Lightweight power amp for a separate preamp

[GeneralElectric]

Hey all

I have a handful of amps that I typically use live (Ampeg or Aguilar) but am considering going primarily ampless or do a preamp power amp combo depending on PA support.

Right now I’m going direct to the board through a radial bassbone od v2. Everyone else has a helix or goes direct.


Would love to toss a power amp on my NV610 or one of my modular setups. This would let me keep m radial or sub it out to a different preamp.

 

[Dave W]

Are you asking for recommendations?
If so, what's your budget?
Are you looking for a rack mount amp, or just something to carry?

You gig an NV610 in NYC?

 

[basscooker]

There's the Jay Ganz Straight Ahead

Also most of the mid and up level micro heads have an effects loop that allows power amp use.

 

[4Mal]

I'd probably steer clear of the straight ahead. I had one and it was cool but. Not very powerful and maybe not as robustly constructed as it could have been. Personally on that 610 I'd go Mesa Subway. D800+ is what I run as a personal amp and what I would advise.

I also have a Gk 700 RB II and an Eden Navigator with a QSC power amp. I do some backline rental. I'm sure not carrying one of those to my band gigs...

 

[GeneralElectric]

Are you asking for recommendations?
If so, what's your budget?
Are you looking for a rack mount amp, or just something to carry?

You gig an NV610 in NYC?

I usually gig a combination of 2x10s and 1x15s. The NV610 is a new acquisition but is actually takes about the same amount of room in the trunk while being lighter and easier to transport.

I’m in the middle of the great gear purge of 2021 so no fixed budget yet but sub-1k.

I’m a QSC dealer so I might just end up grabbing one of their amps but none of them are small.

Looking for something lightweight and class D while laying out some serious thunk

 

[walterw]

I’m a QSC dealer so I might just end up grabbing one of their amps but none of them are small.

Looking for something lightweight and class D while laying out some serious thunk

i'm all about my old PLX 3002 as a power amp for my bass rig but it's not small. maybe score one of the old PLX 1804 shallow spaced amps?

straight power amps in smaller than two rack space format don't seem to be a thing. us bass preamp users would all love a class D 800-1000w micro power amp with nothing but a level knob and maybe a HPF control for a decent price, but they're just not economical because of production scale reasons. it's literally cheaper to get a full-featured micro bass head with that power rating and run your own preamp into the effects return to access its power amp directly

 

[GreyBeard]

This Crown is around 8 lbs, lots of power and will bridge into 4 ohms.
Crown XLS 1502 525W 2-channel Power Amplifier

 

[Papuzzo]

The Pure Amp from GRBass sounds like what you are looking for. Technically, it has a preamp but was designed to express the sound of your existing preamp or bass without any coloration from the amp stages or EQ. I think there are three versions, one at 350W, one at 800W, and a dual amp at 2x700W.

 

[buzzbass]

Crown Macrotech 2400, LOL

 

[Killing Floor]

Jule makes a very small board friendly 500W power amp.

 

[Barisaxman]

If you could find one, a used SWR Amplite would be perfect. I had the head version for a while (my first ultralight digital amp) and the Amplite was the same form factor, just the 400w power section.

 

[ctmullins]

Crown XLS2, absolutely. The DSP includes a configurable HPF as a bonus.

 

[jazzbass_5]

QSC, Crown, Powersoft (if you can afford them), Peavey IPRs are a good choice (same as Crest audio), for a start. I'm sold on QSC they're my fav. Although I did own a Behringer NX 6000 that performed flawlessly in my PA and was never a fan of prior.