I haven't seen the new clips. The GK and Berg are quite nice together. I'll keep my eyes peeled for the new stuff. Cheers to all for the help in this thread.
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Genz Streamliner 600/900 tone control primer
- Thread starter steve_rolfeca
- Start date
Big +1 IMO. I have posted this several times that I struggled in the mix with the AE212 and the STM900 regardless of bass and setting on the cab. Some better than others but still a struggle. That said, I also struggled with the STM900 and the HT112ER, but some like it. I prefer the STM900 with my AE112 stack, AE410 or if I still had the HS210 then probably that. For me, I liked the benefits of the STM900 enough to move a brand new cab (AE212) instead of it. It is a mix and match but when you find it, you know it. BTW, I really dug the GK MB200 through the AE212, but the STM900 will bury that when needed.
Also Jim B says the HD112 will be voiced on the HT112ER and not the AE112, so at least IMO probably not a great match for the STM900.
Might be cool for you guys to start a list of good cab matchups for the Streamliner. I must admit, it is an intriguing head, but, it seems like it's more of an old school/pbass kind of vibe. I pretty much play a Jazz so I'm just wondering if it would be good for me.
I think the best way to think about cab matching is: Cabs that tend to sound good with most all tube heads will sound good with the Streamliner'.
So, the Berg NV cabs, the tighter voiced AE cabs (410 and 112 and 210), the older SA and HS Bergs, the HD10 line (not the 12's... most likely), any sealed multi 10 cab, the Baer ML112 (which is voiced punchy and bright and relatively tight) most likely the Aguilar DB's (I would also include any cab that sounds good with the DB750 would also work quite well with the Streamliner), etc., etc.
An outlier seems to be the Acme 112's, which are HUGE down low, but for some reason handle the big low end and smooth tone of the Streamliner with zero much or boominess (although at moderate volumes given the lower efficiency relative to the other cabs above).
Cabs like the Epifani UL's, the Berg HT line (IMO), various 15/6 cabs (IMO), the AE212, etc.... not so much.
As I recall, you are not that crazy about the Streamliner with your different Jazz basses. That's sort of my dilemma with this head: it seems to shine with a Pbass, not so much for a Jazz.
On the other hand, there are a bunch of J-bass users over on the main Streamliner thread, who are loving it. Just depends on what tones you're after...
For my more 70's style J tone, you are correct. That tone for me is all about a tight low end (since the instrument is so big down there), really punchy low mids (since again the instrument is a little shy down there) , a nice dose of bright upper midrange, and then a 'solid state' upper treble to bring out and amplify the unique grind of the ash/maple 70's J spec.. That is everything the Streamliner is not.
For a different flavor of J, it probably sounds great, but it is just too fat and smooth for my definition of J tone and the type of J instruments I own.. The aggressive low mids and the nature of the top end of a P (even a bright ash/maple P with roundwounds) really seems to just sit perfectly in that wide, smooth Streamliner voicing.
So, for me, I only use the Streamliner with my P. Of course, others seem to be happy with a J bass. I guess there is a similar reason (at least this is my perception) why SVT users, and tube amp users of most brands, seem to greatly overindex of P Bass usage.
+1 I have a clip of my J with the Streamliner and the Thunderchild on my Youtube channel, and it surely doesn't sound bad. It is just that the very 'pretty', wide, somewhat scooped tone you hear on that clip that sounds so pure and clean and big and beautiful, just disappears at the first downbeat, at least on the gigs I do. Pure IMO there, and again, I'm only talking about the 'ash/maple/70's/roundwound sort of J thing.
And... FINALLY had a chance to listen to your EQ clips... nice. Pretty subtle, but you can hear the different nature of the boost and cut combinations. Nice!
Thats my frustration with the Soundcloud player, though.
Those clips go all the way from everything at noon, to bass at 8 and treble rolled back to 9 o'clock, through to treble and mids (at 2.5K) goosed for an upper-midrange grind.
