• 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.

Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0 discussion thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#401
KJung said:
FYI.. the Mesa Carbine (M6/M9) is not really voiced for overdrive, and neither is the Shuttle 6/9. The Mesa M6 will most likely bury the Shuttle 9 in low end and volume, and the M9 will massively squash it... those heads are like freaks of nature volume and low-end wise. If you are looking for overdrive capability, the Shuttle Max heads have that capability, as does the Mesa BB750.
Click to expand...

I should clarify. I'm not looking for massive amounts of overdrive at all, but can you dial in a noticeable amount of tube grind/overdrive?

Great, now you have me leaning toward an M9 again, but I ain't gots no money... :bawl:;)
 
#402
KJung said:
FYI.. the Mesa Carbine (M6/M9) is not really voiced for overdrive, and neither is the Shuttle 6/9. The Mesa M6 will most likely bury the Shuttle 9 in low end and volume, and the M9 will massively squash it... those heads are like freaks of nature volume and low-end wise. If you are looking for overdrive capability, the Shuttle Max heads have that capability, as does the Mesa BB750.
Click to expand...

After while I just sound like a damn broken record, but I totally
agree with you. I played a Mesa M6 yesterday. Volume and
solid lows done effortlessly. But for the size, weight, cost, and
feature set, the 9.0 is going to make a big noise in the micro
amp market.
 
#403
rpsands said:
KJ, have you cranked the M6 next to the Shuttle?

The reason I ask that is that the M6 seems to have a lot of fenderitis with the volume knob. It went 1/2/10 for me when I turned it up, and didn't seem to get a lot louder going up to 12 o'clock-ish.

I would seriously have doubts about the M6 being louder than a Shuttle 9, given my experiences with the Shuttle 6 into a 4 ohm cab.
Click to expand...

No, but my F1 and LMII was significantly louder and fuller in the low end than Shuttle 6, and the M6 BURIED the LMII/F1. I've finally experienced the M9, and it is just completely, totally over the top volume-wise. I've gotten quite a few reports about the Shuttle 9 from guys whose ears I trust. All very possitive about the tone, the low end and the volume, but not 'lead sled like' at all.

Don't get me wrong, I'd take a Shuttle 9 (assuming they really did fix the anemic low end of the Shuttle 6, which it sounds like they did) over the Mesa any day of the week tone-wise for my personal goals (the Mesa's are too wide, deep, and aggressive up top for me), but pure wump.... NOTHING has come close to those Mesa's in a two space amp, much less a micro IMO and IME.
 
#404
B String said:
After while I just sound like a damn broken record, but I totally
agree with you. I played a Mesa M6 yesterday. Volume and
solid lows done effortlessly. But for the size, weight, cost, and
feature set, the 9.0 is going to make a big noise in the micro
amp market.
Click to expand...

+1 The Shuttle 9 sounds like it is a winner. From the reviews that I've gotten from various users via email over the last month or so that they'be been shipping in quantity, some are calling it 'what the 6 should have been' (although I understand the logic in the 6 voicing, since it was meant to drive those little Shuttle cabs).
 
#405
bassplayer7770 said:
I should clarify. I'm not looking for massive amounts of overdrive at all, but can you dial in a noticeable amount of tube grind/overdrive?

Great, now you have me leaning toward an M9 again, but I ain't gots no money... :bawl:;)
Click to expand...

I again call the Carbine heads 'Mesa's for those who don't like Mesa'. While there is some 'tube complexity' in that preamp, I don't think you can get what most would consider 'overdrive' out of that pre. I could be wrong, but I cranked that pre up pretty darn hot and dug in, and while it got a similar 'tube complexity', just like the Shuttle 6 (and I assume the 9), it didn't do 'break-up' like the Max with that 'turbo boost' engaged, or the TC RH450 with the Tubetone cranked, or the Mesa BB750 with the boost control engaged, etc.

If you are looking for a bit of tube complexity, the M6/M9 or Shuttle 6/9 should do you just fine. If you want to grind and grunt and distort a bit, there are probably better options. I would seriously consider one of the Max heads... magnificent... not micro small, but micro light, and the EQ is a quantum leap above the Shuttle 6/9, especially if you are a tweaker and/or want real overdriven tone directly from the amp.
 
#406
KJung said:
If you are looking for a bit of tube complexity, the M6/M9 or Shuttle 6/9 should do you just fine. If you want to grind and grunt and distort a bit, there are probably better options.
Click to expand...

I guess "tube complexity" is what I was referring to. My BX1200 has the Drive control, but it doesn't do much for me. Of course, it's also a solid state head. Generally, it's a pretty clean sounding and bright amp.

When I tried an M9 in the store at low volume through a Mesa 412, it seemed to get that "tube complexity" to my ears. I just wasn't sure if the Shuttle 9.0 was capable of the same.
 
#407
bassplayer7770 said:
I guess "tube complexity" is what I was referring to. My BX1200 has the Drive control, but it doesn't do much for me. Of course, it's also a solid state head. Generally, it's a pretty clean sounding and bright amp.

