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Forgive me if this has been discussed before.

#41
I like my bass amps to sound like an Ampeg (SVT or B-15); and guitar amps to sound like a Fender (Princeton Reverb/Reverb/Twin/ or especially the "Brownface") a Vox (AC-30), or a Magnatone (Twilighter/Twilighter Stereo).

So I guess I'm into definitive or signature sounds.

But I consider the combination of the bass and the amp to be a single instrument. I don't think of an amp as something that just makes the bass louder. A Fender Jazz Bass going thru an old Bassman is a totally different instrument than that same Jazz Bass going through one of the original Acoustic 360 stacks. Night and day sonic difference. And it'll have a totally different 'feel' when you play it.

And when it comes to "versatility," I don't really care about it all that much. I already know what I like and what I want. And as long as an amp can deliver it, I don't care if it can do twenty other things too. An amp's versatility, purely viewed as versatility, is vastly overrated AFAIC.

But that's me. YMMV. ;)
 
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#45
Rev J said:
Do you prefer an amp to have a transparent sound or a definitive tone?

For example a lot of modern manufacturers like Aguilar for example Tonal Transparency as a selling point. Others like Ampeg and Alembic essentially use Fender Showman Circuits which are renowned for their midrange response.

So which do you prefer?

C/S,
Rev J
Click to expand...


Transparency is relative. A rig that is highly transparent will allow you to more easily discern one bass from another, and a rig that is relatively non-transparent will tend to make all instruments sound alike. Transparency occurs when a rig: 1) accurately reproduces the impulse response of the instrument, and 2) reproduces the full range of the instrument and all required overtones. Systems with poor impulse response, limited frequency response, and limited dynamic range tend to lack transparency.

A factor related to transparency is voicing. Voicing is largely related to the EQ curve of the system. Does the system emphasize or cut lows, low mids, upper mids, or highs?

All amp/speaker combinations color the sound to some degree. Thus multiple rigs that are marketed as transparent can sound quite different.

In general I prefer a rig that is more transparent, but to some degree the answer depends upon which style of music I am playing. Sometimes an overdriven SVT into an 810 is great and other times not.
 
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#46
40Hz said:
This!

And once you hear and get used to working with it, there's no going back. (Bax - or James if you're being picky - rules!)
Click to expand...

It's not really that simple. Fender Showman and Ampeg SVT are both different flavors of awesome. You won't make either amp sound like the other without some serious outboard processing. Likewise you won't get a Matamp GT120 with a Baxandall tone stack to sound like either a Showman or SVT.
 
#47
Rev J said:
Do you prefer an amp to have a transparent sound or a definitive tone?

For example a lot of modern manufacturers like Aguilar for example Tonal Transparency as a selling point. Others like Ampeg and Alembic essentially use Fender Showman Circuits which are renowned for their midrange response.

So which do you prefer?

C/S,
Rev J
Click to expand...
Transparent and as flat as possible across the frequencies, but with a responsive EQ stack. I don't mind a little voicing, as long as it doesn't rob access to any particular band of frequencies. There are some amps out there that won't produce a clean, full-range tone.
 
#49
Wasnex said:
Transparency is relative. A rig that is highly transparent will allow you to more easily discern one bass from another, and a rig that is relatively non-transparent will tend to make all instruments sound alike. Transparency occurs when a rig: 1) accurately reproduces the impulse response of the instrument, and 2) reproduces the full range of the instrument and all required overtones. Systems with poor impulse response, limited frequency response, and limited dynamic range tend to lack transparency.

A factor related to transparency is voicing. Voicing is largely related to the EQ curve of the system. Does the system emphasize or cut lows, low mids, upper mids, or highs?

All amp/speaker combinations color the sound to some degree. Thus multiple rigs that are marketed as transparent can sound quite different.

In general I prefer a rig that is more transparent, but to some degree the answer depends upon which style of music I am playing. Sometimes an overdriven SVT into an 810 is great and other times not.
Click to expand...
I was just about to say that ... well, except for that Ampeg part.
 
