• 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.

Finally!! Ashdown Steps Up with some Small Tubers!! Yes

#43
jlepre said:
This amp comes with a volume control right?
Click to expand...

It does, but the thing about the Little Bastard is that the volume is also essentially the "gain" control (no seperate preamp & 'master' control). So, if you want "living room volume" (different for everyone, granted)- you won't necessarily get the amount of tone and saturation you want. This setup works great in the studio, but is less flexible in terms of volume levels in a given environment.

It appears that Ashdown has recognized that with the new amplifiers. Independent gain and volume control. Sure, not the same as dialing in power-tube saturation, but it still makes them more flexible overall. It seems the eq is more deliberate for these types of scenarios, too. (cant say how it all works until I try one, of course!)
 
#45
scotch said:
It does, but the thing about the Little Bastard is that the volume is also essentially the "gain" control (no seperate preamp & 'master' control). So, if you want "living room volume" (different for everyone, granted)- you won't necessarily get the amount of tone and saturation you want. This setup works great in the studio, but is less flexible in terms of volume levels in a given environment.

It appears that Ashdown has recognized that with the new amplifiers. Independent gain and volume control. Sure, not the same as dialing in power-tube saturation, but it still makes them more flexible overall. It seems the eq is more deliberate for these types of scenarios, too. (cant say how it all works until I try one, of course!)
Click to expand...

I've found that a clean gain or preamp pedal gets around the no gain knob thing at low volume.
 
#46
Unfortunately I doubt many retailers are going to stock the full Ashdown tube line for our perusal. Taking it on the road doing demo evenings is something I'd certainly value a lot. I'm actively looking for a tube head in the 15-100 watt range and I'd go out of my way to make it to a demo of these amps.
 
#49
Jawbone said:
Sorry Marty Forrer, the Streamliner I played, even with it's over rated tube pre-amp stage, sound like all the other class D voiced amps.
Click to expand...

Its because they all (pretty much) use Bang & Olufsen ICEPOWER 125ASX2 Class-D amplifiers and use different preamps and power sections to drive them. TBH - They are some of the easiest amplifiers I've seen to design because the 125ASX2 amp is already manufactured; you just put a preamp in front of it (tone hammer DI) and give it some mains power; and bam! Amplifier. Design a case, silkscreen it pretty.

These tube amps excite me.

KJung said:
What:rollno: You may not dig the Streamliner, but saying a Streamliner sounds like a GKMB500 that sounds like a Markbass F1 that sounds like Glockenklang Blue Soul is, well, strange.

Now, if you are one who digs pushing an all tube power section into overdrive, you are right, no solid state amp of any topology can do that.

That all being said, the new Ashdown tube amps look very cool.
Click to expand...

When you have strikingly similar (identical) Amplifiers like the B&O 125ASX2 in each of them; what is done by the amplifier going into the speakers will be done with all of them. Sure the preamps are different, but the output section responsible for the gain is rather identical in a lot of these amplifiers. I'm not familiar with the Glockenklang unit; but I can imagine and hear every class D amplifier imparting something to the signal that makes the sound very similar. Like its held back somehow; lacking damping factor, with higher distortion and sounding like it has suppressed harmonics. It's hard to explain. I know I'll be told I'm wrong, but something sounds very subdued with a Class D amps. I would suspect with good measuring tools I could quantify what I'm hearing into scientific data and come up with an explanation but the most I have now is what my ears are telling me. And I know for one that I can hear the difference between a Crown I-Tech and an old Macrotec when they are approaching their output limits; so clearly the Class-D amp would have an effect on how the sound is amplified and how the amplifier can control the speaker.

Perhaps this picture of THD vs Power shows what happens in this power amp. It quickly reaches 10% THD before max power.

graph_125asx2_130209.jpg


That will certainly effect the tone because once you increase the harmonic content that much you are going to loose other things; such as sonic accuracy; note attack, ect.

And yes, I'll say it again. These tube amps look super cool. I think I'm with JAUQO III-X, if no other amp company steps up their tube game Ashdown will end up on top. Let's just hope their line does not compete too much with itself.
 
