Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Class D head (or power amp) to pair with preamp pedal?
- Thread starter mikesmallrules
- Start date
- Feb 12, 2006
- 61,066
- 5
- 221,114
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Right, so a small bass amp with an aux input or effects return input will solve the OP's problem with little to no fuss.
Can you not just read what the OP is looking for, offer a viable product to meet that specific need, instead of finding fault with other members replies and what the OP is trying to do? That’s basically how these things are supposed to work. We’re here to help each other out, not tear others down for their suggestions.
+1 on the MB200I use a GK MB200.
There is an old thread comparing footprints of micro amps.
The TE Elf looks the smallest.
I've been researching ultra-portable bass heads, including just how small they actually are. So I thought I may as well share this diagram with you, my fellow bassists, in case anyone else is similarly contemplating portability.
This image shows the horizontal footprint of the various "micro" bass heads. If you print the image on an A4 sheet of paper (or view it at its native A4 size) you can see the actual footprint of the amps.
(Just to be clear on how to interpret the image, the amps are stacked on top of each other, with their top left corners in exactly the same...
It’s a LOUD little sucker, sounds great, I’ve used mine with everything from a 1x12 to a fridge.
These are nice, small, plenty enough power (500 w). Jule Amp Simone 500. 7.25"x7.25' . would easily fit in a backpack or even in pocket of gig bag.
I've just seen this Markbass power amp in the classified:
For sale Little Mark Vintage Power Amp 1000
1000w Power Amp to pair with a preamp
- fenjazz (+50 /0 /-0)
- Updated
- Views: 546
- Reaction score: 3
- Category: For Sale: Amps, Preamps, and Cabinets
$400.00
11 watching
thats pretty much perfect. big ol' volume knob too. No other settings to even have to think about. Enough power to accommodate almost any situation. Price is right.I've just seen this Markbass power amp in the classified:
For sale Little Mark Vintage Power Amp 1000
1000w Power Amp to pair with a preamp
- fenjazz (+50 /0 /-0)
- Updated
- Views: 546
- Reaction score: 3
- Category: For Sale: Amps, Preamps, and Cabinets
$400.0011 watching
Some are, but not all of them are the full bluetooth .
Simple amp:
Warwick Stage Series PA 500 Bass Power Amp Head with 4-Band Equalizer, 500 Watt
- power amplifier head for bass guitar - solid-state design, class D amplifier circuitry - 500 W at 4 Ohms / 300 W at 8 Ohms - 4-band EQ +/- 15 dB
Full amp:
Warwick Stage Series MC 500 Multi Connect Bass Amp Head with USB-Interface, 500 Watt
- bass amplifier head with USB and Bluetooth interface - solid-state design, class D amplifier circuitry - single channel design - Bluetooth and USB
Lots of great suggestions here -- thanks everyone!
To clear up an apparent mystery:
Here in Canada, gigs where a bass cabinet is provided -- but no head -- do happen!
Most often, it occurs on multi-artist events, where another bassist shares their cab, but strangely insists that nobody else gets to use their head. Perhaps this is borne of regretful experience with disrespectful or otherwise uncouth bass players, but I wouldn't know (I've seen a few wear shorts, or even go shoeless, onstage in my time... it was probably one of them). Regardless, for these situations, I'd rather not be carrying my big old Traynor Custom Special down from my apartment...
A few venues provide a cabinet but no head too, but that's been relatively rare in my experience.
Normally, I tend to just send my preamp to FOH and go ampless anyway, but if the monitoring situation isn't decent, and I'm in one of those "here's a cab, and only a cab" situations, I'd want my 'incidentals' backpack to include a little Class D head, bouncing around in there with my power bar, etc. And since I'm already happy with my preamp DI pedal... well, here I am, asking what I'm asking!
Thank you again for all of your help.
I'll definitely be checking out each of the Class D amp (and power amp) suggestions provided above.
To clear up an apparent mystery:
Here in Canada, gigs where a bass cabinet is provided -- but no head -- do happen!
Most often, it occurs on multi-artist events, where another bassist shares their cab, but strangely insists that nobody else gets to use their head. Perhaps this is borne of regretful experience with disrespectful or otherwise uncouth bass players, but I wouldn't know (I've seen a few wear shorts, or even go shoeless, onstage in my time... it was probably one of them). Regardless, for these situations, I'd rather not be carrying my big old Traynor Custom Special down from my apartment...
