Low Power Mini Heads ... Opinions?

I don't know that 300W is "low powered." GK has an MB150 head thats [email protected] ohms, very small but 10 pounds. It has a headphone jack, not sure about an aux. It's been out long enough that you could probably find it used.

 

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Eden-Nemesis-ENX260-260W-Bass-Amp-Head?sku=606139

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend...le-Giant-350-Compact-Bass-Amp-Head?sku=581805

http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Markbass-Little-Mark-250-250W-Bass-Head?sku=481744

 

Why not just get a regular beefy micro head (MB2 fusion for instance) and just not turn up the power amp section?

The thing you're looking for is made by Phil Jones.

It's caled the D-200 and is a low power digital head

http://philjonespuresound.com/PJWeb11_D200.aspx



"At a mere 2.5 lbs., the D-200 can fit anywhere while driving moderate stacks with 150 watts of power. A bevy of outputs make it perfect for jamming through phones or going direct into a recording or mixing console. Worldwide voltage allows the amp to operate at 16 ohms all the way down to 4 ohms-no external sources required. And finally…a sweet, padded gig bag is included."

Model D-200
Description 1U high, lightweight digital bass amplifier 150W, 5 band, EQ limiter
Size 9.5 x 1.75 x 8.25
Accessories Power cord, carrying bag
Power Output 150W RMS
Speakers NONE
NetWeight 2.5 lbs/1.1 kg
Volts 100 to 240 V AC
US$ MSRP $479

"“I'm using this amp with my upright and either EBS or EA speaker cabinets. Very impressive right out of the box. Very happy to be able to take it to Europe and plug in and play. Probably the best feature for touring musicians.” – Registered D-200 Owner"




You can always go to radio shack and get an RCA to 1/4" connector and put it in the passive side of the amp input...

 

I don't think the Shuttle 3.0 has a fan. It sounds fine. It's tiny. I liked it. Or there's always the LM 250.

 

I think the Shuttle 3.0 would be a great choice. It doesn't have a fan, does have headphones out and aux in, is very light and small, and has plenty of power. I would think you could find a used one since they've been out for a while. I use one for practice at home and practice with the band. We rehearse at a fairly loud volume, and the 3.0 doesn't strain a bit. Good luck!

Bob

 

I really did like the Shuttle. In fact, although I had it before the LMII, it better helped me to meet my tonal goals playing fingerstyle. The mute button is handy, and I often used the headphones out and aux in (features that Bob noted).

 

Plus, you could probably get one used for about $300. I think I sold mine here for $275 shipped!

 

What??? I paid $475 for mine off a TB member!! :scowl:

 

MXR DI + Crate Power Block .. you're hooked up for under $150 (used)

Can use it as headphones.. big enough to drive a band... can be DI..

Took me a while to figure out exactly how to do this - I rarely bring my big dumb rack rig out.

Tim

 

Yikes. Sorry man. I sold mine in maybe March of this year. I knew I was giving someone a pretty good deal. But damn! I guess it goes to show that not all TB 'bargains' are as good as others.

 

If your looking for clean and clear, GB is the choice. I only have two amps and they're both GB.

 

Make sure to check the actual measurements on these heads, and not just go by the pictures. There is a wide range of sizes (I don't think the Epifunky is even a micro amp).

If size is key, and you don't need a lot of wump:

EA Micro 500
Genz Shuttle 3
Phil Jones Micro

These are all VERY small and loud enough for most applications IMO. I would choose the Genz from that list in a New York Minute, based on features, reliability, tone, and cost.

 

I listed the current models (the Eden 260 is now the 500 also.. but I'd probably avoid that also, given the state of Eden right now. I believe the 260 is now under the Nemesis nameplate). The EA300/500 series has been reviewed by a number of TBers as being much 'softer' than their wattage would indicate. So, the 500 isn't going to put out the wump of the LMIII or Shuttle 6.0, etc., even though the wattage is spec'd as similar. There were also a lot of issues with the EA300 (hiss and hum, etc.) when they first came out. I would probably stay away from a used EA300. I would hope that they got the bugs out with the new EA500.

Again, if you are dollar constrained, the Genz 3.0 is very impressive, and you sometimes see used ones in the classifieds.

 

Genz Benz Shuttle 3.0-10T Combo

Job done

 

I have the Micro 300 and there isn't anything I would describe as soft about it. I think it has more to do with how the input sensitivity is set than anything. I used mine to drive a fEarful 12+6 one evening - 8 ohm load and it did that just fine. It fit's in the small front pocket of my gig bag along with a few other goodies. Music book and cables go in the larger pocket. Bass on my back, cab in oine hand and a bag with bass and music stands in the other and I'm out the door to gig.

The EA is pretty neutral. If you like the sound of your bass, the EA would be a good choice. If you're looking for a real tone sculptor, maybe something else - or a decent stomp EQ in the effects loop...

My goto setup is that EA driving a Bag End S15D-X. It's warm and crisp. Really brings out the woody side of my piezo basses.