can't just stick any speaker(s) into a cab and expect it to sound good. If you haven't been satisfied with your tone this could be the reason.

Second, if you have been using the two cabs together, it is possible that they don't get along well with each other. Whenever you mix different cabs/speakers -- e.g., a 1x15 with a 2x20 -- it's kind of a crap-shoot as to whether they will sound good together unless they weren't designed explicitly to do so. Again, if you haven't been satisfied with your tone (using them together), this could be a reason. You might be better off with a matching pair of 1x15s or 2x10s.

I understand your desire to have other capabilities with your amp, but to the extent you're not happy with your overall sound with these cabs the answer might not be in replacing the amp.
 
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#7
Thanks for the info. I definitely plan on replacing the cabs as well eventually. I do like the sound of the 15” solo’d now using the sansamp. Adding the 2x10 just doesn’t sound good to my ear even with the same settings so that may be a lost cause. So I think for quiet practice and getting more power/headroom I’d start with a newer amp And solo the 15 for now and hopefully get maybe 2 12’s or something eventually.
 
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#8
To repeat an old, but completely true, statement here on TB .... with the right amp power (and the 400rb iii should have plenty) more drivers (and more sensitive drivers) will get you more perceived volume than just adding more amp power.

So maybe going with more cabs will solve your volume issues. You can always add stuff (like the sansamp) to the front end of your amp to tweak the tone. So maybe consider another 15 for a 2x15 cab setup, or perhaps a 4x10 to add to the 2x10 to give you 6x10's (although that could be trouble because of how the amp power might be mis-matched between the 2x10 and 4x10).

Now that being said, for newer amps, I am a big fan of the Mesa Subway stuff and the D800/800+ might work out well for you. Lots of modern features, and plenty of power on tap and they should be pretty easy to find (depending on where in the world you are).

There are lots of choices and the best approach is to try as many amps/cabs as you can in person so you will know if it works for you.

good luck, and enjoy!
 
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#9
I have an RB 400 IV at our rehearsal place. It will get plenty loud with two decent 2x10's. I have the Avatar V2 2X10s, and it keeps up just fine with two Marshall half-stacks and a loud drummer.

Having said that, I hooked up my Markbass Nano to the same setup, and it cut through and sounded better this weekend.

You need more speaker, and I question if Jensens are the right type of speaker for bass. I would sell them and put some decent speakers in the cabs or just go get a 4x10 4ohm cab
 
#10
Palomar4130 said:
Hey everyone, new member and somewhat new bassist. I’ve been reading a lot on this forum and trying to demo what I can in search of a new amp. Right now I’ve got an older GK 400rb-iii that I’ve never really loved. I bought a Sansamp last week after reading the hype here and the sound is 100x better for what I’m doing. I play punk, post hardcore, straight rock and roll, and similar. I’m playing a mim passive jazz bass with a pull switch to put the pups in series as another tone option.
That said I’m hoping to get some recommendations on a class D or hybrid amp for all things rock. I’ve had my eye on the m800+, microtubes 900, SVT 7 pro, maybe the 3 pro? I’ve been told my favorite bands (Avail, Smoke or Fire, Hot Water Music, Against Me) all used SVT stuff. I’m playing in a band now with a killer guitarist who has some crazy loud Marshall head and my GK isn’t keeping up. I’ll probably need a new cab eventually as well. Any recommendations would be appreciated
Click to expand...

89B240E7-9035-4B6F-BBA0-1A69E0142869.jpeg

Pick one.
 
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#12
I’m going to echo the suggestions to get your cabs in order. You mentioned using the single 15 with a new head for more power. The difference in volume between your GK (which is a great rock head btw) and a high powered head is going to be minimal, if at all.
You said you like the 15 on it’s own, how does the 210 sound on it’s own? It it sounds ok, but the two cabs together don’t sound good together, they might be out of phase.

I think you’d probably like the darkglass, the vintage side is really great. But definitely get the cabs sorted out.
 
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#18
Cheap, loud and SPANKY - Best way to describe the Peavy MiniMEGA. 1000w at 4ohms, dual speakon output with dual parametric mid eq's. It has an option to increase the lower harmonics of your sound too, to enhance the perceived bass through smaller cabs without blowing the drivers.

I got one for $600, drives my GK Neo212 to ear bleeding, eye rattling levels.
 

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