svtb15
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- Mar 22, 2004
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- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
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Genz Benz Streamliner Pt 7.....
- Thread starter Chef
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Got my SL900 yesterday! I was a bit nervous after some of the comments here, not having had a chance to play a Streamliner before taking the leap of faith. I want that infamous "full face melt"! First thing I noticed--oops, Speakon only. Guess I won't have a chance to try it with my Eden D410XLT after all--it's an older cab with banana binding posts, no Speakon. I had just put the XLT up on Craig's List to help fund my GAS, but I was starting to have second thoughts. But too late... Within two hours of putting it on Craig's, I had a buyer for my old amp and the XLT. So I'd not have a chance to get a Speakon-to-1/4" cable and try the SL through the Eden. Just as the 900 was being delivered by UPS, my XLT buyer was showing up with cash in hand.
Good thing I have my Avatar 1x15 with Speakons. Plugged 'er in, cranked 'er up... instant tone Nirvana. Right away I experienced that booty y'all been talking about, even at bedroom volume. I was using my old active Carvin LB75. Fiddled a bit with the eq, cranked up the gain, looking for that face melt. Got pretty close with the gain knob all the way up, and I'm thinking, "OK, this could work, I really love this drive sound. I guess I can live without FULL face melt. Maybe I'll use a pedal." Then I remembered the gain switch!! hahahahahahaha I got pretty close to full face melt WITHOUT the gain switch depressed. One push of that switch, and it was like kicking in the nitro on a street racer. I think I've died and gone to heaven! Walked back over to the amp and picked it up (with two fingers and my thumb!) just to reassure myself this tone is really coming out of a 6.5 lb box. I'm pinching myself! Too good to be true!
I spent all night messing with tones and playing along with my original band's cd to nail the sounds I'll need to play our songs live. With each passing minute my bliss multiplied. This head is like Beano--my GAS has disappeared! To be fair, this is my first tube head, so I don't really have a solid basis for comparison other than my limited experiences with friends' tube heads. But based on first impressions, I have high hopes that the end of my Sacred Tone Quest is now in sight. I just have to find the right cab(s) to feed my new baby monster! I really don't think the Avatar 1x15 is gonna be up to the task, though I'm already getting GREAT sounds. I'm gonna need a 2x10 for sure. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Loving my Streamliner!
Good thing I have my Avatar 1x15 with Speakons. Plugged 'er in, cranked 'er up... instant tone Nirvana. Right away I experienced that booty y'all been talking about, even at bedroom volume. I was using my old active Carvin LB75. Fiddled a bit with the eq, cranked up the gain, looking for that face melt. Got pretty close with the gain knob all the way up, and I'm thinking, "OK, this could work, I really love this drive sound. I guess I can live without FULL face melt. Maybe I'll use a pedal." Then I remembered the gain switch!! hahahahahahaha I got pretty close to full face melt WITHOUT the gain switch depressed. One push of that switch, and it was like kicking in the nitro on a street racer. I think I've died and gone to heaven! Walked back over to the amp and picked it up (with two fingers and my thumb!) just to reassure myself this tone is really coming out of a 6.5 lb box. I'm pinching myself! Too good to be true!
I spent all night messing with tones and playing along with my original band's cd to nail the sounds I'll need to play our songs live. With each passing minute my bliss multiplied. This head is like Beano--my GAS has disappeared! To be fair, this is my first tube head, so I don't really have a solid basis for comparison other than my limited experiences with friends' tube heads. But based on first impressions, I have high hopes that the end of my Sacred Tone Quest is now in sight. I just have to find the right cab(s) to feed my new baby monster! I really don't think the Avatar 1x15 is gonna be up to the task, though I'm already getting GREAT sounds. I'm gonna need a 2x10 for sure. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Loving my Streamliner!
You're not alone. A few weeks back, after dialing in my preferred SL tone, I placed a VT Bass Deluxe with the Putnam blend mod in the effects loop. 60% SL core, 40% VT/Ampegish tweak. Result is tubetastic tone on tap, going from dark and (mostly) clean to gritty, oily grime.
Hadn't posted about this yet, since I know it sounds like sacrilege. The Streamliner is a helluva head, but it doesn't provide presets, and I've never felt that there was a single perfect tone for all tunes. Plus I hate fiddling with knobs on-the-fly.
You're not alone. A few weeks back, after dialing in my preferred SL tone, I placed a VT Bass Deluxe with the Putnam blend mod in the effects loop. 60% SL core, 40% VT/Ampegish tweak. Result is tubetastic tone on tap, going from dark and (mostly) clean to gritty, oily grime.
Hadn't posted about this yet, since I know it sounds like sacrilege. The Streamliner is a helluva head, but it doesn't provide presets, and I've never felt that there was a single perfect tone for all tunes. Plus I hate fiddling with knobs on-the-fly.
Yea, having some pre-sets are nice. What made you go through the effects loop and not the front end?
