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looking for an amp head (or preamp), good clean sound

René_Julien

René_Julien

Jun 26, 2008
5,440
1,160
44
Belgium
#1
I'm looking for a new amp, this is what I currently use:

IMG_0591-1.jpg


I love my Hartke alu-cone cab but the Line 6 POD X3 has to go. (Due to volume level issues in a band situation, but I'm not going to expand on the PODs problems.)

So I have two options,

1) ditch the POD, keep the poweramp and find a nice preamp
2) ditch the POD and the poweramp, and find a nice amp head

Preferably option number 2, keep it simple. (Keep it simple, also a reason why I'm ditching the POD. :))

My needs:
- a good clean sound, I play metal but I don't want any grit or grind or growl (or SVT-like ;)). I want a more bright sparkling sound, also an uncoloured sound as it is called around this forum.
- must drive 2 Hartke cabs: 400W@8ohm a cab.
- is does not have to have extensive EQ control or onboard compressor (I'm looking at rack units for that)
- my main bass is a fretless precision bass, in general I prefer passive basses, drop D is the lowest tuning (not sure if my preferation for certain basses is important for my amp choice.)


Tube or solid state, doesn't matter. I don't have much experience with tubes so I can't make a judgement on this.

I browsed around the amp forum the last couple of days, and read a lot of reviews... that made me more confused.
So much out there.
And sadly, so less I can try out. :(

I can order anything from www.thomann.de, but I'm not sure if that's wise.
Wouldn't it be better to buy at my local store, in case of future problems with an amp?
My local stores owner says that Ashdown and Hartke have the best service for after sales issues. That's also the brand he has the most of in his store. Actually other than that he hasn't any other brand to try out. The other closest store in my area has almost nothing of bass amps. (But a long wall full of guitar amps. :spit: :)) And I don't feel like driving 150km to a bigger store, then I can order online as well.


So please, wich amp would you guys recommend for my needs?

Thank you. :)
 
#3
LowBSix said:
How much are you looking to spen????
Click to expand...

Forgot to mention that.
Not to brag but I can spend a lot... around here a new Trace Elliot head AH1000 (12b EQ) costs about 1700€. I would go that much. (up to 2000€, but keep in mind that prices here in Europe are higher than in the US).

Doesn't mean I need to spend that much money. I always think it's great to find good bang for the buck gear. :)

So price doesn't matter that much, but the cheaper option is nice so I can buy a rack compressor or something.

I really need something good, I'm forming a band and we're getting serious.
(Plus I'm not a beginner, I just don't know that much about amps. :))
 
#8
Good clean, uncolored sound, eh? Get a line driver like the Seymour Duncan SFX Pickup Booster, a Boss BEQ-7, or an MXR 10-band EQ, something that will let you increase your output to +15 or 20 dB. Plug straight into your existing power amp. Rock! It's that simple. If you want, add a compressor pedal, and other things in front of the line driver. Get a 1/4" male mono to 1/4" female mono Y adapter and stick your tuner on one and the line driver, etc. on the other. Sounds complicated, but it's not. And it's very cheap. You could probably get all this stuff for half what you get for your POD.
 
#9
Darkstrike said:
Get the ******* Trace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You lucky bastid! :D
Click to expand...

:D

In all seriousness: I'm not going to go ********** about buying a new amp.
Like in the last months I bought a lot of gear which afterward I regret buying. :hmm: :)

I'm going to carefully research this and deliberate this.



(Then afterwards I'l buy the TE. :ninja::)

LowBSix said:
PM sent....
If you want a single amp...
MESA Carbine M6 or the BigBlock 750....
"Cleaner" than TE ... IMHO
Click to expand...

Thanks for the PM and the advice in the PM. :)

I'll look into MESA.
I used to have Trace Elliot amps and I liked them. But I honestly forgot which types they were. (I wasn't much of a gear head back then, I bought it used because I was a student and strapped for cash.)
One was a 4x10 200w combo (early 90s) with 12band EQ, other was the last series of 12band fullstack. Is that the 7 series TE before the company stopped?
(I know nothing of TE types of amps. I should have never sold them. Long story... I stopped gigging and playing in bands.)


Anyway, I was satisfied with those TEs back then, the sound I dialed in was clean. IIRC a gritty sound wasn't possible out of those amps.
I loved the 12 band EQ and I could cut through the mix very well. I had a very sharp sound.


I don't know if the new Trace Elliot is as good as the old, but I'm not rushing now to buy an amp just because of the brand name. :)

I like to know all my options.
 
#12
C'thulhu said:
:D

In all seriousness: I'm not going to go ********** about buying a new amp.
Like in the last months I bought a lot of gear which afterward I regret buying. :hmm: :)

I'm going to carefully research this and deliberate this.



(Then afterwards I'l buy the TE. :ninja::)
Click to expand...
It glows green! What more do ya need to know!:D


Nah man, think it through long and hard.

Shouldn't be hard to get clear and sparkly with alu cones, I would expect a good Hartke head would match espcially well. Or any really powerful SS head.
 
#14
MartySi said:
Check out the Hartke LH500, LH1000 or the Hartke KILO. Very clean and great bang for the buck.
Click to expand...

I was wondering about these amps by reading the thread about the LH500 and the Victor Wooten thread.

