Genz Benz Streamliner Pt 7.....

[Shiveringbass]

Hello,

I've read pretty much every post of the 5 previous part of that megathread... but the most informative thread I read was the Genz-benz head shootout thread in the Rocket music forum.

I greetly encourage any TBers in the market for a GB head to listen to the clips Greg recorded.

It was very revealing for me and interesting enough, I found that this Streamliner has a very similar tone to my Glockenklang Soul. The mids are more polite/soft than those of the Shuttle family and consequently the amp seems more hefty with less bite. What you ccould called "a bit dark" but with clear highends.

I understand now people describing the Glock to have a tube like fatness and I'm now gasing for a Streamliner to complement the Glock in the small public transport friendly rig. I feel that this Streamliner is closer to my Glock than the Tecamp Puma I use actualy in the "small rig".


Cheers

 

[yamark]

Got my 600 today and holy crap. It's exactly what I've been missing.

 

[rodl2005]

Did a gig last nite with the STL600> Berg AE212, sadly more of the ' fat' sound, but no definition.
Sure, plenty of lows & highs , but noa mid presence to CUT THRU a dense mix.
& yes I had the bass @ 9, mids-3 o'clock. disappointed!
This amp sounds GREAT by itself, but, gee, I'm finding it hard to get it to cut thru in a band setting.

 

[noahw1]

Crank the mid know to 4 or 5? Or, maybe it's just not for you. Sorry to hear it.

 

[smeet]

Strange, I've had no trouble cutting through with the SL900 and Uber410 (I generally cut bass to 10 and boost 600Hz a healthy amount, 3+. I play an active jazz (Carvin SB5000), usually favoring the neck pickup, no trouble hearing every note clearly.

What kind of a sound are you going for?

 

[alexofc69]

Did a gig last nite with the STL600> Berg AE212, sadly more of the ' fat' sound, but no definition.
Sure, plenty of lows & highs , but noa mid presence to CUT THRU a dense mix.
& yes I had the bass @ 9, mids-3 o'clock. disappointed!
This amp sounds GREAT by itself, but, gee, I'm finding it hard to get it to cut thru in a band setting.

Try setting it all flat. Bass should probably not be cut that much. I run my mids around 11 oclock at 600hz at it cuts perfect. What kind of bass are you playing? Im running a STL600 via two Genz Benz 112 NEOX cabs and have no problem whatsoever.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

Did a gig last nite with the STL600> Berg AE212, sadly more of the ' fat' sound, but no definition.
Sure, plenty of lows & highs , but noa mid presence to CUT THRU a dense mix.
& yes I had the bass @ 9, mids-3 o'clock. disappointed!
This amp sounds GREAT by itself, but, gee, I'm finding it hard to get it to cut thru in a band setting.

I believe that it has been more than one TBer who has tried the AE212 with the SL and found not to be the best pairing. Ken Jung, one of the resident product experts on Talkbass I believe was one of them, and I trust his opinions. Ken found the AE 410 a much better match IIRC.

I also have an Uber 410 and have absolutely zero problems cutting through two very loud guitarists and a drummer who pounds like his life depends on it.

 

[rodl2005]

I have tried a few different basses. I have tried with flat settings -WAY too much boominess. & I have tried heaps of different eqs
I'm going for a standard ' vintage ' tone. Am using a p bass with flats & an Alleva-Coppolo EUT5 with rounds, EBMM RAY 5, Fender jazz. Tried with the AE410 also.
Couple of other TB' ers have pm'd me with the same probs. I just cannot see how ppl aren't getting a Huge amount of bass?
Sure using just the AE112 the portion was far less. But, gee I hope this amp WILL work with aat least a bigger cab set up.
As I've stated previously,I am prepared to persevere, & will keep trying. It DOES sound great by itself, but it ain't just me. The rest of the band members-in 3 different bands, all have said the same, "bass sounds really boomy & is muddying up the stage mix." :-/

 

[Red Planet]

No problems here.

Streamliner = bestest amp ever built.

