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Fender Rumble Club

Oh No! Not Science, Facts, and Stuff!

IDK 'bout dat! Jus a list of actual fan noise complaints in da club what I done foun'. Maybe dat's all dey is, an' maybe it's not. I ain't sho I know all how to work dat search engine at de top o de page so good, or not, me. YMMV. Don't trust me. Try it yo own self an see.
 
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First of all why would anyone even think of putting a high powered stage bass amp in a studio environment? You'd have to use a stethoscope to hear the fan in the Fender Rumbles anyway. At recording volume if you were close micing the cabinet you'd never hear the fan even if you mic'd it with a Telefunken U47! So minor complaints of non-existent fan noise is a moot point at best.

I know it is a sin to criticize the Rumble amp in this forum but the fan noise is far from “non-existent.” I use my control room to practice and I am use to it being dead quiet. I agree that if I was micing the cabinet while playing there would be no problem with fan noise. But when you aren’t playing or listening to the monitors, you can definitely hear the fan. Perhaps it isn’t as noticeable with the combos since the fan is on the back of the cabinet. But with the head sitting almost at ear level you can hear it. I will just not use this amp on a regular basis to practice because I hate introducing noise into my room. So, forgive me for mentioning the issue. It is a good sounding amp and cabinet combination, just not silent.
 
Fair enough.... I doubt any amp with a fan is gonna be silent.
As mentioned, the superb Bassman 100T is made for studio use with its switchable output modes and... unless I'm mistaken, a silent record mode (my Super Bassman has this silent record mode).
Otherwise, I'd mention the Ampeg PF20T or PF50T both of which can be used without a load, unlike most other all tube amps.
As far as other class D amps, I don't think any don't have fans.
Again tho, I'd compare your 500 Rumble to another if possible. Mine, I'm very happy with, & haven't actually heard the fan. But I've not used mine in a recording situation
 
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Hey guys! I've had my 500c for a couple months and just ordered the 210 cab. Loving the combo so far, and just ordered the parts to Blackface (I've heavily modded basses, but never any amps before, LOL). Anyway, I was curious if anyone had swapped out the power light for a different color or look? Not too worried about it, just wondering if it was a simple option? Also, can I get a number?!?!
Thanks!
 
I put my new 500H and one 210 cabinet in my studio and the first thing that I noticed was the fan noise. My studio control room is very quiet and I find this noise a little annoying. It isn’t loud but it definitely isn’t quiet. My practice amp has been an Acoustic Image Contra (great for upright bass and small jazz gigs) and it is dead silent. I’m guessing that the Rumble Head won’t find a permanent home in the control room.

Does anyone else find the fan noise annoying?
Nope, I have to put my ear right on the case to hear it. Perhaps it's defective?
 
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I`m passive, running quarter pounders, decoupled from the floor with a tiltback stand, about a foot off the floor..I might just be over thinking everything here..The amp is new to me, and more than likely it`s all mental..I`ve asked a few friends that came down to hear us play and they said the amp sounded great, so maybe it`s my ear(s) and I`m being over critical..
So.....how do I join this Rumble club?

John
Welcome Rumbler #939! Which Rumble do you have? What is it about the sound you think isn't right? Try checking out Rumble wiki page. It can be a lot of help. Rumble on!
 
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Hey guys! I currently have an Ampeg BA 210V2 that I think is a pretty decent amp. However, when I plug my basses into my buddies 200 watt rumble the sound always blows me away. I had planned on getting an all tube ampeg rig, but I really just don't have a need for it right now. I know I'll get one someday, but for now it's just kind of not ideal. However, I am thinking of switching to the Rumble 500 because I feel it would really be an upgrade. Plus, maybe Ill have money left over for another bass :). Has anyone else made this switch?
 
Maybe the fan in this one unit IS louder than others...? Sh!t happens. I've never noticed the fan in my 500C either.
I'd go to a store that has another and compare.

Yeah, I can't hear the fan on my 200C, either - I'd guess that there's either an issue with his particular amp, or he's wanting absolute silence when not playing a note... If it's the latter, that never made sense to me, since if you can't hear it when you're playing, why does it matter?
 
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Hey guys! I currently have an Ampeg BA 210V2 that I think is a pretty decent amp. However, when I plug my basses into my buddies 200 watt rumble the sound always blows me away. I had planned on getting an all tube ampeg rig, but I really just don't have a need for it right now. I know I'll get one someday, but for now it's just kind of not ideal. However, I am thinking of switching to the Rumble 500 because I feel it would really be an upgrade. Plus, maybe Ill have money left over for another bass :). Has anyone else made this switch?

I almost bought that same combo over my 500h+210 (essentially a 500 combo). I also used to always want an Ampeg tube rig, even considered the PF50t when I was looking at amps last.

The Rumble doesn't do that Ampeg grind, but the Ampegs don't seem to do much beyond that. I've gotten some pretty fat tones from their 15" combos in the past, and played a couple SVT stacks. For some reason while I was saying about how awesome these things sounded I never bought one. Well once I bought a BA115, but before leaving the store I changed my mind. I ended up with a MusicMan Stingray and stuck with my Fender Bassman 100 for another year or so.

The Rumbles go deeper, they get punchier, their OD is wonderful, and I find myself loving mine every time I use it. I also think it looks way better then any of the BA combos. And 99% of the time Ampegs stuff is heavier for less watts and low end.

