Bi-Amp heads...do they still make them?

In case you haven't checked them out, my Carvin R1000 is spec'd at 350W per amp at 4ohms.

Thge 200Hz-2kHz crossover isn't the range I would like but, what can I say, it works.

 

The Ampeg SVT4-PRO. It's 300w per side at 8 ohms. 490w per side at 4 ohms. 50Hz - 1KHz crossover frequency point. Really good amp. A little more power than you said you needed, and probably a little expensive. But, I'm an Ampeg guy, so I'd say go for it.

 

Go for separates. The 200 Hz crossover frequency is much too high. Look for 100 Hz or lower. You can find Rane MX22 crossovers on eBay all the time. Separates will let you use a smaller amp for now, and replace it with a bigger amp later without changing your entire rig. You can also get any preamp you want, and any tone. Ampeg, Alembic, SWR, Eden, Demeter, Aguilar, and Kern all make preamps.

The 200 Hz crossover will put ALL your fundamental through the Bag End, leaving the 2x10 only for the harmonics. This is a waste of punch and clarity. Use the Bag End for the bottom and the 2x10 for what it does best.

The Alembic F-1X preamp has a built in crossover and they are available on eBay for under $370.

 

Eden WT800 and the now discontinued EA iAmp600. Both great amps and you can find the EA used on occasion. Both have crossovers and are set up for biamping.

 

check out the following site for a great, inexpensive crossover, and use any amps you want!

you'll need to go to the Rolls section and look up the SX21 crossover
http://www.rolls.com/new/frame2.html

Mark

 

The Hartke HA5000 and HA7000 are both biampable. The 5000 is 250/175 per channel, and the 7000 is 350/250 (I think) per channel.

The Ashdown ABM900 is also biampable if memory serves. Now there's a beast for you - 576 watts per channel at 4 ohms.

 

another vote for Hartke 5000/7000 bi ampable, powerful and you won't have to sell the farm in order to buy one. BUT try one first before you buy. The tone may not be for you. If you like a warm sounding amp like Ampeg this isn't for you. I would call the Hartke amp tone punchy or aggresive. great for rock.

OH by the way the 7000 is 350 watts x 2

 

SWR SM-500, SM-900 are biampable

The GK concept is you are biamping small drivers, that's why the lower power. The idea is to set the crossover pretty high...certainly no lower than 2 KHz!

Having two equal wattage amps is more suited for setups with subwoofers, i.e. the crossover is set very low, like 100 to 150 Hz.

 

You said "G-K makes one, I know".
ALL G-K heads are biampable, that I know of, except the 2000RB.

Also, the G-K 800RB, which I'm looking into getting is 100 watts to the highs, and 300 to the lows.

 

I think either the Eden WT-400 or WT-500 is where their amp line starts being bi-ampable. Everything above that model is bi-ampable. My WT-800 has a knob to control the frequency where bi-amping occurs. I don't know if that holds true for the models below it, but I would assume it does.

 

One thing that I would keep in mind when trying out those amp heads is to try them out with your bass and cabinets. I've owned a LOT of gear and one of the first things I learned is to not buy a piece of equipment without having everything I will be using with it there to try it out. I've got two very different basses and what might work with one might not work with the other...let alone when throwing speaker cabinets into the mix as well. That being said, out of all of the biamp capable amplifiers that have been mentioned, the one that I can unequivocably(sp?) recommend without any hesitation is the GK 800RB...while not having as much power as say the Carvin, Ampeg, Eden, or others mentioned, the amp is very easy to get a good solid BASS tone with, let alone with a selling price under $600, I feel you can't beat it - at least new.

 

Actually, the 800RB sells new on musiciansfriend.com for $750.

 

I've got one--it's cool and stereo, but no crossover built in.

 

Yeah, memory didn't serve too well on that one, eh? But I think the RPM-1 preamp is biampable.

 

I believe there was one on ebay not all too long ago, to be honest.

 

www.musiciansfriend.com

 

http://www.thebassplace.com/index.shtml

They sell a lotta Ashdown stuff on eBay too.