Although many say about the LH500 that it has a warm tube sound. I don't know if I'll like that... or what to imagine by that.

Although I like Wootens sound. One member sais in the Victo Wooten thread that his tone was sterile and uncoloured. As if he was playing DI into a flat PA.
Maybe that's direction to go.

BassmanPaul said:
If you are looking for clean and you already own a power-amp then look for a clean pre to go with what you have. Demeter, Kern, Mike Pope etc. You can even look at microphone strips. Some of those make really great bass pre-amps.

Paul
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll look into those brands. They are mentioned from time to time here but I don't know where to get such brands around here, let alone try out. :hmm:

honestjohnny said:
Good clean, uncolored sound, eh? Get a line driver like the Seymour Duncan SFX Pickup Booster, a Boss BEQ-7, or an MXR 10-band EQ, something that will let you increase your output to +15 or 20 dB. Plug straight into your existing power amp. Rock! It's that simple. If you want, add a compressor pedal, and other things in front of the line driver. Get a 1/4" male mono to 1/4" female mono Y adapter and stick your tuner on one and the line driver, etc. on the other. Sounds complicated, but it's not. And it's very cheap. You could probably get all this stuff for half what you get for your POD.
Click to expand...

Hmmm.... I was thinking about this but I have no experience with these kind of things.
A good DI box to go into my poweramp. I didn't know if that will work. Or if it is a good idea.

Can I go DI into line-level rack gear like compressor and graphic EQ and then into poweramp? (My Crown only has XLR in)
(I'm really uneducated about this, that's why I'm still looking at amp heads.)

But thanks for putting the idea up there. :)

4-string said:
I love my Ashdown MK500, it is loud and clean. Check one out.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was looking into that some months ago. This amp can be a contestant. :)
 
#15
loot said:
Buying from Thomann is wise, actually; they offer 3 year guarantee on any product, they are reliable and goods come relatively fast (depending on your distance from germany)
Click to expand...

Yup, I love Thomann. Good service, good company.
I ordered many pedals from them.
But I'm a bit weary about buying expensive gear.

Darkstrike said:
It glows green! What more do ya need to know!:D


Nah man, think it through long and hard.

Shouldn't be hard to get clear and sparkly with alu cones, I would expect a good Hartke head would match espcially well. Or any really powerful SS head.
Click to expand...

That's basicly my query. A good amp to match my alu-cones. :)

BAW said:
+1

the new hartke stuff is killer.
Click to expand...

That's what I've been hearing. I already own a Hartke cab and their service around here is great. (from what I heard)
 
#16
If you want a good amp to drive the aluminium cones then you can't go wrong with Hartke as that's what there designed for!

The Hartke LH500 will give you a nice tone, I tried one today through a paper 115 and it sounded nice and clean.
 
#17
C'thulhu said:
Hmmm.... I was thinking about this but I have no experience with these kind of things.
A good DI box to go into my poweramp. I didn't know if that will work. Or if it is a good idea.

Can I go DI into line-level rack gear like compressor and graphic EQ and then into poweramp? (My Crown only has XLR in)
(I'm really uneducated about this, that's why I'm still looking at amp heads.)

But thanks for putting the idea up there. :)
Click to expand...

Probably. Can't say for sure unless I know what units you plan on using, even then, I don't know everything. Some on here might argue I don't know anything.

The line driver serves to bring the instrument level signal of your bass to line level to properly drive the power amp. That's assuming your bass doesn't have an active pre already, in which case get an impedance matching 1/4" to XLR adapter and plug straight in to the Crown. Go down to your local Radioshack, Circuit City, or what-have-you and spend an hour and about $30 USD.

Bottom line, don't buy expensive pre's that may color your sound, if all you want is the sound of you bass, but louder. Just get something to boost your signal, match your connections and go.

Best of luck!
 
#18
Hugh9191 said:
If you want a good amp to drive the aluminium cones then you can't go wrong with Hartke as that's what there designed for!

The Hartke LH500 will give you a nice tone, I tried one today through a paper 115 and it sounded nice and clean.
Click to expand...

Seems like a sensible thing to do.
The LH500 costs 345 € if I order from Germany. :)
Very nice price.

honestjohnny said:
Probably. Can't say for sure unless I know what units you plan on using, even then, I don't know everything.

The line driver serves to bring the instrument level signal of your bass to line level to properly drive the power amp. That's assuming your bass doesn't have an active pre already, in which case get an impedance matching 1/4" to XLR adapter and plug straight in to the Crown. Go down to your local Radioshack, Circuit City, or what-have-you and spend an hour and about $30 USD.

Bottom line, don't buy expensive pre's that may color your sound, if all you want is the sound of you bass, but louder. Just get something to boost your signal, match your connections and go. Best of luck!
Click to expand...

Passive P-basses
--> ??? (some sort of DI box with XLR out)
--> TL Audio Ivory II 5021 tube compressor (balanced line inputs and outputs, XLR)
--> dbx 31 band graphic equalizer (balanced line inputs and outputs, XLR)
--> Crown XLS poweramp (balanced line input, XLR)

Just fantasizing :)
Will this work?
Do I need a DI box or can I plug my bass straight into a rack compressor.
Specs for that TL Audio compressor says it has also unbalanced 1/4" inputs.

???

Or would this kind of setup end up horribly wrong? :)
 

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