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Hiwatt Bulldog 440???

#22
I just picked a Bulldog 440 up. Great sounding amp at a great price point.
It's an excellent option for when I don't want to haul around my '79 DR103.

I do find that even with the Limiter off, past a certain point the preamp really wants to compress. I wish I could get a little more out of the pre (I'm in a two guitar metal band) but it is not a dealbreaker.
 
#23
paul sherman said:
I just picked a Bulldog 440 up. Great sounding amp at a great price point.It's an excellent option for when I don't want to haul around my '79 DR103.
I do find that even with the Limiter off, past a certain point the preamp really wants to compress. I wish I could get a little more out of the pre (I'm in a two guitar metal band) but it is not a dealbreaker.
Click to expand...

It didnt work for me, I really wanted to because it fit a certain cab I use compared to my old 70s Acoustic Control heads that hang off this cab (I have ACC cabs). Ive owned around 4 DR103 heads and I knew going in the Bulldog 440 wouldnt sound anything like that but I didnt expect it to have the tone it did, I think they should have just made it a SS DR103 with that preamp instead of trying to sound like a modern slap slap bass amp. Maybe I didnt mess with it long enough but Im a plug and go person, if I have to fiddle fart around with too many knobs or EQ sliders I become indecisive about the setting and keep messing with it. I may end up getting a DR103 copy at some point.
 
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#24
"Not only is the Bulldog 440 a Professional Bass Head - it looks like a Professional Bass Head. Dependable, Reliable, Sound great played through a Hiwatt Bass Cab or Stack - and look 'Proper' on Stage Live or in the Studio."

If "it looks like a Professional Bass Head" and "and look 'Proper' on Stage Live or in the Studio" is part of your marketing plan, I'm not your target market.
 
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#26
Hi, I downloaded the manual for the amp and it claims to be:
500w @ 8 ohms
1000w @ 4 ohms

Is this a mistake? It's a 440w amp.....
 

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#27
unaperrson said:
Hi, I downloaded the manual for the amp and it claims to be:
500w @ 8 ohms
1000w @ 4 ohms

Is this a mistake? It's a 440w amp....
Click to expand...
440 is the model and the number does not appear to have anything to do with rated power. Sort of like the original GK 700RB was rated 225W at 8 ohms and 380W at 4 ohms. 700 has nothing to do with the power.


The manual says the Bulldog amps are class D.
 
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#28
Wasnex said:
440 is the model and the number does not appear to have anything to do with rated power. Sort of like the original GK 700RB was rated 225W at 8 ohms and 380W at 4 ohms. 700 has nothing to do with the power.


The manual says the Bulldog amps are class D.
Click to expand...
That's what I suspected...but..here is the spec from Hiwatt official page: they advertise it specifically as 440w amp (And later as 400w...). Which leads me to suspect the manual is incorrect.
 

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#30
agedhorse said:
It's not class D but it is, it's 400 or 440 watts but it isn't, etc.

Can it make up it's mind and be honest about what it is and what it isn't without all the misinformation?
Click to expand...
The website is very confusing if you go to Hiwatt.co.uk you get sent to Britamp.co.uk.
AFAIK the Bulldog 440 is 400 watt into 8 ohm but can run lower impedance than that. It's also class D
It's all SS.
It's very difficult to tease out the exact information from not very clear websites
 
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#35
Drredplate said:
From the website I paraphrase
"The amp powers are quoted at 8 ohm because this is the sweet spot for their class D amps"
I make no comment
Never the less I like the appearance of them and they retail at about £520
In the UK
Click to expand...


Perhaps the manual and webpage were written by AI :confused:.

There is also a Bulldog 440 Studio. Appears to be the same amp without the big headcase. Weight is 11lbs. AT this weight it could be Class D...I am not saying it is. For comparison, my Ampeg SVT 8-Pro is spec'ed at 23lbs and it is class D. I believe my Epifani UL902C is 18lbs and it is also class D.

Hiwatt Genuine Amplifiers UK

britampco.co.uk britampco.co.uk
 
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#39
i asked the canadian hiwatt distributer and hiwatt homepage is the bulldog 440 was 440w as stated, and at the power at 8 and 16, and if rms. i also asked about the manual saying 500w at 8, 1000 at 4 ohms.

of interest the bulldog 77 says 100w. the manual only references the 440 interms of power at different ohms.

my guess is the 77 is 100w, but 77 at rms. and 440w is the 8ohms rms value of 440 bulldog.

what a mess. lets see what they say
 
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