GenzBenz Streamliner Pt 8...

[KJung]

I guess if something is wrong i'll be able to hear it.

+1 One of the primary features of the Genz amps is the 'musical nature' of their limiting design. It is more of a power management thing than a 'hard limiting design' like in other amps (Markbass, Thunderfunk, etc.).

The only time I have been able to get the limiting circuit to engage on my Streamliner was CRANKING an 8ohm 15/6 cab with it. The limit indicator would flash briefly at the lowest, hardest hits, and it sounded magnificent. Zero issue.

However, if you get to the point where it stays on a lot, you probably either need more cabs, or more efficient cabs, or massive wattage!

 

[f.c.geil]

I got mine flashing pretty regularly running an SVT 810e using Ken's usual tone setup and master volume at about 3 o'clock. My ears were ringing pretty good by that time, too.

 

[3rdcurve]

+1 One of the primary features of the Genz amps is the 'musical nature' of their limiting design. It is more of a power management thing than a 'hard limiting design' like in other amps (Markbass, Thunderfunk, etc.).

The only time I have been able to get the limiting circuit to engage on my Streamliner was CRANKING an 8ohm 15/6 cab with it. The limit indicator would flash briefly at the lowest, hardest hits, and it sounded magnificent. Zero issue.

However, if you get to the point where it stays on a lot, you probably either need more cabs, or more efficient cabs, or massive wattage!

I had it pushed pretty hard yesterday (flashing constantly) yet I couldn't hear any audible distortion, just a little grit. It was into an 8 ohm Acme flatwound, and it was the first time I really felt it was punchy. I was playing very aggressively with a pick.

I REALLY have no desire to damage my head or my cabs, but boy did I like what I was hearing.

 

[KJung]

I had it pushed pretty hard yesterday (flashing constantly) yet I couldn't hear any audible distortion, just a little grit. It was into an 8 ohm Acme flatwound, and it was the first time I really felt it was punchy. I was playing very aggressively with a pick.

I REALLY have no desire to damage my head or my cabs, but boy did I like what I was hearing.

That cab at that impedance will take everything the Streamliner900 has. Nice combination!

 

[dubstylee]

I am thoroughly enjoying my STL600 into the Avatar TB153 (4 ohms). It sounds utterly amazing; clear, deep, punchy, etc. I typically run the tweeter all the way off b/c I play in a reggae band and I use flats. I run this setup with an American P as well as a J and it sounds amazing with both. Just wanted to share my excitement for this setup, won't be needing anything new for a looooong time.

 

[agedhorse]

1. The LED does not turn red.

2. If it's flashing a lot, you really need to be aware of the thermal limitations of your cabinet as rule of thumb power handling no longer applies.

3. If you are really driving it really hard into limiting, the amp is producing more than 900 watts RMS (4 ohms) and at some point may eventually go into protect as it begins to exceed what is a normal or reasonable set of operating conditions.

4. Under these conditions, you really need to be careful of your speakers, it's also beyond the general design conditions most speakers are rated at.

 

[Musicman20]

Just picked up a new Oly White/Rosewood/Tort Precision (American Standard Fender) as part of the UK instant Fender rebate which ends today. I also had store credit so it was a decision I had to make fairly quick as 16:00 was the deadline today for money off.

I used to have two of these, sold one on thinking I didnt need two. I quickly realised I love the modern Fender P's, and they nail everything I like in a P bass 100% without a boutique pricetag, (and I don't need an active circuit, I use a Tonehammer if necessary).

If its a good un its staying in the stable and will be used with the Streamliner quite a lot! Looking forward to having it arrive; this one will be the 'nickel/rounds' P bass.

 

[Tunaman]

Just picked up a new Oly White/Rosewood/Tort Precision (American Standard Fender) as part of the UK instant Fender rebate which ends today

I just bought a new Oly White/Maple/Tort J (American Standard). Its going to be my "church" bass, along with the Streamliner which is my "church" amp & my GK Neo "church" cab. I'm selling my MIA P standard to get it... nice bass but spacing always felt wrong to me, otherwise I would have kept it. You'll love the bass & the new ones are SO solid there is absolutely no need to go boutique there. Fit, Finish, Electronics were all PERFECT. I could see going boutique on a jazz a little more, but not the MIA P standard, great call

The Shuttlemax 9.2 is my amp for everything else, rock, covers. Love it to pieces! Epifani 310 is the cab. The Sterling HH signed by Sublime with some questionable drawings was always a little embarrassing at church

 

[Musicman20]

