Low Down Sound Club: V2

[rpsands]

As nice as the Puma 1000 is if I needed that kinda power and wanted light weight, I'd recommend a 1u preamp and one of the new ultralight power amps.

It's just too damned expensive, and for that kinda money you can get a ridiculously nice preamp There is nothing magic in the power section.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Even a small pre/power setup would require racking, which would make it significantly bigger and heavier than the Puma.

 

[KJung]

As nice as the Puma 1000 is if I needed that kinda power and wanted light weight, I'd recommend a 1u preamp and one of the new ultralight power amps.

It's just too damned expensive, and for that kinda money you can get a ridiculously nice preamp There is nothing magic in the power section.

+1 to the above post... you are now talking a full size, three space rack!

 

[bassman1185]

+1 to the above post... you are now talking a full size, three space rack!

True, but that $500-$700 you would save vs. the Puma 1000 would buy you a nice collapsable hand cart.

 

[tdogg]

True, but that $500-$700 you would save vs. the Puma 1000 would buy you a nice collapsable hand cart.

or just pay someone to lug your gear around

 

[KJung]

True, but that $500-$700 you would save vs. the Puma 1000 would buy you a nice collapsable hand cart.

+1 The market today has really come down to a trade-off of price versus weight. Virtually everything sounds great at this point.

 

[silky smoove]

The difference between a Puma1000 and getting a replacement DCM2000L paired to a Demeter HBP-1 is about $600 in favor of the pre/power.

That's the only pre that's really interesting to me at the moment, and it doesn't appear to be without issues. The Puma1000 seems safer, has EQ points where I prefer, is smaller/lighter but obviously costs more... Ugh...

 

[rpsands]

Even a small pre/power setup would require racking, which would make it significantly bigger and heavier than the Puma.

For the cost of the puma you could get a super mega custom 5lb rack with a motor and wheels and remote control to drive it, in addition to a boutique preamp and nice power amp.

Contact some guys in your local custom RC community to see what you can do. Might even be able to get a hydrolic lift on there so it lifts itself up to cabinet height for you to move.

 

[Chef]

now that's funny!

 

[rpsands]

The difference between a Puma1000 and getting a replacement DCM2000L paired to a Demeter HBP-1 is about $600 in favor of the pre/power.

That's the only pre that's really interesting to me at the moment, and it doesn't appear to be without issues. The Puma1000 seems safer, has EQ points where I prefer, is smaller/lighter but obviously costs more... Ugh...

Remember, the Puma 1000 as nice as it is, is an "in betweener" model - bridgeable only at 8 ohms, because of whatever limitations prevent each stereo side from going to 2 ohms. That will not be the case forever. Note the Genz Shuttle 9.0 for example (Stepped up the watts; you'll see a shuttlemax 18 before long).

If it were me, I'd wait for TC to come out with an Rh850 or whatever's next from them Their prices are far more reasonable than Tecamp and they accomplish some similar things from what I've read.

Get an HBP-1 used and chill out with your rack rig. Use your current micro head as much as possible. Wait for the next round of micros to come out, and get something perfect.

Me, for example: I have a BBE 383 to Carvin DCM 1540L I use if I need the extra 3db or so from more power, and use my F1 on 98% of myy gigs.

 

[Jared Lash]

I'm probably going to buy a Tecamp Puma1000. I've been wanting a Tecamp for a while now, and this seems like the perfect catalyst to make it happen. I'm still going to keep the VT on my board, but it'll be used as an overdrive/dirt pedal rather than a preamp.

I absolutely love the Puma 1000 with my 15/6. Super deep and smooth on the low end and very clean on the high end without being at all harsh. Real authority to the notes everywhere on the fretboard.

As for the VT Bass, the issue for me is that it is emulating classic Ampeg stuff so there is significant low end roll-off. The 15/6 works as well or better with effects than any other cab I've ever had, but because it has such great low end extension, the VT Bass' EQ works against the basic nature of the cab a bit. Because of this, I run my VT Bass above unity and boost the lows on it more than normal to compensate.