StickBass said:Got my SL900 yesterday! I was a bit nervous after some of the comments here, not having had a chance to play a Streamliner before taking the leap of faith. I want that infamous "full face melt"! First thing I noticed--oops, Speakon only. Guess I won't have a chance to try it with my Eden D410XLT after all--it's an older cab with banana binding posts, no Speakon. I had just put the XLT up on Craig's List to help fund my GAS, but I was starting to have second thoughts. But too late... Within two hours of putting it on Craig's, I had a buyer for my old amp and the XLT. So I'd not have a chance to get a Speakon-to-1/4" cable and try the SL through the Eden. Just as the 900 was being delivered by UPS, my XLT buyer was showing up with cash in hand.
Good thing I have my Avatar 1x15 with Speakons. Plugged 'er in, cranked 'er up... instant tone Nirvana. Right away I experienced that booty y'all been talking about, even at bedroom volume. I was using my old active Carvin LB75. Fiddled a bit with the eq, cranked up the gain, looking for that face melt. Got pretty close with the gain knob all the way up, and I'm thinking, "OK, this could work, I really love this drive sound. I guess I can live without FULL face melt. Maybe I'll use a pedal." Then I remembered the gain switch!! hahahahahahaha I got pretty close to full face melt WITHOUT the gain switch depressed. One push of that switch, and it was like kicking in the nitro on a street racer. I think I've died and gone to heaven! Walked back over to the amp and picked it up (with two fingers and my thumb!) just to reassure myself this tone is really coming out of a 6.5 lb box. I'm pinching myself! Too good to be true!
I spent all night messing with tones and playing along with my original band's cd to nail the sounds I'll need to play our songs live. With each passing minute my bliss multiplied. This head is like Beano--my GAS has disappeared! To be fair, this is my first tube head, so I don't really have a solid basis for comparison other than my limited experiences with friends' tube heads. But based on first impressions, I have high hopes that the end of my Sacred Tone Quest is now in sight. I just have to find the right cab(s) to feed my new baby monster! I really don't think the Avatar 1x15 is gonna be up to the task, though I'm already getting GREAT sounds. I'm gonna need a 2x10 for sure. But there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Loving my Streamliner!
Another 1x15" might work nicely.
Actually, going through the front end was my first choice. I'd had the modded VT Bass for several months before the SL, so I started with the same setup as before -- VT in front, using blend to let some "natural" instrument voice come through.
That worked great for goosing a GK combo. But in front of a Streamliner and Uber Quad, it really just sounded like crud: weirdly artificial and crushed, with none of the tube tone coming through. No amount of fiddling with the pedal's blend, drive, or EQ seemed to help.
Hooking into the effects loop was a last shot, nothing-left-to-lose move. And it instantly sounded better -- the devices seemed to be supporting instead of fighting each other.
The success of this setup was mostly due to the blend mod, since it allowed the SL's tone to dominate coming out of the loop. After all, the goal was never to replace the SL's tone, it was to spread that tone across a push-button spectrum. For what it's worth, this worked.
I'm thinking I need a bit more high end, and quicker response. The 15 is a bit sluggish, slightly flabby, not super tight sounding. I was thinking about getting a 2x10 and/or possibly a 2x12, for vertical stackage.
I'm turning the tweeter on the Avatar all the way off, since as expected the distortion is too harsh coming through the tweeter. Are there any 2x10 or 2x12 cabs out there that do not have tweeters? It would seem the amp companies should consider building cabs without bullet tweeters, but I guess tube overdrive isn't popular enough to warrant the "market share." Kinda crazy to pay extra for a bullet tweeter I won't even use...
What 2x10's are y'all using with the 900? Has anyone tried the TC Electronics 2x10's or 2x12's with an SL? Their cabs look good, and aren't ridiculously expensive.
I'm turning the tweeter on the Avatar all the way off, since as expected the distortion is too harsh coming through the tweeter. Are there any 2x10 or 2x12 cabs out there that do not have tweeters? It would seem the amp companies should consider building cabs without bullet tweeters, but I guess tube overdrive isn't popular enough to warrant the "market share." Kinda crazy to pay extra for a bullet tweeter I won't even use...
What 2x10's are y'all using with the 900? Has anyone tried the TC Electronics 2x10's or 2x12's with an SL? Their cabs look good, and aren't ridiculously expensive.
Thanks for the tip, Mojo; you're probably right, but I'm trying to get away from larger cabs. I just sold my beloved Eden D410XLT, just because it was too heavy and awkward to schlep around in my sedan. Wouldn't fit in the trunk, and it took two people to jam it into the back seat. I busted my knuckles one too many times doing that! I may reconsider if I can't find a good solution involving some combination of 2x10's, 2x12's, 1x10's or 1x12's. I may even have to check out the Phil Jones cabs featuring their 5" speakers! Those ain't cheap, though.
