Heard bad stuff about the BAM head. Other TC heads are fine. I use one. My backup is a peavey tour 450 I paid $100 for. Has lots of tone range.
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BAM owner...like the sound and it has not let me down. Paired with a 1-10 cab or even used as an active DI I have done more gigs with it since purchasing that my bigger rigs.
I think the setup sounds better that the small combos I have played and stays clean louder when pushed. It is not loud enough to compete with a loud drummer.
My theory on reliability is don't run it at 4 ohms...so essentially it is a 100 watt head for me. If I need more, I bring real power.
I think the setup sounds better that the small combos I have played and stays clean louder when pushed. It is not loud enough to compete with a loud drummer.
My theory on reliability is don't run it at 4 ohms...so essentially it is a 100 watt head for me. If I need more, I bring real power.
The Gnome iPro 300w sounds great, I use one for all of our rehearsals. Also use my Elf and like the tone from it as well, both have plenty of tone at lower volume.
The only one of those that I've used is the Elf. It really is a surprising little amp and I liked it a lot. However, I ended up selling it or a few reasons:
1) I use small, light class D heads, so bringing a second one as a backup is not trouble at all. I didn't really need the Elf's amazing small size.
2) As has already been said, I found it pretty mid heavy. At louder volume I wasn't crazy about the tone, though I get that with a lower powered amp like the Elf, the mid emphasis would help make the most of the relatively low power so you'd be heard better in a loud setting.
3) At louder volumes it starts to distort and I wasn't crazy about the way it did that.
4) It didn't have a Speakon output, so I needed to remember to either have a cable with 1/4" on one end and a speakon on the other for my cabinets or have a speakon to 1/$' adapter for my usual Speakon cables. Not that big a deal, but it's just one more reason.
Nice little amp overall, but I was better served by always bringing one of my other amps as a backup. SO I sold it.
That being said, I also had a GK MB200 and loved it. However, I had way too many amps and sold it when I was downsizing my amp/head collection. What I loved most was that it had Speakon jacks, it had the GK sound (which I like a lot!), and it had the great GK 4-band EQ.
1) I use small, light class D heads, so bringing a second one as a backup is not trouble at all. I didn't really need the Elf's amazing small size.
2) As has already been said, I found it pretty mid heavy. At louder volume I wasn't crazy about the tone, though I get that with a lower powered amp like the Elf, the mid emphasis would help make the most of the relatively low power so you'd be heard better in a loud setting.
3) At louder volumes it starts to distort and I wasn't crazy about the way it did that.
4) It didn't have a Speakon output, so I needed to remember to either have a cable with 1/4" on one end and a speakon on the other for my cabinets or have a speakon to 1/$' adapter for my usual Speakon cables. Not that big a deal, but it's just one more reason.
Nice little amp overall, but I was better served by always bringing one of my other amps as a backup. SO I sold it.
That being said, I also had a GK MB200 and loved it. However, I had way too many amps and sold it when I was downsizing my amp/head collection. What I loved most was that it had Speakon jacks, it had the GK sound (which I like a lot!), and it had the great GK 4-band EQ.
I went through a bunch of amps before I ended up where I am at.
I tried the Elf, the GK MB200, the Gnome ... A few others. I ended up with the GR One 350. They all fit in a gig bag, but I liked the EQ/tone and the extra headroom on the GR.
I have three 800 watt heads that I can choose from for larger gigs, and the One 350 fits the bill for everything else.
It's great for small and medium sized gigs - really any gig that I don't have to cart around a bigger 800 watt head. It sounds great, and it plays well with pedals. What's not to love?
I tried the Elf, the GK MB200, the Gnome ... A few others. I ended up with the GR One 350. They all fit in a gig bag, but I liked the EQ/tone and the extra headroom on the GR.
I have three 800 watt heads that I can choose from for larger gigs, and the One 350 fits the bill for everything else.
It's great for small and medium sized gigs - really any gig that I don't have to cart around a bigger 800 watt head. It sounds great, and it plays well with pedals. What's not to love?
I should also say that I did a little shootout with the Elf, the MB200, and the GR.
I had an Elf 1*10, an Elf 2*8, and a Barefaced 1*10 for speakers.
I found that the Elf head and speakers really lacked bass as they got louder. Really mid focused. They sounded great on their own, but compared to the GR paired with the Barefaced, it was very apparent that the Elf lacked low end, like it had a built in hpf that was set fairly high.
The GK sounded like a GK, it was plenty loud. It sounded best paired with the Barefaced cab, but I preferred the GR.
I also had a BAM through both a 2*8 and a 2*10. The Gnome I used through a Revsound 2*10.
I had an Elf 1*10, an Elf 2*8, and a Barefaced 1*10 for speakers.
I found that the Elf head and speakers really lacked bass as they got louder. Really mid focused. They sounded great on their own, but compared to the GR paired with the Barefaced, it was very apparent that the Elf lacked low end, like it had a built in hpf that was set fairly high.
The GK sounded like a GK, it was plenty loud. It sounded best paired with the Barefaced cab, but I preferred the GR.
I also had a BAM through both a 2*8 and a 2*10. The Gnome I used through a Revsound 2*10.
Thank you so much everyone.
Tonight I will try some of the advice you have given me regarding equalization or using the active bass input, I had not even thought about that possibility.
Depending on the result I get maybe I will decide what to do.
Tonight I will try some of the advice you have given me regarding equalization or using the active bass input, I had not even thought about that possibility.
Depending on the result I get maybe I will decide what to do.
Have you ever consider a passive volume control knob pedal, like the EMX Signal Pad, in your effects loop? This will give you more control over your master volume. And cheaper than a new amp.
I kept a TE Elf head under the seat of my car for months as a backup. One night on a whim I decided to use it for the gig and it was great, plenty loud enough, and I liked it enough that I used it for a year or so. The only reason I stopped using it for gigs was when I changed cabinets and I didn't like the Elf so much with my new cabs.
FWIW, I used my Elf with two Markbass 210 traveller cabs and I thought it was great.
FWIW, I used my Elf with two Markbass 210 traveller cabs and I thought it was great.
Using an ELF and the 2x8 cab for most that I do. Two thru 5 piece with controlled drummer. Works great, plenty loud. Surprises most people that hear, then see it.
Have used the ELF with my Genzler Magellan 2x12 in loud club gig with not-controlled drummer. Held its own for sure.
dcr
Have used the ELF with my Genzler Magellan 2x12 in loud club gig with not-controlled drummer. Held its own for sure.
dcr
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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