So I've done what you have and used it as an overdrive/distortion but if I'm using it as a preamp it is for an entire gig since turning it off and on makes for a very big change in tone with my setup.

Man, a Puma 1000 would be really nice. Thats the dream amp I'll never lay the money out for.

I can't say enough good things about it. With the fEarful 15/6 that Don built me I get a lightweight, deep sounding, loud and very musical cab. Thick, rich and smooth but letting any natural "snarl" from my basses through.

It isn't a "hot knife through butter" in the mix setup like say an F1 and Shroeder cabs, but so far it has sat perfectly in every mix. And while I did dig the Markbass and Schroeder setup for rock stuff, the Puma/LDS combo sounds great when practicing alone while the F1/Schroeder rig was too harsh for me when it wasn't in the mix.

 

[silky smoove]

Remember, the Puma 1000 as nice as it is, is an "in betweener" model - bridgeable only at 8 ohms, because of whatever limitations prevent each stereo side from going to 2 ohms. That will not be the case forever.

In fact it is no longer the case. The Puma1000 has been udpated and now can be bridged down to 4 ohms safely per Osiamo, Tecamp's US distributor.

If it were me, I'd wait for TC to come out with an Rh850 or whatever's next from them Their prices are far more reasonable than Tecamp and they accomplish some similar things from what I've read.

I really hated the tone of the RH450, so a more powerful version would just be more dislike for me.

Get an HBP-1 used and chill out with your rack rig.

It's tied for first in the race for what I'm going to buy next.

Use your current micro head as much as possible.

I've been doing that in the interim while I decide if I should exchange the Carvin or return it. My current micro is a Markbass LMTube. It certainly gets the job done well enough, and while the voicing works, no amount of knob tweaking gets me to that big smile inducing setting that I really want. It's not deep enough at the bottom, the upper mids are a bit too dry and ganky and it's not airy enough on the top end. All of that SCREAMS Puma1000.

Wait for the next round of micros to come out, and get something perfect.

You mean like a small, lightweight amp that has plenty of power bridged at 8 ohms, allows room for expansion by being bridgeable down to 4 ohms, has EQ centers almost exactly where I'd set them, a feature set that lines up perfectly with my wants/needs, top-notch build quality and even comes with a padded shoulder bag for gigging

I'm just giving you a hard time. On paper, there's nothing I dislike about the Puma, other than the fact that it's $600 more than the other rig I'm considering. I'm in a position where the $600 isn't really that big of a deal, but at the same time... It's still $600, haha.

 

[guy n. cognito]

I'll take an inbetweener that can do 1,000 bridged any day.

Remember, the Puma 1000 as nice as it is, is an "in betweener" model - bridgeable only at 8 ohms, because of whatever limitations prevent each stereo side from going to 2 ohms. That will not be the case forever. Note the Genz Shuttle 9.0 for example (Stepped up the watts; you'll see a shuttlemax 18 before long).

If it were me, I'd wait for TC to come out with an Rh850 or whatever's next from them Their prices are far more reasonable than Tecamp and they accomplish some similar things from what I've read.

Get an HBP-1 used and chill out with your rack rig. Use your current micro head as much as possible. Wait for the next round of micros to come out, and get something perfect.

Me, for example: I have a BBE 383 to Carvin DCM 1540L I use if I need the extra 3db or so from more power, and use my F1 on 98% of myy gigs.

 

[Bluesy Soul]

...The Puma1000 seems safer, has EQ points where I prefer, is smaller/lighter but obviously costs more... Ugh...

What about a Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0? I've searched and can't find any posts by players using a fEarful form factor 15/6 or 12/6 with the Shuttle 9.0.

I just received a Shuttle 9.0 ($750 new, including bag, footswitch & shipping). I'm a an Alembic/Crest rack or all-tube guy, but I love the sound of the Shuttle 9.0 with both my Acme and Bergantino cabs. I can't wait to try it with the fEarful form factor 15/6 I should receive from Don in a few days. On paper, they look almost perfectly matched.

I'd love to hear some comments from anyone who has already tried this combination. If not, I'll post my impressions soon after the brown truck arrives.