When I tried an M9 in the store at low volume through a Mesa 412, it seemed to get that "tube complexity" to my ears. I just wasn't sure if the Shuttle 9.0 was capable of the same.
Click to expand...

If you are happy with that tube tone with the Mesa, I'm pretty sure the 9 or 6 would be fine.
 
#408
KJung said:
I again call the Carbine heads 'Mesa's for those who don't like Mesa'. While there is some 'tube complexity' in that preamp, I don't think you can get what most would consider 'overdrive' out of that pre. I could be wrong, but I cranked that pre up pretty darn hot and dug in, and while it got a similar 'tube complexity', just like the Shuttle 6 (and I assume the 9), it didn't do 'break-up' like the Max with that 'turbo boost' engaged, or the TC RH450 with the Tubetone cranked, or the Mesa BB750 with the boost control engaged, etc.

If you are looking for a bit of tube complexity, the M6/M9 or Shuttle 6/9 should do you just fine. If you want to grind and grunt and distort a bit, there are probably better options. I would seriously consider one of the Max heads... magnificent... not micro small, but micro light, and the EQ is a quantum leap above the Shuttle 6/9, especially if you are a tweaker and/or want real overdriven tone directly from the amp.
Click to expand...

Spot on Ken! The STL9 is impressive and goes deeper then the STL6 (I agree about the voicing to go with the rather good Shuttle cabs - they really do work amazingly well together!!). The M6 is much beefier than the STL9 and the M9 is just crazy loud. I feel that the STL9 is about on par volume-wise with the LMIII/F1 and also the TC Classic 450 - I did a comparison today with all these amps and there is not much in it for volume, but they really do all offer something unique in the "tone front".

I call it "Mini Amp Wars" and my shop is the battle front :-D

Mark
 
#409
poptart said:
Spot on Ken! The STL9 is impressive and goes deeper then the STL6 (I agree about the voicing to go with the rather good Shuttle cabs - they really do work amazingly well together!!). The M6 is much beefier than the STL9 and the M9 is just crazy loud. I feel that the STL9 is about on par volume-wise with the LMIII/F1 and also the TC Classic 450 - I did a comparison today with all these amps and there is not much in it for volume, but they really do all offer something unique in the "tone front".

I call it "Mini Amp Wars" and my shop is the battle front :-D

Mark
Click to expand...

That is the feedback that I have gotten, almost exactly. I always thought the Shuttle 6 was not in the same league as some of the other micro's, but the 9 seems to be right 'on par' with the best of the best. Cool. I look forward to getting my hands on one of these to try out, although I'm not a bit tube pre fan. However, the tube in the Shuttles is pretty subtle, like the Carbines, to my ear. I REALLY like that FET channel on the Max heads.

Also, the 9 seems to be a really good option for the '8ohm guys', since it has been reported by a few that it does have more meat to it at that impedance than most of the other micro's. Cool on that!
 
#411
KJung said:
+1 The Shuttle 9 sounds like it is a winner. From the reviews that I've gotten from various users via email over the last month or so that they'be been shipping in quantity, some are calling it 'what the 6 should have been' (although I understand the logic in the 6 voicing, since it was meant to drive those little Shuttle cabs).
Click to expand...

I've not tried any of the new Mesas except the Walkabout combo, but I really liked it.

As for the Shuttle 9.0 I'm very very pleased. I've had it a few weeks now. The tone is rich and warm and I'm getting all the volume & low/mids I could want through my Ampeg cabs. I'm taking it to rehearsal again tomorrow and performing this weekend.

BTW -- still really dig my LMII and Ampeg SVT-CL too but the Shuttle 9.0 has been getting the love at my place of late.
 
#418
poptart said:
I feel that the STL9 is about on par volume-wise with the LMIII/F1 and also the TC Classic 450 - I did a comparison today with all these amps and there is not much in it for volume, but they really do all offer something unique in the "tone front".
Mark
Click to expand...


Just from the small amount I've used the 9.0, I would have to
say it has more headroom AND low end than the F1, which is
a real favorite of mine. It certainly has more that the LMII/III.
 
#420
B String said:
Just from the small amount I've used the 9.0, I would have to
say it has more headroom AND low end than the F1, which is
a real favorite of mine. It certainly has more that the LMII/III.
Click to expand...

+1 all the way. In your 8ohm situation, the lower power micro's really seem to be under that 'wattage threshold' (500 watts or so) that allows them to handle strong transients like slapping hard. The 9, with that 500 watt 8ohm power rating, seems great so that you don't hit the power amp limits with it when really digging in.

I'm going to be considering one of these if I take the plunge on one of those 15/6 cabs, which are all 8hms and can handle a bit of power.

At 4ohms, it gets a little hard to hear the difference in wattage with these micro's, since they mostly are over the threshold level and have enough wattage to drive most cabs to full volume.

That head should be great for your situation IMO!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back