500 watts is honestly way overkill for the spots I play, and I love my Traynor Smallblock 200. Got it used at L&M for cheap. Plenty of sauce to power either or both of Hartke XL cabs, a 210 and a 115. All the features of the 500 too.
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+1 The exceptions are the Tecamp Puma which I believe still uses a Powersoft Module, the Walter Woods Electrocoustic amps that were handbuilt digital power sections and the Ampeg Portabass 250&800 Heads.
Ric
Thank you Dave B. I appreciate you may have a difference of opinion on the test conditions. As far as confusion, several brands have been tested under those same conditions and no "National Enquirer" treatment has ever been shown. I have seen people here claim the TH500 was really a 1000 watt amp, that is confusion.
A recent poll here (TB) shows you third in popularity by the way, you must be doing something VERY right with your designs. Sincerely, congratulations are in order for a "relatively" new brand against two very old names in the industry.
This might be an alternative, or a backup option
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Of course an advertised "1000w" power amp with a DSP can be had for about $200 these days. A DSP is a good idea as it helps interface to any pre-amp.
Yah, too many horror stories of ICE modules shutting down at a gig for any of that specmanship crap to fly. I know my TH-350 can run on "11" forever and that's reason #2 I bought it - reason #1 is its awesome overdrive, > 90% of an SVT's tone at 3 pounds
. My back definitely don't need that other < 10% 
.
Actually I heared tell it's mostly that the TH-350 uses the ICE module that others push to 5-600 watts and the TH-500 the module others push to 900 watts. I don't need them fake watts overheating my amp at a gig and/or making my tone un-solid. Aguilar really "gets" bass
. OTOH I do like my GK MB200 and Shuttle 3.0 for what they are too - very different tones though, the former kinda vintage Acoustic-ish and the latter brutally honest.
BTW I've kept up with a pair of fully cranked, non-master 100W tube guitard amps with my TH-350 through an efficient 4 ohm 2x12.
Maybe I'm misinterpreting the question...but if you're going to use a pre-amp other than what's in the micro-head, wouldn't it make more sense (and be a lot cheaper) to just use a decent class D poweramp like a Crown XLS?
Actually I heared tell it's mostly that the TH-350 uses the ICE module that others push to 5-600 watts and the TH-500 the module others push to 900 watts. I don't need them fake watts overheating my amp at a gig and/or making my tone un-solid. Aguilar really "gets" bass
When the amp runs out of available power----- it's out. Nothing wrong with running equipment to its rating if you manage the heat----- AC motor drives do it all day, everywhere in the world---- same power components.
I've owned many different makes/models of micros. In terms of sheer volume in a LOUD rock setting, the Aguilar stuff blew away the Ampeg and Genz Benz amps of similar ratings. I liked the GK stuff ok, definitely prefer their RB series though.
Actually I heared tell it's mostly that the TH-350 uses the ICE module that others push to 5-600 watts and the TH-500 the module others push to 900 watts. I don't need them fake watts overheating my amp at a gig and/or making my tone un-solid. Aguilar really "gets" bass
That appears from this thread to be in direct conflict with what Dave B from Aguilar claims.
Well, I'm not the OP, but I was in a similar situation. I made my decision, and I just pre-ordered the PJB D-400 - I want a Class D micro-head for convenience for the vast majority of my gigging to use with a Noble Tube Pre/DI driving it through the Aux Return - and for the flexibility of using it as a stand alone bass amp.
Power: 350W/4Ω, 200W/8Ω
Controls: Level Selector, Volume, 5-Band EQ,
Limiter w/On-Off Switch, Master Volume, Power Switch Jacks: Input, FX
Send/Return, Headphone, Speaker Out (4Ω/Speakon), Pre-amp Out, D.I. Out
(GND Lift SW, Pre / Post EQ SW), AC-Input
Dimensions (WxDxH): 9.6 x 7.6 x 1.7”
Weight: 2.9 lbs (1.3Kg)
If I need more power for a specific gig I have a (much heavier) rack mounted Crown Microtech 600 that will give me plenty of power if I bridge it.
Power: 350W/4Ω, 200W/8Ω
Controls: Level Selector, Volume, 5-Band EQ,
Limiter w/On-Off Switch, Master Volume, Power Switch Jacks: Input, FX
Send/Return, Headphone, Speaker Out (4Ω/Speakon), Pre-amp Out, D.I. Out
(GND Lift SW, Pre / Post EQ SW), AC-Input
Dimensions (WxDxH): 9.6 x 7.6 x 1.7”
Weight: 2.9 lbs (1.3Kg)
If I need more power for a specific gig I have a (much heavier) rack mounted Crown Microtech 600 that will give me plenty of power if I bridge it.
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If you are looking for a high-power class D amp, hard to ignore the DNA 1350. 1350-rms watts with a class D power supply (featuring a patented design with one cycle control loop technology), studio compressor, effects loop and side chain effects loop, automatically adjusts to local AC input voltage from (90-250VAC) so can be used internationally. Lots of great things. Superb power section if that's all you want to use, but seems like overkill if you just want to hook up your old amp to the power section. Perhaps check around for a separate Class D power amplifier (no preamp)?
500 watts is usually plenty, agreed. So you might wonder why someone who plays an Aguilar TH500 would want more... I have three cabs--two 8 ohm cabs rated at 400w and one 4 ohm cab rated at 800w. With the TH500 it sometimes will clip with these cabs, which means that there is not enough headroom. The tone loses some clarity when you push the amp really hard like that, so it would be better to have more available power. I would also love to have the ability to go down to 2 ohms so I can use these cabs together. I have an Acoustic Image amp and it does what I need, especially great for upright, I just also really like the Aguilar sound--especially for electric bass. I would love to see Aguilar come out with an amp that rivals the GK MB Fusion 800 in terms of power with full tube preamp, and lightweight (not a sled like the DB750), and with the ability to go down to 2 ohms. I like GK stuff too, but it's so much brighter than the Aguilar stuff, which has a warmth and vintage growl that I like.
Maybe, but in the unlikely event that his external preamp fails, he has the top's preamp as a "spare", which is nice.
There is always that
I bet for about the same money tho, might could just slap 2 preamps and 2 power amps in a rack and have all kinds of security 
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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True. I find I can clip my GK mb800 with a single fEARful 15/6/1. With two 15/6/1's or an added 15sub, a Mesa M9 will also easily clip. My point is that one person's "usually plenty" may not be another's.
Crest Prolight 3.0, here I come.
Brilliant concept - use a GK 1 U MB as a power amp for an external preamp! How do you do that specifically? Run a line from the Eden preamp to one of the patch bay connections or the headphones connections?
