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Good Pre-amp / Power setup?

#3
Have you checked out madisonspeakers.com? They have a very nice amp head (the E-600) incorporating a tube pre/solid state output amp. It runs about 650 dollars total and pushes 600 watts into 4 ohms (400 at 8 ohms). It has a 6 band para eq, and a direct output should you add to the rig later.

Just a thought.
 
#4
if you're looking for only pre/power you could go with a QSC RMX850 (puts out 600 watts at 8 ohms bridged-good to have a little headroom). The QSC could be found new for around $300 or used on ebay for $200.

The preamp choices are many. Ffor new you could look at the BBE Bmax or Sansamp RBI both less than $300 new. Or for a used preamp you could get the Peavey Max, Yamaha PB-1, several Ampeg preamps. All these could be had in the $150-$250 range.

Throw it all in a 4-space (extra space for the future) rack off ebay for $50-$100 & you could have a very giggable rig for anywhere between $400 to $700. Not bad.

Numerous cab manufacturers out there also putting out decent quality cabs also. Avatar, Dr. Bass, Ashdown (MAG series), Eden (Nemesis series). all those in the $300 new ballpark.

Any combo of rigs I would be satisfied with gigging and all for around $750.00-1000.00 total for cab, rack, preamp, power amp.
 
#5
Again, lesser knows amp - LSB 300 (from legion sound) - puts 300 watts into 4 ohms, very nice 7 band eq with eq out/in switch, built-in compressor with in/out pad, XLR out, pull flat bass boost, and passive/active inputs. It costs 269 new.

Add a nice preamp (or go with a tubepre by presonus) and you have a fairly nice setup for 380 dollars or so - plenty of money left for cabs.

Jay
 
#6
I've already got a head and several cabs. I just got a used Eden 410T (8 ohms) which I'd really prefer to use but the thing is my head runs @ 170 watts @ 8 ohms. It's still pretty much all I need for now, since most of the bars we play are fairly small. I've never had a pre/power rig and am just curious about cost and models.

I've already got one of the new Sansamp BDDI stompboxes, which I've heard can be used as a pre since it has the "line/inst" selector switch. Has anyone tried this?
 
#7
Juniorkimbrough said:
I've already got a head and several cabs. I just got a used Eden 410T (8 ohms) which I'd really prefer to use but the thing is my head runs @ 170 watts @ 8 ohms. It's still pretty much all I need for now, since most of the bars we play are fairly small. I've never had a pre/power rig and am just curious about cost and models.

I've already got one of the new Sansamp BDDI stompboxes, which I've heard can be used as a pre since it has the "line/inst" selector switch. Has anyone tried this?
Click to expand...

Hey, I recognize that cabinet! Hope you enjoy it!



dcr
 
#8
bassmutant said:
If your looking for really minimalist, i'd suggest.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed] for the preamp, and a dcm600, http://www.carvin.com/products/dcmseries.php, for the power.

db924 180.00
dcm600 300.00

Not too bad of a rig, i'm not sure if thats what your looking for.
Click to expand...

the db924 can push a power amp?
 
#9
Hey dcr! :)

Gigged the cab for the first time this past weekend and it sounded GREAT! This was a larger than normal gig where I also ran partially through the PA, but that Eden was thumpin' away!

Thanks again! YOu'll have to touch base with me when you get that Schroeder and fill me in on how much your neighbors hate you. :D
 
#12
I have the Sansamp RBI & QSC RMX1450. I am VERY satisfied. I'm not sure of the power handling capabilities of your Eden 410 but I would think the RMX850 would be a good choice. The RMX has 30hz and 50hz filters to help limit the lower freq's to the cab, not wasting power. You will want to bridge the amp also for 600 watts @ 8ohms, it only puts out 200 watts stereo at 8ohms. Just remember to be cautious as with any new amp/cab combination to make sure the amp will not overpower the cab.

The Sansamp would have to definitely be a personal coice. You have to decide which preamp would define "your" sound.
I enjoy the Sansamp because it has good OD tone, blendable between clean & dirty, bass, mid, treble unlike the BDDI which has no mid.

ALSO, do a search as the Sansamp has been talked about on probably hundreds of postings & most users seem to love their Sansamp.
 
#13
Juniorkimbrough said:
So does anyone have any opinions on using a QSC RMX850 power amp and a Sansamp RBI preamp?
Click to expand...

I had an RMX850 and it was great. I really like some of the QSC features (especially the filtering). The things I didn't like weren't it's fault - the bulk and the weight. So while it's a great, affordable amp make sure you are OK with the size and weight. When I hit the point where usage changed and I had to haul it around at least once a week (previously I only needed it for gigs) I changed to a lighter amp. I also found the bulk of a rack deep enough for it was too much, it make it hard to fit what I needed to in my car. I like the RBI a lot and have had a couple. If it had the programmability of the new footswitch I'd probably still have it.

I'm currently using a BBE BMax into a Carvin DCM-1000 in a 3-space Gator shallow rack. I should have gotten a 4-space to fit in my wireless but it's a compact enough, light enough package for me. The Carvins can be found pretty cheaply used, are lighter than the RMX, are significantly shallower and use the same type of speakon connections for both stereo and bridged operation. But they don't have the filtering. So it's a tradeoff.

But the RMX850 is great if you don't mind the size and weight. And the RBI is a good unit as well.
 
#14
Overall weight in the 50-60 lb. area for both the pre and power is fine with me..

I'm currently using a Peavey head with the sansamp BDDI and I am very pleased with the tone options, so i'm thinking the QSC and RBI would be the way to go...

one more question......

bridged is running one cab?
and stereo is running two??

is that correct?
 
#16
Juniorkimbrough said:
one more question......

bridged is running one cab?
and stereo is running two??

is that correct?
Click to expand...

Not neccessarily...

Bridged refers to bridging the two channels of the power amp into one. The impedance of the amp and cabs determines if you use one or two. I.E: if the amp only bridges to 8ohms and you have an 8ohm cab, you use only one cab. If the amp bridges to 4ohms, you can use two 8ohm cabs.

"Stereo" really isn't stereo. It is sending the output from the pre amp into each channel of the poweramp, essentially running two amps. How many cabinets is again determined by the impedance. The most flexible type of power amp bridges to 4 ohms, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get one that doesn't.

Hope this helps.
 
#17
Bridging ties the two channels together out of phase with the speaker (or speakers) connected between the + terminal of the amps. Not any stereo amp can do this, but most newer PA or musical inst amps can. Stereo running the channels seperately, each with it's own speaker. Biamping is stereo too, using a crossover before the power amp to send high frequencies to one channel and lows to the other.

If you're in need of a little extra headroom, the Crown 5002CZ will put out 5000W into 4 ohms bridged! :D and it only weighs 79 lbs.
 
#18
Bridged is when both sides of the poweramp are combined on one output.Some amps will only do 8 ohms and some will do 4 or 8 ohms in bridged mode.With an amp that does 4 ohms bridged you could use two 8 ohm cabinets or one 4 ohm.

In stereo mode most amps will do 4 or 8 ohms and some 2 ohms each channel.At 2 ohms you could run up to four 8 ohm cabinets on each side for a total of 8.

The advantage of running in bridged mode is you can use the total wattage of your poweramp into one cabinet instead of only one side with about half the power.If you use more than one cabinet running your amp in stereo works better most of the time.There are other factors involved too but these are the basics.
 

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