I just bought a new Oly White/Maple/Tort J (American Standard). Its going to be my "church" bass, along with the Streamliner which is my "church" amp & my GK Neo "church" cab. I'm selling my MIA P standard to get it... nice bass but spacing always felt wrong to me, otherwise I would have kept it. You'll love the bass & the new ones are SO solid there is absolutely no need to go boutique there. Fit, Finish, Electronics were all PERFECT. I could see going boutique on a jazz a little more, but not the MIA P standard, great call

I was 100% after a Bongo, but the extra to get that at this time of year just isn't possible....got two stag weekends soon and moving house in July...so gear buying is coming to an end for a while. Probably almost a year which is gonna be killer! Might get a new Shuttle amp...no idea which, but thats only if gigs go well.

Plus one...agreed on the new American Standards. Hope the J is working out! I have the sunburst/rosewood version of the same bass and its basically the nicest Jazz I've played. Super build quality and classic tone.

I can't moan, I have some stunning Musicman's, so the Bongo or a HH Reflex can be a purchase for next year.

All sound GREAT through the Streamliner.

 

[TenaciousE]

Just ordered a 900. Has anybody used one with an Avatar 210 neo?

 

[TC.65]

Hey guys I picked up a Hartke Hydrive 410 cab this evening and tried it with my Streamliner 600. I haven't played it in a band setting yet, but just from playing it at home this might be a perfect match.

 

[steve_rolfeca]

Hey guys I picked up a Hartke Hydrive 410 cab this evening and tried it with my Streamliner 600. I haven't played it in a band setting yet, but just from playing it at home this might be a perfect match.

I went on an amp shopping trip with a buddy a couple of weeks ago, and the Hydrive was head and shoulders above the other cabs he looked at (Peavey, Ampeg, Fender, Trace, SWR).

I haven't used conventional cabs for years, and i wasn't familiar with any of the heads he tried, so I don't know how it would compare to Bergantino, etc.

 

[sratas]

on a pretty loud outdoor rock gig (no PA support), fighting with a 3500 watts PA, I supposedly drove my STM 900 + 2 x 210 rig near to the limits. The amber peak led flashed sparingly with a close frequency but without remaining "on". When I realized this I immediatly turned my bass knob and my volume down. Later I checked my speakers and it was all ok (relief...). The point is that the visual setting of the amp was not "extreme" at all, i mean, bass on 10, mids and highs at noon, gain at noon with no boost and no audible grit coming from the preamp, preamp volume at 1 o' clock, master volume on 10 o'clock. But the light was flashing, so the next time I use such a kind of SPL, I have to consider the impact of the particular gain chain inside the GB. Even apparent polite settings of the gain knob can translate into a hot signal being sent to the poweramp section (with hot output basses?). I was afraid of my speakers because they are rated for 800 watts (sum of two cabs, thermal limits I suppose) and the STM was near its limit...

1. The LED does not turn red.

2. If it's flashing a lot, you really need to be aware of the thermal limitations of your cabinet as rule of thumb power handling no longer applies.

3. If you are really driving it really hard into limiting, the amp is producing more than 900 watts RMS (4 ohms) and at some point may eventually go into protect as it begins to exceed what is a normal or reasonable set of operating conditions.

4. Under these conditions, you really need to be careful of your speakers, it's also beyond the general design conditions most speakers are rated at.

 

[ErnieD]

I am thoroughly enjoying my STL600 into the Avatar TB153 (4 ohms). It sounds utterly amazing; clear, deep, punchy, etc. I typically run the tweeter all the way off b/c I play in a reggae band and I use flats. I run this setup with an American P as well as a J and it sounds amazing with both. Just wanted to share my excitement for this setup, won't be needing anything new for a looooong time.

I regularly use my STM-900 w/TB153, 4 ohm + '08 Am St P5-maple board, flats; also getin clear, deep punch.

After some research here, I learned how to EQ the 900 for use with my JoBo 5 jazz. Now I'm able to use that bass more readily with this rig. Great stuff.

Got a "new country" style gig this weekend. I'm gonna re-try either my LMII or F1 w/TB cab here at home first. I'd like to use that rig with 55-02D, as I like that bass for c&w and the Markbass heads play well with it too.

Gona see how the cab fits in. I usually use 55-02+F1+2x RS210's or a UL410 for that room, just may go with that again. We'll see after home practice.

