Carvin BX500: Pt. 3

[TRob1293]

Update on my BX500:
I had a rehearsal with a different band yesterday. It was a hard rock band that I've played with for many years with all different types of gear. In the past they complained that my sound was a little mushy and couldn't be heard when I was using my Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0.

Before the practice I broke out my old early 90's Trace Elliot AH350SMX and A/B'ed it with the Carvin BX500. Surprisingly, they sound pretty similar with BX500 being slightly more raw/less compressed sounding. The BX500 held the low end tighter and was overall punchier, so I put the old lead sled back in the closet again.

For this practice I was using my Carvin BX500 + SWR 4x10 + Carvin 2x10 and I was happy with the results as were they. I put the master volume at 5 where I've never turned it up that loud with any band before and the sound was just crushing. Great clear low end with just the right about of girth and harmonic content for this band. I had the tube engaged, drive around 8 with Contour in the same position. Everything else was flat and the compressor was off. Sounded fantastic tonally. It was a little too loud for me, but they really liked it. Their favorite song was one where I tuned down to Drop D and pounded out a driving line throughout the song. The sound was massive and they loved it as did I. Afterward, they guitar player said, "Where's that amp been for the last 20 years?!"

Sounds like a winner for ya!

Can I ask on the OHMs rating for each of the cabs?
...and was the Carvin cab a BR or BRX?
(looking to figure how the watts were distributed)

Thanks.

 

[Jarrett]

Cabs used were:
SWR Golight MM sealed 4x10 - 4ohms
Carvin BR210-N sealed 2x10 - 4ohms

 

[nboyer941]

how often do you guys change your preamp tubes on these? I've had mine for two years now.

 

[TRob1293]

Same here. 2 years and no change. Anyone sub in a better tube? And what results?

 

[TRob1293]

Cabs used were:
SWR Golight MM sealed 4x10 - 4ohms
Carvin BR210-N sealed 2x10 - 4ohms

Thanks for the info. You think the BRX 10.2 NEO might out perform the BR? Or might the diff be negligible?

 

[Jarrett]

I don't know for sure, here are the stats between them:

BR:
- Two 300w Neodymium 10" woofers, 1" Titanium HF driver
- Freq. Resp: 55 to 20K Hz -3dB - usable to 42 Hz @ -10dB
- Sensitivity: 102dB @ 1w and 130 dB @ 600w
- Imp: 4 ohms
- Power handling: 600 Watts
- Precision crossover with 5 position HF attenuator
- Covered in black vinyl
- Size: 23.5" wide x 18.25" deep x 17.5" high
- Weight: 46 lbs

BRX
- 2 Neodymium 300w 10" woofers
- 1" Titanium compression HF tweeter
- Imp: 4 ohms, power handling: 600 Watts
- Reproduces Frequencies from low B (28 Hz to 22k Hz)
- Sensitivity: 101dB @ 1w and 129 dB @ 600w
- Size: 24.5" wide x 15" deep x 17" high
- Weight: 46 lbs

 

[Jarrett]

My cabs are sealed. More low with ported cabs as mentioned in the stats above. I personally like sealed cabs, if the BRX line had a sealed cab, I would have gotten that one.

 

[smeet]

Jarrett, I'm curious about your experiences with the Shuttle 9.0 and the BX500. You said that the Shuttle got lost in the mix, do you know why that is? Do you normally scoop your mids? Is the shuttle very scooped sounding? Or is it that the BX500 is more mid-present?

Just wondering, because so many people like the Shuttles. Do you think that the two amps are suited to different styles of music?

 

[Jarrett]

I've been treading around that issue lightly. In my experience using two different Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0's, they are not 900 watts at 4 ohms, imo. I've A/B'ed it with my old 350 watt Trace Elliot head and the TE was louder, imo. I've said it for a while and been dismissed by the GB followers, so I quit saying it. This thread has sort of brought it back to light, but its getting quiet there too:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=721489

The Carvin on the other hand seems like it is in that 500 watt range. It doesn't mush out in the low end, it holds tight as the volume goes up and compared favorably with my old Trace Elliot head. It's also has a "live mix" friendly voicing, imo. Cuts through without being invasive.

I think the Shuttle is a bit scooped when its set flat on the EQ. I ran mine with the EQ flat because the EQ is so limited it hard to really dial in a lot of different tones accurately. The Carvin on the other hand seems really flat when you set it flat (with the Contour set flat) but conversely its got great EQing capabilities to dial in/out whatever you want. I like the Carvin set flat, no graphic, with the Contour around noon or past depending on a few things. This setting is less scooped than the GB set flat to my ear.

To me the BX500 is hands down better, but as always its dangerous to say the less liked product is better than the more liked product on an Internet forum lest you incur teh wrath!

 

[ddbassGA]

Lync, Chef
What do you use for pickup and signal path from the upright? I typiclally use a AT Pro-35 with my upright...phantom powered XLR. One reason I'm looking at the Little Mark Tube which has phantom powered XLR input. What would you recommend going into the BX500?

 

[nboyer941]

Same here. 2 years and no change. Anyone sub in a better tube? And what results?

this

 

[TRob1293]

this

??

 

[Jarrett]

I had a great gig with my BX500 this weekend. Back to a room that I had used my GB Shuttle 9.0 before and left frustrated. This time with the BX500 is was literally one of my best bass tone gigs I can remember. Everything just sounded and felt right. Could hear myself clearly and the rig was responding just right. It allowed me to forget about the amp and just cut loose and it may have been my best playing on stage ever.

Settings were pretty much noon across the board. No graphic, bass just past noon, drive was up around 8 on the dial and master was at 3-4 on the knob. Running at 2ohms in to a Carvin BR210N-4 and SWR Golight cab. The tube was accidentally engaged, but I think I'm going to leave it that because it sounded great when I dug into it.

Never had as many compliments on my playing and tone after a gig than this one. Bass player from the next band came by and asked about the gear and said it sounded great. I told how inexpensive it was and he was blown away. Even the sound guy came up and gave me some compliments. Made me feel good. I am really, really liking this amp. I don't remember liking an amp this much since I first bought my old Trace Elliot head back in the early 90's and it was WAY more expensive back then. Very cool stuff.

For fun, here is a pic from that gig. You can see the BX500 in the back:

 

[TRob1293]

Thanks for the settings - gives us a feel (when i try them myself) on how awesome you sounded.

 

[Jarrett]

I forgot to mention I had the compressor off. I probably should have dialed in a little just to smooth it all out at those volumes.

What's everyone running their DI level at for live venues?

 

[MooseLumps]

2 or 3. Not very hot at all.

 

[Jarrett]

I had mine at 2 and the sound guy loved it. Also running 1-2 at home for recording as well. Wondered if that was the norm.

 

[jondog]

I run the DI around 2-3, usually into a Mackie 500w PA head.

I almost never buy new gear. This is the only shiny new thing I've bought in years and I don't regret it one bit. It's an excellent amp for me in every way.

 

[pin_head_47]

Same here. 2 years and no change. Anyone sub in a better tube? And what results?

I think this has been asked at least a couple times in this thread but nobody's given a clear answer.

Anybody with some spare tubes laying around feel like playing guinea pig? I'm not so interested in what each tube sounds like in it, just wondering if it will make much of a difference or not.

 

[bass4worship]

I think this has been asked at least a couple times in this thread but nobody's given a clear answer.

Anybody with some spare tubes laying around feel like playing guinea pig? I'm not so interested in what each tube sounds like in it, just wondering if it will make much of a difference or not.

From what I read there was no different in sound...