#54
joelb79 said:
Its because they all (pretty much) use Bang & Olufsen ICEPOWER 125ASX2 Class-D amplifiers and use different preamps and power sections to drive them. TBH - They are some of the easiest amplifiers I've seen to design because the 125ASX2 amp is already manufactured; you just put a preamp in front of it (tone hammer DI) and give it some mains power; and bam! Amplifier. Design a case, silkscreen it pretty.

These tube amps excite me.



When you have strikingly similar (identical) Amplifiers like the B&O 125ASX2 in each of them; what is done by the amplifier going into the speakers will be done with all of them. Sure the preamps are different, but the output section responsible for the gain is rather identical in a lot of these amplifiers. I'm not familiar with the Glockenklang unit; but I can imagine and hear every class D amplifier imparting something to the signal that makes the sound very similar. Like its held back somehow; lacking damping factor, with higher distortion and sounding like it has suppressed harmonics. It's hard to explain. I know I'll be told I'm wrong, but something sounds very subdued with a Class D amps. I would suspect with good measuring tools I could quantify what I'm hearing into scientific data and come up with an explanation but the most I have now is what my ears are telling me. And I know for one that I can hear the difference between a Crown I-Tech and an old Macrotec when they are approaching their output limits; so clearly the Class-D amp would have an effect on how the sound is amplified and how the amplifier can control the speaker.

Perhaps this picture of THD vs Power shows what happens in this power amp. It quickly reaches 10% THD before max power.

graph_125asx2_130209.jpg


That will certainly effect the tone because once you increase the harmonic content that much you are going to loose other things; such as sonic accuracy; note attack, ect.

And yes, I'll say it again. These tube amps look super cool. I think I'm with JAUQO III-X, if no other amp company steps up their tube game Ashdown will end up on top. Let's just hope their line does not compete too much with itself.
Click to expand...

You have incorrectly identified the power module used in the Streamliner. And, again, I pretty much completely disagree with the conclusions.

You are also absolutely incorrect that 'most class D amps' use that particular ICE module, or even use ICE modules at all.:rollno:

And again, literally 100% of the power amps used in world class touring rigs happen to be class D/SMPS, and many class D/SMPS amps use non ICE modules (Markbass, Walter Woods, Glockenklang, I think GK, until recently, TecAmp, etc., etc.) Also, for example, TecAmp uses a different class of ICE module that is monoblock and higher powered, etc., etc., etc. Same thing with the Glock, and of course, the Walter Woods.

The power amp you are posting about is used in the Shuttle 6 and the Aguilar TH350, I believe.

FYI.
 
#56
JAUQO III-X said:
For whatever reason, there is no other bass amp company even looking to get in as deep as Ashdown when it comes to building and putting out tube amps.
Click to expand...

They definitely seemed more focused on the tube thing than other companies.

General question to any poster who knows... why are most of the offerings called 'hybrid' but yet have tube power sections? That is a different usage of the term 'hybrid'. Is it that they are using SMPS versus a linear power supply? I was a bit confused.... maybe I just read it incorrectly.
 
#57
JAUQO III-X said:
The CTM300 is like no other tube amp on the market.


One has to play one to get the full understanding of where bass tube amps are going. In a short time Ashdown will be the # 1 Bass tube amps in the game.









My above comments has nothing at all to with me being an Ashdown endorser.
Click to expand...

Could you perhaps elaborate? I think the CTM-300 has been available at least here in Europe for a while, but I haven't seen a single comment or review written about it. Or was this what you meant by "like no other tube amp", that no-one has actually bought one? ;)
 
#58
I just wish Ashdown had better distibution. I hardly ever see their newer amps here in Nashville or in my travels... Rock Block in Nashville had the Little Bastard eventually, but I had almost forgotten about it!

Amps are like packages of bacon to me- Im not buying it until I put my hands on it! ...that was a weird analogy! :p
 
#60
KJung said:
You have incorrectly identified the power module used in the Streamliner.
Click to expand...


I'm pretty sure that all the GB class D amps are using some variant of the B&O ICEPower modules.


KJung said:
You are also absolutely incorrect that 'most class D amps' use that particular ICE module, or even use ICE modules at all.:rollno:
Click to expand...


I'm willing to bet a significant majority of the class D bass amps sold use the B&O ICEPower modules.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back