 

[KJung]

on a pretty loud outdoor rock gig (no PA support), fighting with a 3500 watts PA, I supposedly drove my STM 900 + 2 x 210 rig near to the limits. The amber peak led flashed sparingly with a close frequency but without remaining "on". When I realized this I immediatly turned my bass knob and my volume down. Later I checked my speakers and it was all ok (relief...). The point is that the visual setting of the amp was not "extreme" at all, i mean, bass on 10, mids and highs at noon, gain at noon with no boost and no audible grit coming from the preamp, preamp volume at 1 o' clock, master volume on 10 o'clock. But the light was flashing, so the next time I use such a kind of SPL, I have to consider the impact of the particular gain chain inside the GB. Even apparent polite settings of the gain knob can translate into a hot signal being sent to the poweramp section (with hot output basses?). I was afraid of my speakers because they are rated for 800 watts (sum of two cabs, thermal limits I suppose) and the STM was near its limit...

You should be fine. The idea that you might be putting a bit more power into a cab versus its thermal limits on occasional peaks is a zero issue. However, you are right, don't listen with your eyes, listen with your ears (regarding knob position).

Finally, on the Genz amps, remember that the gain control should be treated as a 'tone control'. The secondary volume is actually the 'input volume control'. It is important to understand how these two controls interact with each other.

 

[sratas]

please Ken, can you explain more extensively and with a diverse sentence the first message, like reported later?
Excuse me, but I'm italian, and sometimes I feel frustrated because of my poor knowledge of the english language...
By the way, I discovered the tonal features of the gain control as one of my very first moves with the STM, also is absolutely awesome how the basic tone of the amp changes only by commuting the 3-postion rotary switch that selects the mid frequency...wonderful

You should be fine. The idea that you might be putting a bit more power into a cab versus its thermal limits on occasional peaks is a zero issue. However, you are right, don't listen with your eyes, listen with your ears (regarding knob position).

 

[KJung]

please Ken, can you explain more extensively and with a diverse sentence the first message, like reported later?
Excuse me, but I'm italian, and sometimes I feel frustrated because of my poor knowledge of the english language...
By the way, I discovered the tonal features of the gain control as one of my very first moves with the STM, also is absolutely awesome how the basic tone of the amp changes only by commuting the 3-postion rotary switch that selects the mid frequency...wonderful

You should be fine. The idea that you might be putting a bit more power into a cab versus its thermal limits on occasional peaks is a zero issue. However, you are right, don't listen with your eyes, listen with your ears (regarding knob position).

Your English is wonderful! I wish I could communicate in multiple languages.

Here is the deal as I understand it. The 'power rating' of a cab (or cabs) is based on a loose estimate of the maximum power a cab can handle prior to having heat issues with the voice coil.

Three things make this rating not very useful or actionable. First, unless you are in full clip for sustained periods with your amp, an amp rarely puts out its maximum power. That is why many feel that the optimum matching of an amp and cab is to have an amp that actually is rated quite a bit higher in power than the cab, since the cab can handle brief high power peaks fine, for the most part.

Second, the power rating of a cab has little to do with its 'mechanical' power handling capability (i.e., how much that cone can move prior to 'farting out'). So, you will typically hear problems with the mechanical performance of a cab LONG before you get close to any sort of voice coil heat issue.

Finally, with power amp limiting and power management that is built into many of these heads (Genz is at the top of the heap there IMO), there is a bit of protection built into the amp regarding pumping huge spikes into a speaker.

If your cabs were rated at 100 watts thermal, that might be an issue, but 800 watts versus 900 watts of power is actually a great match-up.

Just use your ears. If you hear the cab farting, or significantly compressing (i.e., the low end seems to 'clamp' when you really dig in), turning down a bit, or reducing low end, especially upper bass/low mids is probably warranted.

 

[KJung]

PS Andy (Agedhorse) should be around on this thread again and can 'fix' anything in my post that might not be totally correct.

 

[Tunaman]

I can't moan, I have some stunning Musicman's, so the Bongo or a HH Reflex can be a purchase for next year.

All sound GREAT through the Streamliner.

Save for the reflex HH, MUCH better bass

1)Pickups in better position
2)Pickup selector better than blend
3)Passive

Not even close. The Bongo is fantastic with the Streamliner though. I'll be using the Bongo 5 & the Streamliner again this weekend

 

[DLaunder]

Just ordered a 900. Has anybody used one with an Avatar 210 neo?

I use the Avatar 210 Neo in 4 Ohms with mine at practices and small gigs. Depending on the room, and your level of PA support, I find it to be plenty loud enough with great low end to boot. I like it so much that I might get a second and stack them vertically as suggested here by some of the experts of the trade. I'll just need to change the 210 I have to 8 ohms because the STL 900 wont handle a 2 ohm load.