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Genz Benz Streamliner Part 9

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#266
I have to say, I am VERY happy with Genz Benz's customer service. I've been noticing my amp distorting in an unpleasant way that I can't dial out by reducing the gain. I've been thinking it's a bad tube. I tried it through several cabs and with different basses to make sure the amp is the culprit. I called Genz today and the tech said it sounds like a bad tube and offered to send me a couple to swap out. He didn't ask where I bought the amp and he didn't try to get any other information from me, just took my address and said he'll send them out today. NOW THAT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE!!


On another note, I've been using the Streamliner with my NV610 since I got it. I've always liked the tone, but not loved it. I've been running a HHB Fatman compressor with my Fodera and it really helped bring out some clarity, but if I use any of my other basses forget about it; it's just too muffled. It was especially bad with anything with Barts.

I have a Epifani Series 1 Ul-112 that I left over at my folks house over a year ago that I picked up and brought home recently and I absolutely LOVE the way it sounds with the Streamliner. The clarity is all there and so is the fat, tubey goodness. I can have a more modern tube tone with the tweet turned up or turn it off and there's the warm old skool tone. I'm really happy with this combo, especially since I felt a little backwards using a 6 pound amp with a hundred pound cab.


I guess I'm one of the few that doesn't really like the match up with the NV610.



Michael
 
#267
I did two backline Cab rental gigs yesterday with my Streamliner...
One was outside and one in a smaller 300 person club with lots of local musicians that came to see... it was with a guy Rusty Burns GIT player gun slinger from texas... I had 810s on each gig..
The indoor gig with the 810 and my Streamliner 900 was the most enjoyable gig that i have done in a long time.. It was an older 810 rental... Small , tight stage...and i was about 4-5 feet from my amp.. The streamliner 900 SANG through that cab... very tubey.. very SVTish but nicer in ways.......... I must have had about 5 other bass players come up to me last night to ask about the streamliner head... just one of those gigs that you go home from and feel it could not have gone any better... man that was fun
 
#270
I have a question for streamliner owners and users, and would love to hear from anyone who knows about the engineering of this amp or anyone who puts it to heavy gigging use.

I use an STL 900 with an AE212 and I notice that the AE212 sounds its best when it is pushed a bit by the Streamliner, the tone really seems to open up when the STL is at 50% or more of its total volume (the gain, volume and master all at noon or above). When I get the amp to this level, the power limit light is flashing pretty consistently, with every note that I play and I don't want to blow the amp out from overuse or over-exertion. I play about 150-200 shows a year so definitely don't want to put too much strain on the amp over time and need it to be long term reliable. The AE212 seems to have no problem handling the power by the way.

What do you guys think? Is this safe operating like this?

Thanks.
 
#271
Sounds like you're digging the effect that special power module is having on the tone, the 3DPM dealie.

Cant say 'ought more than that though, I've never got it to kick in on my 600.
 
#272
@ J Brooks
You have the gain button pushed in too, to get that led flashing, right?
If so I'd be more worried about hearing loss than amp failure.
I run the gain @ noon, pre @ 2.5 o'clock and master maybe 11 o'clock, gain button NOT engaged and I never see the led flash but things are plenty loud...
I agree, the amp sounds great when pushed a bit. Kinda starts to sing with harmonic overtones.
 
#273
woolysock said:
@ J Brooks
You have the gain button pushed in too, to get that led flashing, right?
If so I'd be more worried about hearing loss than amp failure.
I run the gain @ noon, pre @ 2.5 o'clock and master maybe 11 o'clock, gain button NOT engaged and I never see the led flash but things are plenty loud...
I agree, the amp sounds great when pushed a bit. Kinda starts to sing with harmonic overtones.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response, sometimes the gain button is pushed in and sometimes not depending on the gig and the room but when it is disengaged I sometimes jack the gain up a lot (to about three o clock) and it flashes. In either case, yes those settings are very loud but I only do that on large stages and I use pretty substantial earplugs. I try to be very careful of my hearing and I would not recommend those settings to anyone because yes it could be damaging.
 
#274
My Office
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#275
J. Brooks said:
Thanks for the response, sometimes the gain button is pushed in and sometimes not depending on the gig and the room but when it is disengaged I sometimes jack the gain up a lot (to about three o clock) and it flashes. In either case, yes those settings are very loud but I only do that on large stages and I use pretty substantial earplugs. I try to be very careful of my hearing and I would not recommend those settings to anyone because yes it could be damaging.
Click to expand...

Several posts on here have commented that the flashing light is not a clip light per se, but indication that you're pushing the amp and it might be close to clipping.

And the harmonic overtones is just what you hear in Ed Friedland's great reviews. By the way, he has recently posted reviews of the new GB Focus cabs, some with the Streamliner 900 fully cranked, and you get to hear that signature Streamliner gnarl in spades. Check out Bass Whisperer on YouTube. Great stuff.
 
#277
I was going back and forth for months trying to decide betweenthe Shuttlemax 9.2 and the Streamliner 900 , I have for about 2 years now and have been usuing my shuttle 9.0 , great amp as well and I wont get rid of it , but man I went with the Streamliner and absolutly love it , I have had it for about a month now giged with is twice and done the rehursals , I just love it , punchy tight and fat , my cabs are Berg AE112,s two of them and I drug out my heavy old berg HT-322 , thru these cabs this head just kills , im so happy with the tone and power , sweet amp !
 
#278
I got to try a G-K neo 210 tiltback with my SL900 last night.

Interesting pairing, and I see why the G-K cabs get love around here. The sound guy suggested I use their rig (1001RB-II and the neo cab). It sounded OK, but the sound guy's eyes went all round and glassy when I plugged in the Genz, and swapped out their cheap DI for the DI out on my amp...

He said it was everything he looks for in a bass tone.

Unfortunately, the 210 didn't have enough oomph to handle the Streamliner by itself, once I started stepping it up to compete with a rather loud drummer and the guitarist's small Marshall combo.

I didn't mind, as the seemingly bottomless headroom of my Thunderchild 112 AF was a treat, as always.

Still, if I didn't have the luxury of the Thunderchild, I could easily see rocking a pair of the G-K's.
 
#279
:cool:

Did a gig this weekend with an old Band of mine.
First time they heard the Streamline 600 with my custom Schroeder 2x15 cab.
They were floored, this amp sells itself.
It has become my go to rig.
 
#280
Played a gig this weekend at a venue we hadn't played in about 5 months. The soundguy was having trouble remembering who we were (completely understandable, we played there once before and he's seen about a hundred other bands since us). Then he soundchecked the bass. It was like flipping a light switch. He remembered us, he remembered that tone. I love when a soundguy says the tone is perfect, don't touch a thing. You feel confident that for once the tone you dialed in is actually the tone coming from front of house. It just makes me play better.
If you ever have issues with soundguys, buy this amp. All your problems will disappear.
 
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