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Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0 vs TecAmp Puma 500

M

m bazz

May 25, 2009
19
3
Serbia
#1
Hi,i need a bit of advice on buying an amp.

My options are Shuttle 6.0 or Puma 500 both second hand.I am mostly playing clubs,From 200 to 2000 people,but every once in while an outdoor gig.My main bass iz a MM Stingray4 2 bend eq.Right now i have GK MB500,but i would like to change in sound a bit..

My main tone goal is to warm up my stingray(to add some bass to it,or to get some lower mids,not sure..while preserving the clarity like i had with GK,but also important thing that amp has to be good thing to play double bass through it,so i need hi-fi,modern sounding ballsy amp sound.Did anybody tried both?I currently have Gk rbh 210,but soon GK122 Neo ll...please don't tell me to sell Stingray because i love it and it sounds great,or to keep MB500 because i already promised her to somebody else ;)



If you don't want to read all of this i'll explain.I just have a gas to change an amp.But i am not joking anyhow!Thank you.
 
#2
The Shuttle 6.2 is very cool, but I was never a fan of the 6.0. A bit too attenuated down low, and seemed more like 300 watts than 600 watts to me. The 6.2 is fattened up quite a bit, and would be a bit less 'goosed' but still bright and modern replacement for the MB500.

The Puma decision greatly depends on which model of the Puma500 you are considering. The original 2 space unit is VERY fat and round and big down low, and very clean/relaxed in the upper midrange, with a very crystal clear top end. VERY hi fi (as we use that term on TB). Given its big low end and relaxed, clean midrange, it isn't the loudest of heads, but is very pure. Somewhat similar to the Glockenklang tone to my ear.

The newer, single space Puma500 is closer to the Genz tone (still quite different). Tighter down low, much punchier in the mids, and more 'warmth up top'. It sounds like a less extremely goosed MB500 (i.e., not as big down low, not as sizzly and bright up top, and cleaner). Fantastic 'relatively neutral' amp... loud and small... and expensive!
 
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#3
Thanks for your time KJung!The one Puma that is available to me is 1 space unit,and considering the price it is really good price just a 50 euros higher than GK,and in mint condition,not played much :).So i think i will maybe try that one and see if it's working for me.The main thing that is lacking on MB500 to my ears is body of the tone (some mids i guess) so Puma may fit nicely!Before GK i had Markbass R500 wich is all mids,and vintage,nice and loud amp but really not good for a lot of stuff that i am living of :) Tried Little mark 2, and 3,but also not for me...and those are about only choices i have here in my country(that i can afford right now).
 
#5
Virgil said:
Kjung. Have you had an opportinity to play through the TecAmp Black Jag 900? I am considering retiring my Epi 902 c, it has been a good warrior but showing signs of fatigue.
Click to expand...

I have not. It is light but large, REALLY expensive, and the extra stuff (distortion, etc.) is not really worth the money for me. I would think you would LOVE the Puma900.... small, relatively inexpensive, punchy, loud.

If you want a tone a bit closer to your 902 (i.e., super fat down low), but with more control of the mids, and you don't mind spending some cash, the Glockenklang Blue Soul is quite something. Two rack spaces and 11 pounds, but it travels nicely in the optional bag.
 
#9
PawleeP said:
WONDERING WHAT YOU MEAN BY LESS EXTREMELY GOOSED? THANX pp
Click to expand...

To my ear, the GK micro's have a very large low end, and a super sizzly top end with boosted upper mids baked into their tone. 'Goosed'. Super sizzly, BIG down low, bright up top. Kind of a 'more of everything voicing to me.

Could be good, could be bad... depends what you are looking for. Not my thing personally.... a bit 'metalic sounding' to me.
 
#10
As Ken said, depends on which Puma 500 you're talking about. The newer design is freakin' brilliant imho. For my needs it is the best of all worlds - it has more mid punch and edge than the GB stuff, isn't as wooly as the TC or Aguilar TH (which is probably my 2nd favorite), and is less edgy than the GK stuff.
 
#12
kurosawa said:
Wow. That Bonafide is now on my lotto list.
Click to expand...

I'd think through the Bonafide as a choice carefully. Expensive, bridge/stereo design. The Bonafide was specially designed as one of the rare 'true stereo amps' (i.e., each channel can drive a separate power amp), based on Richard Bona using stereo effects with bass.

If that is your thing, the Bonafide is, at the moment (I think) the only true stereo bass backline all in one head on the market.

If you don't need to do that, you are wasting your money, and the Puma500/900 would be more cost effective, smaller, and based on the Bonafides reviews, a bit more reliable.

If you, on the other hand, are looking for the bigger bottom, cleaner, more relaxed mids and more hi fi top end of the original Puma500/1000, the Glockenklang Blue Soul is IMO the way to go there. A bit spendy, but it does that 'clean tube preamp through a channel strip' thing as well as anything I've ever played.
 
#13
I have a 6.0 and my 1/4 size URB sound great using Turner UB-1 pickups and an Accugroove Tri112L. I'm looking at getting the ShuttleMax 9.2 to take advantage of the two EQ's for doubling. I would get an A/B switch for the instruments to facilitate not having to change any cords.

Wally
 
#14
Well i just got Puma,and it sounds really great,i just played it at home so no important experiences from me until next weekend,but i think in terms of my tone goal that should be just it.It is at the same time fat and articulate,and has a lot of punch with my GK RBH 210 (witch i am selling because of weight only) We ll' see about the headroom,i hope it has at least the same as GK MB 500.Right now it somehow reminds me of markbass LMark but warmer,and with more powerful controls,i mean when i added just a touch of low mid it added so much of a clear punch with extra clarity,and second best the Taste knob is great and useful!

Now I am not crazy about gear talk,in fact I hate it,but i will write some impressions after my gigs so others(as I did) can hear some more about this head because there isn't to much on the net comparing to some other equipment.

Thanks to KJ for description of this head 'cause i cannot find anything i think different than what he said about Puma 500!
 
#15
KJung said:
I'd think through the Bonafide as a choice carefully. Expensive, bridge/stereo design. The Bonafide was specially designed as one of the rare 'true stereo amps' (i.e., each channel can drive a separate power amp), based on Richard Bona using stereo effects with bass.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I seem to have been drifting in that multi-channel direction for a while now, though it'll be a while before I arrive. There's something about completely discrete simultaneous voicings that's very appealing. But I'll probably end up with entirely different amp/speaker setups per pickup.
 

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