Listening to them through my 3-way Flite cab as I recorded them, or straight off my laptop via Audacity and my Beyer cans, Shure and Klipsch earbuds, or even my Logitech computer speakers, the differences were far from subtle.
iTunes has a built-in EQ that fattens everything up, but it doesn't seem nearly as intrusive as Soundcloud.
I'm busy with a woodworking project right now, but when I get a chance I'm going to try some other audio hosting sites...
On a related note, it's more than a little ironic to be using a 900-watt tube hybrid for quiet coffee house gigs, but IME the Streamliner sounds great with the compact, lightweight cabs that people tend to use for low-volume work. I'm talking single 10's, 2*8's, that sort of thing.
Obviously, you have to be careful about levels, but it warms up those little boxes in a very pleasing way.
I just gave my little Fender practice amp away to a buddy, because the Streamliner sounds so terrific when I'm doing acoustic jams, entertaining seniors, etc. Why use a nasty-sounding small SS combo, when the Streamliner and a small cab are only 4 or 5 pounds heavier?
^^^ Agreed with that, I've been using a TC-RS112 cab, and it sounds brilliant to me, though I don't know how loud it'd get safely, as it's been way louder than I've needed since getting them. I'd guess it'd be fine for them coffee house gigs, maybe even small pubs and such.
+1 The Acme FullRange 112 fills that context for me, all the way up to medium volume/size.
Totally agreed here. STL900 plus VL110 and I'm off to wherever - and not just small places either. As a matter of fact, for the really quiet things I use a 115 for the B15 vibe. Oddly enough (or maybe not oddly at all), the only EQ that gets adjusted for different cabs is the bass. 9:00 for the 115, 10:00 for the 110.
I strongly suspect that single cab usage was part of the "master plan" when this little beastie was designed.
I have to kick in here. If anyone's thinking of a Streamliner, don't take our words as 'gold'. Buy it with a return policy and TRY it! I've tried mine with 2 setups, both Bergantino:
Bergantino HT/EX stack (non ER) - I *could* have made it work, but, 2 things: 1) I'm pumping 900w into the stack that wants to see 4-600w. 2) consider the tiny size of the venerable stack and it makes sense that it's too much amp. I still LOVE that stack though.
Bergantino HT-322 - so far, a match made in heaven. Ken (bless his soul, and no sleight to much of his advice) made a statement (prefaced with IMO) about Berg "HT" series not being a great match. Not so with this monster cab IME.
Bottom line: "talking about music is like dancing about architecture".
Only one way to know for sure...you gotta try it out.
Bergantino HT/EX stack (non ER) - I *could* have made it work, but, 2 things: 1) I'm pumping 900w into the stack that wants to see 4-600w. 2) consider the tiny size of the venerable stack and it makes sense that it's too much amp. I still LOVE that stack though.
Bergantino HT-322 - so far, a match made in heaven. Ken (bless his soul, and no sleight to much of his advice) made a statement (prefaced with IMO) about Berg "HT" series not being a great match. Not so with this monster cab IME.
Bottom line: "talking about music is like dancing about architecture".
Only one way to know for sure...you gotta try it out.
Word.
Interesting that the HT322 works and the ER stack less so. I am not completely thrilled with the HT112/EX112 stack and the Streamliner, and feel excatly the same as you do; I can make it work, but...
I had an HT322 for a bit, and though I loved the sound, the tone was just too "big" for what I was doing. However, as I run around up here with my STL900 inflicting it on every cab I can find, I'm beginning to realize that I am most satisfied with it's sound - particularly with a J bass - when 10" speakers are involved. I wonder if that's what the HT322 brings to the table?
Are you finding that you need to dial the bass control back, or does boosting the mids get you the sound you're looking for?
+1 on the Streamliner Aguilar db112 and db212 matching! Defintely a good pairing .... (as are the SL112s)
gillento said:
As always, we agree! I haven't tried the SL but the DB cabs, and the TC RS cabs, sound great with this amp. Plenty of ying/yang going on no matter what bass I've tried.
