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Yup - seemed a bit like a "circular firing squad" for a hot minute there; wasn't sure who was arguing with who.
Anyhow, I'll be playing a house party this weekend with my Legacy 800.
It'll be 85 degrees out, and my band is pretty freaking loud, so I'll have a good chance to assess and report back on the fan operation.
Heck, maybe I'll borrow a temperature probe from work and measure the temperature differential between ambient and the case of the amp...
Science!
Here's a thread from 2007 that compares them:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/gallien-krueger-sbx-cabinet-series-quality.328687/
IIRC, I bought a used 410SBX around 10-15 years ago.
I've always used ported cabs (except for brief ownership of an Ampeg 810 - which wasn't my thing).
My impression was that the GK 410SBX felt like playing with a high-ratio compressor on my bass.
Lots of players love sealed cabs - especially tube amp guys.
I suspect that the higher mechanical damping of the cab helps with the low electrical damping of a tube power section.
It may be exactly what you're looking for, but it definitely wasn't my thing.
Try before you buy.
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/gallien-krueger-sbx-cabinet-series-quality.328687/
IIRC, I bought a used 410SBX around 10-15 years ago.
I've always used ported cabs (except for brief ownership of an Ampeg 810 - which wasn't my thing).
My impression was that the GK 410SBX felt like playing with a high-ratio compressor on my bass.
Lots of players love sealed cabs - especially tube amp guys.
I suspect that the higher mechanical damping of the cab helps with the low electrical damping of a tube power section.
It may be exactly what you're looking for, but it definitely wasn't my thing.
Try before you buy.
I am leaning back into the tube side of amps, so your observation is an interesting one .
I remember reading that the GKneo 810 was a sealed cab too , I wonder if I could track down one of those unicorns
Alas, I realized after the gig that I'd forgotten to bring the temperature probe.
However, I did rest my hand on the case of the amp, and it was only a bit warmer than the hot/swampy garage where we were set up.
Mine never ran hot, but often warm. The fans did their job, I guess.
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Mine was a good bit warmer than the surrounding space, with no fans running. I wouldn't call it hot, but it was definitely almost there. I think I made a good decision to return the amp. I really don't think the fans were working.
I'd have done the same - proper cooling is essential to reliability.
Get a Legacy that's working properly, and I think you'll be very impressed and happy with how hard it kicks and how well it articulates your playing.
My Genz-Benz Streamliner sounds fantastic at home but is a little more work to slot into the mix at a show or rehearsal.
The Legacy is a bit bright and pointy at home - then it just kicks @$$ with the band; tons of clarity, crisp attack, tons of headroom.
I love having two amps that sound so good to me, in such different ways - but the Legacy is what I pack for most gigs.
Is it a SLM? Yes. Does it sound a bit "darker"? Yes. Is it heavier than a normal one because of all the wood chips and glue? Definitely is. I kinda like the different sound with it to be honest. Just played it with a LTD Viper bass. My jazz bass has been sitting in a shop the last few months waiting for a headstock decals (mostly my fault not in anyway the shops fault) so I'm excited to see how that jazz bass is going to sound with the cab/head combo.
I did like how light that Markbass was! (If anyone is in the Portland area and is looking for an 8x10 Markbass cab I got one that needs a new home!)
I did like how light that Markbass was! (If anyone is in the Portland area and is looking for an 8x10 Markbass cab I got one that needs a new home!)
Just a comparison note. I played through an Ampeg SVT + 810 cabinet the other day (required backline use) and although fun, it really couldn't compare to my normal GK 1001rb or 700rb with one or two NEO 410s. It wasn't nearly as tight and it had an audible issue with one of my bass synth settings that made an ugly clicking sound. The SVT was EQed pretty much flat and volume around 1/3rd as the bass signal was being sent by DI to FOH and subs. This was just my experience with it and there wasn't time to play around with the SVT settings much to see if it could be improved.
