Adding to the Genzler love, if you can find a used Genz Benz Shuttle or Streamliner, those are along the same vein and are fantastic amps. I use a Shuttle 6.2 with a 2x12 cab and it's perfect for just about any size venue. It also has the aux in and headphone out jacks (both 1/4").
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Best Versatile Class D Amps
- Thread starter Khaer
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- bergantino class d amp mesa
I like simple. For me it is the Bergantino Forte, through the Bergantino HG series cabs. I have two HG 310s and one HG 410. For smaller rooms, a single 310 does the job. Larger rooms, the two 310s stacked and run at 2 ohms or the 410 alone does it. For anything in between, the 410 is a great choice. If I could only have one cab, I would choose the 410 for it's versatility with venue and room size.
The thing I like the most about the Bergantino set ups I've described is the capability for transparency in my sound....IE: the amp and cabs do not color my sound unless I want them to. This allows me to deliver with good articulation and clarity, and bring out the character of the specific bass I choose for a performance. The positioning of the speakers in these cabs also fills the room and leaves me feeling like I'm surrounded by my sound instead of being pounded from behind. Jim's design theory of facing one speaker to the rear really works.
These set ups have never failed to deliver for me and, before Covid, I used them exclusively on stage in performance for more than two years. They are, to my ears, the best set up for bass I have played or heard since my first live performance on bass in 1964.
Last thing is, the weight of these components make load in and load out a breeze, even for an old guy like me. The Forte comes in at 6 pounds, the HG 310 at 35 pounds and the HG 410 at 49 pounds.
This is my experience, but YMMV.
Hope this is helpful.
Koog
The thing I like the most about the Bergantino set ups I've described is the capability for transparency in my sound....IE: the amp and cabs do not color my sound unless I want them to. This allows me to deliver with good articulation and clarity, and bring out the character of the specific bass I choose for a performance. The positioning of the speakers in these cabs also fills the room and leaves me feeling like I'm surrounded by my sound instead of being pounded from behind. Jim's design theory of facing one speaker to the rear really works.
These set ups have never failed to deliver for me and, before Covid, I used them exclusively on stage in performance for more than two years. They are, to my ears, the best set up for bass I have played or heard since my first live performance on bass in 1964.
Last thing is, the weight of these components make load in and load out a breeze, even for an old guy like me. The Forte comes in at 6 pounds, the HG 310 at 35 pounds and the HG 410 at 49 pounds.
This is my experience, but YMMV.
Hope this is helpful.
Koog
- May 15, 2007
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- Owner RAD Repairs and RAD Engineering ,guitar, bass, and amp repair and limited custom instrument and amp building.
Darkglass Microtubes 900, don’t let the name fool you, this amp can do it all. Very flexible eq with the VMT and B3K circuits built into the head, have a clean and dirty channel or what I do is blend the VMT into my clean channel to get a tube amp grit as my base tone! I’ve had mine since they came out in 2016 and I have had zero gas for another amp since!
At this point in time, you really can’t go wrong with whatever amp you choose, they are all great.
At this point in time, you really can’t go wrong with whatever amp you choose, they are all great.
Either of the four Mesa Subway heads will more than satisfy your needs. Lightweight, extremely powerful, and plenty of tone shaping options.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Bassman 800This is my very first post here, so hello everyone!
I am former guitar player, used to play small gigs, jam with friends and occasionally write and record at home, but nothing serious thou. 13 years and two kids later I've decided to revive my old hobby, but with 4 strings instead of 6
Already equipped with J Bass (I am the Fender type of guy) and doing some silent practice with NUX Mighty Plug as a temporary solution during the further research.
I am looking for some great and flexible D Amp + small cab. Let's say that price range isn't the issue for now. The same goes with the power - most amps will propably have more than I need. What am I looking for?
For now I really like Bergantino - but can't decide between B|Amp and Forte HP to pair with NXT112. I think MESA Subway TT-800 is great too (propably with Mesa cab).
- Versatility. Going to play mainly rock classics for now, but my favourite genres are prog, post and jazz rock (Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Camel, Rush, Zappa, etc.). But looking forward to play other stuff and learn some slapping too
- Aux and Headphones input for further practice is a must with my life situation. Can play mostly after kids go to bed.
- Clean and warm tone. Drive isn't really necessary (but nice to have). Tubes/Hybrids are great (from the guitar player perspective), but don't mandatory (correct me if I'm wrong but they propably need some volume to sound properly)
- Possibility to fast-switch between more than one channel / preset would be great
I'd be grateful for any advice. And please, forgive me my english
Regards!
You already stated that your a Fender kind of guy. Also that a drive channel would be nice. The 800 seems like the perfect fit.