A few venues provide a cabinet but no head too, but that's been relatively rare in my experience.
Normally, I tend to just send my preamp to FOH and go ampless anyway, but if the monitoring situation isn't decent, and I'm in one of those "here's a cab, and only a cab" situations, I'd want my 'incidentals' backpack to include a little Class D head, bouncing around in there with my power bar, etc. And since I'm already happy with my preamp DI pedal... well, here I am, asking what I'm asking!
Thank you again for all of your help.
I'll definitely be checking out each of the Class D amp (and power amp) suggestions provided above.
I just got a GK Mb200.I use a GK MB200.
There is an old thread comparing footprints of micro amps.
The TE Elf looks the smallest.
I've been researching ultra-portable bass heads, including just how small they actually are. So I thought I may as well share this diagram with you, my fellow bassists, in case anyone else is similarly contemplating portability.
This image shows the horizontal footprint of the various "micro" bass heads. If you print the image on an A4 sheet of paper (or view it at its native A4 size) you can see the actual footprint of the amps.
(Just to be clear on how to interpret the image, the amps are stacked on top of each other, with their top left corners in exactly the same...
This item is more like a professional instrument in its construction design when compared to my Warwick standard Gnome, not bad itself.
The Mb200 has about twice the mass of the Gnome, not quite. Almost twice as big overall. The Mb200 is still very small at about 8 inches by 8 inches by 2 1/2 inches tall, 8”x8”x2 1/2””.
It has big very substantial well attached rubberlike feet. Essentially subtract 3/4” from the height because of the thick heavy feet. It is a gig bagable head. Even will fit in a small day pack along with a lot of other assorted things. With room to spare.
The power light is a subdued light blue circle around a front panel power button. In the dark it is a prominent light blue circle, not a glaring lazer blue beam of brilliant light. No, it is a soft blue circle instead. Very unimposing.
There is no master volume knob. There is only a gain knob. The gain knob is essentially the volume knob. So it does away with the twin gain/volume knob combination for a simplified 1 knob system that works good.
It has a good active 4 band eq.
It produces a dynamically prounounced GK sound with the contour switch off. With the contour mini toggle switch on it produced a signature GK scooped mids sound.
I dig both sounds.
Supposedly this amp does not emulate the iconic ampeg sound or vintage bass sound. It instead supposedly represents a more direct clear sound without the characteristic thickness of low end that sometimes is found to be overwhelming or distinctively different from the GK sound as designed. It is hard to describe. I guess the goal is to sound very powerful but also very clear, quiet, and dependable…
This characteristic is most likely noticeable at higher volume levels than I use. It works good and sounds good to me.
I have played it for several hours using flatwound Chromes as well as XL rounds. Have used Fender Mustang bass, an Ibanez Mikro 4 string bass, and a Gretsch Streamliner Jet Club bass.
I am using a Zoom Ms60b+ single pedal size stomp box.
I like the amp and am waiting for the fan so I can try to fix my Gnome. I will use both amps.
I haven’t even noticed the fan… The Gnome fan, on the other hand, after less than a year started squealing like a bird of prey. It looks seemingly easy to fix.
Last edited:
It depends upon your point of view.
Playing a bass into a simple bass amp is something different from hooking a bass up to a computer or ipad…
These are 2 different things. 2 different paths to 2 different destinations with different stops along the way.
Those 2 things are 2 distinctly different behavior and thinking patterns with limited parallelisms.
They are two lanes on a highway going different places.
Odd comment…..All bass specific gear is dumb
If you have a bass specific preamp pedal that you like, just look at PA equipment to use with it.
Full range amplification is full range amplification.
With PA equipment you will have gear that is more trustworthy, robust, tested in grueling real world applications, and less expensive...
No one here will agree, because everyone here loves spending money on single application expensive BASS GUITAR STUFF.
I
I love my MB200 amp. It's useful as a regular amp, as a practice tool with aux in and headphones (I use a BT adapter so I can stream from phone or laptop), as a preamp for recording, and as a travel amp for fly gigs.
Is Jule still making these? I've checked his website and it's still shown, but when you go to the shop section, it does not appear there. Where are new ones available?