Like many young and aspiring bassists, I used to absolutely idolize the combination of SVT and 810. But when it came time to buy my first "big rig", I sure couldn't afford it. (Also like many young and aspiring bassists!) So I went with a used GK 700RB-II and 410 Neo. Never looked back! I had the opportunity to check out a vintage SVT and 810 a few years ago, so I figured why not. My experience was similar to yours. Loose lows, lacked definition, and didn't have that "snap" I'm used to with my GKs. I took a few minutes and tried to EQ it some, but nothing seemed to help. That definitively killed any desire I ever had for one of those rigs! I know they work for many, MANY players, and I'm not knocking it, but my tone is GK all the way!
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,619
- 18,701
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
Loving, my new CX210s
This is my new theater setup and I feel the CXs have a little more lower mid presence (to my ear), but have all the definition of the NEOs as well.
Interesting timing on these ....I was looking to thicken up the mid section of my 700RB-II ....and thought that a Peggy 810 would do the trick ,cuz a GK amp+ a peggy 810 is such a stellar couple , and I almost nabbed one , but instead found a deal on an Ampeg BA300-210 combo for only 150$... its a 2008 model , and from what I read , Ampeg didn't get Class D in check until about 2015 ... so not only is it the hugest class D amp i've ever seen ...(the heat sink on this thing is comparable to a small car radiator! lol ) the power section has issues ..it cuts in and out at random times.
but It is the most Led Sled sounding Class D i've ever encountered tho .. at least for 300w.
... so I've been experimenting with different combinations of the Ampeg pre ( it has 1 preamp tube , I put a NOS Tungsol in it ,,and it mostly acts as a signal buffer , adding some harmonic content and texture...the same as a single tube pedal would do ) into my GK ... I tried the Ampeg pre into the return of the GK ...using the Gk power section , with option to the boost knob...very nice! ... but yes the low end is a bit loose and "woody" ..inherent of the Ampeg sound.... but compared to the Ampeg power section ... definite improvement , much quicker and punchier than the ampeg . Great sound ... but not what i'm looking for .
Then I tried the Ampeg pre into the front end of the GK 700 ... adding 3 bands of EQ ( 40z bass ,400hz mid ,4k treble ( same as 800rb ) )
and WOW! now I have a GK 700 with a single tube pre and 9 bands of EQ to access .... its become a swiss army knife of tone shaping .... and putting the Ampeg pre into the GK front end tightened up the peggy low end ... its honestly the most tube like SS setup I've ever tried .... along with a Mesa Walkabout
I get exactly what i'm looking for ,, a gritty , chimey- tube like tone with that signature tube" chingy-ness" and clarity ( when pushed) , tight bass ,
and It gave me the chewy mids I was looking for . Its a pretty mighty 210 setup .... but i'm gunna give it the full monty test this weekend ... we will see if it holds up or blows up!
I use two CX210s as well and love the flexibility of using 1 or 2 depending on the venue. I bought additional sets of the sure lock feet and mounted them on the sides of the cabinets so I can stack them vertically or horizontally as needed. Honestly, most of the time I stack them vertically. I like the tone of these but I tend to prefer ceramic of the Neo speakers. The CX line is a nice middle ground of ceramic tone but with lighter weight.
welp I blew up the Ampeg Power section on my combo 
I also got my 700RB-II EQ to almost match the Ampeg Pre-amp, after some knob fiddling ... but the Gk has a tighter low end.
the only thing the Ampeg has that I couldn't match with GK was a 100hz bump in the EQ curve ... which I think contributes to the "thuddy mud" of the Ampeg low end , but was a different flavor of thick on the upper 3 strings of my P bass.
Fun experiment .. but things didn't pan out once the volume increased.
700-RB-II still holds the Belt
now if I could just find one of those sealed Neo 810 boxes
I also got my 700RB-II EQ to almost match the Ampeg Pre-amp, after some knob fiddling ... but the Gk has a tighter low end.
the only thing the Ampeg has that I couldn't match with GK was a 100hz bump in the EQ curve ... which I think contributes to the "thuddy mud" of the Ampeg low end , but was a different flavor of thick on the upper 3 strings of my P bass.
Fun experiment .. but things didn't pan out once the volume increased.
700-RB-II still holds the Belt
now if I could just find one of those sealed Neo 810 boxes