My vote went to other, because all 3 of your top contenders (Mesa, Berg, and Genzler) are all outstanding choices for pro-level gear. I’ve owned all three and have stuck with Genzler mainly because I’m primarily a double bass player and didn’t need that much power so I use a Magellan 350. But all are outstanding if a bit different from each other.
A few thoughts - the Mesa heads, Magellan, and Berg Forte are all pretty high powered heads (800 watts at 4 ohms) and the HP even higher. Depending on what you end up doing, you’re likely to want/need (is there a difference??) a second cabinet to maximize your tone and get full benefit from the amps. Going with a 112 from whatever manufacturer you pick is a good choice, you can add a second down the road as needed. Mesa’s Subway cabs are highly regarded and they make a 112, 115, and 210, all of which are designed to be used together. Genzler has a line of really great array speakers (ba123) that are fantastic paired with their heads.
If I read your profile right, you’re in the EU, so there may other options. For speakers, there is Barefaced out of the UK, which are highly regarded.
A few thoughts - the Mesa heads, Magellan, and Berg Forte are all pretty high powered heads (800 watts at 4 ohms) and the HP even higher. Depending on what you end up doing, you’re likely to want/need (is there a difference??) a second cabinet to maximize your tone and get full benefit from the amps. Going with a 112 from whatever manufacturer you pick is a good choice, you can add a second down the road as needed. Mesa’s Subway cabs are highly regarded and they make a 112, 115, and 210, all of which are designed to be used together. Genzler has a line of really great array speakers (ba123) that are fantastic paired with their heads.
If I read your profile right, you’re in the EU, so there may other options. For speakers, there is Barefaced out of the UK, which are highly regarded.
The Genzler 800 in the classifieds being referenced is mine. It's a very nice head, as transparent as can be. You can dial in a few different "flavors" with the drive channel and the EQ contours. The EQ is clean and musical as well, but it is very much what you put in is what you get out kind of a thing. It's kind of like a P bass, may not always be the best choice, but never a bad or wrong choice. I have compared it to other class d heads and it is a compares very favorably in many ways. Not all have aux ins, headphones out, some have noisy headphone outs, some have noisy fans, some hiss at higher volumes. Genzler is CLEAN. It's the closest thing I have found to plugging the bass into a nice DI box, and listening to the bass through a nice set of studio monitors.
If you're going after an old school tube sound, it's probably not the best choice. If you want to have an amp that adds real character to your sound, like you don't want your jazz bass to sound like "just" a jazz bass, it's also not for you. I'm fearful of under or overselling it. Used Genzler stuff generally sells fairly quickly so I don't care to "sell" you on it. Seems a conflict of interest since I have one to sell (though I'm not interested in shipping internationally unfortunately...). You are definitely looking at really strong choices all of them. Berg is also very transparent overall but maybe ever so slightly darker character. Mesa would be the most characterful of the amps on your list. I *think* Jim Bergantino is pretty active on the forum. Jeff Genzler absolutely is. AgedHorse is the firepower behind a lot of the Mesa products I believe and he is very active here as well. So having a direct line to communicate with the people who make these products is pretty cool.
If you're going after an old school tube sound, it's probably not the best choice. If you want to have an amp that adds real character to your sound, like you don't want your jazz bass to sound like "just" a jazz bass, it's also not for you. I'm fearful of under or overselling it. Used Genzler stuff generally sells fairly quickly so I don't care to "sell" you on it. Seems a conflict of interest since I have one to sell (though I'm not interested in shipping internationally unfortunately...). You are definitely looking at really strong choices all of them. Berg is also very transparent overall but maybe ever so slightly darker character. Mesa would be the most characterful of the amps on your list. I *think* Jim Bergantino is pretty active on the forum. Jeff Genzler absolutely is. AgedHorse is the firepower behind a lot of the Mesa products I believe and he is very active here as well. So having a direct line to communicate with the people who make these products is pretty cool.
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The TT-800 wasn't out when I bought my WD-800. While there was a little bit of "Man.. I wish my old amp had waited about 2-3 months" I love my WD-800.. having its own versatility due to the semiparametric mids and single preamp tube that can be overdriven.
The fact that the designer of the amp interacts with us regularly on the forums is a definite plus. It's like he's made a hobby out of helping people with their amp issues.