 

[svtb15]

Some peoples huge amount of bass is another just right.. Depends on cabs, basses strings... technique etc.. That is why i hate those " Amp setting" threads..
No two people sound the same.. even with the same gear..
Dont be afraid to turn the knobs...

Just 3 short years ago when the Shuttle 6.0 came out... Some people were whining that it did not have big enough bass !! For me it worked great if i just turned the knob a little...
So it is really very subjective...
And when you use the word "boomieness" .
I consider boominess to be that 160hz type tone that honks and rings like a poorly designed stage.... I dont hear boominess in the Streamliner at all. I do hear big bottom though... full and round...

Try running your bass control lower and boosting your mids.. Turn the knobs... And then maybe the streamliner is not your thing... You may like an amp with a semi parametric mid section like the Shuttle series...
I dont hear that boominess that you describe but i do hear round full and supportive deepness... TO me Bass and Boominess are two entirely different things..

Caveman Voice."Bass Good- Boominess Bad.. Ughhh "
We all describe and hear thing differently though...


Also im not sure how one AE112 can muddy up a band mix unless you are playing very low... And the AE112 is fairly bright box IMO....
Try in different locations.. Could also be a poorly built stage wherever you are playing..... Move things around..Like i said dont afraid to twist up those knobs..

I just cannot see how ppl aren't getting a Huge amount of bass?

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

I have tried a few different basses. I have tried with flat settings -WAY too much boominess. & I have tried heaps of different eqs
I'm going for a standard ' vintage ' tone. Am using a p bass with flats & an Alleva-Coppolo EUT5 with rounds, EBMM RAY 5, Fender jazz. Tried with the AE410 also.
Couple of other TB' ers have pm'd me with the same probs. I just cannot see how ppl aren't getting a Huge amount of bass?
Sure using just the AE112 the portion was far less. But, gee I hope this amp WILL work with aat least a bigger cab set up.
As I've stated previously,I am prepared to persevere, & will keep trying. It DOES sound great by itself, but it ain't just me. The rest of the band members-in 3 different bands, all have said the same, "bass sounds really boomy & is muddying up the stage mix." :-/

Well, maybe it's because we are approaching from two different perspectives. I came from a more modern sound, and without doing anything else, I have gotten more vintagy but not at all boomy. In fact, I have never had to cut the bass at all!

Of course, I play a Dingwall fiver with Circle K SS nickel alloy strings. The Dingwall is P-bass sounding, but very clear. I also play a Warwick Dolphin, also with Circle K SS strings. So, perhaps my basses are a better combination with the SL. I don't know.

I have never been and never will be a flats player, and I have never liked the Ampeg sound. BUT, i love the way SL has taken a couple of very bright and high clarity basses and has tamed them down to a wonderful growl with deep but very clear lows. Maybe you could try some SS strings to brighten up the tone a bit?

 

[svtb15]

I play my Alleva Coppolo KBP4 with Chromes and it is not boomy.... I get great mid articulation..... and not boomy at all.... mmmm

 

[steve_rolfeca]

...I have tried heaps of different eqs
...Am using a p bass with flats & an Alleva-Coppolo EUT5 with rounds, EBMM RAY 5, Fender jazz. Tried with the AE410 also.
...The rest of the band members-in 3 different bands, all have said the same, "bass sounds really boomy & is muddying up the stage mix." :-/

Whenever my dad and I used the same gear without changing the settings, he always got a wider, more romantic sound. I eventually got so that I could pretty much duplicate any tone he produced, but it always took different gear and settings to get there.

From previous posts, it's obvious that you've stayed open-minded, and been diligent in trying different settings, basses and cabs. It seems unlikely that you AND your bandmates are all wrong.

So maybe the sound that your hands naturally produce, just isn't a good match for the Streamliner. No shame in that- it's why there's more than one kind of amp!

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

And when you use the word "boomieness" .
I consider boominess to be that 160hz type tone that honks and rings like a poorly designed stage....

I HATE that!

I also agree with you Kirk, that it is so true that tone is subjective, and somewhat dependent upon what you've become used to. It took me a bit of time to get used to the Streamliner, but now I couldn't imagine needing anything else.