 

[KJung]

What about a Genz Benz Shuttle 9.0? I've searched and can't find any posts by players using a fEarful form factor 15/6 or 12/6 with the Shuttle 9.0.

I just received a Shuttle 9.0 ($750 new, including bag, footswitch & shipping). I'm a an Alembic/Crest rack or all-tube guy, but I love the sound of the Shuttle 9.0 with both my Acme and Bergantino cabs. I can't wait to try it with the fEarful form factor 15/6 I should receive from Don in a few days. On paper, they look almost perfectly matched.

I'd love to hear some comments from anyone who has already tried this combination. If not, I'll post my impressions soon after the brown truck arrives.

I haven't tried that combination, but every bone in my body says it will be a very good one. IMO, these 15/6's like a head that has a bit of presence and pop up top, and not a particularly mid-bumped voice. That's how I hear the Markbass F1, which sounds wonderful with the 15/6's, and I would think at 8ohms, the Shuttle 9 would sound even better.

Post up when you try it.

Regarding the Puma discussion, that head is stunning with these cabs (I believe I have a clip of the 212/6/1 with the Puma on my iComposition home page, and it kills (pretty modern due to that tweeter versus the more warm, old school of the 15/6 or 12/6. The Puma is a unique combination of BIG, warm low end, and very present hi fi top end...

Another head to consider if you aren't Mr. Money Bags and don't want to put out the scratch for the Puma1000:

Epifani PS1000... 1000 watts into 8ohms bridged... lightweight, around $1,000. I haven't tried it though, but the specs and price sure look good!

 

[KJung]

Here is that Puma500 clip with the 4ohm 212/6/1... fat and warm and big, with plenty of hi fi top end if you want it.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The low end (massive) on that cab and also the Puma head was kind of pushing my recording capabilities, but you can really hear that BIG low end, but yet can hear every note, and plenty going on all the way up top with the Sadowsky with stainless steel rounds. Of course, with the EQ and attenuators, you can easily vary the 'fat to punch to sizzle' ratio. Really nice cab!

 

[rpsands]

If the puma bridges at 4 ohms now, my main reservation is gone. But it's still too pricey in my opinion.

If I were going to buy a big amp to avoid racking, to run my 15/6 it'd be an Sd1200. But I am one of those weirdos who is a huge sd800 fanboy (parametric eq + vle/vpf = victory).

 

[silky smoove]

Bluesy: I briefly (VERY briefly) considered a Shuttle 9.0, but given my previous horrible experiences with Genz Benz I'm inclined to stay away. The tone of those heads would probably line up better than they did with any of my previous rigs, but I'm fairly jaded to the Genz Benz brand. Maybe I should take my 15/6/1 down to BassNW and give one a spin. I'm pretty sure Evan keeps one of those on the shelf at all times these days.

rpsands: The addition of being able to bridge safely down to 4 ohms now was a nice touch. It does yield a different concern though. Neither Osiamo, nor Glenn at Austin Bass Trader seems willing to disclose the power ratings of the udpated head. I have to assume that the 8 ohm bridged power rating is still 1,000, which is more than sufficient for my needs, but curiosity makes me wonder what the 4 ohm bridged power rating will be. It's curious that neither will answer that for me via email. The Tecamp ad print on their website isn't updated yet, so no help there.

KJung: Wow... That clip did not help at all. Through the 1212/6, your Puma sounds fantastic. I'm sure the Sadowsky helps quite a bit, but that is a really wonderful sounding combination.

I've been digging the level of detail that I'm hearing from the Demeter HBP-1, purely based on soundclips, and I know rpsands liked his into a 15/6... but the Puma... Oh the Puma... but the Demeter... Oh the Demeter... If someone throws another contender into the ring that really resonates with me I'll likely jump out my office window (26 floors up from the street) immediately

 

[rpsands]

Have you tried an SD800? People have different feelings on them, but it's one of my favorite amps ever so far.

 

[silky smoove]

I gave it a brief run through at a GC, but it was paired to a Markbass 210, which didn't do it justice. At the time I was shopping micros, so I didn't spend much time with it.