#51
Munjibunga said:
What do you think of the B|Amp?
Click to expand...

My only experience with it was at NAMM, where somehow I never managed to stop and say hi when you were there. I dug it a lot from afar but never played though it myself since all the basses in there were fretted and the booth was always pretty busy. Too many variables at NAMM to draw meaningful conclusions, but I liked the IP series a lot and have done plenty of DIY stuff with DSP seasoning, so I'm all for the idea of what Jim's going for there.
 
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#52
Passinwind said:
My only experience with it was at NAMM, where somehow I never managed to stop and say hi when you were there. I dug it a lot from afar but never played though it myself since all the basses in there were fretted and the booth was always pretty busy. Too many variables at NAMM to draw meaningful conclusions, but I liked the IP series a lot and have done plenty of DIY stuff with DSP seasoning, so I'm all for the idea of what Jim's going for there.
Click to expand...
You owe it to yourself to try one out.
 
#55
Wasnex said:
It's not really that simple. Fender Showman and Ampeg SVT are both different flavors of awesome. You won't make either amp sound like the other without some serious outboard processing. Likewise you won't get a Matamp GT120 with a Baxandall tone stack to sound like either a Showman or SVT.
Click to expand...

I was referring to baxandall only in the sense of Ampeg's implementation of a baxandall tone stack, which is a little unusual. And it's specifics are AFAIK unique to Ampeg.

And if you're like me, which is to say someone who greatly prefers the sound of Ampeg bass amps, it really is that simple. For bass, it's Ampeg.

I'm not sure where a Fender Showman or a Matamp GT120 (I don't know what that is) come into that picture, but there you go. :)
 
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#57
40Hz said:
I was referring to baxandall only in the sense of Ampeg's implementation of a baxandall tone stack, which is a little unusual. And it's specifics are AFAIK unique to Ampeg.

And if you're like me, which is to say someone who greatly prefers the sound of Ampeg bass amps, it really is that simple. For bass, it's Ampeg.

I'm not sure where a Fender Showman or a Matamp GT120 (I don't know what that is) come into that picture, but there you go. :)
Click to expand...


Showman is typical of the blackface Fender tone stack. Matamp GT120 is meant to illustrate that the SVT signature sound is not derived purely from the Baxandall tone stack. Both the SVT and GT120 have Baxandall and sound very different. Most of the difference in tone between amps is due to differences in how they are voiced; rather than their EQ design. It's very possible to voice an amp with a Fender tone stack to sound similar to an SVT. For example, try an Ashdown CT300 which has a strong low mid push.

For some background on the SVT tone stack and others you might like this thread Some Discussion on Amp EQs

Please don't take any of what I have written as criticism of Ampeg. My preference of bass amps is situation dependent. IMHO, an SVT with an 810 is perfect for styles of music played with a P-bass and a pick. Personally, I am a far bigger fan of the amp than the cab. With a more transparent, full range cab, the SVT is quiet versatile.
 
#58
Rev J said:
Do you prefer an amp to have a transparent sound or a definitive tone?

For example a lot of modern manufacturers like Aguilar for example Tonal Transparency as a selling point. Others like Ampeg and Alembic essentially use Fender Showman Circuits which are renowned for their midrange response.

So which do you prefer?

C/S,
Rev J
Click to expand...
It has been somewhat discussed before.

I go for an amp that has a definitive sound. I think of it as part of the instrument.

Also Ampeg's EQ sections use a different kind of circuit than Fender.
 
#60
Rev J said:
Do you prefer an amp to have a transparent sound or a definitive tone?

For example a lot of modern manufacturers like Aguilar for example Tonal Transparency as a selling point. Others like Ampeg and Alembic essentially use Fender Showman Circuits which are renowned for their midrange response.

So which do you prefer?

C/S,
Rev J
Click to expand...
Thats one of the better topics on TB...
I prefer the tone of my GKs, they have a distinct sound and I love it, it works for me.

As far as FOH it depends on the gig...some gigs just see my Basswitch, but if my own show then I use a combo of the DI and a RE2o on my rig.
 
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