 

[rodl2005]

I actually said with the AE112 it's not nearly as bad. With bigger cabs,-bad. I definitely don't have to have semi-para eq. For the last 30+yrs I've been using all tube amps with very minimal eq.
& also as I said, it ain't just me. All members of the 3 bands I play in have commented on hire it's muddying up the stage sound :-/
As I also said, I will persevere, coz I love the sound of the amp on its own, just in a band setting is where I'm getting the probs.
Understand re other ppls eq settings, but I have fiddled with its eq heaps. Sure, I ain't used to cutting the bass settings to 8.30, or pushing the mids to 3.30, as on my old SVTII, I used to keep everything pretty much all @ 12 o'clock.
No-one has said anything like this when I use the Shuttle..... But as I said, I do like the sound of the amp, just boom probs in a band setting. Hope I can get it sorted!

 

[rodl2005]

+1 I hate that boomy stage sound too! Not SO much 'boominess', as just no cut thru in band settings. Shame, coz as I say, LOVE the sound of the amp when played by itself. Great! Maybe I do have 'bassy fingers' just funny how on the last 33 yrs of gigging, it hasn't shown itself. I hope I can get it to work for me-really really truly ruly!

 

[rodl2005]

I'm wondering (clutching @ straws here I know) if a different pre amp tube might be a slight fix. I know of none, but are there any 12--- types of tubes that might tighten things up? Doubt it I know, but........

 

[wateroftyne]

No problems here.

Streamliner = bestest amp ever built.

This...

The clarity I get in the mix is like no other amp I've ever had... but it's a 'bass' clarity, rather than a 'slicing through the mix' clarity.

Proper bass, IMO.

 

[rodl2005]

Understand EXACTLY what cutting thru a mix means, heck I've been gigging since I was 15y.o. & with good quality all tube amps for 30yrs. & I was one of THE biggest voices-in my town at least -of the greatness of all tube beasts, when everyone else was getting a 'clangy' sound outta their Hartkes & TE ss amps back in the late 80'z ;-)
So I KNOW what a good bass sound is. I hope no-ones saying I don't have a clue to what makes a good tone etc.
I also know what 'cut-thru' should sound like. Sheesh??
The LAST thing I want is to 'slice' ppls heads off with a cr@p tone.
I SAID I liked the tone of the stl-600 by itself & that others, not JUST myself have found it "boomy & muddying up the stage sound"-their words not mine
Am simply after some views/help-if poss-coz, as I said,I WILL persevere with this amp. Am really liking GB amps, heck, I even like this one, otherwise why would I keep trying? I've got a Shuttle & a Mesa Walkabout that I love too.
Am just hoping I can get the STL to work for me too.
Fair enough?

 

[wateroftyne]

Understand EXACTLY what cutting thru a mix means, heck I've been gigging since I was 15y.o. & with good quality all tube amps for 30yrs. & I was one of THE biggest voices-in my town at least -of the greatness of all tube beasts, when everyone else was getting a 'clangy' sound outta their Hartkes & TE ss amps back in the late 80'z ;-)
So I KNOW what a good bass sound is. I hope no-ones saying I don't have a clue to what makes a good tone etc.
I also know what 'cut-thru' should sound like. Sheesh??
The LAST thing I want is to 'slice' ppls heads off with a cr@p tone.
I SAID I liked the tone of the stl-600 by itself & that others, not JUST myself have found it "boomy & muddying up the stage sound"-their words not mine
Am simply after some views/help-if poss-coz, as I said,I WILL persevere with this amp. Am really liking GB amps, heck, I even like this one, otherwise why would I keep trying? I've got a Shuttle & a Mesa Walkabout that I love too.
Am just hoping I can get the STL to work for me too.

Whooah... calm down. I'm just telling you my experience.

Maybe something like a GRAMMA pad would help? I use one all the time, and it really focuses the lows on an amp like this.

Or, maybe it's just the pairing with the AE212. Or maybe it's juts not for you.

FWIW, I used to own a Walkabout, and IME the Streamliner is clearer and punchier.