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skyline_01
Endorsing artist: Nordstrand Audio, Tsunami Cables
All the usual ones have been mentioned (and they're all great!), but I have to throw out a nod to the EBS Reidmar 250/500/502/750. I have the 750 and it fits every bill. It can do clean/hifi and also get a little dirty with the (foot-switchable) drive circuit. Also has:
- (foot-switchable) 3-band eq w/ parametric mid, plus bright knob
- (foot-switchable) character circuit (think "smiley face" EQ)
- EBS one-knob compressor
- full host of input/output (phones, aux, effects loop, 1/4" line out, DI with pre/post & ground lift)
Good luck with the search!
- (foot-switchable) 3-band eq w/ parametric mid, plus bright knob
- (foot-switchable) character circuit (think "smiley face" EQ)
- EBS one-knob compressor
- full host of input/output (phones, aux, effects loop, 1/4" line out, DI with pre/post & ground lift)
Good luck with the search!
I want to thank You all for being so helpful!
Guess I'll have to dig more about Genzler Magellan 800 and Mesa TT800 then - looks like they are clear winners for now. I'm trying to catch up with TT800 thread and I have still ~half left. I feel that there isn't a lot of videos about TT800 around (at least not as much as with the others). Should I hear more 400+/D800 respectively to have a good picture of sound (boogie and subway channels) or maybe TT800 sound is not so close to them?
Someone pointed out that Bergantino can produce more white noise on headphones and I found it quite disturbing in my case.
Regards!
Guess I'll have to dig more about Genzler Magellan 800 and Mesa TT800 then - looks like they are clear winners for now. I'm trying to catch up with TT800 thread and I have still ~half left. I feel that there isn't a lot of videos about TT800 around (at least not as much as with the others). Should I hear more 400+/D800 respectively to have a good picture of sound (boogie and subway channels) or maybe TT800 sound is not so close to them?
Someone pointed out that Bergantino can produce more white noise on headphones and I found it quite disturbing in my case.
Regards!
that was me regarding the headphone white noise, and it's just a feature of the Forte HP, the B-Amp I had for a while did not share that "characteristic".
I an a DNA Endorsing Artist, so of course I would recommend either the DNA-800 amp or its big brother the DNA-1350. Model numbers are the rms watts each puts out into 4Ω. The DNA-800 has a street price of $799 and the DNA-1350 runs around $1400. These are super clean, clear and warm amps and both have compressors with adjustable threshold and ratio settings.This is my very first post here, so hello everyone!
I am former guitar player, used to play small gigs, jam with friends and occasionally write and record at home, but nothing serious thou. 13 years and two kids later I've decided to revive my old hobby, but with 4 strings instead of 6
Already equipped with J Bass (I am the Fender type of guy) and doing some silent practice with NUX Mighty Plug as a temporary solution during the further research.
I am looking for some great and flexible D Amp + small cab. Let's say that price range isn't the issue for now. The same goes with the power - most amps will propably have more than I need. What am I looking for?
For now I really like Bergantino - but can't decide between B|Amp and Forte HP to pair with NXT112. I think MESA Subway TT-800 is great too (propably with Mesa cab).
- Versatility. Going to play mainly rock classics for now, but my favourite genres are prog, post and jazz rock (Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Camel, Rush, Zappa, etc.). But looking forward to play other stuff and learn some slapping too
- Aux and Headphones input for further practice is a must with my life situation. Can play mostly after kids go to bed.
- Clean and warm tone. Drive isn't really necessary (but nice to have). Tubes/Hybrids are great (from the guitar player perspective), but don't mandatory (correct me if I'm wrong but they propably need some volume to sound properly)
- Possibility to fast-switch between more than one channel / preset would be great
I'd be grateful for any advice. And please, forgive me my english
Regards!
The warmth comes from the use of the "Golden Ear chip" (THAT-4301 I believe) that David used in some of his Eden amps (WT330, 390, and 405) to get the same warmth that he got our of his hybrid WT amps. The DNA-800 is 1½ rack spaces high and weighs in at 4.8-lbs. The DNA-1350 is 2 rack spaces high and weighs in at just 7-lbs.
Both wattage ratings are into a 4Ω load although both amps can also go down to 2Ω. Both manuals say that although they can operate at the 2 ohm load, they are designed to work most efficiently and effectively into a 4Ω or 8Ω load. David always preferred the 4Ω or 8Ω load on the Eden amps he designed too, even though many of them would do 2Ω. Besides more power, the DNA1350 also has a side-chain effects loop that can be blended in separately from the normal effects loop. The DNA-800 does not have the side chain effects.
Here's a video from Bass Musician Magazine reviewing the DNA-800 feature by feature. I've cued it up to where he starts talking about amp. He's playing through DNA's 210 cab, the DNS-210:
It's a portabass 112 that's been thru recovery and stocked w/ a Black Widow.
A Little Back To The Future, Ampeg Style.........