Thats the whole reason I went to the lightweight stuff. Gigging was a drag hauling 220+lbs of gear. Now I have the same power and headroom in a 75lb package and i dont need a truck or suv. It fits in my trunk. I have two 112 NEOX cabs, but they are 300w. Maybe two Epifani UL2 112 cabs? Dont know how those pair with the STL900.
This amp is the shizzy. Ive had it for months now and I love it as much as the day I bought it. Highly recommended.
Been gigging my SL900 for a few months now and it's been fantastic. I usually use it on an amp stand thru a Berg HS210. This has been great on stage, doesn't interfere with the house mix, doesn't bother anyone on stage, I hear myself perfectly and more accurately as to how the audience does. It's just great. It's fat, juicy, and big, but I still get enough grind out of my maple boarded Lakland 55-02 to keep the grindiest of grinders happy. Fat and grindy, just depends on how I attack it. Lovin' it.
Glad you are digging it Scott.
As stated, I'm getting there with it. LAst gig I did with it I even hadda turn the bass back UP from the 9 0'clock pos
& adjusting the pups on the Lakland P5 bass did wonders for cleaning up the sound with the STL-600.
I'm determined & am ON TRACK!
As stated, I'm getting there with it. LAst gig I did with it I even hadda turn the bass back UP from the 9 0'clock pos
& adjusting the pups on the Lakland P5 bass did wonders for cleaning up the sound with the STL-600.
I'm determined & am ON TRACK!
A 2*10 isn't automatically going to get you where you want to go. For example, the TC 210's are very round and plush sounding, with a smooth, retiring top end. Good cabs, but probably the opposite of what you're looking for.
Ken Jung recommends the Bergantino AE210's. He's not into distortion, though. Still, a couple of people here have that combo, and enjoy it. Spendy, but very portable, and very good. A vertical stack also has the advantage that it's tall enough to give you a good earful on stage.
For a lould, super-tight single 12 with great low end extension, you could look at a fEarful 12/6 or two. With no tweeter, and that nice cone midrange, it might be just the trick.
Also, do a search on Berg and 112. I forget which model it is, but there are a number of people using the SL900 with paired Bergie single 12's, and liking it. The Genz NEOX 112's get good reviews as well, but I have no idea where they sit on the fat vs punchy scale.
I'm not familiar with the Avatar 1*15, but a good 15 should be pretty tight and punchy. I seem to recall that the Genz Uber 115 gets some lovin' in this regard.
i was just wondering if anyone has experience with both the streamliner and the ampeg svt 3 pro. how do the tone's compare? i realize the ampeg is bigger, and less wattage, but ampeg seems to be the reference tone that alot of people use when evaluating tube amps. the thing that attracts me to the ampeg svt 3 is the tube drive control, controlling the voltage to the tube plates between 100 and 300 volts. at 300 volts it gets a very nice tight burpy fingerstyle funk tone that i like, and at 100 volts it gets a squishy tube power section tone that i might like for other things. i know genz engineered that feel into the power section, but can it get tight and burpy too? does the genz have that subtle ampeg grind that i like at low to mid drive levels?
I had a 3 pro a while back & own a STL-600 now. Pretty different amps imo.
The 3 pro will do almost any application fine, but the STL has far more grind on tap. Even with the experimenting I'm doing with the STL, I'd go for the GB over the 3 pro at any day.
The 3 pro will do almost any application fine, but the STL has far more grind on tap. Even with the experimenting I'm doing with the STL, I'd go for the GB over the 3 pro at any day.
I suspect that while you'd find that the Streamliner eats the Ampeg for tasty warmth, sag, and compression, you'd probably prefer a Shuttle 9.0 for the tight, burpy thing.
What about buying both? After a couple of months with my Streamliner, I've drunk the Genz kool aid big-time, and would much rather have a Streamliner and a Shuttle over the SVT 3Pro alone. That combination offers more power, more flexibility, and an excellent backup solution. Not to mention Genz's stellar customer service.
Still, to be honest, if you can live with the weight and lack of power, I imagine the Ampeg would be a cheaper way to get both those sounds in one package.
thanks for the replies guys. right now 2 amps really arent an option for me, especially since i might need both sounds out of the same amp on one gig. so the genz streamliner doesnt really to the tight fingerstyle funk thing? what about with a compressor? and you say that the stl is warmer than the ampeg? thats surprising since the ampeg seemed plenty warm to me with the right eq...
Actually, a lot of this has to do with what kind of basses you're playing, strings, effects chain (if any).
I play fairly bright and growly basses in my Dingwall and my Dolphin, I use Circle K SS strings with their nickel alloy outer wrap. When I set the Streamliner very clean, I get a very modern, burpy yet deep sound. When I overdrive the tubes, I get a very deep and grindy growl that again has a very ballsy burpy sound.
Is it that quick, mid-heavy, bass light jazz bass burp? No. But I find this more ballsy, bassy deep growly kind of burp to be my perfect tone.
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