Outside of that I've got no objective or even really definable reason for why I switched. I've always felt my subconscious push away from Ampeg despite always talking about how it was the sound. My friend put it this way: "The Fender is this incredible woman with a great personality, and she's pretty hot. The Ampeg isn't as good a woman but her boobs are nicer. So what do you want wife material or boobies?"

I bought my Rumble the next day.

Do I still want an Ampeg tube amp? No not really. I don't think I even need a separate guitar amp. I'd be surprised if I ever bought anything Ampeg in the future now, I don't lust after that sound at all now. YMMV of course. Just wanted to offer my thoughts.
 
I could use some info about floor coupling/decoupling. Doesn’t decoupling lose bottom end?
This really should be Bass Player Acoustics 101 along with the basics of cabinet coupling effect and Fletcher Munson Effect. People you need to know this stuff.

OK good question @Bizorballs. First lets look at decoupling. Yes, you loose bottom end, but not all of it and not all at once. Lets raise your combo or cabinet up on a milk crate or two. As long as you don't go much over two feet, you're not loosing much at all, and nothing EQ couldn't handle.

On a boomy hollow floor or stage, you most definitely want to decouple to get rid of the boom. You can't do it effectively with EQ, you must decouple. Not only that you should use an isolation pad/platform such as an Auralex GRAMMA. Another new product is the Mud Stand if you have a combo. For a belt & suspenders solution put your Mud Stand on top of an Auralex GRAMMA. The GRAMMA gives your amp a new acoustically neutral 'floor' on which to recouple without any bottom loss and no boom. To my ear it also helps to tighten up the bottom, so I use one all the time.

Try this -> Take your amp outside and set it on good old Mother Earth. Play. Now put it on a GRAMMA. Play. What difference if any do you hear? Now put your amp on a hollow stage in a large room with hard reflective walls; and floor. Play. Now use a GRAMMA. Play. Now fill hall with happy shiny people. You & band play. Write down all scientific acoustic observations and report back with substantial findings. Draft and post new 'Rumble Talk'.
 
I almost bought that same combo over my 500h+210 (essentially a 500 combo). I also used to always want an Ampeg tube rig, even considered the PF50t when I was looking at amps last.

The Rumble doesn't do that Ampeg grind, but the Ampegs don't seem to do much beyond that. I've gotten some pretty fat tones from their 15" combos in the past, and played a couple SVT stacks. For some reason while I was saying about how awesome these things sounded I never bought one. Well once I bought a BA115, but before leaving the store I changed my mind. I ended up with a MusicMan Stingray and stuck with my Fender Bassman 100 for another year or so.

The Rumbles go deeper, they get punchier, their OD is wonderful, and I find myself loving mine every time I use it. I also think it looks way better then any of the BA combos. And 99% of the time Ampegs stuff is heavier for less watts and low end.

Outside of that I've got no objective or even really definable reason for why I switched. I've always felt my subconscious push away from Ampeg despite always talking about how it was the sound. My friend put it this way: "The Fender is this incredible woman with a great personality, and she's pretty hot. The Ampeg isn't as good a woman but her boobs are nicer. So what do you want wife material or boobies?"

I bought my Rumble the next day.

Do I still want an Ampeg tube amp? No not really. I don't think I even need a separate guitar amp. I'd be surprised if I ever bought anything Ampeg in the future now, I don't lust after that sound at all now. YMMV of course. Just wanted to offer my thoughts.

This is pretty much the kind of response I was looking for. Deep, punchy, and overdriven is pretty much the sound I'm looking for, so the choice seems pretty obvious. I love the analogy too, that's probably what sold it for me just now. No question I'd rather have wife material. I post pictures as soon as I get my rumble. (Also, good choice on the Stingray :). )
 
This really should be Bass Player Acoustics 101 along with the basics of cabinet coupling effect and Fletcher Munson Effect. People you need to know this stuff.

OK good question @Bizorballs. First lets look at decoupling. Yes, you loose bottom end, but not all of it and not all at once. Lets raise your combo or cabinet up on a milk crate or two. As long as you don't go much over two feet, you're not loosing much at all, and nothing EQ couldn't handle.

On a boomy hollow floor or stage, you most definitely want to decouple to get rid of the boom. You can't do it effectively with EQ, you must decouple. Not only that you should use an isolation pad/platform such as an Auralex GRAMMA. Another new product is the Mud Stand if you have a combo. For a belt & suspenders solution put your Mud Stand on top of an Auralex GRAMMA. The GRAMMA gives your amp a new acoustically neutral 'floor' on which to recouple without any bottom loss and no boom. To my ear it also helps to tighten up the bottom, so I use one all the time.

Try this -> Take your amp outside and set it on good old Mother Earth. Play. Now put it on a GRAMMA. Play. What difference if any do you hear? Now put your amp on a hollow stage in a large room with hard reflective walls; and floor. Play. Now use a GRAMMA. Play. Now fill hall with happy shiny people. You & band play. Write down all scientific acoustic observations and report back with substantial findings. Draft and post new 'Rumble Talk'.

Fortunately, most of our venues are on a solid concrete floor, but I still use something(MudStand or other)to angle the amp up toward my ears. I'm usually less than 6' in front of the amp, many times the legs of the stool are against the amp, and my knees don't hear very well. They also don't function as knees very well but that's a whole 'nuther problem.